TV channels & antenna towers in South Lake Tahoe, California

With roughly 21,700 residents, South Lake Tahoe is a town in California. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 48 licensed TV transmitters: 8 full-power, 1 Class A, 14 low-power and 25 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 13 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 2 at good or strong strength.

2 of them are within 25 miles of South Lake Tahoe, 20 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 26 are more than 45 miles out. Four of the 5 network stations in range are licensed to Reno, NV, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Reno's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are CBS on channel 2 (KTVN), Fox on channel 11 (KRXI-TV), CW on channel 8.3 (KOLO-TV) and Univision on channel 27 (KREN-TV). No ABC affiliate is listed within 70 miles; the nearest one in our data is KXTV in Sacramento, CA, 95 miles to the southwest. No NBC affiliate is listed within 70 miles; the nearest one in our data is KCRA-TV in Sacramento, CA, 94 miles to the southwest. Spanish-language viewers can pick up Univision (good signal). 3 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 N, at about 8°. The main network towers for South Lake Tahoe sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Three network stations, KREN-TV, KOLO-TV and KTVN, transmit from the same tower site about 27 miles north of South Lake Tahoe (12° NNE). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 5 full-power and Class A network signals that reach South Lake Tahoe at fair strength or better, 80% arrive from the north; the rest are spread across one other direction.

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

The farthest main network tower for South Lake Tahoe is KRXI-TV (Fox), 45 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an outdoor directional antenna here. Skip that station and you may get away with a smaller antenna.

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 13 stations at fair strength or better, South Lake Tahoe ranks 832nd of 1,078 places in California: fewer than the typical California town (25). Its nearest major network tower is 27 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 Carson City, 20 miles away.