KPBS (PBS) · Channel 15

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 285 kW effective radiated power, KPBS runs more power than 51% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 573 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 82% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 69 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 76 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 93 cities and towns in our guide with about 4,430,000 residents, as far as La Quinta, CA (76 miles).

KPBS shares its transmitter site with KSDX-LD, KUSI-TV, KNSD (NBC), KUAN-LD (Telemundo), KSWB-TV (Fox) and KZSD-LD and 2 more. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other PBS station in our data is KVCR-DT in San Bernardino, CA, 90 miles away. Viewers between the two can sometimes receive both.

PBS is the non-commercial public television service. Each region is served by a member station that carries national programs such as children's shows, documentaries and news, plus local programming.