Frequently asked questions - WSMV Channel 4

Frequently asked questions

1. How much power does your transmitter put out?

We have two transmitters running in parallel. Each transmitter puts out 15 KW of visual power for a combined total of 30 KW. The transmitting antenna concentrates this power along the horizon to give us 100 KW effective radiated power. Each transmitter puts out 3 KW of Aural power for a combined total of 6 KW. This is amplified at the antenna to give us 12 KW aural effective radiated power.

2. How high is your television tower?

Our tower is 1,368 feet high and was built in 1957. A new circularly-polarized antenna was installed in 1986. This special transmitting antenna provides improved reception for viewers with "rabbit ears" and other simple antennas.

3. How do you get live video on the air?

We have seven live trucks and two satellite trucks. The normal live trucks have a microwave system on board that transmits (2ghz) the signal back to the station via one of our three receive sites: one downtown, one atop a hospital in north Nashville and the other on our 1,368 foot tower. The satellite truck operates a different way: it transmits its signal to a commercial satellite in orbit. We have satellite receivers at the station that can receive live programming; from there, we can send the programming to you the viewer.

4. What frequency does WSMV transmit on?

WSMV operates on TV channel 4, 66-72MHz. Specifically, our visual transmitter operates on 67.26MHz, and the aural on 71.76MHz. These frequencies are offset 10KHz from nominal channel 4 assignments to reduce interference from channel 4 stations in St. Louis and northeast Mississippi.