Antenna aiming / Imperial Beach, CA
Which way do I point it?

How to aim your TV antenna in Imperial Beach, CA

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

Transmitter directions from Imperial Beach, CA N E S W KZTC — 16° NNE, 32 mi KSKT — 16° NNE, 32 mi KPBS — 50° NE, 14 mi KSDX — 50° NE, 14 mi KDTF — 50° NE, 14 mi KSDY — 50° NE, 14 mi KUAN — 50° NE, 14 mi KNSD — 50° NE, 14 mi KUSI — 50° NE, 14 mi KSWB — 50° NE, 14 mi KFMB — 338° NNW, 20 mi KBNT — 338° NNW, 20 mi KGTV — 338° NNW, 20 mi Imperial Beach

Point North-Northeast 21° on a compass — 32 miles of range covers this whole market

10/13stations in the beam
55/72free channels
76%of what's available
The other 3 stations sit north-northwest of you (338°). A rotator, or a second antenna facing that way, is what it takes to add them.
4 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 Imperial Beach, CA

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

StationNetworkChannel BearingDirectionDistanceSubchannels
KZTC Biz TV 7 16° NNE 32 mi 4
KSKT MovieSphere Gold 43 16° NNE 32 mi 12
KPBS PBS 15 50° NE 14 mi 4
KSDX Binge TV 9 50° NE 14 mi 12
KDTF UniMas 36 50° NE 14 mi 2
KSDY Nuestra Vision 50 50° NE 14 mi 6
KUAN Telemundo 48 50° NE 14 mi 2
KNSD NBC 39 50° NE 14 mi 4
KUSI CW 51 50° NE 14 mi 3
KSWB FOX 69 50° NE 14 mi 6
KFMB CBS 8 338° NNW 20 mi 6
KBNT Univision 17 338° NNW 20 mi 3
KGTV ABC 10 338° NNW 20 mi 8

Marked rows fall inside the recommended beam.

What antenna do you need in Imperial Beach, CA?

How far the transmitters are, and which way they sit

The nearest transmitter is 13.7 miles away, and most of the lineup sits within 21 miles.

For Imperial Beach we would start with an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The towers are far enough out that an amplified indoor antenna, or one mounted in the attic, will pull in far more of the lineup than a basic flat antenna.

Everything is within a 73° arc and 32 miles, which is comfortable territory for a directional indoor antenna in a window facing north-northeast.

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 Imperial Beach. 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 Imperial Beach, CA, including what each station carries.

Calendar

What’s on, and when

Big games, races and live events coming up on free over-the-air TV, and the channel to find each one on. Full-season schedules show which games an antenna gets you for free.

Guides

Free TV explained

Guides, reviews and explainers on getting the most out of free over-the-air TV.