TV channels & antenna towers in Cranford, New Jersey
Cranford has 77 TV transmitters within 70 miles, carrying ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW and ION. About 43 stations should come in at fair strength or better with a suitable antenna. The closest tower is W05DJ-D, 9.3 miles to the NNE.
Network channels in Cranford
| Station | Channel | Distance | Point antenna | Est. signal | Licensed to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBSWCBS-TVCBS | 2 | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Strong | New York, NY |
| FOXWNYWFox | 5 | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Good | New York, NY |
| NBCWNBCNBC | 4 | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Strong | New York, NY |
| TLMWNJUTelemundo | 47 | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Strong | Linden, NJ |
| IONWPXN-TVION | 31 | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Good | New York, NY |
| ABCWABC-TVABC | 7 | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Good | New York, NY |
| CWWPIXCW | 11 | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | New York, NY |
| UNIWXTV-DTUnivision | 41 | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Good | Paterson, NJ |
| MeTVWJLPMeTV | 33.1 | 18 mi | 68° ENE | Fair | Middletown Township, NJ |
| IONWPXU-LDION | 35 | 19 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | Amityville, NY |
| MeTVWFMZ-TVMeTV | 69.3 | 60 mi | 264° W | Weak | Allentown, PA |
| MeTVWDPN-TVMeTV | 2.1 | 65 mi | 229° SW | Poor | Wilmington, DE |
| TLMWWSITelemundo | 62 | 65 mi | 229° SW | Fair | Mount Laurel, NJ |
| NBCWCAUNBC | 10 | 65 mi | 229° SW | Fair | Philadelphia, PA |
| ABCWPVI-TVABC | 6 | 65 mi | 230° SW | Weak | Philadelphia, PA |
| IONWPPX-TVION | 61 | 65 mi | 230° SW | Weak | Wilmington, DE |
| UNIWUVP-DTUnivision | 65 | 65 mi | 230° SW | Weak | Vineland, NJ |
| CWWPHL-TVCW | 17 | 65 mi | 230° SW | Weak | Philadelphia, PA |
| FOXWTXF-TVFox | 29 | 65 mi | 229° SW | Fair | Philadelphia, PA |
| CBSKYW-TVCBS | 3 | 65 mi | 230° SW | Fair | Philadelphia, PA |
Over-the-air TV in Cranford
Cranford, New Jersey has a population of about 22,600. There are 77 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 37 full-power, 9 Class A, 27 low-power and 4 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 43 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 16 at good or strong strength.
41 of them are within 25 miles of Cranford, 6 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 30 are more than 45 miles out. Six of the 20 network stations in range are licensed to New York, NY, so most of the network channels you will find here come from New York's stations.
The best-placed network stations are ABC on channel 7 (WABC-TV), CBS on channel 2 (WCBS-TV), NBC on channel 4 (WNBC), Fox on channel 5 (WNYW), CW on channel 11 (WPIX), ION on channel 31 (WPXN-TV), Telemundo on channel 47 (WNJU), Univision on channel 41 (WXTV-DT) and MeTV on channel 33.1 (WJLP). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (strong signal) and Univision (good signal). 18 full-power stations in range have no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.
Which way to point your antenna in Cranford
Point your antenna ENE, at about 74°. The main network towers for Cranford sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.
Five network stations, WCBS-TV, WNYW, WNBC, WNJU and WPXN-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 15 miles east of Cranford (76° ENE). Point at that site and a single antenna setting picks them all up.
Of the 13 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Cranford at fair strength or better, 69% arrive from the east; the rest are spread across one other direction.
All of the main network towers are within their radio horizon as seen from Cranford, so signals arrive fairly directly and a well-placed antenna should hold them steadily.
Antenna and amplifier advice for Cranford
The farthest main network tower for Cranford is WABC-TV (ABC), 18 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an indoor antenna here. If you only watch the closer stations, a smaller antenna may do.
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.
Other stations near Cranford
Full-power independents, low-power stations and translators that relay a bigger station's signal. Showing the closest 25 of 57; see all in the finder.
| Station | Distance | Point antenna | Est. signal | Licensed to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W05DJ-DLow power | 9.3 mi | 15° NNE | Fair | New York, NY |
| W25FA-DLow power | 9.3 mi | 15° NNE | Weak | New York, NY |
| WPXO-LDLow power | 10 mi | 16° NNE | Weak | East Orange, NJ |
| WNJBFull power | 11 mi | 257° WSW | Good | New Brunswick, NJ |
| WNJNFull power | 11 mi | 257° WSW | Good | Montclair, NJ |
| WMBQ-CDClass A | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Poor | New York, NY |
| WNETFull power | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Fair | Newark, NJ |
| WNWT-LDLow power | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Good | New York, NY |
| WLIWFull power | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Good | Garden City, NY |
| WMBC-TVFull power | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Good | Newton, NJ |
| WKOB-LDLow power | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Fair | New York, NY |
| WNDT-CDClass A | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Fair | Manhattan, NY |
| WRNN-TVFull power | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Good | New Rochelle, NY |
| WWOR-TVFull power | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Good | Secaucus, NJ |
| WASA-LDLow power | 15 mi | 76° ENE | Fair | Port Jervis, NY |
| WXNY-LDLow power | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | New York, NY |
| WDYJ-LDLow power | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | New York, NY |
| WFUT-DTFull power | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Good | Newark, NJ |
| WTBY-TVFull power | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | Jersey City, NJ |
| WDYA-LDLow power | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | New York, NY |
| WDVB-CDClass A | 18 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | Edison, NJ |
| WNYE-TVFull power | 18 mi | 68° ENE | Good | New York, NY |
| WNYK-LDLow power | 19 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | Teaneck, NJ |
| WNMF-LDLow power | 19 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | New York, NY |
| WHTV-LDLow power | 19 mi | 69° ENE | Fair | New York, NY |
How Cranford compares with the rest of New Jersey
With 43 stations at fair strength or better, Cranford ranks 59th of 537 places in New Jersey: more than the typical New Jersey town (37). Its nearest major network tower is 15 miles away, against a state median of 26 miles.
33% of New Jersey's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an indoor antenna. The nearest larger city is Union, 3.3 miles away.
Setting up an antenna in Cranford: step by step
- Place the antenna high on a window or wall that faces the towers. Upstairs is better than downstairs.
- Point it toward 69° ENE, the direction of WABC-TV (ABC), 18 miles away. Closer stations usually come in even off-axis.
- Run a full channel scan on your TV (usually Settings → Channels → Auto program; the name varies by brand).
- Expect around 43 stations, each with a few subchannels. If one you want is missing, turn the antenna 5–10° toward it and scan again.
- Rescan every few months, or whenever a channel disappears; stations occasionally change frequency.
Frequently asked questions
What channel is ABC in Cranford, NJ?
ABC is on channel 7 from WABC-TV, broadcasting from 18 miles ENE of Cranford. Estimated signal: good.
What channel is CBS in Cranford, NJ?
CBS is on channel 2 from WCBS-TV, broadcasting from 15 miles ENE of Cranford. Estimated signal: strong.
What channel is NBC in Cranford, NJ?
NBC is on channel 4 from WNBC, broadcasting from 15 miles ENE of Cranford. Estimated signal: strong.
What channel is Fox in Cranford, NJ?
Fox is on channel 5 from WNYW, broadcasting from 15 miles ENE of Cranford. Estimated signal: good.
What channel is CW in Cranford, NJ?
CW is on channel 11 from WPIX, broadcasting from 18 miles ENE of Cranford. Estimated signal: fair.
How many channels can I get with an antenna in Cranford?
77 transmitters within 70 miles of Cranford; around 43 of them are likely to be receivable with indoor antenna. Each station usually carries several subchannels, so the total channel count after a scan is higher.
Which direction should I point my TV antenna in Cranford?
Point your antenna ENE, at about 74°. The main network towers for Cranford sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.
What kind of antenna do I need in Cranford?
Indoor antenna (up to ~25 miles). The main towers are close. A flat indoor antenna near a window facing the towers should pull in the major networks.
Do I need an antenna amplifier in Cranford?
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.
Is there an app to find TV towers in Cranford?
Yes. The free RCA Signal Finder app for iPhone and Android uses your phone's GPS and compass to show which way each tower is from where you stand.
TV channels in nearby New Jersey cities
- Kenilworth1.3 mi
- Clark1.3 mi
- Roselle Park1.9 mi
- Roselle2.2 mi
- Westfield2.5 mi
- Mountainside3.2 mi
- Union3.3 mi
- Springfield3.3 mi
- Rahway3.7 mi
- Linden3.8 mi
- Fanwood4.6 mi
- Elizabeth4.7 mi
- Hillside4.7 mi
- Scotch Plains4.7 mi
- Maplewood5.2 mi
- Summit5.2 mi
- Avenel5.4 mi
- Colonia5.8 mi
- Iselin5.9 mi
- Plainfield5.9 mi
- New Providence6.0 mi
- Irvington6.1 mi
- Short Hills6.3 mi
- South Orange6.6 mi
More: all TV stations in New Jersey · Northeast region · antenna buying guide · how to aim an antenna. Distances are straight-line from the center of Cranford; signal estimates ignore terrain.