TV channels & antenna towers in Bartonsville, Maryland

With roughly 1,450 residents, Bartonsville is a small community in Maryland. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 51 licensed TV transmitters: 27 full-power, 6 Class A, 16 low-power and 2 translators. 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, 3 transmitters are within 25 miles, 32 between 25 and 45 miles, and 16 farther out. Nine of the 19 network stations in range are licensed to Washington, DC, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Washington's stations.

The best-placed network stations are ABC on channel 2 (WMAR-TV), CBS on channel 9 (WUSA), NBC on channel 4 (WRC-TV), Fox on channel 5 (WTTG), PBS on channel 26 (WETA-TV), CW on channel 50 (WDCW), 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). 10 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 Bartonsville are in different directions: ABC 96° E (38 mi), CBS 154° SSE (34 mi), NBC 155° SSE (35 mi), Fox 155° SSE (33 mi) and PBS 154° SSE (34 mi). Aim at the farthest one you want first, or use a multi-directional antenna.

11 network stations, WTTG, WPXW-TV, WJLA-TV, WHUT-TV and WUSA and others, transmit from the same tower site about 33 miles southeast of Bartonsville (155° SSE). Point at that site and a single antenna setting picks them all up.

Of the 18 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Bartonsville at fair strength or better, 61% arrive from the southeast; the rest are spread across three other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Bartonsville is WMAR-TV (ABC), 38 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.

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 30 stations at fair strength or better, Bartonsville ranks 202nd of 346 places in Maryland: fewer than the typical Maryland town (32). Its nearest major network tower is 24 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 Frederick, 3.2 miles away.