WBBM-TV · channel 2.1
WBBM-TV is channel 2.1 (CBS), a full-power station licensed to Chicago, IL. It now sends NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) A newer broadcast format. Older TVs can't decode it, so stations also send the old format from a partner station. More in the glossary , so ordinary TVs get its channels from partner stations.
Updated from FCC data
WBBM-TV channels and Subchannel An extra channel a station sends alongside its main one, like 2.2 or 2.3. More in the glossary
Which way to point your antenna for WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV transmits from the main Chicago tower site, so an antenna aimed for the other big stations gets it too. It broadcasts on RF 12 ( VHF Lower frequencies (RF 2–13). Needs an antenna with longer elements; many flat indoor antennas are weak here. More in the glossary ), so your antenna must handle VHF.
| From | Point | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora, IL | east-northeast (76°) | 35 mi |
| Joliet, IL | northeast (46°) | 36 mi |
| Elgin, IL | east-southeast (107°) | 37 mi |
| Waukegan, IL | south-southeast (160°) | 36 mi |
| Hammond, IN | north-northwest (338°) | 19 mi |
| Oak Lawn, IL | north-northeast (28°) | 13 mi |
WBBM-TV transmitter details
- Station type
- Class A and low-power stations Smaller stations with a shorter range than full-power ones. More in the glossary
- RF channel The real broadcast frequency, which can differ from the number your TV shows. More in the glossary
- 12 (VHF-high)
- ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary
- 29.5 kW
- Antenna height
- 680 m above sea level, 500 m above average terrain
- Tower location
- 41.8789, -87.6356 (NAD83)
- FCC facility ID
- 9617
- Licence on file
- 2025-01-28
- Note
- The FCC has approved a change that isn't built yet
More in Chicago
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.
- 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