TV channels & antenna towers in Upper Alton, Illinois

Upper Alton, Illinois has a population of about 29,300. Our map shows 32 licensed TV transmitters inside a 70-mile radius: 11 full-power, 4 Class A, 16 low-power and 1 translator. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 20 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 10 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 5 transmitters are within 25 miles, 16 between 25 and 45 miles, and 11 farther out. Six of the 8 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.

For the networks, the best local options 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 (fair 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 SSW, at about 202°. The main network towers for Upper Alton 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 25 miles southwest of Upper Alton (203° SSW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 7 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Upper Alton at fair strength or better, 71% 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 Upper Alton, so signals arrive fairly directly and a well-placed antenna should hold them steadily.

The farthest main network tower for Upper Alton is KTVI (Fox), 29 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here. Skip that station and you may get away with a smaller antenna.

W36EX-D is only 2.5 miles away with a strong signal. Signals that strong can overload an amplifier, so start without one and add it only if distant channels are missing. Read when an amplifier helps.

With 20 stations at fair strength or better, Upper Alton ranks 311th of 766 places in Illinois: more than the typical Illinois town (17). Its nearest major network tower is 25 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 St. Louis, 20 miles away.