KCCI (CBS) · Channel 8

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 44.6 kW effective radiated power, KCCI runs more power than 25% 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 597 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 86% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 70 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 72 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 94 cities and towns in our guide with about 878,000 residents, as far as Fort Dodge, IA (55 miles).

KCCI shares its transmitter site with KFPX-TV (ION), WOI-DT (ABC), KDIN-TV and WHO-DT (NBC). One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other CBS station in our data is KIMT in Mason City, IA, 124 miles away. Viewers between the two can sometimes receive both.

CBS is one of the four big commercial broadcast networks. Local CBS affiliates carry the network's news, daytime and primetime schedule plus local news, and CBS is the over-the-air home of many NFL Sunday afternoon games.