KCAL-TV
Full power TV station · Los Angeles, California
KCAL-TV is a full power over-the-air TV station, licensed to Los Angeles, California. Its signal is estimated to reach about 297 cities and towns within 66 miles.
About KCAL-TV
Full-power stations are the main licensed broadcasters in a market. They may run the highest power from the tallest towers and are protected from interference, so they set the core of what you can receive.
At 25 kW effective radiated power, KCAL-TV runs more power than 13% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW). Stations on VHF channels are licensed at much lower power than UHF stations to cover the same area, so a low figure does not always mean a weak signal.
Its antenna sits 977 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 97% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 88 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.
We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 66 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 297 cities and towns in our guide with about 18,700,000 residents, as far as Port Hueneme, CA (65 miles).
KCAL-TV shares its transmitter site with KABC-TV (ABC), KRCA, KMEX-DT (Univision), KFTR-DT, KFLA-LD and KPXN-TV (ION) and 19 more. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.
Station facts
| Network | Independent / not listed |
| Virtual channel | Not listed |
| Station type | Full power (DTV) |
| City of license | Los Angeles, CA |
| Tower location | 34.22722, -118.06750 |
| Effective radiated power | 25 kW |
| Antenna height (HAAT) | 977 m (3,206 ft) |
| FCC facility ID | 21422 |
| License status | Licensed |
Cities that can receive KCAL-TV
Estimated with an outdoor antenna. Direction is from the city toward the tower.
| City | Distance | Point antenna | Est. signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena, CA | 7.0 mi | 39° NE | Good |
| El Monte, CA | 11 mi | 348° NNW | Good |
| Glendale, CA | 12 mi | 61° ENE | Good |
| West Covina, CA | 13 mi | 326° NW | Good |
| Burbank, CA | 14 mi | 77° ENE | Good |
| East Los Angeles, CA | 15 mi | 23° NNE | Good |
| Los Angeles, CA | 16 mi | 40° NE | Good |
| Hollywood, CA | 17 mi | 59° ENE | Fair |
| Universal City, CA | 17 mi | 69° ENE | Fair |
| Koreatown, CA | 18 mi | 49° NE | Fair |
| Downey, CA | 20 mi | 11° N | Fair |
| Pomona, CA | 22 mi | 303° WNW | Fair |
| Van Nuys, CA | 22 mi | 83° E | Fair |
| Norwalk, CA | 22 mi | 2° N | Fair |
| Palmdale, CA | 24 mi | 173° S | Fair |
| Inglewood, CA | 25 mi | 42° NE | Fair |
| Fullerton, CA | 26 mi | 342° NNW | Fair |
| Ontario, CA | 26 mi | 296° WNW | Fair |
| Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 28 mi | 287° WNW | Fair |
| Anaheim, CA | 28 mi | 342° NNW | Fair |
| Santa Clarita, CA | 29 mi | 113° ESE | Fair |
| Torrance, CA | 31 mi | 30° NNE | Fair |
| Garden Grove, CA | 32 mi | 347° NNW | Fair |
| Long Beach, CA | 33 mi | 12° NNE | Fair |
| Orange, CA | 33 mi | 338° NNW | Fair |
| Lancaster, CA | 33 mi | 173° S | Fair |
| Valencia, CA | 34 mi | 116° ESE | Fair |
| Santa Ana, CA | 35 mi | 341° NNW | Fair |
| Fontana, CA | 37 mi | 285° WNW | Fair |
| Corona, CA | 38 mi | 310° NW | Fair |
| Huntington Beach, CA | 39 mi | 354° N | Fair |
| Simi Valley, CA | 41 mi | 94° E | Fair |
| Irvine, CA | 41 mi | 340° NNW | Fair |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 41 mi | 348° NNW | Fair |
| Riverside, CA | 43 mi | 296° WNW | Fair |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | 44 mi | 85° E | Fair |
| San Bernardino, CA | 45 mi | 281° W | Fair |
| Victorville, CA | 49 mi | 244° WSW | Fair |
| Moreno Valley, CA | 52 mi | 293° WNW | Fair |
| Oxnard, CA | 63 mi | 88° E | Fair |
Other network stations nearby
- KABC-TVABC · 7
- KMEX-DTUnivision · 34
- KPXN-TVION · 30
- KTLACW · 5
- KVEATelemundo · 52
- KNBCNBC · 4
- KTTVFox · 11
- KTBN-TVTrinity · 40
- KLCSPBS · 58
- KCBS-TVCBS · 2
- KDOC-TVMeTV · 56.3
- KAZA-TVMeTV · 54.1
Frequently asked questions
Where is the KCAL-TV transmitter tower?
KCAL-TV broadcasts from a tower at 34.2272, -118.0675, near Altadena, CA. It is licensed to Los Angeles, California.
How far does KCAL-TV broadcast?
With an outdoor antenna, reception is usually workable up to about 66 miles from the tower, and possible in good conditions out to roughly 95 miles. Hills and buildings can shorten that.
How many people can watch KCAL-TV with an antenna?
About 18,700,000 people live in the 297 cities and towns within its estimated fair-signal range, not counting rural residents between them.
Which way do I point my antenna for KCAL-TV?
Open the live finder from your address to get the exact compass bearing to the KCAL-TV tower, or use the table above if your city is listed.