TV channels & antenna towers in Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city of about 632,000 people in Oregon. There are 50 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 10 full-power, 5 Class A, 15 low-power and 20 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 20 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 20 at good or strong strength.

21 of them are within 25 miles of Portland, 9 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 20 are more than 45 miles out. Portland is a broadcast hub in its own right: six of the 8 network stations in range are licensed here.

The best-placed network stations are ABC on channel 2 (KATU), CBS on channel 6 (KOIN), NBC on channel 8 (KGW), Fox on channel 12 (KPTV), CW on channel 32 (KRCW-TV), ION on channel 22 (KPXG-TV) and Trinity on channel 24 (KNMT). 3 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 W, at about 264°. The main network towers for Portland sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Seven network stations, KRCW-TV, KATU, KOIN, KNMT and KPXG-TV and others, transmit from the same tower site about 2.9 miles west of Portland (260° W). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 7 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Portland at fair strength or better, all arrive from the west, so this is an easy place to aim.

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

The farthest main network tower for Portland is KPTV (Fox), 3.5 miles away with a strong estimated signal. That is why we suggest an indoor antenna here. Viewers who do not need that station can often manage with less.

KRCW-TV is only 2.9 miles away with a strong signal. Signals that strong can overload an amplifier, so start without one and add it only if distant channels are missing. Read when an amplifier helps.

With 20 stations at fair strength or better, Portland ranks 45th of 219 places in Oregon: more than the typical Oregon town (16). Its nearest major network tower is 2.9 miles away, against a state median of 20 miles.

22% of Oregon's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an indoor antenna.