TV channels & antenna towers in Urbana, Illinois

With roughly 42,300 residents, Urbana is a city in Illinois. Our map shows 17 licensed TV transmitters inside a 70-mile radius: 10 full-power, 1 Class A, 4 low-power and 2 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 11 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 8 at good or strong strength.

7 of them are within 25 miles of Urbana, 5 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 5 are more than 45 miles out. Three of the 9 network stations in range are licensed to Springfield, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Springfield's stations.

The best-placed network stations are ABC on channel 15 (WICD), CBS on channel 3 (WCIA), NBC on channel 17 (WAND), Fox on channel 27 (WCCU), CW on channel 23 (WBUI) and ION on channel 16.4 (WCQA-LD). 2 full-power stations in range have no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

The main network towers around Urbana are in different directions: ABC 100° E (16 mi), CBS 269° W (13 mi), NBC 252° WSW (35 mi) and Fox 100° E (16 mi). Aim at the farthest one you want first, or use a multi-directional antenna.

Two network stations, WICD and WCCU, transmit from the same tower site about 16 miles east of Urbana (100° E). Point at that site and a single antenna setting picks them all up.

Of the 6 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Urbana at fair strength or better, 50% arrive from the west; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Urbana is WAND (NBC), 35 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here. Viewers who do not need that station can often manage with less.

W27EL-D is only 1.5 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 11 stations at fair strength or better, Urbana ranks 565th of 766 places in Illinois: fewer than the typical Illinois town (17). Its nearest major network tower is 13 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 Champaign, 2.0 miles away.