TV channels & antenna towers in Lakes, Alaska

Lakes is a town of about 8,360 people in Alaska. There are 19 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 7 full-power, 1 Class A, 7 low-power and 4 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 8 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 4 at good or strong strength.

7 of them are within 25 miles of Lakes, 8 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 4 are more than 45 miles out. Five of the 5 network stations in range are licensed to Anchorage, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Anchorage's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are CBS on channel 5 (KYES-TV), NBC on channel 2 (KTUU-TV), Fox on channel 4 (KTBY), CW on channel 13.2 (KYUR) and ION on channel 33 (KDMD). No ABC affiliate is listed within 250 miles of Lakes. 2 full-power stations in range have no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

Point your antenna SW, at about 229°. The main network towers for Lakes sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Three network stations, KTUU-TV, KYUR and KYES-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 23 miles southwest of Lakes (236° SW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 5 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Lakes at fair strength or better, 80% arrive from the southwest; the rest are spread across one other direction.

KTBY (Fox) lies beyond the radio horizon of its transmitter as seen from Lakes. Past that point signals fade quickly, so antenna height matters more than amplification.

The farthest main network tower for Lakes is KTBY (Fox), 33 miles away with a fair estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here. If you only watch the closer stations, a smaller antenna may do.

An amplifier only helps here if you run a long cable (over about 50 feet) or split the antenna to several TVs. Otherwise better placement does more. See the amplifier guide.

With 8 stations at fair strength or better, Lakes ranks 10th of 69 places in Alaska: more than the typical Alaska town (2). Its nearest major network tower is 20 miles away, against a state median of 19 miles.

30% of Alaska's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The nearest larger city is Eagle River, 22 miles away.