WCVB-TV (ABC) · Channel 5

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 922 kW effective radiated power, WCVB-TV runs more power than 77% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 388 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 53% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 58 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 70 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 509 cities and towns in our guide with about 8,630,000 residents, as far as Norwich, CT (69 miles).

WCVB-TV shares its transmitter site with WBTS-CD (NBC), WBZ-TV (CBS), WUTF-TV, WNEU (Telemundo), WGBX-TV and WSBK-TV. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other ABC station in our data is WJAR in Providence, RI, 31 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.