TV channels & antenna towers in Arlington, Maryland

Arlington is a town of about 3,070 people in Maryland. There are 51 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 29 full-power, 6 Class A and 16 low-power. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 30 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 18 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 12 transmitters are within 25 miles, 27 between 25 and 45 miles, and 12 farther out. Nine of the 22 network stations in range are licensed to Washington, DC, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Washington's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 2 (WMAR-TV), CBS on channel 13 (WJZ-TV), NBC on channel 11 (WBAL-TV), Fox on channel 45 (WBFF), PBS on channel 26 (WETA-TV), CW on channel 54 (WNUV), ION on channel 66 (WPXW-TV), Telemundo on channel 44 (WZDC-CD), Univision on channel 14 (WFDC-DT) and MeTV on channel 48.1 (WDME-CD). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (good signal) and Univision (good signal). 9 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 Arlington are in different directions: ABC 119° ESE (2.0 mi), CBS 119° ESE (2.0 mi), NBC 119° ESE (2.0 mi), Fox 115° ESE (2.0 mi) and PBS 218° SW (35 mi). Aim at the farthest one you want first, or use a multi-directional antenna.

11 network stations, WJLA-TV, WHUT-TV, WUSA, WETA-TV and WTTG and others, transmit from the same tower site about 35 miles southwest of Arlington (218° SW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 17 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Arlington at fair strength or better, 65% arrive from the southwest; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Arlington is WETA-TV (PBS), 35 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.

WJZ-TV is only 2.0 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 30 stations at fair strength or better, Arlington ranks 202nd of 346 places in Maryland: fewer than the typical Maryland town (32). Its nearest major network tower is 2.0 miles away, against a state median of 16 miles.

66% of Maryland's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The nearest larger city is Lochearn, 2.2 miles away.