Is WHBF-TV (CBS 4) on NextGen TV?

CBS · channel 4 · Rock Island, IL (Davenport-R.Island-Moline market)

Yes. WHBF-TV still broadcasts its regular signal from its own transmitter, so nothing changed for your TV. A NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) version also airs from KGCW's transmitter (since December 10, 2024).

Source: FCC licensing records, checked October 29, 2026.

WHBF-TV at a glance

Channel on your TV
4
Real (RF) broadcast channel
4 · VHF-low
Network
CBS
City of license
Rock Island, IL
TV market
Davenport-R.Island-Moline (#100)
License type
Full-power
NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0)
Yes — via KGCW
NextGen TV since
December 10, 2024
Old-format (1.0) signal
On its own transmitter
FCC facility ID
13950

How WHBF-TV shares transmitters

During the switch, stations in a market pair up: one transmitter (the “lighthouse”) goes NextGen-only and carries everyone’s 3.0 versions, while its own old-format programming moves to a partner. Your TV shows the same channel numbers either way.

  • WHBF-TV’s NextGen TV version airs from KGCW (CW 26) (RF 21).

Questions about WHBF-TV

Is WHBF-TV broadcasting in ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV)?

Yes. WHBF-TV still broadcasts its regular signal from its own transmitter, so nothing changed for your TV. A NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) version also airs from KGCW's transmitter (since December 10, 2024).

Will WHBF-TV stop working on my TV?

Not under today's rules. Any full-power or Class A station that switches to NextGen TV must keep an old-format (ATSC 1.0) simulcast on the air, and that requirement has no end date. What could change it: broadcasters have asked the FCC to let full-power stations outside the largest markets end old-format signals in February 2030. The FCC's own October 2025 proposal leaned the other way — letting each station choose when to stop. A final decision is expected by the end of 2026.

Why can't I get channel 4?

Start with a full channel rescan (Settings → Channels → Auto scan) — stations change transmitters and frequencies more often than people expect. WHBF-TV transmits on real (RF) channel 4, which is VHF-low. VHF-low (channels 2–6) is the hardest band for indoor and flat antennas. If this station breaks up while others come in fine, an outdoor or attic antenna with long VHF elements is usually the fix.

Why channels disappear → · Where the FCC decision stands → · Does my TV have a 3.0 tuner? →

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