WQOW (ABC) · Channel 18

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 253 kW effective radiated power, WQOW runs more power than 49% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 280 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 22% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 51 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 59 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 60 cities and towns in our guide with about 300,000 residents, as far as Winona, MN (53 miles).

WQOW shares its transmitter site with WBDL-LD, W33DH-D and W26FG-D. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other ABC station in our data is WXOW in La Crosse, WI, 69 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.