TV channels & antenna towers in East Rockaway, New York

East Rockaway has 53 TV transmitters within 70 miles, carrying ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW and ION. About 39 stations should come in at fair strength or better with a suitable antenna. The closest tower is W20CQ-D, 15 miles to the NE.

53TV transmitters within 70 miles
9networks over the air
15 mito the closest tower
9,894population

Network channels in East Rockaway

StationChannelDistancePoint antennaEst. signalLicensed to
IONWPXU-LDION35 17 mi296° WNW FairAmityville, NY
ABCWABC-TVABC7 18 mi294° WNW GoodNew York, NY
CWWPIXCW11 18 mi294° WNW FairNew York, NY
UNIWXTV-DTUnivision41 18 mi294° WNW GoodPaterson, NJ
MeTVWJLPMeTV33.1 18 mi296° WNW FairMiddletown Township, NJ
CBSWCBS-TVCBS2 19 mi285° WNW StrongNew York, NY
FOXWNYWFox5 19 mi285° WNW GoodNew York, NY
NBCWNBCNBC4 19 mi285° WNW StrongNew York, NY
TLMWNJUTelemundo47 19 mi285° WNW StrongLinden, NJ
IONWPXN-TVION31 19 mi285° WNW GoodNew York, NY
ABCWTNHABC8 66 mi35° NE PoorNew Haven, CT

Over-the-air TV in East Rockaway

East Rockaway is a town of about 9,890 people in New York. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 53 licensed TV transmitters: 23 full-power, 5 Class A, 23 low-power and 2 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 39 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 16 at good or strong strength.

38 of them are within 25 miles of East Rockaway, 8 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 7 are more than 45 miles out. Six of the 11 network stations in range are licensed to New York, so most of the network channels you will find here come from New York's stations.

For the networks, the best local options 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). 13 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 East Rockaway

Point your antenna WNW, at about 288°. The main network towers for East Rockaway 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 19 miles west of East Rockaway (285° WNW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 9 full-power and Class A network signals that reach East Rockaway at fair strength or better, 56% arrive from the west; the rest are spread across one other direction.

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

Antenna and amplifier advice for East Rockaway

The farthest main network tower for East Rockaway is WNYW (Fox), 19 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an indoor antenna here. Skip that station and you may get away with a smaller antenna.

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 East Rockaway

Full-power independents, low-power stations and translators that relay a bigger station's signal. Showing the closest 25 of 42; see all in the finder.

StationDistancePoint antennaEst. signalLicensed to
W20CQ-DLow power15 mi 46° NEWeakHempstead, NY
WNYN-LDLow power15 mi 255° WSWFairNew York, NY
WNJJ-LDLow power15 mi 255° WSWFairNew York, NY
WLIG-LDLow power16 mi 54° NEWeakPlainview, Etc., NY
WNYZ-LDLow power16 mi 297° WNWFairNew York, NY
WNYK-LDLow power17 mi 296° WNWFairTeaneck, NJ
WNMF-LDLow power17 mi 296° WNWFairNew York, NY
WHTV-LDLow power17 mi 296° WNWFairNew York, NY
WNYD-LDLow power17 mi 296° WNWFairNew York, NY
W02CY-DLow power17 mi 296° WNWWeakNew York, NY
W09CZ-DLow power18 mi 300° WNWFairRoslyn, NY
WXNY-LDLow power18 mi 294° WNWFairNew York, NY
WDYJ-LDLow power18 mi 294° WNWFairNew York, NY
WFUT-DTFull power18 mi 294° WNWGoodNewark, NJ
WTBY-TVFull power18 mi 294° WNWFairJersey City, NJ
WDYA-LDLow power18 mi 294° WNWFairNew York, NY
WDVB-CDClass A18 mi 294° WNWFairEdison, NJ
WNYE-TVFull power18 mi 296° WNWGoodNew York, NY
WMBQ-CDClass A19 mi 285° WNWPoorNew York, NY
WNETFull power19 mi 285° WNWFairNewark, NJ
WNWT-LDLow power19 mi 285° WNWGoodNew York, NY
WLIWFull power19 mi 285° WNWGoodGarden City, NY
WMBC-TVFull power19 mi 285° WNWGoodNewton, NJ
WKOB-LDLow power19 mi 285° WNWFairNew York, NY
WNDT-CDClass A19 mi 285° WNWFairManhattan, NY

How East Rockaway compares with the rest of New York

With 39 stations at fair strength or better, East Rockaway ranks 164th of 1,012 places in New York: more than the typical New York town (23). Its nearest major network tower is 17 miles away, against a state median of 22 miles.

34% of New York's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an indoor antenna. The nearest larger city is Oceanside, 1.6 miles away.

Setting up an antenna in East Rockaway: 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 285° WNW, the direction of WNYW (Fox), 19 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 39 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 East Rockaway, NY?

ABC is on channel 7 from WABC-TV, broadcasting from 18 miles WNW of East Rockaway. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is CBS in East Rockaway, NY?

CBS is on channel 2 from WCBS-TV, broadcasting from 19 miles WNW of East Rockaway. Estimated signal: strong.

What channel is NBC in East Rockaway, NY?

NBC is on channel 4 from WNBC, broadcasting from 19 miles WNW of East Rockaway. Estimated signal: strong.

What channel is Fox in East Rockaway, NY?

Fox is on channel 5 from WNYW, broadcasting from 19 miles WNW of East Rockaway. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is CW in East Rockaway, NY?

CW is on channel 11 from WPIX, broadcasting from 18 miles WNW of East Rockaway. Estimated signal: fair.

How many channels can I get with an antenna in East Rockaway?

53 transmitters within 70 miles of East Rockaway; around 39 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 East Rockaway?

Point your antenna WNW, at about 288°. The main network towers for East Rockaway sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

What kind of antenna do I need in East Rockaway?

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 East Rockaway?

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 East Rockaway?

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 York cities

More: all TV stations in New York · Northeast region · antenna buying guide · how to aim an antenna. Distances are straight-line from the center of East Rockaway; signal estimates ignore terrain.