WLS-TV (ABC) · Channel 7

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 1,000 kW effective radiated power, WLS-TV runs more power than 79% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 518 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 75% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 66 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 77 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 496 cities and towns in our guide with about 11,700,000 residents, as far as Greenfield, WI (77 miles).

WLS-TV shares its transmitter site with WBBM-TV (CBS), WCPX-TV (ION), WJYS, WXFT-DT, WTTW and WFLD (Fox) and 8 more. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other ABC station in our data is WTVO in Rockford, IL, 84 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.