TV channels & antenna towers in Olathe, Kansas

Olathe is a city of about 134,000 people in Kansas. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 36 licensed TV transmitters: 16 full-power, 4 Class A, 14 low-power and 2 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 22 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 10 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 19 transmitters are within 25 miles, 2 between 25 and 45 miles, and 15 farther out. Eight of the 17 network stations in range are licensed to Kansas City, MO, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Kansas City's stations.

The best-placed network stations are ABC on channel 9 (KMBC-TV), CBS on channel 5 (KCTV), NBC on channel 41 (KSHB-TV), Fox on channel 4 (WDAF-TV), CW on channel 29 (KCWE), ION on channel 50 (KPXE-TV), Telemundo on channel 39 (KGKC-LD), Univision on channel 14 (KUKC-LD) and Trinity on channel 16 (KTAJ-TV). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (fair signal) and Univision (fair 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 NE, at about 50°. The main network towers for Olathe sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Two network stations, WDAF-TV and KCTV, transmit from the same tower site about 18 miles northeast of Olathe (42° NE). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 9 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Olathe at fair strength or better, 78% 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 Olathe, so signals arrive fairly directly and a well-placed antenna should hold them steadily.

The farthest main network tower for Olathe is KMBC-TV (ABC), 21 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.

An amplifier only helps here if you run a long cable (over about 50 feet) or split the antenna to several TVs. Otherwise better placement does more. See the amplifier guide.

With 22 stations at fair strength or better, Olathe ranks 6th of 216 places in Kansas: more than the typical Kansas town (8). Its nearest major network tower is 17 miles away, against a state median of 25 miles.

18% of Kansas's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an indoor antenna. The nearest larger city is Kansas City, 20 miles away.