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

How to Aim Your TV Antenna in Sterling, VA

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

Point East-Northeast 77° on a compass — 75 miles of range covers this whole market

27/37stations in the beam

127/155free channels

82%of what's available

The other 10 stations sit north-northwest of you (328°). A rotator, or a second antenna facing that way, is what it takes to add them.

8 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 Sterling, VA

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

Station	Network	Channel	Bearing	Direction	Distance	Subchannels
WFPT	PBS	62	15°	NNE	18 mi	4
WLYH	Independent	49	35°	NE	75 mi	1
WMPB	PBS	67	47°	NE	45 mi	5
WMJF	MeTV Toons	39	57°	ENE	50 mi	7
WUTB	Roar	24	61°	ENE	46 mi	1
WBFF	FOX	45	61°	ENE	46 mi	3
WNUV	CW	54	61°	ENE	46 mi	4
WMAR	ABC	2	61°	ENE	46 mi	9
WBAL	NBC	11	61°	ENE	46 mi	7
WJZ	CBS	13	61°	ENE	46 mi	6
WQAW	Jewelry TV	69	90°	E	42 mi	12
WMPT	PBS	22	90°	E	42 mi	5
WDDN	Daystar	23	93°	E	18 mi	2
WDCW	CW	50	100°	E	20 mi	3
WTTG	FOX	5	103°	ESE	17 mi	3
WDCA	MyNetworkTV	20	103°	ESE	17 mi	4
WETA	PBS	26	104°	ESE	18 mi	5
WJLA	ABC	7	104°	ESE	18 mi	6
WUSA	CBS	9	104°	ESE	18 mi	5
WHUT	PBS	32	104°	ESE	18 mi	2
WPXW	Ion	66	104°	ESE	18 mi	8
WIAV	Roar	58	106°	ESE	18 mi	2
WDCO	Roar	10	106°	ESE	18 mi	1
WDME	MeTV	48	106°	ESE	18 mi	8
WRZB	HSN2	31	106°	ESE	18 mi	4
WFDC	Univision	14	106°	ESE	18 mi	4
WZDC	Telemundo	44	106°	ESE	18 mi	2
WWTD	HSN2	49	106°	ESE	18 mi	5
WRC	NBC	4	106°	ESE	18 mi	4
WNVC	World	41	136°	SE	13 mi	1
WDCN	The Country Network	6	136°	SE	13 mi	1
WDWA	Daystar	23	167°	SSE	16 mi	2
WNVT	World	23	185°	S	27 mi	1
WDVM	Independent	25	264°	W	34 mi	4
WWPX	Ion	60	311°	NW	47 mi	8
WWPB	PBS	31	325°	NW	54 mi	4
WJAL	Altavision	68	333°	NNW	68 mi	2

Marked rows fall inside the recommended beam.

What Antenna Do You Need in Sterling, VA?

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

The nearest transmitter is 13.3 miles away, and most of the lineup sits within 18 miles.

For Sterling we would start with a basic indoor antenna. Most of the lineup is transmitting from close by, so a flat indoor antenna in a window facing the towers should be enough.

The towers around Sterling are spread across 281° 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 Sterling. 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 Sterling, VA, including what each station carries.

How to Aim Your TV Antenna in Sterling, VA

Every Transmitter Near Sterling, VA

What Antenna Do You Need in Sterling, VA?

Before You Climb the Ladder

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