TV channels & antenna towers in Dahlgren, Virginia

Dahlgren is a town of about 2,650 people in Virginia. There are 43 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 23 full-power, 5 Class A and 15 low-power. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 18 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 10 at good or strong strength.

By distance, 0 transmitters are within 25 miles, 20 between 25 and 45 miles, and 23 farther out. Nine of the 18 network stations in range are licensed to Washington, DC, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Washington's stations.

The strongest network signals here are ABC on channel 7 (WJLA-TV), CBS on channel 9 (WUSA), NBC on channel 4 (WRC-TV), Fox on channel 5 (WTTG), PBS on channel 26 (WETA-TV), CW on channel 50 (WDCW), ION on channel 66 (WPXW-TV), Telemundo on channel 44 (WZDC-CD), Univision on channel 14 (WFDC-DT) and MeTV on channel 48.1 (WDME-CD). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (good signal) and Univision (good signal). 9 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 N, at about 358°. The main network towers for Dahlgren sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

11 network stations, WDCW, WRC-TV, WZDC-CD, WFDC-DT and WDME-CD and others, transmit from the same tower site about 42 miles north of Dahlgren (358° N). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 14 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Dahlgren at fair strength or better, 71% 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 Dahlgren, so signals arrive fairly directly and a well-placed antenna should hold them steadily.

The farthest main network tower for Dahlgren is WTTG (Fox), 44 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here. If you only watch the closer stations, a smaller antenna may do.

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 18 stations at fair strength or better, Dahlgren ranks 143rd of 381 places in Virginia: more than the typical Virginia town (16). Its nearest major network tower is 42 miles away, against a state median of 21 miles.

36% of Virginia's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The nearest larger city is Saint Charles, 20 miles away.