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A directional TV antenna on a roof mast, aimed toward distant transmitters

How to Aim Your TV Antenna in Elma, WA

Every transmitter near Elma, with the compass direction and distance from town, and the one direction that picks up the most channels.

Transmitter directions from Elma, WA N E S W KCPQ — 40° NE, 43 mi KTBW — 41° NE, 44 mi KBTC — 71° ENE, 44 mi KCKA — 155° SSE, 39 mi Elma

Point Northeast 41° on a compass — 44 miles of range covers this whole market

3/4stations in the beam
14/17free channels
82%of what's available
The other 1 station sit south-southeast of you (155°). A rotator, or a second antenna facing that way, is what it takes to add them.
1 of these stations broadcast on VHF frequencies. Many antennas sold as "HDTV" or "4K" are UHF-only and will miss them entirely, whichever way you point.

Every Transmitter Near Elma, WA

Sorted by compass bearing, so neighbouring rows are neighbouring towers.

StationNetworkChannel BearingDirectionDistanceSubchannels
KCPQ FOX 13 40° NE 43 mi 6
KTBW TBN 20 41° NE 44 mi 5
KBTC PBS 28 71° ENE 44 mi 3
KCKA PBS 15 155° SSE 39 mi 3

Marked rows fall inside the recommended beam.

What Antenna Do You Need in Elma, WA?

How far the transmitters are, which way they sit, and what that means for the antenna you buy.

The nearest transmitter is 39.1 miles away, and most of the lineup sits within 45 miles.

For Elma we would start with an outdoor or roof-mounted antenna. The transmitters are a long way from town. An outdoor antenna mounted as high as possible, pointed toward the towers, is what it takes to receive the full lineup reliably.

The towers sit within a 115° arc, so a directional antenna pointed northeast suits this market. With the furthest transmitters 44 miles out, mount it outdoors and as high as you can.

Learn more about choosing an antenna

Before You Climb the Ladder

The limits of these numbers, and how to work around them.

These are true bearings, not magnetic. A compass app on your phone usually reads magnetic north, which differs from true north by a few degrees depending on where you are in the country. For antenna aiming that difference is small, but if you are lining up a long-range directional antenna it is worth checking your local declination.

Bearings are measured from the centre of Elma. Over the distances involved, a few miles in any direction barely moves the angle, but your own address is what ultimately matters.

Hills and buildings are not in these numbers. A transmitter 20 miles away behind a ridge can be harder to receive than one 40 miles away across flat ground. Point at the recommended bearing first, then adjust a few degrees either way while watching your TV's signal meter.

See every channel available in Elma, WA, including what each station carries.

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