KIAH (CW) · Channel 39

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 1,000 kW effective radiated power, KIAH runs more power than 79% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 586 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 85% 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 81 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 150 cities and towns in our guide with about 4,500,000 residents, as far as Huntsville, TX (80 miles).

KIAH shares its transmitter site with KPRC-TV (NBC), KTRK-TV (ABC), KHOU (CBS), KPXB-TV (ION), KRIV (Fox) and KTXH. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other CW station in our data is KBTX-TV in Bryan, TX, 75 miles away. Viewers between the two can sometimes receive both.

The CW is a commercial broadcast network carrying entertainment series and a growing slate of sports. In smaller markets it often runs as a subchannel of another station rather than its own transmitter.