TV channels & antenna towers in Madison, Virginia

Madison is a small community of about 220 people in Virginia. There are 32 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 14 full-power, 4 Class A, 7 low-power and 7 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 12 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 4 at good or strong strength.

1 of them is within 25 miles of Madison, 11 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 20 are more than 45 miles out. Four of the 13 network stations in range are licensed to Charlottesville, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Charlottesville's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 3 (WHSV-TV), CBS on channel 6 (WTVR-TV), Fox on channel 27.2 (WCAV), CW on channel 29.3 (WVIR-CD), ION on channel 60 (WWPX-TV) and Telemundo on channel 45 (WZTD-LD). No NBC affiliate is listed within 70 miles; the nearest one in our data is WWBT in Richmond, VA, 73 miles to the southeast. Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (very weak signal). 7 full-power stations in range have no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

The main network towers around Madison are in different directions: ABC 256° WSW (59 mi), CBS 149° SSE (70 mi) and Fox 204° SSW (30 mi). Aim at the farthest one you want first, or use a multi-directional antenna.

Four network stations, WCAV, WVAW-LD, WVIR-CD and WVIR-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 30 miles southwest of Madison (204° SSW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 6 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Madison at fair strength or better, 67% arrive from the southwest; the rest are spread across one other direction.

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

The farthest main network tower for Madison is WTVR-TV (CBS), 70 miles away with a weak 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 12 stations at fair strength or better, Madison ranks 246th of 381 places in Virginia: fewer than the typical Virginia town (16). Its nearest major network tower is 28 miles away, against a state median of 21 miles.

31% of Virginia's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an outdoor directional antenna. The nearest larger city is Charlottesville, 27 miles away.