WBAL-TV (NBC) · Channel 11

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 30 kW effective radiated power, WBAL-TV runs more power than 17% 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 305 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 30% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 52 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 54 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 429 cities and towns in our guide with about 7,510,000 residents, as far as South Riding, VA (54 miles).

WBAL-TV shares its transmitter site with WJZ-TV (CBS), WMAR-TV (ABC), WNUV (CW), WBFF (Fox) and WUTB. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other NBC station in our data is WRC-TV in Washington, DC, 36 miles away. Viewers between the two can sometimes receive both.

NBC is one of the four big commercial broadcast networks. Local NBC affiliates carry the national morning show, evening news and primetime lineup, plus Sunday Night Football and, in Olympic years, the Games.