TV channels & antenna towers in Three Forks, Montana

Three Forks, Montana has a population of about 1,930. There are 49 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 6 full-power, 1 Class A, 12 low-power and 30 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 8 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 3 at good or strong strength.

5 of them are within 25 miles of Three Forks, 17 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 27 are more than 45 miles out. Three of the 9 network stations in range are licensed to Bozeman, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Bozeman's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 18 (KWYB), CBS on channel 4 (KXLF-TV) and NBC on channel 6 (KTVM-TV). No Fox affiliate is listed within 70 miles; the nearest one in our data is KHMT in Hardin, MT, 165 miles to the east. 1 full-power station in range has no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

Point your antenna W, at about 281°. The main network towers for Three Forks sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Three network stations, KWYB, KXLF-TV and KTVM-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 43 miles west of Three Forks (281° W). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 6 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Three Forks at fair strength or better, 50% arrive from the west; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Three Forks is KTVM-TV (NBC), 44 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 8 stations at fair strength or better, Three Forks ranks 20th of 104 places in Montana: more than the typical Montana town (5). Its nearest major network tower is 22 miles away, against a state median of 25 miles.

32% of Montana's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The nearest larger city is Bozeman, 29 miles away.