Channel 83 was removed from television use in 1982. The highest frequency to have been used for
NTSC-M terrestrial TV broadcasting, it was formerly used by a handful of television stations in
North America which broadcast on 884-890 MHz. In the
United States, channels 70–83 served primarily as a "translator band" for low-power
repeater transmitters filling gaps in coverage for existing stations. Many are defunct, with the few still in existence now moved to lower frequencies:
WXXW-TV (later WYCC
PBSChicago) had used a small channel 83 rebroadcaster from 1965-1972.[2] The main channel 20 transmitter moved to the
Sears Tower once that building was completed in May 1973, rendering the fill-in repeater signal unnecessary.
A
RadioShack device, the Multiple Video Distribution System (15-1284 or 150-1284), was marketed in the early-1980s with the capability of
block conversion of up to three independent
RF modulator signals from
VHF channel 3/
4 for home viewing on any of channels
74/
75,
78/
79 and/or
82/83 - channels which remained unused in most markets. Later versions of the product were forced to lower frequencies by the removal of
UHF channels 70-83 from television receivers after 1982.[3]