1). What TV market (City) are you in?
2). When you say "zero signal", do you mean the bar displayed when you press "Signal Strength" shows no bar? When you go into menu and select manual tune, then arrow to the actual RF channel number for virtual channels 9 and 44, what does it show for their signal strength?
3). Are you using an indoor antenna? What type antenna (and antenna amp., if any) are you using? If it's an indoor antenna, is is positioned near a window on the side of the building facing the direction of the TV transmitters?
4). Does
www.tvfool.com show your digital virtual channel 9 to be your strongest digital station, or are you just stating that their analog signal is your strongest?
5). With your current unit tuned to ch 9, what does the display show when you press signal strength? Does it beep? Beep fast or slow?