KCTS-TV
Full power TV station · Seattle, Washington
KCTS-TV is a full power over-the-air TV station, licensed to Seattle, Washington. Its signal is estimated to reach about 205 cities and towns within 50 miles.
About KCTS-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 21.7 kW effective radiated power, KCTS-TV runs more power than 12% 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 249 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 17% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 48 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.
We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 50 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 205 cities and towns in our guide with about 4,030,000 residents, as far as Oak Harbor, WA (49 miles).
KCTS-TV shares its transmitter site with KZJO, KFFV (MeTV) and KSTW. 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 | Seattle, WA |
| Tower location | 47.61583, -122.30889 |
| Effective radiated power | 21.7 kW |
| Antenna height (HAAT) | 249 m (817 ft) |
| FCC facility ID | 33749 |
| License status | Licensed |
Cities that can receive KCTS-TV
Estimated with an outdoor antenna. Direction is from the city toward the tower.
| City | Distance | Point antenna | Est. signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 1.3 mi | 58° ENE | Strong |
| Bellevue, WA | 5.1 mi | 274° W | Good |
| Mercer Island, WA | 5.1 mi | 308° NW | Good |
| Kirkland, WA | 6.5 mi | 226° SW | Good |
| Inglewood-Finn Hill, WA | 8.1 mi | 206° SSW | Good |
| Redmond, WA | 9.6 mi | 245° WSW | Good |
| Shoreline, WA | 9.8 mi | 171° S | Good |
| Bainbridge Island, WA | 9.9 mi | 94° E | Good |
| West Lake Sammamish, WA | 10 mi | 285° WNW | Good |
| Renton, WA | 10 mi | 335° NNW | Good |
| Burien, WA | 10 mi | 10° N | Good |
| Sammamish, WA | 11 mi | 261° W | Good |
| Bothell, WA | 11 mi | 205° SSW | Good |
| SeaTac, WA | 12 mi | 356° N | Good |
| City of Sammamish, WA | 13 mi | 274° W | Good |
| Edmonds, WA | 14 mi | 167° SSE | Good |
| Lynnwood, WA | 14 mi | 179° S | Good |
| Issaquah, WA | 14 mi | 295° WNW | Good |
| Des Moines, WA | 15 mi | 3° N | Good |
| North Creek, WA | 15 mi | 204° SSW | Fair |
| Bremerton, WA | 15 mi | 77° ENE | Fair |
| East Hill-Meridian, WA | 16 mi | 336° NNW | Fair |
| Kent, WA | 17 mi | 348° NNW | Fair |
| Picnic Point-North Lynnwood, WA | 17 mi | 182° S | Fair |
| Maple Valley, WA | 20 mi | 322° NW | Fair |
| Federal Way, WA | 20 mi | 0° N | Fair |
| Auburn, WA | 22 mi | 350° N | Fair |
| Everett, WA | 26 mi | 191° S | Fair |
| Tacoma, WA | 26 mi | 14° NNE | Fair |
| University Place, WA | 29 mi | 23° NNE | Fair |
| Puyallup, WA | 30 mi | 359° N | Fair |
| Lake Stevens, WA | 30 mi | 202° SSW | Fair |
| Marysville, WA | 31 mi | 192° SSW | Fair |
| Lakewood, WA | 32 mi | 18° NNE | Fair |
| Parkland, WA | 32 mi | 10° N | Fair |
| South Hill, WA | 33 mi | 357° N | Fair |
| Spanaway, WA | 36 mi | 9° N | Fair |
| Graham, WA | 39 mi | 359° N | Fair |
| Lacey, WA | 47 mi | 31° NNE | Fair |
| Olympia, WA | 49 mi | 35° NE | Fair |
Other network stations nearby
- KFFVMeTV · 44.1
- KING-TVNBC · 5
- KUNS-TVCW · 51
- KOMO-TVABC · 4
- KIRO-TVCBS · 7
- KWPX-TVION · 33
- KTBW-TVTrinity · 20
- KCPQFox · 13
Frequently asked questions
Where is the KCTS-TV transmitter tower?
KCTS-TV broadcasts from a tower at 47.6158, -122.3089, near Seattle, WA. It is licensed to Seattle, Washington.
How far does KCTS-TV broadcast?
With an outdoor antenna, reception is usually workable up to about 50 miles from the tower, and possible in good conditions out to roughly 58 miles. Hills and buildings can shorten that.
How many people can watch KCTS-TV with an antenna?
About 4,030,000 people live in the 205 cities and towns within its estimated fair-signal range, not counting rural residents between them.
Which way do I point my antenna for KCTS-TV?
Open the live finder from your address to get the exact compass bearing to the KCTS-TV tower, or use the table above if your city is listed.