TV channels & antenna towers in Watsonville, California

Watsonville, California has a population of about 53,600. There are 65 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 28 full-power, 4 Class A, 32 low-power and 1 translator. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 36 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 7 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 15 transmitters are within 25 miles, 18 between 25 and 45 miles, and 32 farther 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.

The strongest network signals here are ABC on channel 8.2 (KSBW), CBS on channel 5 (KPIX-TV), NBC on channel 11 (KNTV), Fox on channel 46.2 (KION-TV), PBS on channel 25 (KQET), 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.

Point your antenna SE, at about 139°. The main network towers for Watsonville sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Four network stations, KCBA, KQET, KSBW and KSMS-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 18 miles southeast of Watsonville (127° SE). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 13 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Watsonville at fair strength or better, 38% arrive from the northwest; the rest are spread across three other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Watsonville is KION-TV (Fox), 27 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here.

KPIX-TV (CBS), 70 miles northwest and KNTV (NBC), 65 miles northwest, 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 36 stations at fair strength or better, Watsonville ranks 208th of 1,078 places in California: more than the typical California town (25). Its nearest major network tower is 18 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 Salinas, 17 miles away.