WTVO (ABC) · Channel 17

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 196 kW effective radiated power, WTVO runs more power than 45% of full-power TV stations nationwide (median: 273 kW).

Its antenna sits 201 m above the average surrounding terrain, higher than 9% of full-power stations. Taller antennas see farther: this one's radio horizon is roughly 44 miles, beyond which the signal fades quickly.

We estimate a fair-or-better signal out to about 52 miles with an outdoor antenna. That area includes 142 cities and towns in our guide with about 1,400,000 residents, as far as Geneva, IL (52 miles).

WTVO shares its transmitter site with WQRF-TV (Fox). One antenna aimed at this site picks up all of them.

The nearest other ABC station in our data is WKOW in Madison, WI, 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.