WAAY-TV (ABC) · Channel 31

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 356 kW effective radiated power, WAAY-TV runs more power than 55% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 538 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 78% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 67 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 75 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 138 cities and towns in our guide with about 1,300,000 residents, as far as East Ridge, TN (75 miles).

WAAY-TV shares its transmitter site with WHVD-LD, WZDX (Fox), W34EY-D, WNAL-LD, WHNT-TV (CBS) and WHIQ. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other ABC station in our data is WTVC in Chattanooga, TN, 75 miles away. Viewers between the two can sometimes receive both.

ABC is one of the four big commercial broadcast networks. Local ABC affiliates carry the national morning, evening news and primetime schedule alongside their own local newscasts, and the network carries major sports such as NBA games.