Cut the Cord.
Drop the Subscriptions.
Enjoy Free Local TV.
A directional TV antenna on a roof mast, aimed toward distant transmitters

How to Aim Your TV Antenna in Manhattan, IL

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

Transmitter directions from Manhattan, IL N E S W WGBO — 26° NNE, 39 mi WOCK — 26° NNE, 39 mi WRME — 26° NNE, 39 mi WESV — 26° NNE, 39 mi WFLD — 26° NNE, 38 mi WMAQ — 26° NNE, 38 mi WGN — 26° NNE, 38 mi WCIU — 26° NNE, 38 mi WSNS — 26° NNE, 38 mi WMEU — 26° NNE, 38 mi WWME — 26° NNE, 38 mi WEDE — 26° NNE, 38 mi WLS — 26° NNE, 38 mi WTTW — 26° NNE, 38 mi WXFT — 26° NNE, 38 mi WBBM — 26° NNE, 38 mi WCPX — 26° NNE, 38 mi WPWR — 26° NNE, 38 mi WJYS — 26° NNE, 38 mi WRJK — 26° NNE, 38 mi W31EZ-D — 27° NNE, 38 mi WDCI — 27° NNE, 38 mi WYIN — 96° E, 29 mi WWTO — 262° W, 51 mi WLPD — 349° NNW, 31 mi WPVN — 355° N, 45 mi Manhattan

Point North 0° on a compass — 51 miles of range covers this whole market

24/26stations in the beam
122/128free channels
95%of what's available
The other 2 stations sit south of you (179°). A rotator, or a second antenna facing that way, is what it takes to add them.
3 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 Manhattan, IL

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

StationNetworkChannel BearingDirectionDistanceSubchannels
WGBO Univision 66 26° NNE 39 mi 7
WOCK Shop LC 13 26° NNE 39 mi 6
WRME Jewelry TV 6 26° NNE 39 mi 1
WESV Almavision 40 26° NNE 39 mi 7
WFLD FOX 32 26° NNE 38 mi 6
WMAQ NBC 5 26° NNE 38 mi 5
WGN CW 9 26° NNE 38 mi 6
WCIU The U 26 26° NNE 38 mi 8
WSNS Telemundo 44 26° NNE 38 mi 2
WMEU U Too 48 26° NNE 38 mi 4
WWME MeTV 23 26° NNE 38 mi 3
WEDE Independent 34 26° NNE 38 mi 2
WLS ABC 7 26° NNE 38 mi 3
WTTW PBS 11 26° NNE 38 mi 4
WXFT UniMas 60 26° NNE 38 mi 3
WBBM CBS 2 26° NNE 38 mi 5
WCPX Ion 38 26° NNE 38 mi 8
WPWR MyNetworkTV 50 26° NNE 38 mi 1
WJYS Independent 62 26° NNE 38 mi 11
WRJK Diya TV 22 26° NNE 38 mi 10
W31EZ-D Almavision 25 27° NNE 38 mi 7
WDCI Daystar 57 27° NNE 38 mi 1
WYIN PBS 56 96° E 29 mi 2
WWTO TBN 35 262° W 51 mi 4
WLPD TBN Inspire 30 349° NNW 31 mi 2
WPVN MBC 24 355° N 45 mi 10

Marked rows fall inside the recommended beam.

What Antenna Do You Need in Manhattan, IL?

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

The nearest transmitter is 29.2 miles away, and most of the lineup sits within 38 miles.

For Manhattan 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.

The towers around Manhattan are spread across 194° of the compass, so no single directional antenna will reach all of them. An omnidirectional antenna picks up every direction at once but with less reach, and a rotator lets a directional antenna turn toward whichever station you want.

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 Manhattan. 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 Manhattan, IL, including what each station carries.

Contact Us

Are we missing a TV station in your area?

Tonight's Moon
Tonight's moon phase