WPTZ (NBC) · 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 650 kW effective radiated power, WPTZ runs more power than 67% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 845 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 95% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 82 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 91 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 140 cities and towns in our guide with about 515,000 residents, as far as Queensbury, NY (89 miles).

WPTZ shares its transmitter site with WNNE (CW), WCAX-TV (CBS), WFFF-TV (Fox), WVNY (ABC) and WETK. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other NBC station in our data is WCSH in Portland, ME, 114 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.