Need help watching us over-the-air?

We sometimes get questions from News 8 viewers who have questions about the best antennas and tips for tuning in our signal over-the-air.

Here’s some information we hope will help.

Our Digital TV signal is on RF Channel 8, (virtual channel 8.1) which is VHF. Make sure your antenna is capable of receiving VHF. A good brand for this is Antennas Direct.

The best option to receive our over-the-air signal is by using a rooftop antenna, but that it isn’t possible at every location. If you can’t put up a rooftop or attic antenna, an amplified indoor antenna is highly recommended.

Our tower is located near Galesville, Wisconsin so be sure your rooftop antenna is pointed in that direction. Indoor antennas should be oriented so they are facing that direction too. Placing the antenna near windows and as high as possible is best.

The best advice we have is to:

Get a higher quality indoor antenna that is amplified and clearly states it can receive VHF. We have had the most success with Antennas Direct and Terk antennas.

Recommended Antennas Direct models:

– Indoor: Clearstream Flex Amplified Indoor
– Indoor/Outdoor: Clearstream 2Max and Clearstream Max
– Outdoor: Clearstream 5

Recommended Indoor Amplified Terk models:
– Terk TV4
– Terk TV2

  • Be sure to save your receipt to return your new antenna if it doesn’t work!
  • Get a longer length of coaxial cable (20+ feet) that connects to either your converter box or the antenna input on the back of your digital TV. This allows you to move your indoor antenna more freely throughout the room to determine where it works best.
  • When deciding where to place antenna, higher in the room is generally better.
  • If the antenna has rabbit ears, it can help to extend the rabbit ears to only 2/3 length.
  • Consider an outdoor rotor antenna if you have exhausted all options above. A rotor antenna allows you to point the antenna at our broadcast tower in Galesville, WI.

When you try out a new antenna, you may have to perform a re-scan on your converter box or TV.
As you may have already experienced, antenna reception is not a perfect science. There are many things that can interfere with a broadcast signal making it hard to tune in. And yes, there are homes in our viewing area where over-the-air reception of WKBT is not possible due to interference, the bluffs and the distance from our broadcasting tower.

Here’s a website we recommend as great resource for people purchasing HDTV antennas:https://www.antennasdirect.com/

Here’s a website that allows you to enter your location and it will show you which direction your antenna should be pointed to receive local channels in your area: https://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

Other options for watching News 8’s newscasts, CBS Programming and individual news stories:
WKBT-TV on Roku (A set-top box that you can use to access video on-demand from a variety of channels)

WKBT-TV Mobile (Apps for iOS, Android)
Live-Streaming News 8 newscasts (The video player will play the newscasts when they air.)

WKBT-TV News 8 on YouTube (You can find nearly all of our locally-produced stories on our YouTube channel.)

Social Media (We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+)

Subscribe to RSS Feeds (RSS feeds are an easy way to add news headlines from our website to your personal blog, newsreader or website.)

Paramount Plus – a subscription service from CBS that includes all WKBT/News 8 programming

WKBT News 8 has strengthened its transmitting signal in the greater Eau Claire and Tomah viewing areas. If you’ve been getting a weak or no signal from WKBT News 8 CBS, it’s time to rescan your television set. You should be able to find WKBT-TV channels on 8.1 through 8.6

What does this mean for you? 

If you watch TV through a cable or satellite service, you do not need to rescan. Your service provider will do it for you. But if you are antenna only, you should rescan.

So, how do you run a channel scan?
Note, that every TV is slightly different, but below are general instructions on how to rescan.

To start, on your TV remote, select “Menu” and then “Settings.”

Next, select “Channel Setup” and select “Antenna” or “Air,” depending on your TV.

Make sure you are not on “Cable.” Select “Channel Search” or “Channel Scan.”

Keep in mind that steps to perform a channel scan may vary. If the wording in your TV differs from the options shown, refer to your TV user manual for help. We have also included a link to an FCC document that has instructions from major TV manufacturers.

FYI: Running a channel scan is NOT the same as pressing Channel UP/DOWN on your remote. There may be channels available that you won’t be able to tune in, even if you select it directly, until you do a scan.

When do I need to run a channel scan?
To receive maximum programming, you have to run a channel scan after setting up the antenna. To keep your channel line-up up-to-date, it is a good idea to run a channel scan monthly, anytime a channel is lost, and anytime you change locations (after you move into a new home, for example).

The full WKBT-TV line-up includes:

  • 8.1 WKBT-TV CBS News 8 Now
  • 8.2 My Network TV Entertainment and Local Programming
  • 8.3 ION TV Family Orientated Entertainment Programming
  • 8.4 Dabl Lifestyle Network
  • 8.5 QVC Home Shopping Channel
  • 8.6 HSN – Home Shopping Network
Click here for the FCC’s instructions on rescanning.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS BY TV BRAND

Click the "Menu" button.
Select "Channels".
Click "Auto Tuning". 

Click the “Menu” button.
Select “Channels”.
Then click “Air”.
You will be asked “Are you sure you want to auto channel scan?” Click the “Yes” button.


Click the “Menu” button.
Select “Antenna” as your source.
Then click “Scan”.
Click the “Home” button.
Hit the “Settings” button.
Then the “Channels” button.
Click the “AutoTuning” button.
Click the “Menu” button.
From the menu, click the “Set-Up” button.
Select “Antenna”.
Click the “Scan” button.
Click the “Home” button.
Use the left/right button to select “Set Up”.
Use the directional buttons to select “Search for Channels”.
Hit the “OK” button.
Click the “Menu” button.
From the menu, select “Channel”.
Click the “Auto Program” button.
Some Samsung models require you to then click the “Air” button.
Others will just immediately begin scanning.
Click the “Quick Setup Menu” button.
From that menu, select “Channel”.
Then click “Auto Channel Scan”.
Click the “Menu” button.
Using the up/down buttons, click into the “Set Up” menu.
Using the up/down buttons, select “Auto Tune”.
Press the “Menu” button.
Use the up/down buttons to click into “Set-Up” menu.
Use the up/down buttons to select “Re-Tune”.
Click the “OK” button.
For brands not listed in the chart, instructions are often similar and typically include these steps:
  1. Press “set-up” or “menu” on the TV remote control or converter box.
  2. Select “channels,” “antenna,” or other similar terminology.
  3. Click “scan,” “auto-tune,” “channel search,” “auto-program,” or other similar terminology.
  4. The TV will do the rest. The process usually takes just a few minutes.
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