This study investigates the coverage areas of VHF and
UHF signals from three television stations in Niger
State, Nigeria, by quantitatively measuring the signal
levels of these signals. The signal levels of the
transmitters of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA),
Minna, Channel 10, (210.25 MHz); NTA, Kotangora,
Channel 8, (196.25 MHz) and Niger State Television,
Minna, Channel 25, (503.25 MHz), and the
corresponding distances were measured along some
radial routes with the transmitting stations at focus.
These measurements were taken using Digital Signal
Level Meter and Global Positioning System (GPS).
From the data obtained, Surfer 8 software application
was used to draw contour maps of the signal levels
around the transmitting stations to determine the
coverage areas of the stations. The results obtained
show that the present configurations of the transmitters
of the three television stations do not give an optimal
coverage of the state. Only 25.82% of the entire land
mass of the state has television signal coverage.
Consequently, greater percentage of Niger State is
completely out of television signal coverage. So, there
is need to have repeater stations at some intervals to
ensure reception of television signals throughout the
state.