Antenna aiming / Union City, CA
Which way do I point it?

How to aim your TV antenna in Union City, CA

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

Transmitter directions from Union City, CA N E S W KTNC — 22° NNE, 22 mi KBTV-CD — 25° NNE, 75 mi KEZT — 25° NNE, 75 mi KTXL — 33° NNE, 56 mi KVIE — 33° NNE, 56 mi KCSO — 33° NNE, 56 mi KCRA — 34° NE, 56 mi KSPX — 34° NE, 56 mi KMAX — 34° NE, 56 mi KQCA — 34° NE, 56 mi KOVR — 34° NE, 54 mi KTFK — 34° NE, 54 mi KXTV — 34° NE, 54 mi KACA — 78° ENE, 49 mi KBSV — 98° E, 39 mi KDTV — 120° ESE, 13 mi KSTS — 120° ESE, 13 mi KAXT — 120° ESE, 13 mi KSCZ — 120° ESE, 13 mi KQEH — 123° ESE, 13 mi KICU — 123° ESE, 13 mi KSMS — 151° SSE, 66 mi KSBW — 151° SSE, 66 mi KQET — 151° SSE, 66 mi K15CU-D — 151° SSE, 66 mi KDJT — 151° SSE, 66 mi KCBA — 151° SSE, 66 mi KBIT — 156° SSE, 40 mi KNTV — 288° WNW, 21 mi KTSF — 288° WNW, 21 mi KMPX-LD — 288° WNW, 21 mi KKPX — 288° WNW, 21 mi KCNZ — 288° WNW, 21 mi KDTS — 298° WNW, 24 mi KTVU — 299° WNW, 24 mi KPIX — 299° WNW, 24 mi KQED — 299° WNW, 24 mi KGO — 299° WNW, 24 mi KMTP — 299° WNW, 24 mi KCNS — 299° WNW, 24 mi KPYX — 299° WNW, 24 mi KRON — 299° WNW, 24 mi KPJK — 299° WNW, 24 mi KFSF — 299° WNW, 24 mi KOFY — 299° WNW, 24 mi KTLN — 324° NW, 48 mi KRCB — 332° NNW, 59 mi KDAS — 333° NNW, 71 mi Union City

Point Northwest 304° on a compass — 75 miles of range covers this whole market

20/48stations in the beam
111/240free channels
46%of what's available
The other 28 stations sit east of you (84°). A rotator, or a second antenna facing that way, is what it takes to add them.
9 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 Union City, CA

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

StationNetworkChannel BearingDirectionDistanceSubchannels
KTNC TCT 42 22° NNE 22 mi 2
KBTV-CD Buzzr 8 25° NNE 75 mi 7
KEZT Univision 23 25° NNE 75 mi 3
KTXL FOX 40 33° NNE 56 mi 4
KVIE PBS 6 33° NNE 56 mi 4
KCSO Telemundo 33 33° NNE 56 mi 4
KCRA NBC 3 34° NE 56 mi 6
KSPX Ion 29 34° NE 56 mi 8
KMAX Independent 31 34° NE 56 mi 7
KQCA CW 58 34° NE 56 mi 3
KOVR CBS 13 34° NE 54 mi 5
KTFK UniMas 64 34° NE 54 mi 7
KXTV ABC 10 34° NE 54 mi 7
KACA Daystar 34 78° ENE 49 mi 1
KBSV Independent 23 98° E 39 mi 1
KDTV Univision 14 120° ESE 13 mi 3
KSTS Telemundo 48 120° ESE 13 mi 6
KAXT Catchy Comedy 1 120° ESE 13 mi 1
KSCZ Hai Le 16 120° ESE 13 mi 10
KQEH PBS 54 123° ESE 13 mi 4
KICU MyNetworkTV 36 123° ESE 13 mi 5
KSMS Univision 67 151° SSE 66 mi 2
KSBW NBC 8 151° SSE 66 mi 5
KQET PBS 25 151° SSE 66 mi 4
K15CU-D Cozi TV 15 151° SSE 66 mi 4
KDJT UniMas 33 151° SSE 66 mi 1
KCBA CW 35 151° SSE 66 mi 5
KBIT Diya TV 24 156° SSE 40 mi 10
KNTV NBC 11 288° WNW 21 mi 6
KTSF Independent 26 288° WNW 21 mi 4
KMPX-LD Jewelry TV 18 288° WNW 21 mi 1
KKPX Ion 65 288° WNW 21 mi 8
KCNZ LATV 28 288° WNW 21 mi 4
KDTS Daystar 52 298° WNW 24 mi 12
KTVU FOX 2 299° WNW 24 mi 5
KPIX CBS 5 299° WNW 24 mi 5
KQED PBS 9 299° WNW 24 mi 4
KGO ABC 7 299° WNW 24 mi 5
KMTP Independent 32 299° WNW 24 mi 1
KCNS Shop LC 38 299° WNW 24 mi 5
KPYX Independent 44 299° WNW 24 mi 7
KRON CW 4 299° WNW 24 mi 5
KPJK Independent 60 299° WNW 24 mi 6
KFSF UniMas 66 299° WNW 24 mi 6
KOFY Dr. Phil 20 299° WNW 24 mi 5
KTLN Heroes & Icons 68 324° NW 48 mi 7
KRCB PBS 22 332° NNW 59 mi 3
KDAS Daystar 52 333° NNW 71 mi 12

Marked rows fall inside the recommended beam.

What antenna do you need in Union City, CA?

How far the transmitters are, and which way they sit

The nearest transmitter is 12.6 miles away, and most of the lineup sits within 22 miles.

For Union City 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 Union City are spread across 228° 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 Union City. 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 Union City, 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.