WMAQ-TV · channel 5.1
WMAQ-TV is channel 5.1 (NBC), a full-power station licensed to Chicago, IL.
Updated from FCC data
WMAQ-TV channels and Subchannel An extra channel a station sends alongside its main one, like 2.2 or 2.3. More in the glossary
- 5.1 NBC
- 5.2 Cozi TV
- 5.3 NBC True CRMZ
- 5.4 Oxygen
WMAQ-TV's signal also carries channels for partner stations: 2.4 (WBBM-TV), 44.1 (WSNS-TV), 44.2 (WSNS-TV).
Which way to point your antenna for WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV transmits from the main Chicago tower site, so an antenna aimed for the other big stations gets it too. It broadcasts on RF 33 ( UHF Higher frequencies (RF 14–36). Most stations are here; almost any antenna picks it up. More in the glossary ).
| 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 |
WMAQ-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
- 33 (UHF)
- ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary
- 398 kW
- Antenna height
- 688 m above sea level, 509 m above average terrain
- Tower location
- 41.8789, -87.6362 (NAD83)
- FCC facility ID
- 47905
- Licence on file
- 2026-08-27
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