What channel is The CW on antenna in San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose?
The CW is channel 4.1 (KRON-TV).
It is sent only in NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0), so it needs a newer TV or a 3.0 tuner box.
Our terrain predictions put The CW on KRON-TV within antenna reach of about 92% of people in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose market, and an indoor antenna is likely enough for about 66% (an estimate, not yet checked against real scans). Check your ZIP.
Updated from FCC data
Lost The CW? Rescan your TV first
Most missing channels come back after a Rescan Asking your TV to search for channels again. Fixes most missing channels. More in the glossary . If The CW still doesn't appear, the antenna needs to point toward the KRON-TV tower and handle VHF Lower frequencies (RF 2–13). Needs an antenna with longer elements; many flat indoor antennas are weak here. More in the glossary .
Where The CW 4.1 comes from
-
NextGen TV only (ATSC 3.0)
KRON-TV RF 7 · VHF
KRON-TV's own transmitter.
Which way to point for The CW around San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
Aim at the KRON-TV tower , at the main tower site with most other stations.
| From | Point | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | northwest (312°) | 47 mi |
| Oakland, CA | west (265°) | 12 mi |
| Santa Rosa, CA | south-southeast (164°) | 50 mi |
| Richmond, CA | south-southwest (200°) | 15 mi |
The antenna you need for The CW in San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
The CW reaches ordinary TVs on VHF, so choose an antenna rated for VHF as well as UHF; many flat indoor antennas are weak on VHF. For the NextGen TV version on RF 7 you'd also need VHF reception and a 3.0 tuner. Close to the towers an indoor antenna by a window often works; farther out, height matters most: attic beats window, roof beats attic.
The best antenna for all of San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose · VHF Lower frequencies (RF 2–13). Needs an antenna with longer elements; many flat indoor antennas are weak here. More in the glossary
More free channels from KRON-TV
- 4.2 network unknown
- 4.3 network unknown
- 4.4 Roar
- 4.5 network unknown
Other networks in San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
Questions about The CW in San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
What channel is The CW on antenna in San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose?
Why did The CW 4.1 disappear from my TV?
What antenna do I need for The CW in San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose?
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