Antenna TV channels in Rochester-Mason City-Austin
17 stations broadcast free TV around Rochester-Mason City-Austin, carrying 31 channels including Subchannel An extra channel a station sends alongside its main one, like 2.2 or 2.3. More in the glossary . The full-power stations transmit from several sites, so the direction to aim depends on where you live.
Updated from FCC data
How well antenna TV works around Rochester-Mason City-Austin
For the big networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS) that reach each home, an indoor antenna is likely enough for about 0% of people in the Rochester-Mason City-Austin market; about 99+% need an attic or roof antenna. A typical home gets about 32 free channels from 11 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 | 96% | 70% |
| CBS | 96% | 56% |
| NBC | 91% | 0% |
| FOX | 94% | 59% |
| PBS | 96% | 87% |
| The CW | 18% | 3% |
Share of the market's 462k people, across its 126 ZIP codes.
Town by town
| Town | Antenna | Point | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester ZIP 55902 | Attic or outdoor | south (185°) | 30 |
| Mason City ZIP 50401 | Roof | northeast (47°) | 31 |
| Austin ZIP 55912 | Attic or outdoor | east (97°, most) | 31 |
| Owatonna ZIP 55060 | Roof | southeast (143°, most) | 23 |
| Albert Lea ZIP 56007 | Attic or outdoor | east (99°) | 37 |
| Clear Lake ZIP 50428 | Attic or outdoor | northeast (55°, most) | 32 |
| Decorah ZIP 52101 | Attic or outdoor | west-northwest (300°) | 7 |
| Kasson ZIP 55944 | Attic or outdoor | south-southeast (161°) | 64 |
| Charles City ZIP 50616 | Attic or outdoor | north (5°, most) | 51 |
| Stewartville ZIP 55976 | Attic or outdoor | south-southwest (192°, most) | 48 |
| Byron ZIP 55920 | Attic or outdoor | south (170°) | 37 |
| Lake City ZIP 55041 | Roof | northwest (316°, most) | 22 |
| Cresco ZIP 52136 | Attic or outdoor | northwest (306°) | 61 |
| Osage ZIP 50461 | Attic or outdoor | north-northeast (30°) | 44 |
| Plainview ZIP 55964 | Attic or outdoor | south-southwest (205°, most) | 84 |
For the ZIP nearest each town's centre. Tap a town for its full channel list.
What channel is each network on in Rochester-Mason City-Austin?
| Network | Channel | Station |
|---|---|---|
 CBS | 3.1 | KIMT |
 NBC | 10.1 | KTTC |
 ABC | 6.1 | KAAL |
 FOX | 47.1 | KXLT-TV |
 PBS | 15.1 also 15.3, 24.1 | KSMQ-TV |
The best TV antenna for Rochester-Mason City-Austin
Get an antenna rated for both VHF and UHF. For most homes an attic or outdoor antenna is the safe choice; by our estimate an indoor one is likely enough for only about 0% of people.
- 7 channels reach ordinary TVs only on VHF (KTTC), and many flat indoor antennas are weak on VHF.
- The towers are spread out, so a wide-beam (multi-directional) antenna is safer than a narrow directional one.
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 Mason City, Owatonna, Decorah and nearby
Aim at the main tower site (KAAL, KSMQ-TV, KXLT-TV and others). From the largest towns around Rochester-Mason City-Austin:
| From | Point | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mason City, IA | northeast (44°) | 48 mi |
| Owatonna, MN | southeast (131°) | 47 mi |
| Decorah, IA | west-northwest (303°) | 44 mi |
| Charles City, IA | north (10°) | 41 mi |
| Lake City, MN | south-southwest (192°) | 57 mi |
| Plainview, MN | south-southwest (206°) | 40 mi |
3 full-power stations transmit from elsewhere: KTTC (7 mi away), KIMT (15 mi away), KYIN (15 mi away). If you live near one of them, it may need a separate aim.
Where the Rochester-Mason City-Austin TV towers are
Map of 10 tower sites around Rochester-Mason City-Austin. The list below has every site.
-
4 stations · 26 mi south of the centre
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3 stations · 66 mi south-southwest of the centre
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2 stations · 6 mi north-northwest of the centre
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2 stations · 39 mi south-southwest of the centre
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1 station · 31 mi south of the centre
Every Rochester-Mason City-Austin 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 (6)
- KIMT Mason City, IA · UHF
- 3.1 CBS
- 3.2 Independent with MyNetworkTV
- 3.3 Ion
- 3.4 Antenna TV
- 3.5 Story Television
- 3.6 Catchy Comedy
- KAAL Austin, MN · UHF
- 6.1 ABC
- 6.2 Start TV
- 6.3 Ion Plus
- 6.4 Bounce TV
- 6.5 Ion
- KTTC Rochester, MN · VHF
- 10.1 NBC
- 10.2 The CW Plus
- 10.3 MeTV
- 10.4 Grit
- 10.5 True Crime Network
- 10.6 Outlaw
- 10.7 MeTV Toons
- KSMQ-TV Austin, MN · UHF
- 15.1 PBS
- 15.2 Minnesota Channel
- 15.3 PBS
- 15.4 PBS Kids
- 15.5 24/7 Weather
- KYIN Mason City, IA · UHF
- 24.1 PBS
- KXLT-TV Rochester, MN · UHF
- 47.1 Fox
- 47.2 North Star Sports
- 47.3 Heroes & Icons
- 47.4 Ion Mystery
- 47.5 Quest
- 47.6 Court TV
- 47.7 Laff
Low power (9)
- DK29OE-D Rochester, MN · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- K22LJ-D Mason City, IA · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- K25NK-D Rochester, MN · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- K30QY-D Mason City, IA · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- K30RA-D Dexter, MN · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- K31LN-D Rochester, MN · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- K35PA-D Mason City, IA · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- KXSH-LD Rochester, MN · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- W22FD-D Dodge Center, MN · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
Questions about antenna TV in Rochester-Mason City-Austin
What channels are CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX on antenna in Rochester-Mason City-Austin?
What local channels can I get with an antenna in Rochester-Mason City-Austin?
What is the best TV antenna for Rochester-Mason City-Austin?
Which way should I point my antenna in Rochester-Mason City-Austin?
For the curious: tower and licence details
- W22FD-D · facility 183778 · RF 22 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 0.1 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-06-26 · newer construction permit granted
- DK29OE-D · facility 186458 · RF 29 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 1 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2023-08-07
- K31LN-D · facility 185269 · RF 31 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 0.1 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-06-18 · newer construction permit granted
- K25NK-D · facility 67018 · RF 25 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2021-07-02
- K30RA-D · facility 186459 · RF 30 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 1.3 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2024-06-06
- KAAL · facility 18285 · RF 36 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 620 kW · HAAT 326 m · licensed 2011-05-17
- KSMQ-TV · facility 28510 · RF 20 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 319.2 kW · HAAT 302.7 m · licensed 2010-03-05
- KXLT-TV · facility 35906 · RF 26 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 108 kW · HAAT 343 m · licensed 2018-11-13
- KXSH-LD · facility 184635 · RF 35 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 8.7 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2022-04-15
- K27OW-D · facility 129454 · RF 27 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 5.62 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2021-01-27 · newer construction permit granted
- KTTC · facility 35678 · RF 10 (VHF-high) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 43.1 kW · HAAT 381 m · licensed 2011-07-28 · newer construction permit granted
- KIMT · facility 66402 · RF 24 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 472 kW · HAAT 465.7 m · licensed 2019-02-28
- KYIN · facility 29086 · RF 18 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 533 kW · HAAT 448.5 m · licensed 2010-06-24
- K25PE-D · facility 29113 · RF 25 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2020-04-17
- K30QY-D · facility 186457 · RF 30 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-08-27
- K22LJ-D · facility 187857 · RF 22 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 0.45 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-06-16 · newer construction permit granted
- K35PA-D · facility 187859 · RF 35 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 0.35 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-06-16 · 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