TV channels & antenna towers in Santa Cruz, California

With roughly 64,200 residents, Santa Cruz is a city in California. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 58 licensed TV transmitters: 28 full-power, 4 Class A, 25 low-power and 1 translator. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 29 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 16 at good or strong strength.

3 of them are within 25 miles of Santa Cruz, 30 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 25 are more than 45 miles out. Six of the 18 network stations in range are licensed to San Francisco, so most of the network channels you will find here come from San Francisco's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 8.2 (KSBW), CBS on channel 5 (KPIX-TV), NBC on channel 11 (KNTV), Fox on channel 2 (KTVU), PBS on channel 9 (KQED), CW on channel 35 (KCBA), ION on channel 65 (KKPX-TV), Telemundo on channel 48 (KSTS), 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). 12 full-power stations in range have no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

The main network towers around Santa Cruz are in different directions: ABC 117° ESE (33 mi), CBS 337° NNW (59 mi), NBC 336° NNW (54 mi), Fox 337° NNW (59 mi) and PBS 337° NNW (59 mi). Aim at the farthest one you want first, or use a multi-directional antenna.

Four network stations, KCBA, KQET, KSBW and KSMS-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 33 miles southeast of Santa Cruz (117° ESE). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 16 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Santa Cruz at fair strength or better, 50% arrive from the northwest; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Santa Cruz is KQED (PBS), 59 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an outdoor directional antenna here. If you only watch the closer stations, a smaller antenna may do.

At this distance a low-noise preamplifier mounted on the mast, right below the antenna, helps more than an amplifier near the TV. It boosts the signal before cable loss eats into it. See the amplifier guide.

With 29 stations at fair strength or better, Santa Cruz ranks 466th of 1,078 places in California: more than the typical California town (25). Its nearest major network tower is 33 miles away, against a state median of 22 miles.

30% of California's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an outdoor directional antenna. The nearest larger city is San Jose, 26 miles away.