TV channels & antenna towers in Lincoln, California

Lincoln is a town of about 46,500 people in California. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 36 licensed TV transmitters: 11 full-power, 5 Class A, 17 low-power and 3 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 22 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 9 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 12 transmitters are within 25 miles, 11 between 25 and 45 miles, and 13 farther out. Eight of the 11 network stations in range are licensed to Sacramento, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Sacramento's stations.

The best-placed network stations are ABC on channel 10 (KXTV), CBS on channel 13 (KOVR), NBC on channel 3 (KCRA-TV), Fox on channel 40 (KTXL), PBS on channel 6 (KVIE), CW on channel 58 (KQCA), ION on channel 29 (KSPX-TV), Telemundo on channel 31.7 (KMAX-TV) and Univision on channel 19 (KUVS-DT). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (good signal) and Univision (good signal). 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 SSW, at about 195°. The main network towers for Lincoln sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Five network stations, KTXL, KVIE, KQCA, KCRA-TV and KSPX-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 44 miles south of Lincoln (195° SSW). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 10 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Lincoln at fair strength or better, 80% arrive from the south; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Lincoln is KCRA-TV (NBC), 45 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here.

KXTV (ABC), 46 miles south and KOVR (CBS), 46 miles south, are the exception: the nearest listed affiliates of those networks are 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 those.

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 22 stations at fair strength or better, Lincoln ranks 572nd of 1,078 places in California: fewer than the typical California town (25). Its nearest major network tower is 16 miles away, against a state median of 22 miles.

48% of California's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The nearest larger city is Roseville, 9.6 miles away.