TV channels & antenna towers in Sioux City, Iowa

Sioux City, Iowa has a population of about 82,800. There are 23 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 10 full-power, 8 low-power and 5 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 12 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 10 at good or strong strength.

9 of them are within 25 miles of Sioux City, 2 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 12 are more than 45 miles out. Sioux City is a broadcast hub in its own right: three of the 5 network stations in range are licensed here.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 9 (KCAU-TV), Fox on channel 44 (KPTH), CW on channel 4.2 (KTIV) and ION on channel 36 (KSFL-TV). No CBS affiliate is listed within 70 miles; the nearest one in our data is KMTV-TV in Omaha, NE, 85 miles to the south. No NBC affiliate is listed within 70 miles; the nearest one in our data is WOWT in Omaha, NE, 84 miles to the south. 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 NE, at about 56°. The main network towers for Sioux City sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Three network stations, KCAU-TV, KTIV and KPTH, transmit from the same tower site about 10 miles northeast of Sioux City (55° NE). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 4 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Sioux City at fair strength or better, 75% arrive from the northeast; the rest are spread across one other direction.

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

The farthest main network tower for Sioux City is KPTH (Fox), 11 miles away with a strong estimated signal. That is why we suggest an indoor antenna here. Skip that station and you may get away with a smaller antenna.

KBWF-LD is only 2.2 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 12 stations at fair strength or better, Sioux City ranks 84th of 285 places in Iowa: more than the typical Iowa town (11). Its nearest major network tower is 10 miles away, against a state median of 34 miles.

13% of Iowa's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an indoor antenna.