TV channels & antenna towers in Shelter Island, New York

Shelter Island is a small community of about 1,330 people in New York. There are 28 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 15 full-power, 6 Class A and 7 low-power. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 16 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 12 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 1 transmitter is within 25 miles, 10 between 25 and 45 miles, and 17 farther out. Four of the 10 network stations in range are licensed to Hartford, CT, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Hartford's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 8 (WTNH), CBS on channel 3 (WFSB), NBC on channel 30 (WVIT), Fox on channel 61 (WTIC-TV), CW on channel 20 (WCCT-TV), ION on channel 69 (WPXQ-TV), Telemundo on channel 19 (WRDM-CD), Univision on channel 18 (WUVN) and MeTV on channel 35.1 (WHCT-LD). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (good signal) and Univision (fair signal). 7 full-power stations in range have no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

Point your antenna NW, at about 325°. The main network towers for Shelter Island sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Five network stations, WRDM-CD, WVIT, WTIC-TV, WCCT-TV and WHPX-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 51 miles northwest of Shelter Island (330° NNW). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 9 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Shelter Island at fair strength or better, 78% arrive from the northwest; the rest are spread across two other directions.

WFSB (CBS) lies beyond the radio horizon of its transmitter as seen from Shelter Island. Past that point signals fade quickly, so antenna height matters more than amplification.

The farthest main network tower for Shelter Island is WFSB (CBS), 54 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an outdoor directional antenna here. Skip that station and you may get away with a smaller antenna.

At this distance a low-noise preamplifier mounted on the mast, right below the antenna, helps more than an amplifier near the TV. It boosts the signal before cable loss eats into it. See the amplifier guide.

With 16 stations at fair strength or better, Shelter Island ranks 707th of 1,012 places in New York: fewer than the typical New York town (23). Its nearest major network tower is 40 miles away, against a state median of 22 miles.

24% of New York's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an outdoor directional antenna. The nearest larger city is New London, 23 miles away.