WKOW (ABC) · Channel 27

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 800 kW effective radiated power, WKOW runs more power than 73% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 455 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 65% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 62 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 73 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 207 cities and towns in our guide with about 1,770,000 residents, as far as West Bend, WI (73 miles).

WKOW shares its transmitter site with WHA-TV, WMSN-TV (Fox), WIFS (ION) and WISC-TV (CBS). One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other ABC station in our data is WTVO in Rockford, IL, 56 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.