TV channels & antenna towers in Sparta, Illinois

With roughly 4,420 residents, Sparta is a town in Illinois. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 32 licensed TV transmitters: 15 full-power, 5 Class A, 11 low-power and 1 translator. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 16 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 10 at good or strong strength.

4 of them are within 25 miles of Sparta, 4 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 24 are more than 45 miles out. Six of the 12 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 strongest network signals here 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). 5 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 NW, at about 311°. The main network towers for Sparta sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Two network stations, KSDK and KDNL-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 46 miles northwest of Sparta (312° NW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 9 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Sparta at fair strength or better, 67% 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 Sparta, so signals arrive fairly directly and a well-placed antenna should hold them steadily.

The farthest main network tower for Sparta is KDNL-TV (ABC), 46 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 16 stations at fair strength or better, Sparta ranks 386th of 766 places in Illinois: fewer than the typical Illinois town (17). Its nearest major network tower is 43 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 Belleville, 31 miles away.