TV channels & antenna towers in Washington Heights, New York

Washington Heights is a small community of about 1,690 people in New York. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 57 licensed TV transmitters: 21 full-power, 5 Class A, 24 low-power and 7 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 21 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 5 at good or strong strength.

2 of them are within 25 miles of Washington Heights, 4 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 51 are more than 45 miles out. Six of the 12 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.

The strongest network signals here 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 (good signal) and Univision (good signal). 10 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 SSE, at about 157°. The main network towers for Washington Heights 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 56 miles south of Washington Heights (158° SSE). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 10 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Washington Heights at fair strength or better, 50% arrive from the south; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Washington Heights is WNYW (Fox), 56 miles away with a fair 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 21 stations at fair strength or better, Washington Heights ranks 556th of 1,012 places in New York: fewer than the typical New York town (23). Its nearest major network tower is 54 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 Middletown, 1.7 miles away.