TV channels & antenna towers in Gillespie, Illinois

Gillespie, Illinois has a population of about 3,180. There are 35 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 13 full-power, 4 Class A, 17 low-power and 1 translator. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 12 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 8 at good or strong strength.

1 of them is within 25 miles of Gillespie, 5 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 29 are more than 45 miles out. Six of the 11 network stations in range are licensed to St. Louis, MO, so most of the network channels you will find here come from St. Louis's stations.

The best-placed network stations are ABC on channel 30 (KDNL-TV), CBS on channel 4 (KMOV), NBC on channel 5 (KSDK), Fox on channel 2 (KTVI), CW on channel 11 (KPLR-TV), ION on channel 46 (WRBU), Telemundo on channel 45 (WODK-LD) and MeTV on channel 24.1 (KNLC). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (very weak signal). 4 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 SW, at about 215°. The main network towers for Gillespie sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Two network stations, KDNL-TV and KSDK, transmit from the same tower site about 47 miles southwest of Gillespie (216° SW). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 9 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Gillespie at fair strength or better, 78% arrive from the southwest; the rest are spread across one other direction.

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

The farthest main network tower for Gillespie is KTVI (Fox), 51 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an outdoor directional antenna here. Viewers who do not need that station can often manage with less.

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 12 stations at fair strength or better, Gillespie ranks 534th of 766 places in Illinois: fewer than the typical Illinois town (17). Its nearest major network tower is 47 miles away, against a state median of 24 miles.

18% of Illinois's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an outdoor directional antenna. The nearest larger city is Edwardsville, 23 miles away.