TV channels & antenna towers in Santa Maria, California

Santa Maria is a city of about 105,000 people in California. There are 35 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 5 full-power, 11 Class A, 12 low-power and 7 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 19 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 6 at good or strong strength.

12 of them are within 25 miles of Santa Maria, 13 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 10 are more than 45 miles out. Two of the 5 network stations in range are licensed to San Luis Obispo, so most of the network channels you will find here come from San Luis Obispo's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 3 (KEYT-TV), NBC on channel 6 (KSBY), Fox on channel 24 (KKFX-CD), 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, 143 miles to the east. Spanish-language viewers can pick up Univision (fair signal). 1 full-power station in range has no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

The main network towers around Santa Maria are in different directions: ABC 137° SE (40 mi), NBC 336° NNW (31 mi) and Fox 336° NNW (31 mi). Aim at the farthest one you want first, or use a multi-directional antenna.

Two network stations, KSBY and KKFX-CD, transmit from the same tower site about 31 miles northwest of Santa Maria (336° NNW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 5 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Santa Maria at fair strength or better, 40% 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 Maria, so signals arrive fairly directly and a well-placed antenna should hold them steadily.

The farthest main network tower for Santa Maria is KEYT-TV (ABC), 40 miles away with a good 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 19 stations at fair strength or better, Santa Maria ranks 662nd of 1,078 places in California: fewer than the typical California town (25). Its nearest major network tower is 14 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.