TV channels & antenna towers in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Fort Wayne has 36 TV transmitters within 70 miles, carrying ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW and Telemundo. About 16 stations should come in at fair strength or better with a suitable antenna. The closest tower is WFWC-CD, 2.3 miles to the SSW.

Open Fort Wayne in the live finder

36TV transmitters within 70 miles

7networks over the air

2.3 mito the closest tower

260,326population

Network channels in Fort Wayne

Station	Channel	Distance	Point antenna	Est. signal	Licensed to
CWWISE-TVCW	33	3.5 mi	236° SW	Strong	Fort Wayne, IN
ABCWPTAABC	21	3.5 mi	236° SW	Strong	Fort Wayne, IN
CBSWANE-TVCBS	15	3.7 mi	226° SW	Strong	Fort Wayne, IN
FOXWFFT-TVFox	55	3.7 mi	247° WSW	Strong	Fort Wayne, IN
FOXWLIOFox	8.2	58 mi	115° ESE	Poor	Lima, OH
ABCWOHL-CDABC	35	58 mi	115° ESE	Poor	Lima, OH
UNIWHME-TVUnivision	46	62 mi	301° WNW	Weak	South Bend, IN
ABCWPNM-CDABC	35	64 mi	89° E	Poor	Leipsic, OH
CWWCWW-LDCW	25	64 mi	302° WNW	Poor	South Bend, IN
ABCWBND-LDABC	57	64 mi	302° WNW	Poor	South Bend, IN
TLMWMYS-LDTelemundo	69.2	64 mi	302° WNW	Poor	South Bend, IN
NBCWNDU-TVNBC	16	65 mi	301° WNW	Weak	South Bend, IN
ABCWAMS-CDABC	35	65 mi	142° SE	Poor	Minster/New Bremen, OH
FOXWSBT-TVFox	22.2	66 mi	301° WNW	Weak	South Bend, IN

Over-the-air TV in Fort Wayne

With roughly 260,000 residents, Fort Wayne is a city in Indiana. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 36 licensed TV transmitters: 14 full-power, 5 Class A, 15 low-power and 2 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 16 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 12 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 15 transmitters are within 25 miles, 2 between 25 and 45 miles, and 19 farther out. Six of the 14 network stations in range are licensed to South Bend, so most of the network channels you will find here come from South Bend's stations.

The strongest network signals here are ABC on channel 21 (WPTA), CBS on channel 15 (WANE-TV), NBC on channel 16 (WNDU-TV), Fox on channel 55 (WFFT-TV), CW on channel 33 (WISE-TV), Telemundo on channel 69.2 (WMYS-LD) and Univision on channel 46 (WHME-TV). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (very weak signal) and Univision (weak signal). 6 full-power stations in range have no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

Which way to point your antenna in Fort Wayne

Point your antenna WSW, at about 236°. The main network towers for Fort Wayne sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Four network stations, WISE-TV, WPTA, WANE-TV and WFFT-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 3.5 miles southwest of Fort Wayne (236° SW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 4 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Fort Wayne at fair strength or better, all arrive from the southwest, so this is an easy place to aim.

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

Antenna and amplifier advice for Fort Wayne

The farthest main network tower for Fort Wayne is WFFT-TV (Fox), 3.7 miles away with a strong estimated signal. That is why we suggest an indoor antenna here.

WNDU-TV (NBC), 65 miles northwest, is the exception: the nearest listed affiliate of its network is 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 that one.

WFWC-CD is only 2.3 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.

Other stations near Fort Wayne

Full-power independents, low-power stations and translators that relay a bigger station's signal.

Station	Distance	Point antenna	Est. signal	Licensed to
WFWC-CDClass A	2.3 mi	201° SSW	Strong	Fort Wayne, IN
WCUH-LDLow power	2.3 mi	201° SSW	Good	Fort Wayne, IN
W30EH-DLow power	2.3 mi	201° SSW	Good	Fort Wayne, IN
W25FH-DLow power	2.3 mi	201° SSW	Strong	Fort Wayne, IN
WODP-LDLow power	2.3 mi	201° SSW	Strong	Fort Wayne, IN
W22FH-DLow power	3.5 mi	236° SW	Fair	Fort Wayne, IN
WFWAFull power	3.7 mi	240° WSW	Strong	Fort Wayne, IN
WEIJ-LDTranslator	3.7 mi	240° WSW	Good	Fort Wayne, IN
WLMO-LDLow power	3.9 mi	245° WSW	Good	Fort Wayne, IN
W26DH-DLow power	15 mi	16° NNE	Fair	Auburn, IN
WNHO-LDLow power	18 mi	134° SE	Fair	Fort Wayne, IN
WINMFull power	28 mi	37° NE	Fair	Angola, IN
WSOT-LDLow power	42 mi	218° SW	Poor	Marion, IN
WOHW-LDLow power	49 mi	144° SE	Poor	Lima, OH
W25FI-DTranslator	51 mi	141° SE	Poor	Maplewood, OH
WTLWFull power	55 mi	117° ESE	Poor	Lima, OH
WTLW-CDClass A	55 mi	117° ESE	Poor	Lima, OH
WEID-LDLow power	61 mi	308° NW	Poor	South Bend, IN
WBGU-TVFull power	64 mi	89° E	Weak	Bowling Green, OH
WNITFull power	64 mi	302° WNW	Weak	South Bend, IN
WSJVFull power	66 mi	301° WNW	Weak	Elkhart, IN
WJGP-LDLow power	70 mi	351° N	Poor	Kalamazoo, MI

How Fort Wayne compares with the rest of Indiana

With 16 stations at fair strength or better, Fort Wayne ranks 146th of 352 places in Indiana: the same as the typical Indiana town (16). Its nearest major network tower is 3.5 miles away, against a state median of 25 miles.

29% of Indiana's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an indoor antenna.

Setting up an antenna in Fort Wayne: step by step

Place the antenna high on a window or wall that faces the towers. Upstairs is better than downstairs.
Point it toward 247° WSW, the direction of WFFT-TV (Fox), 3.7 miles away. Closer stations usually come in even off-axis.
Run a full channel scan on your TV (usually Settings → Channels → Auto program; the name varies by brand).
Expect around 16 stations, each with a few subchannels. If one you want is missing, turn the antenna 5–10° toward it and scan again.
Rescan every few months, or whenever a channel disappears; stations occasionally change frequency.

Frequently asked questions

What channel is ABC in Fort Wayne, IN?

ABC is on channel 21 from WPTA, broadcasting from 3.5 miles SW of Fort Wayne. Estimated signal: strong.

What channel is CBS in Fort Wayne, IN?

CBS is on channel 15 from WANE-TV, broadcasting from 3.7 miles SW of Fort Wayne. Estimated signal: strong.

What channel is NBC in Fort Wayne, IN?

NBC is on channel 16 from WNDU-TV, broadcasting from 65 miles WNW of Fort Wayne. Estimated signal: weak.

What channel is Fox in Fort Wayne, IN?

Fox is on channel 55 from WFFT-TV, broadcasting from 3.7 miles WSW of Fort Wayne. Estimated signal: strong.

What channel is CW in Fort Wayne, IN?

CW is on channel 33 from WISE-TV, broadcasting from 3.5 miles SW of Fort Wayne. Estimated signal: strong.

How many channels can I get with an antenna in Fort Wayne?

36 transmitters within 70 miles of Fort Wayne; around 16 of them are likely to be receivable with indoor antenna. Each station usually carries several subchannels, so the total channel count after a scan is higher.

Which direction should I point my TV antenna in Fort Wayne?

Point your antenna WSW, at about 236°. The main network towers for Fort Wayne sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

What kind of antenna do I need in Fort Wayne?

Indoor antenna (up to ~25 miles). The main towers are close. A flat indoor antenna near a window facing the towers should pull in the major networks. Picking up NBC from up to 65 miles away would take an outdoor antenna.

Do I need an antenna amplifier in Fort Wayne?

Is there an app to find TV towers in Fort Wayne?

Yes. The free RCA Signal Finder app for iPhone and Android uses your phone's GPS and compass to show which way each tower is from where you stand.

TV channels in nearby Indiana cities

Nearby cities in other states

More: all TV stations in Indiana · Midwest region · antenna buying guide · how to aim an antenna. Distances are straight-line from the center of Fort Wayne; signal estimates ignore terrain.