Antenna aiming / Las Cruces, NM
Which way do I point it?

How to aim your TV antenna in Las Cruces, NM

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

Transmitter directions from Las Cruces, NM N E S W KRWG — 87° E, 3 mi KVIA — 155° SSE, 37 mi KTSM — 155° SSE, 37 mi KFOX — 155° SSE, 36 mi KTFN — 155° SSE, 37 mi KSCE — 155° SSE, 37 mi KTDO — 155° SSE, 37 mi KDBC — 155° SSE, 38 mi KINT — 155° SSE, 38 mi KCOS — 155° SSE, 38 mi Las Cruces

Point Southeast 126° on a compass — 38 miles of range covers this whole market

9/10stations in the beam
47/50free channels
94%of what's available
The other 1 station sit east of you (87°). 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 Las Cruces, NM

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

StationNetworkChannel BearingDirectionDistanceSubchannels
KRWG PBS 22 87° E 3 mi 3
KVIA ABC 7 155° SSE 37 mi 8
KTSM NBC 9 155° SSE 37 mi 5
KFOX FOX 14 155° SSE 36 mi 4
KTFN UniMas 65 155° SSE 37 mi 5
KSCE Independent 38 155° SSE 37 mi 5
KTDO Telemundo 48 155° SSE 37 mi 7
KDBC CBS 4 155° SSE 38 mi 5
KINT Univision 26 155° SSE 38 mi 5
KCOS PBS 13 155° SSE 38 mi 3

Marked rows fall inside the recommended beam.

What antenna do you need in Las Cruces, NM?

How far the transmitters are, and which way they sit

The nearest transmitter is 3.2 miles away, and most of the lineup sits within 39 miles.

For Las Cruces 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 68° arc and 38 miles, which is comfortable territory for a directional indoor antenna in a window facing southeast.

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 Las Cruces. 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 Las Cruces, NM, 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.