Best TV antenna for Boston, MA
Boston (Manchester) TV market · 22 stations · tower locations from FCC records, checked October 30, 2026
The short answer
- Get an antenna rated for VHF-low (channels 2–6), VHF-high (channels 7–13) and UHF — realistically an outdoor or attic antenna with long VHF elements.
- Most towers are 9 miles west-southwest of Boston; aim west-southwest. Exceptions: WWJE-DT (22 miles west), WUNI (22 miles west), WBPX-TV (22 miles west), WWDP (24 miles south).
- Close to downtown the UHF stations often come in on an indoor antenna by a window, but WGBH-TV broadcasts on VHF-low, which usually takes an attic or outdoor antenna with long elements even nearby.
- Nothing special is needed for NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0): the same antenna works.
Measured from central Boston. Hills, buildings and trees matter as much as miles, so use your zip below and the address-level maps linked at the bottom before you buy.
Check from your zip code
Where Boston’s TV towers are
The channel number on your TV isn’t the frequency the station uses. The “real channel” decides which antenna you need: 2–6 is VHF-low, 7–13 VHF-high, 14–36 UHF.
| Station | Real channel | Tower from Boston |
|---|---|---|
| WHDH (7) | 35 · UHF | 8 miles west-southwest |
| WLVI (CW 56) | 35 · UHF | 8 miles west-southwest |
| WGBH-TV (PBS 2) | 5 · VHF-low | 8 miles west-southwest |
| WFXT (FOX 25) | 34 · UHF | 8 miles west-southwest |
| WDPX-TV (Grit 58) | 22 · UHF | 8 miles west-southwest |
| WBTS-CD (NBC 15) | 32 · UHF | 9 miles west-southwest |
| WFXZ-CD (BIZ TV) | 5 · VHF-low | 9 miles west-southwest |
| WBZ-TV (CBS 4) | 20 · UHF | 9 miles west-southwest |
| WCVB-TV (ABC 5) ABC, MeTV | 33 · UHF | 9 miles west-southwest |
| WUTF-TV (UniMás 27) | 19 · UHF | 9 miles west-southwest |
| WSBK-TV (38) | 21 · UHF | 9 miles west-southwest |
| WGBX-TV (PBS 44) | 32 · UHF | 9 miles west-southwest |
| WNEU (Telemundo 60) | 29 · UHF | 9 miles west-southwest |
| WWJE-DT (True Crime 50) NextGen TV only | 27 · UHF | 22 miles west |
| WUNI (Univision 66) NextGen TV only | 27 · UHF | 22 miles west |
| WBPX-TV (68) | 22 · UHF | 22 miles west |
| WWDP (ROAR 46) | 10 · VHF-high | 24 miles south |
| WMFP (Shop LC 62) | 10 · VHF-high | 24 miles south |
| WMUR-TV (ABC 9) ABC, MeTV | 9 · VHF-high | 51 miles north-northwest |
| WENH-TV (PBS 11) | 11 · VHF-high | 57 miles north |
| WPXG-TV (21) | 23 · UHF | 59 miles north-northwest |
| WYDN (IND 48) | 23 · UHF | 59 miles north-northwest |
Also in the Boston (Manchester) market but more than 70 miles from Boston: WEKW-TV (81 miles northwest).
The VHF stations to plan for
WGBH-TV (PBS 2) and WFXZ-CD (BIZ TV) broadcast on VHF-low (real channels 5 and 5). That’s the hardest band for small antennas: it needs long elements, and indoor or flat antennas often miss it even close to the tower.
WWDP (ROAR 46), WMFP (Shop LC 62), WMUR-TV (ABC 9) and WENH-TV (PBS 11) broadcast on VHF-high (real channels 10, 10, 9 and 11). If those drop out while UHF stations come in fine, the antenna is the likely cause: pick one that lists VHF-high reception, or extend the rabbit-ear dipoles on an indoor model.
Which type to buy
- Indoor antenna: fine if you’re within roughly 20 miles of the towers with a window facing them, and if it lists VHF reception. Put it high and near the window.
- Attic or outdoor antenna: the better choice beyond about 20–25 miles, behind hills, or for the VHF stations. Outdoors beats attic; roofing and insulation absorb signal.
- Preamplifier: helps with long cable runs, several TVs on one antenna, or fringe distances. It can make things worse if you’re very close to the towers, because strong signals overload it.
- Skip anything sold as a special “4K”, “HD” or “NextGen TV” antenna. Antennas don’t have formats; only the bands and the gain matter.
Questions
What kind of antenna do I need in Boston?
You need an antenna rated for VHF-low (channels 2–6), VHF-high (channels 7–13) and UHF — realistically an outdoor or attic antenna with long VHF elements. Close to downtown the UHF stations often come in on an indoor antenna by a window, but WGBH-TV broadcasts on VHF-low, which usually takes an attic or outdoor antenna with long elements even nearby.
Which way should I point my antenna in Boston?
Most towers are 9 miles west-southwest of Boston; aim west-southwest. Exceptions: WWJE-DT (22 miles west), WUNI (22 miles west), WBPX-TV (22 miles west), WWDP (24 miles south).
Why can't my antenna get WGBH-TV (PBS 2) or WFXZ-CD (BIZ TV)?
WGBH-TV (PBS 2), WFXZ-CD (BIZ TV), WWDP (ROAR 46), WMFP (Shop LC 62), WMUR-TV (ABC 9) and WENH-TV (PBS 11) broadcast on VHF (real channels 5, 5, 10, 10, 9 and 11), even though your TV shows a different channel number. Many flat and "HD" indoor antennas are designed mainly for UHF and pick up VHF poorly. An antenna with longer VHF elements, mounted higher, usually fixes it.
Do I need a new antenna for NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) in Boston?
No. NextGen TV uses the same channels, so any antenna that gets your stations today will get their NextGen TV versions. What you need is a TV or converter box with a 3.0 tuner. In Boston, the NextGen TV signals come from WWJE-DT and WUNI's transmitters.
Check your exact address
Distances don’t account for hills or buildings. For a signal prediction at your address, try the FCC’s DTV reception maps or the RabbitEars signal search.
Boston (Manchester): NextGen TV status and shutoff timeline →
Tower locations: FCC Licensing and Management System (each station’s latest filing). Zip and city locations: USPS zip code centroids. Distances are straight-line from the center of Boston.