TV channels & antenna towers in Hawthorne, New Jersey

Hawthorne has 56 TV transmitters within 70 miles, carrying ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW and ION. About 38 stations should come in at fair strength or better with a suitable antenna. The closest tower is WPXO-LD, 11 miles to the SSW.

56TV transmitters within 70 miles
9networks over the air
11 mito the closest tower
19,074population

Network channels in Hawthorne

StationChannelDistancePoint antennaEst. signalLicensed to
MeTVWJLPMeTV33.1 16 mi147° SSE GoodMiddletown Township, NJ
ABCWABC-TVABC7 16 mi148° SSE GoodNew York, NY
CWWPIXCW11 16 mi148° SSE GoodNew York, NY
UNIWXTV-DTUnivision41 16 mi148° SSE GoodPaterson, NJ
IONWPXU-LDION35 17 mi144° SE FairAmityville, NY
CBSWCBS-TVCBS2 18 mi156° SSE StrongNew York, NY
FOXWNYWFox5 18 mi156° SSE GoodNew York, NY
NBCWNBCNBC4 18 mi156° SSE StrongNew York, NY
TLMWNJUTelemundo47 18 mi156° SSE StrongLinden, NJ
IONWPXN-TVION31 18 mi156° SSE GoodNew York, NY

Over-the-air TV in Hawthorne

Hawthorne, New Jersey has a population of about 19,100. There are 56 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 21 full-power, 5 Class A, 25 low-power and 5 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 38 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 17 at good or strong strength.

39 of them are within 25 miles of Hawthorne, 7 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 10 are more than 45 miles out. Six of the 10 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). 12 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 Hawthorne

Point your antenna SSE, at about 154°. The main network towers for Hawthorne 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 18 miles southeast of Hawthorne (156° SSE). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 9 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Hawthorne at fair strength or better, all arrive from the southeast, so this is an easy place to aim.

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

Antenna and amplifier advice for Hawthorne

The farthest main network tower for Hawthorne is WNYW (Fox), 18 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an indoor 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.

Other stations near Hawthorne

Full-power independents, low-power stations and translators that relay a bigger station's signal. Showing the closest 25 of 46; see all in the finder.

StationDistancePoint antennaEst. signalLicensed to
WPXO-LDLow power11 mi 205° SSWWeakEast Orange, NJ
WEPT-CDClass A12 mi 86° EGoodPeekskill, NY
W05DJ-DLow power12 mi 205° SSWWeakNew York, NY
W25FA-DLow power12 mi 205° SSWWeakNew York, NY
WNYE-TVFull power16 mi 147° SSEGoodNew York, NY
W09CZ-DLow power16 mi 141° SEFairRoslyn, NY
WXNY-LDLow power16 mi 148° SSEFairNew York, NY
WDYJ-LDLow power16 mi 148° SSEFairNew York, NY
WFUT-DTFull power16 mi 148° SSEGoodNewark, NJ
WTBY-TVFull power16 mi 148° SSEFairJersey City, NJ
WDYA-LDLow power16 mi 148° SSEFairNew York, NY
WDVB-CDClass A16 mi 148° SSEFairEdison, NJ
WNYK-LDLow power17 mi 144° SEFairTeaneck, NJ
WNMF-LDLow power17 mi 144° SEFairNew York, NY
WHTV-LDLow power17 mi 144° SEFairNew York, NY
WNYD-LDLow power17 mi 144° SEFairNew York, NY
W02CY-DLow power17 mi 144° SEWeakNew York, NY
WNYZ-LDLow power18 mi 142° SEFairNew York, NY
WMBQ-CDClass A18 mi 156° SSEPoorNew York, NY
WNETFull power18 mi 156° SSEFairNewark, NJ
WNWT-LDLow power18 mi 156° SSEGoodNew York, NY
WLIWFull power18 mi 156° SSEGoodGarden City, NY
WMBC-TVFull power18 mi 156° SSEGoodNewton, NJ
WKOB-LDLow power18 mi 156° SSEFairNew York, NY
WNDT-CDClass A18 mi 156° SSEFairManhattan, NY

How Hawthorne compares with the rest of New Jersey

With 38 stations at fair strength or better, Hawthorne ranks 225th of 537 places in New Jersey: more than the typical New Jersey town (37). Its nearest major network tower is 16 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 Paterson, 2.4 miles away.

Setting up an antenna in Hawthorne: step by step

  1. Place the antenna high on a window or wall that faces the towers. Upstairs is better than downstairs.
  2. Point it toward 156° SSE, the direction of WNYW (Fox), 18 miles away. Closer stations usually come in even off-axis.
  3. Run a full channel scan on your TV (usually Settings → Channels → Auto program; the name varies by brand).
  4. Expect around 38 stations, each with a few subchannels. If one you want is missing, turn the antenna 5–10° toward it and scan again.
  5. Rescan every few months, or whenever a channel disappears; stations occasionally change frequency.

Frequently asked questions

What channel is ABC in Hawthorne, NJ?

ABC is on channel 7 from WABC-TV, broadcasting from 16 miles SSE of Hawthorne. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is CBS in Hawthorne, NJ?

CBS is on channel 2 from WCBS-TV, broadcasting from 18 miles SSE of Hawthorne. Estimated signal: strong.

What channel is NBC in Hawthorne, NJ?

NBC is on channel 4 from WNBC, broadcasting from 18 miles SSE of Hawthorne. Estimated signal: strong.

What channel is Fox in Hawthorne, NJ?

Fox is on channel 5 from WNYW, broadcasting from 18 miles SSE of Hawthorne. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is CW in Hawthorne, NJ?

CW is on channel 11 from WPIX, broadcasting from 16 miles SSE of Hawthorne. Estimated signal: good.

How many channels can I get with an antenna in Hawthorne?

56 transmitters within 70 miles of Hawthorne; around 38 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 Hawthorne?

Point your antenna SSE, at about 154°. The main network towers for Hawthorne sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

What kind of antenna do I need in Hawthorne?

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 Hawthorne?

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 Hawthorne?

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

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 Hawthorne; signal estimates ignore terrain.