Antenna TV channels in Charlottesville
7 stations broadcast free TV around Charlottesville, carrying 14 channels including Subchannel An extra channel a station sends alongside its main one, like 2.2 or 2.3. More in the glossary . 3 of the 3 full-power stations transmit from one site, so in most of the area one aimed antenna picks up most of them.
Updated from FCC data
How well antenna TV works around Charlottesville
For the big networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS) that reach each home, an indoor antenna is likely enough for about 18% of people in the Charlottesville market; about 82% need an attic or roof antenna. A typical home gets about 20 free channels from 10 stations, some from neighbouring markets.
Estimates from our terrain predictions for an antenna about 30 ft up, adjusted for indoor use. They are not yet checked against real channel scans; VHF channels never count as indoor. How we work it out
Each network's reach
| Network | Reaches | Indoor likely |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | 61% | 16% |
| CBS | 88% | 72% |
| NBC | 99+% | 40% |
| FOX | 33% | 12% |
| PBS | 89% | 73% |
| The CW | 15% | 0% |
| Univision | 5% | 0% |
| Telemundo | 5% | 0% |
Share of the market's 438k people, across its 87 ZIP codes.
Town by town
| Town | Antenna | Point | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville ZIP 22904 | Attic or outdoor | south-southeast (155°) | 20 |
| Waynesboro ZIP 22980 | Indoor likely | west-northwest (287°, most) | 20 |
| Culpeper ZIP 22701 | Attic or outdoor | southwest (217°, most) | 20 |
| Orange ZIP 22960 | Indoor likely | northeast (44°) | 6 |
| Luray ZIP 22835 | Indoor likely | west-southwest (247°) | 12 |
For the ZIP nearest each town's centre. Tap a town for its full channel list.
What channel is each network on in Charlottesville?
| Network | Channel | Station |
|---|---|---|
 CBS | 19.1 | WCAV |
 NBC | 29.1 | WVIR-TV |
 PBS | 41.1 | WHTJ |
The best TV antenna for Charlottesville
Get an antenna rated for both VHF and UHF and aim it at the main tower site, where 3 of the 3 full-power stations transmit. For most homes an attic or outdoor antenna is the safe choice; by our estimate an indoor one is likely enough for only about 18% of people.
- 6 channels reach ordinary TVs only on VHF (WVIR-TV), and many flat indoor antennas are weak on VHF.
- Most towers stand together, so one fixed aim covers nearly everything.
Not sure about VHF Lower frequencies (RF 2–13). Needs an antenna with longer elements; many flat indoor antennas are weak here. More in the glossary and UHF Higher frequencies (RF 14–36). Most stations are here; almost any antenna picks it up. More in the glossary ? See the glossary. Any brand of the right type will do.
Which way to point your antenna from Waynesboro, Culpeper, Luray and nearby
Aim at the main tower site (WCAV, WVIR-TV, WHTJ and others). From the largest towns around Charlottesville:
| From | Point | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Waynesboro, VA | east-southeast (104°) | 24 mi |
| Culpeper, VA | southwest (218°) | 43 mi |
| Luray, VA | south (182°) | 47 mi |
Where the Charlottesville TV towers are
Map of 3 tower sites around Charlottesville. The list below has every site.
-
5 stations · 4 mi south of the centre
-
1 station · 4 mi south of the centre
1 more single low-power sites
Every Charlottesville station and subchannel
Including Class A and low-power stations Smaller stations with a shorter range than full-power ones. More in the glossary stations.
Full power (3)
Class A (1)
- WVIR-CD Charlottesville, VA · UHF
- 27.1 see WVIR-TV
Questions about antenna TV in Charlottesville
What channels are CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX on antenna in Charlottesville?
What local channels can I get with an antenna in Charlottesville?
What is the best TV antenna for Charlottesville?
Which way should I point my antenna in Charlottesville?
For the curious: tower and licence details
- WCAV · facility 363 · RF 32 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 205 kW · HAAT 329 m · licensed 2019-12-06
- WVAW-LD · facility 4687 · RF 16 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-05-16
- WAHU-LD · facility 182299 · RF 31 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2021-12-10 · newer construction permit granted
- WVIR-CD · facility 47705 · RF 35 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2019-12-02
- WVIR-TV · facility 70309 · RF 2 (VHF-low) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 10 kW · HAAT 367.9 m · licensed 2020-03-26 · newer construction permit granted
- WHTJ · facility 9990 · RF 26 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 300 kW · HAAT 335 m · licensed 2020-04-21
- W13DV-D · facility 182303 · RF 13 (VHF-high) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 0.2 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-02-20 · newer construction permit granted
Where this comes from
- Stations, towers, channels and power: FCC Licensing and Management System (LMS) public database, data of .
- Networks and subchannels: our affiliations dataset, built from Wikipedia (used under CC BY-SA 4.0), the network field stations file with the FCC, and station websites; checked . Credits.
- Towns and distances: US Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 city population estimates (SUB-EST2025) and 2026 Gazetteer place coordinates; distances are straight-line from each town's Census centre point.
- Reception: Reception predictions over USGS terrain for every ZIP, FCC data 2026-11-03 00:00:00 (model 2026-11-11.4)
- Market area: Market area: counties assigned by FCC service-contour coverage of each market's full-power stations (FCC LMS market list, Census 2020).
Updated How we work this out