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 Springfield, IL

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

Transmitter directions from Springfield, IL N E S W WHOI — 5° N, 61 mi WTVP — 6° N, 59 mi WTVK — 7° N, 60 mi WEEK — 7° N, 60 mi WMBD — 7° N, 60 mi WYZZ — 24° NNE, 66 mi WCQA — 63° ENE, 30 mi WLCF — 74° ENE, 45 mi WAND — 74° ENE, 47 mi WBUI — 75° ENE, 47 mi WICS — 80° E, 12 mi WRSP — 82° E, 13 mi WCIX — 82° E, 9 mi W36EX-D — 201° SSW, 63 mi WSEC — 239° WSW, 23 mi Springfield

Point Northeast 53° on a compass — 66 miles of range covers this whole market

8/15stations in the beam
43/77free channels
56%of what's available
The other 7 stations sit north of you (349°). 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 Springfield, IL

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

StationNetworkChannel BearingDirectionDistanceSubchannels
WHOI MyNetworkTV 19 5° N 61 mi 6
WTVP PBS 47 6° N 59 mi 5
WTVK Shop LC 59 7° N 60 mi 4
WEEK NBC 25 7° N 60 mi 4
WMBD CBS 31 7° N 60 mi 4
WYZZ FOX 43 24° NNE 66 mi 3
WCQA 365BLK 16 63° ENE 30 mi 10
WLCF CTN 45 74° ENE 45 mi 5
WAND NBC 17 74° ENE 47 mi 7
WBUI CW 23 75° ENE 47 mi 5
WICS ABC 20 80° E 12 mi 5
WRSP FOX 55 82° E 13 mi 3
WCIX MyNetworkTV 49 82° E 9 mi 5
W36EX-D Shop HQ 36 201° SSW 63 mi 7
WSEC PBS 14 239° WSW 23 mi 4

Marked rows fall inside the recommended beam.

What Antenna Do You Need in Springfield, IL?

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

The nearest transmitter is 9.1 miles away, and most of the lineup sits within 60 miles.

For Springfield 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 around Springfield are spread across 234° 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 Springfield. 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 Springfield, IL, including what each station carries.

Contact Us

Are we missing a TV station in your area?

Tonight's Moon
Tonight's moon phase