TV channels & antenna towers in Lena, Illinois

With roughly 2,800 residents, Lena is a town in Illinois. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 22 licensed TV transmitters: 13 full-power, 1 Class A, 6 low-power and 2 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 12 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 5 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 0 transmitters are within 25 miles, 9 between 25 and 45 miles, and 13 farther out. Five of the 13 network stations in range are licensed to Rockford, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Rockford's stations.

The strongest network signals here are ABC on channel 27 (WKOW), CBS on channel 3 (WISC-TV), NBC on channel 13 (WREX), Fox on channel 39 (WQRF-TV), CW on channel 15.2 (WMTV), ION on channel 57 (WIFS) and Telemundo on channel 23 (WFBN-LD). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (weak signal). 2 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 E, at about 101°. The main network towers for Lena sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Three network stations, WSLN, WQRF-TV and WTVO, transmit from the same tower site about 34 miles east of Lena (100° E). Point at that site and a single antenna setting picks them all up.

Of the 10 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Lena at fair strength or better, 50% arrive from the north; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Lena is WQRF-TV (Fox), 34 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here.

WKOW (ABC), 49 miles north and WISC-TV (CBS), 49 miles north, 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 12 stations at fair strength or better, Lena ranks 534th of 766 places in Illinois: fewer than the typical Illinois town (17). Its nearest major network tower is 30 miles away, against a state median of 24 miles.

54% of Illinois's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The nearest larger city is Freeport, 12 miles away.