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NBC does not have one nationwide antenna channel. Your local NBC affiliate may appear as 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 10.1, 11.1, or another virtual channel, depending on where you live. To find the correct number, enter your address or ZIP code in AntennaWeb, identify the local station marked NBC, then run an antenna channel scan on your television.
Find NBC’s antenna channel by ZIP code
- Open AntennaWeb’s station lookup.
- Enter your home address or ZIP code.
- Find the local affiliate identified as NBC.
- Record its virtual channel, such as 4.1, 6.1, or 10.1.
- Check the predicted signal, transmitter direction, distance, and recommended antenna type.
AntennaWeb’s prediction is not a guarantee of reliable reception inside your home. Buildings, terrain, antenna height, direction, interference, and the station’s frequency band can all affect the result.
How to scan for NBC on your TV
- Connect the antenna cable to the television’s ANT IN, RF IN, or Antenna/Cable In port.
- Open the TV’s Settings or Channel menu.
- Set the tuner to Antenna, Air, or Broadcast—not Cable.
- Select Auto Program, Auto Tuning, Channel Scan, or Rescan.
- Allow the scan to finish, then test the NBC virtual channel shown in the results.
Menu names vary by television manufacturer and model. A digital TV normally stores the station automatically; you usually do not need to enter the RF channel manually.
Examples of NBC antenna channels
These are examples of current market assignments, not a nationwide list:
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| Market | NBC affiliate | Virtual channel | Physical/RF channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | WNBC | 4 | 35 |
| Los Angeles | KNBC | 4 | 36 |
| Washington, D.C. | WRC-TV | 4 | 34, shared |
| Miami–Fort Lauderdale | WTVJ | 6 | 31 |
| Philadelphia | WCAU | 10 | 28, shared |
For example, Los Angeles NBC displays as channel 4 even though its broadcast signal uses RF channel 36. Market assignments can change, so use a current location-based lookup rather than relying on a general list.
Virtual channel versus RF channel
The virtual channel is the number you select on the remote, often displayed with a subchannel suffix such as 4.1. The RF channel identifies the physical broadcast frequency used by the transmitter.
During a scan, the television receives the RF signal and maps it to the station’s virtual channel. That is why reception tools or FCC records may show RF 35 or RF 36 while your TV guide shows channel 4.1. The FCC explains this digital channel mapping in its broadcast-channel guidance.
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Why NBC may be missing after a scan
Work through these steps in order:
- Rescan the TV. Rescan after moving the antenna or if the station has changed frequencies.
- Move the antenna. Try a higher position, a window, or a location away from walls and large metal objects.
- Reorient it. Aim the antenna toward the NBC transmitter direction listed by AntennaWeb. NBC may come from a different direction than your other local stations.
- Check VHF/UHF support. The FCC identifies channels 2–13 as VHF and 14–51 as UHF. Some products marketed as “HDTV antennas” perform poorly on one band, so use an antenna designed for both VHF and UHF when your local NBC station requires it. See the FCC reception guidance.
- Inspect the coaxial cable and connectors. Loose, damaged, or poorly fitted connections can prevent the tuner from locking onto a signal.
- Try an attic or outdoor antenna. An indoor antenna is convenient but more affected by walls, windows, elevation, and interference. Attic and rooftop installations can help with weak or obstructed signals, though they require more work.
- Do not assume an amplifier will solve it. An amplifier may help with long cable runs or splitters, but it cannot correct a blocked signal, wrong antenna direction, VHF/UHF mismatch, multipath interference, or excessive signal strength.
- Contact the local affiliate. If the station may be temporarily off air or has changed facilities, contact the local NBC station. NBC says its national support team does not troubleshoot antenna reception and directs viewers to the local affiliate.
Why NBC works on cable but not on antenna
Cable and satellite providers assign their own channel numbers. An NBC listing on cable channel 4, 10, or 12 does not necessarily match the local station’s over-the-air virtual channel. Antenna TV receives the local broadcaster directly, so the correct number depends on the affiliate serving your address.
Nearby cities can also have different NBC channels because they may use different affiliates, transmitter sites, translators, virtual-channel assignments, or channel-sharing facilities.
What you need to receive NBC over the air
- A television with a built-in digital ATSC tuner, or a compatible converter box.
- A suitable VHF/UHF antenna.
- A coaxial cable and a good connection to the TV.
- Appropriate placement and orientation.
- A completed antenna channel scan.
NBC is commonly available free over the air where the local affiliate’s signal reaches the home. “Free” means there is no monthly antenna-access fee after the equipment purchase; it does not guarantee reception at every address.
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- Easy to Install: Plug the coaxial cable from your digital indoor HDTV antenna into the ANT/IN connector on the back of your TV, point the TV antenna toward your local TV tower and scan for channels. (Check “dtv gov maps” for available channels).
NEXTGEN TV may require compatible receiving equipment, although a new antenna is not necessarily required solely because a station uses NEXTGEN TV. See AntennaWeb’s NEXTGEN TV information.
If an antenna cannot receive NBC
NBC may offer a location-based local-station stream through its website or apps in supported markets. Availability can depend on your location and may require authentication with a participating TV provider. Streaming is an alternative to antenna reception; its app or provider channel number is not the same as your local over-the-air channel. Details are available from NBC’s streaming support page.
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