TV channels & antenna towers in Santa Barbara, California

With roughly 91,800 residents, Santa Barbara is a city in California. Our map shows 28 licensed TV transmitters inside a 70-mile radius: 3 full-power, 7 Class A, 15 low-power and 3 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 13 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 8 at good or strong strength.

13 of them are within 25 miles of Santa Barbara, 7 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 8 are more than 45 miles out. Santa Barbara is a broadcast hub in its own right: two of the 3 network stations in range are licensed here.

The best-placed network stations are ABC on channel 3 (KEYT-TV), CW on channel 12.3 (KCOY-TV) and Univision on channel 38 (KPMR). No CBS affiliate is listed within 70 miles; the nearest one in our data is KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, CA, 94 miles to the east. No NBC affiliate is listed within 70 miles; the nearest one in our data is KSBY in San Luis Obispo, CA, 85 miles to the northwest. Spanish-language viewers can pick up Univision (good signal).

Point your antenna WNW, at about 296°. The main network towers for Santa Barbara sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Two network stations, KEYT-TV and KPMR, transmit from the same tower site about 17 miles northwest of Santa Barbara (296° WNW). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 3 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Santa Barbara at fair strength or better, all arrive from the northwest, so this is an easy place to aim.

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

The farthest main network tower for Santa Barbara is KEYT-TV (ABC), 17 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an indoor antenna here. Viewers who do not need that station can often manage with less.

KSBB-CD is only 0.9 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 13 stations at fair strength or better, Santa Barbara ranks 832nd of 1,078 places in California: fewer than the typical California town (25). Its nearest major network tower is 17 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 Oxnard, 34 miles away.