TV channels & antenna towers in El Cerrito, California

El Cerrito is a city of about 23,500 people in California. There are 61 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 32 full-power, 5 Class A and 24 low-power. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 37 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 27 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 25 transmitters are within 25 miles, 10 between 25 and 45 miles, and 26 farther out. Seven of the 21 network stations in range are licensed to Sacramento, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Sacramento's stations.

The strongest network signals here are ABC on channel 7 (KGO-TV), CBS on channel 5 (KPIX-TV), NBC on channel 3 (KCRA-TV), Fox on channel 2 (KTVU), PBS on channel 9 (KQED), CW on channel 4 (KRON-TV), ION on channel 65 (KKPX-TV), Telemundo on channel 31.7 (KMAX-TV), Univision on channel 14 (KDTV-DT) and MeTV on channel 44.3 (KPYX). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (good signal) and Univision (good signal). 13 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 215°. The main network towers for El Cerrito sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Six network stations, KPIX-TV, KGO-TV, KQED, KTVU and KRON-TV and others, transmit from the same tower site about 14 miles southwest of El Cerrito (215° SW). Point at that site and a single antenna setting picks them all up.

Of the 19 full-power and Class A network signals that reach El Cerrito at fair strength or better, 42% arrive from the southwest; the rest are spread across two other directions.

All of the main network towers are within their radio horizon as seen from El Cerrito, so signals arrive fairly directly and a well-placed antenna should hold them steadily.

The farthest main network tower for El Cerrito is KQED (PBS), 14 miles away with a strong estimated signal. That is why we suggest an indoor antenna here.

KCRA-TV (NBC), 51 miles northeast, is the exception: the nearest listed affiliate of its network is far enough away to need an outdoor antenna. Some local stations in our data carry no network tag, so check the other stations table below before buying a bigger antenna just for that one.

KTNC-TV is only 14 miles away with a strong signal. Signals that strong can overload an amplifier, so start without one and add it only if distant channels are missing. Read when an amplifier helps.

With 37 stations at fair strength or better, El Cerrito ranks 113th of 1,078 places in California: more than the typical California town (25). Its nearest major network tower is 14 miles away, against a state median of 22 miles.

22% of California's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an indoor antenna. The nearest larger city is Richmond, 2.4 miles away.