FCC Over-the-Air Signal Report
You can get 50 free TV channels in Santa Cruz, CA
8 channels are rated Strong (indoor-ready) near the center of Santa Cruz. Check your exact ZIP code below.
50Total Stations
8Strong (Indoor OK)
ENEMain Tower Dir.
Major Broadcast Networks Nearby
✓ ABC✓ CBS✓ NBC✓ FOX✓ PBSCW
Recommended Setup for This Area
Indoor Window or Tabletop Antenna
8 stations arrive with a Strong signal here. Place a quality indoor antenna near a window or wall facing the towers.
📡 VHF Alert: 7 local stations here broadcast on VHF (RF 2–13). Pick an antenna with VHF rods/elements—not a UHF-only flat square. Why this matters.
🧭 Broadcast Tower Compass — Which Way to Point Your Antenna
Each dot is a local TV tower relative to your center point (● Green = Strong, ● Blue = Moderate, ● Amber = Weak).
Primary Aim Direction: ENE (59°)
Place your indoor antenna near a window or exterior wall facing ENE (59°), or aim your attic/rooftop antenna toward that compass bearing for the strongest signal lock.
After placing or moving your antenna, always run a fresh TV channel rescan.
All Free Over-the-Air TV Channels in Santa Cruz, CA
Sorted with Strong signals and major broadcast networks first. Channel is the virtual channel number your TV displays; Band / RF Ch. is the actual radio frequency that determines whether you need a VHF-capable antenna. How we calculate signals.
| Channel | Network | Station | Distance | Point Antenna | Band / RF Ch. | Estimated Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | NBC | KSBW Salinas, CA · Full Power | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | High VHF RF 8 | ● Strong — Indoor OK |
| 35 | FOX | KCBA Salinas, CA · Full Power | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | High VHF RF 11 | ● Strong — Indoor OK |
| 14 | Univision | KDTV-DT San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 37.4 mi | NNE (14°) | UHF RF 20 | ● Strong — Indoor OK |
| 48 | Telemundo | KSTS San Jose, CA · Full Power | 37.4 mi | NNE (14°) | UHF RF 19 | ● Strong — Indoor OK |
| 36 | Independent | KICU-TV San Jose, CA · Full Power | 36.7 mi | NNE (15°) | UHF RF 36 | ● Strong — Indoor OK |
| 26 | Independent | KTSF San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 37.4 mi | NNE (14°) | UHF RF 20 | ● Strong — Indoor OK |
| – | Local / LPTV | KBKF-LD San Jose, CA · Low Power | 14.1 mi | NE (48°) | Low VHF RF 6 | ● Strong — Indoor OK |
| – | Local / LPTV | KMCE-LD Monterey, CA · Low Power | 15.4 mi | ENE (68°) | UHF RF 24 | ● Strong — Indoor OK |
| 7 | ABC | KGO-TV San Francisco, CA · Translator | 37.4 mi | NNE (14°) | UHF RF 35 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| 46 | CBS | KION-TV Monterey, CA · Full Power | 38.0 mi | SE (143°) | UHF RF 32 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| 11 | NBC | KNTV San Jose, CA · Full Power | 53.8 mi | NNW (336°) | High VHF RF 13 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| 25 | PBS | KQET Watsonville, CA · Full Power | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | UHF RF 25 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| 67 | Univision | KSMS-TV Monterey, CA · Full Power | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | UHF RF 26 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| 68 | Independent | KTLN-TV Palo Alto, CA · Full Power | 37.4 mi | NNE (14°) | UHF RF 22 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| – | Local / LPTV | K09AAF-D Monterey, CA · Low Power | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | High VHF RF 9 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| – | Local / LPTV | KMUV-LD Monterey, CA · Low Power | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | UHF RF 23 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| 33 | Local / LPTV | KDJT-CD Salinas/Monterey,Etc, CA · Class A | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | UHF RF 26 | ● Moderate — Window / High Indoor |
| 5 | CBS | KPIX-TV San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 29 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 2 | FOX | KTVU Oakland, CA · Translator | 36.7 mi | NNE (15°) | UHF RF 26 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 22 | PBS | KRCB Cotati, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | Low VHF RF 5 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 60 | PBS | KPJK San Mateo, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 27 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 9 | PBS | KQED San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 30 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 54 | PBS | KQEH San Jose, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 30 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 44 | CW | KPYX San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 28 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 4 | MyNetworkTV | KRON-TV San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | High VHF RF 7 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 65 | ION | KKPX-TV San Jose, CA · Full Power | 53.9 mi | NNW (336°) | UHF RF 33 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 50 | Independent | KEMO-TV Fremont, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 32 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 38 | Independent | KCNS San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 32 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| – | Local / LPTV | K21PI-D Monterey, CA · Low Power | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | UHF RF 21 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| – | Local / LPTV | K30OM-D Monterey, CA · Translator | 33.1 mi | ESE (117°) | UHF RF 30 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 1 | Local / LPTV | KAXT-CD San Franciso, San Jo, CA · Class A | 37.4 mi | NNE (14°) | UHF RF 22 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 16 | Local / LPTV | KSCZ-LD San Jose-San Francis, CA · Low Power | 37.4 mi | NNE (14°) | UHF RF 23 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| – | Local / LPTV | KYMB-LD Monterey, CA · Low Power | 37.7 mi | SE (143°) | UHF RF 27 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| – | Local / LPTV | KMBY-LD Monterey, CA · Low Power | 37.7 mi | SE (143°) | UHF RF 29 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| – | Local / LPTV | K31OL-D Salinas, CA · Low Power | 37.7 mi | SE (143°) | UHF RF 31 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| – | Local / LPTV | KOTR-LD Monterey, CA · Low Power | 37.7 mi | SE (143°) | High VHF RF 7 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| – | Local / LPTV | K10RY-D San Juan Bautista, CA · Translator | 38.0 mi | SE (143°) | High VHF RF 10 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| – | Local / LPTV | KLFB-LD Salinas, CA · Low Power | 38.0 mi | SE (143°) | UHF RF 22 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 39 | Local / LPTV | KMMD-CD Salinas, CA · Class A | 38.1 mi | SE (143°) | UHF RF 28 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 42 | Tuvision | KTNC-TV Concord, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 32 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 32 | Educational | KMTP-TV San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 32 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 66 | UniMás | KFSF-DT Vallejo, CA · Full Power | 58.6 mi | NNW (337°) | UHF RF 34 | ▲ Weak — Outdoor / Attic |
| 10 | ABC | KXTV Sacramento, CA · Full Power | 92.2 mi | NNE (18°) | High VHF RF 10 | ○ Fringe — Deep Outdoor |
| 13 | CBS | KOVR Stockton, CA · Full Power | 92.2 mi | NNE (18°) | UHF RF 25 | ○ Fringe — Deep Outdoor |
| 6 | PBS | KVIE Sacramento, CA · Full Power | 94.2 mi | NNE (18°) | High VHF RF 9 | ○ Fringe — Deep Outdoor |
| 31 | CW | KMAX-TV Sacramento, CA · Full Power | 92.2 mi | NNE (18°) | UHF RF 24 | ○ Fringe — Deep Outdoor |
| 20 | Independent | KOFY-TV San Francisco, CA · Full Power | 53.9 mi | NNW (336°) | UHF RF 21 | ○ Fringe — Deep Outdoor |
| – | Local / LPTV | K02QX-D Morgan Hill, CA · Low Power | 14.9 mi | NE (48°) | Low VHF RF 2 | ○ Fringe — Deep Outdoor |
| – | Local / LPTV | K14TG-D Monterey, CA · Low Power | 32.2 mi | SSE (155°) | UHF RF 14 | ○ Fringe — Deep Outdoor |
| – | Local / LPTV | K12XN-D Salinas, CA · Low Power | 37.7 mi | SE (143°) | High VHF RF 12 | ○ Fringe — Deep Outdoor |
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