Best TV antenna for San Francisco, CA
San Francisco-Oak-San Jose TV market · 25 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 of San Francisco's towers are close to the city — 2 miles southwest of downtown — so in town, height and a clear window matter more than aim; farther out, point southwest. Exceptions: KDTV-DT (35 miles east-southeast), KTSF (35 miles east-southeast), KSTS (35 miles east-southeast), KTLN-TV (36 miles east-southeast).
- Close to downtown the UHF stations often come in on an indoor antenna by a window, but KRCB 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 San Francisco. 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 San Francisco’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 San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| KTVU (FOX 2) | 31 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KRON-TV (CW 4) NextGen TV only | 7 · VHF-high | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KPIX-TV (CBS 5) | 29 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KGO-TV (ABC 7) | 12 · VHF-high | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KQED (PBS 9) | 30 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KRCB (PBS 22) | 5 · VHF-low | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KMTP-TV (ETV 32) | 32 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KCNS (Shop LC 38) | 32 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KTNC-TV (42) | 32 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KPYX (44) | 28 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KEMO-TV (TIMELESS TV 50) | 32 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KQEH (PBS 54) | 30 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KPJK (PBS 60) | 27 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KFSF-DT (UniMás 66) | 34 · UHF | 2 miles west-southwest |
| KOFY-TV (Merit Street 20) | 21 · UHF | 5 miles south |
| KKPX-TV (ION 65) | 33 · UHF | 5 miles south |
| KCNZ-CD (LATV 28) | 21 · UHF | 5 miles south |
| KNTV (NBC 11) | 13 · VHF-high | 6 miles south |
| KAXT-CD (Catchy Comedy 1) | 22 · UHF | 35 miles east-southeast |
| KDTV-DT (Univision 14) | 20 · UHF | 35 miles east-southeast |
| KTSF (26) | 20 · UHF | 35 miles east-southeast |
| KSTS (Telemundo 48) | 19 · UHF | 35 miles east-southeast |
| KTLN-TV (Heroes & Icons 68) | 22 · UHF | 36 miles east-southeast |
| KICU-TV (36) | 36 · UHF | 36 miles east-southeast |
| KDTV-CD (Univision 28) | 21 · UHF | 63 miles north |
Also in the San Francisco-Oak-San Jose market but more than 70 miles from San Francisco: KQSL (147 miles north-northwest), KEDB (147 miles north-northwest).
The VHF stations to plan for
KRCB (PBS 22) broadcasts on VHF-low (real channel 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.
KRON-TV (CW 4), KGO-TV (ABC 7) and KNTV (NBC 11) broadcast on VHF-high (real channels 7, 12 and 13). 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 San Francisco?
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 KRCB 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 San Francisco?
Most of San Francisco's towers are close to the city — 2 miles southwest of downtown — so in town, height and a clear window matter more than aim; farther out, point southwest. Exceptions: KDTV-DT (35 miles east-southeast), KTSF (35 miles east-southeast), KSTS (35 miles east-southeast), KTLN-TV (36 miles east-southeast).
Why can't my antenna get KRCB (PBS 22) or KRON-TV (CW 4)?
KRCB (PBS 22), KRON-TV (CW 4), KGO-TV (ABC 7) and KNTV (NBC 11) broadcast on VHF (real channels 5, 7, 12 and 13), 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 San Francisco?
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 San Francisco, the NextGen TV signals come from KRON-TV's transmitter.
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.
San Francisco-Oak-San Jose: 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 San Francisco.