TV channels & antenna towers in Salem, Oregon

Salem is a city of about 165,000 people in Oregon. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 58 licensed TV transmitters: 15 full-power, 8 Class A, 24 low-power and 11 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 19 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 9 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 6 transmitters are within 25 miles, 29 between 25 and 45 miles, and 23 farther out. Six of the 12 network stations in range are licensed to Portland, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Portland's stations.

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). 4 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 NNE, at about 20°. The main network towers for Salem sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Seven network stations, KRCW-TV, KATU, KOIN, KNMT and KPTV and others, transmit from the same tower site about 42 miles north of Salem (20° NNE). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 10 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Salem at fair strength or better, 70% arrive from the north; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

The farthest main network tower for Salem is KGW (NBC), 42 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic 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.

With 19 stations at fair strength or better, Salem ranks 75th of 219 places in Oregon: more than the typical Oregon town (16). Its nearest major network tower is 42 miles away, against a state median of 20 miles.

47% of Oregon's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The nearest larger city is Portland, 44 miles away.