WRAL-TV (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 833.7 kW effective radiated power, WRAL-TV runs more power than 75% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 625 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 90% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 72 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 82 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 161 cities and towns in our guide with about 3,000,000 residents, as far as Danville, VA (79 miles).

WRAL-TV shares its transmitter site with WRTD-CD (Telemundo), WNCN (CBS), WRDC, WRAZ (Fox), WLFL (CW) and WNGT-CD and 1 more. One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other NBC station in our data is WITN-TV in Washington, NC, 67 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.