KQET (PBS) · Channel 25
Full power TV station · Watsonville, California
KQET is a full power over-the-air TV station affiliated with PBS on virtual channel 25, licensed to Watsonville, California. Its signal is estimated to reach about 156 cities and towns within 78 miles.
About KQET
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 81.1 kW effective radiated power, KQET runs more power than 35% 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 699 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 92% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 75 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.
We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 78 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 156 cities and towns in our guide with about 5,030,000 residents, as far as San Leandro, CA (76 miles).
KQET shares its transmitter site with KSBW (ABC), KSMS-TV (Univision), KDJT-CD, KMUV-LD (Telemundo), K15CU-D and K35PK-D and 4 more. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.
The nearest other PBS station in our data is KQED in San Francisco, CA, 87 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.
Station facts
| Network | PBS |
| Virtual channel | 25 |
| Station type | Full power (DTV) |
| City of license | Watsonville, CA |
| Tower location | 36.75633, -121.50242 |
| Effective radiated power | 81.1 kW |
| Antenna height (HAAT) | 699 m (2,292 ft) |
| FCC facility ID | 8214 |
| License status | Licensed |
Cities that can receive KQET
Estimated with an outdoor antenna. Direction is from the city toward the tower.
| City | Distance | Point antenna | Est. signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollister, CA | 8.7 mi | 220° SW | Good |
| Salinas, CA | 10 mi | 57° ENE | Good |
| Gilroy, CA | 18 mi | 168° SSE | Good |
| Watsonville, CA | 18 mi | 127° SE | Good |
| Seaside, CA | 22 mi | 62° ENE | Good |
| Morgan Hill, CA | 27 mi | 162° SSE | Good |
| Santa Cruz, CA | 33 mi | 117° ESE | Fair |
| Los Banos, CA | 42 mi | 240° WSW | Fair |
| Los Gatos, CA | 42 mi | 141° SE | Fair |
| Campbell, CA | 44 mi | 146° SE | Fair |
| Saratoga, CA | 45 mi | 141° SE | Fair |
| San Jose, CA | 46 mi | 152° SSE | Fair |
| Santa Clara, CA | 48 mi | 149° SSE | Fair |
| Cupertino, CA | 49 mi | 143° SE | Fair |
| Milpitas, CA | 51 mi | 154° SSE | Fair |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 52 mi | 145° SE | Fair |
| Mountain View, CA | 54 mi | 143° SE | Fair |
| Los Altos, CA | 55 mi | 142° SE | Fair |
| Palo Alto, CA | 59 mi | 143° SE | Fair |
| Fremont, CA | 61 mi | 154° SSE | Fair |
| Menlo Park, CA | 61 mi | 142° SE | Fair |
| Newark, CA | 61 mi | 151° SSE | Fair |
| Turlock, CA | 63 mi | 216° SW | Fair |
| Redwood City, CA | 65 mi | 141° SE | Fair |
| Union City, CA | 65 mi | 154° SSE | Fair |
| Ceres, CA | 65 mi | 208° SSW | Fair |
| Livermore, CA | 66 mi | 167° SSE | Fair |
| Pleasanton, CA | 66 mi | 162° SSE | Fair |
| Modesto, CA | 67 mi | 205° SSW | Fair |
| Merced, CA | 68 mi | 236° WSW | Fair |
| Tracy, CA | 68 mi | 184° S | Fair |
| Dublin, CA | 70 mi | 160° SSE | Fair |
| Foster City, CA | 70 mi | 142° SE | Fair |
| Hayward, CA | 71 mi | 153° SSE | Fair |
| San Mateo, CA | 72 mi | 141° SE | Fair |
| Castro Valley, CA | 72 mi | 153° SSE | Fair |
| Manteca, CA | 74 mi | 192° SSW | Fair |
| Burlingame, CA | 74 mi | 140° SE | Fair |
| San Ramon, CA | 75 mi | 160° SSE | Fair |
| San Leandro, CA | 76 mi | 152° SSE | Fair |
Other network stations nearby
- KSBWABC · 8.2
- KSMS-TVUnivision · 67
- KMUV-LDTelemundo · 23
- KCBACW · 35
- KMBY-LDMeTV · 27.1
- KION-TVFox · 46.2
Frequently asked questions
Where is the KQET transmitter tower?
KQET broadcasts from a tower at 36.7563, -121.5024, near San Juan Bautista, CA. It is licensed to Watsonville, California.
What channel is KQET on?
KQET appears as virtual channel 25 (25.1 and its subchannels) when you scan with an antenna, carrying PBS.
How far does KQET broadcast?
With an outdoor antenna, reception is usually workable up to about 78 miles from the tower, and possible in good conditions out to roughly 87 miles. Hills and buildings can shorten that.
How many people can watch KQET with an antenna?
About 5,030,000 people live in the 156 cities and towns within its estimated fair-signal range, not counting rural residents between them.
Which way do I point my antenna for KQET?
Open the live finder from your address to get the exact compass bearing to the KQET tower, or use the table above if your city is listed.