Antenna TV channels in Wilmington
16 stations broadcast free TV around Wilmington, carrying 20 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 Wilmington
For the big networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS) that reach each home, an indoor antenna is likely enough for about 99+% of people in the Wilmington market. A typical home gets about 47 free channels from 23 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 | 99+% | 99+% |
| CBS | 99+% | 99+% |
| NBC | 99+% | 99+% |
| FOX | 99+% | 99+% |
| PBS | 99+% | 99+% |
| The CW | 90% | 18% |
| Univision | 7% | 0% |
| Telemundo | 1% | 0% |
Share of the market's 415k people, across its 36 ZIP codes.
Town by town
| Town | Antenna | Point | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington ZIP 28403 | Indoor likely | west-southwest (250°, most) | 42 |
| Leland ZIP 28451 | Indoor likely | southwest (231°, most) | 58 |
| Oak Island ZIP 28465 | Indoor likely | north-northwest (348°) | 47 |
| St. James ZIP 28461 | Indoor likely | north-northwest (329°) | 40 |
| Boiling Spring Lakes ZIP 28461 | Indoor likely | north-northwest (329°) | 40 |
| Carolina Beach ZIP 28428 | Indoor likely | west-northwest (297°) | 45 |
| Carolina Shores ZIP 28467 | Indoor likely | northeast (56°, most) | 47 |
| Shallotte ZIP 28470 | Indoor likely | northeast (38°) | 47 |
| Whiteville ZIP 28472 | Indoor likely | east-southeast (106°, most) | 56 |
| Sunset Beach ZIP 28468 | Indoor likely | northeast (45°) | 46 |
| Southport ZIP 28461 | Indoor likely | north-northwest (329°) | 40 |
| Tabor City ZIP 28463 | Indoor likely | east (90°, most) | 48 |
| Belville ZIP 28451 | Indoor likely | southwest (231°, most) | 58 |
| Calabash ZIP 28467 | Indoor likely | northeast (56°, most) | 47 |
For the ZIP nearest each town's centre. Tap a town for its full channel list.
What channel is each network on in Wilmington?
| Network | Channel | Station |
|---|---|---|
 CBS | 3.2 | WWAY |
 NBC | 6.1 | WECT |
 ABC | 3.1 | WWAY |
 FOX | 26.1 | WSFX-TV |
 PBS | 39.1 | WUNJ-TV |
The best TV antenna for Wilmington
Get a UHF antenna. Across most of the area an indoor antenna is likely enough (about 100% of people, by our estimate); farther out, use an attic or roof antenna.
- Every channel reaches ordinary TVs on UHF, so a UHF antenna is enough.
- 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 Leland, Oak Island, Carolina Beach and nearby
Aim at the main tower site ( and others). From the largest towns around Wilmington:
| From | Point | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Leland, NC | east-southeast (106°) | 6 mi |
| Oak Island, NC | north-northeast (28°) | 22 mi |
| Carolina Beach, NC | north-northwest (347°) | 11 mi |
4 full-power stations transmit from elsewhere: WWAY (15 mi away), WECT (15 mi away), WSFX-TV (15 mi away), WUNJ-TV (19 mi away). If you live near one of them, it may need a separate aim.
Where the Wilmington TV towers are
Map of 7 tower sites around Wilmington. The list below has every site.
NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) in Wilmington
One station (W30ER-D) now sends the newer 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 format. Older TVs can't decode it, so stations share: each channel that moved is also sent in the old format by a partner station (a Lighthouse (channel sharing) One station switches to NextGen TV and carries other stations' 3.0 versions; partners carry its old-format version. More in the glossary arrangement). Your TV shows the same number; at most you need a Rescan Asking your TV to search for channels again. Fixes most missing channels. More in the glossary .
W30ER-D sends NextGen TV on RF 30
Our data lists no channels of its own on the NextGen signal yet.
Every Wilmington 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 (4)
- WWAY Wilmington, NC · UHF
- 3.1 ABC
- 3.2 CBS
- 3.3 The CW Plus
- 3.4 Ion Plus
- 3.5 Start TV
- WECT Wilmington, NC · UHF
- 6.1 NBC
- 6.2 Bounce TV
- 6.3 365BLK / MyNetworkTV
- 6.4 Laff
- 6.5 Ion Mystery
- 6.6 True Crime Network
- 6.7 Oxygen
- WSFX-TV Wilmington, NC · UHF
- 26.1 Fox
- 26.2 Court TV
- 26.3 Grit
- 26.4 Ion
- 26.5 Dabl
- 26.6 [Blank]
- 26.7 Nosey
- WUNJ-TV Wilmington, NC · UHF
- 39.1 PBS
Low power (11)
- DW35EF-D Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- W11DR-D Wilmington, NC · VHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- W19EU-D Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- W20EY-D Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- W22FN-D Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- W30ER-D Wilmington, NC · UHF · NextGen TV
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- WIDO-LD Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- WILM-LD Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- WQDH-LD Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- WTWL-LD Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
- WWAY-LD Wilmington, NC · VHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
Translator (1)
- W33FF-D Wilmington, NC · UHF
No channel lineup in our data for this station yet.
Questions about antenna TV in Wilmington
What channels are CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX on antenna in Wilmington?
What local channels can I get with an antenna in Wilmington?
What is the best TV antenna for Wilmington?
Which way should I point my antenna in Wilmington?
Do I need a new TV for NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) in Wilmington?
For the curious: tower and licence details
- WQDH-LD · facility 182080 · RF 18 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2019-10-17
- W11DR-D · facility 181163 · RF 11 (VHF-high) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 0.6 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-06-09 · newer construction permit granted
- W19EU-D · facility 183857 · RF 19 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 1.5 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2025-06-16
- W22FN-D · facility 185716 · RF 22 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2024-06-06 · newer construction permit granted
- W20EY-D · facility 185717 · RF 20 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2024-04-04
- WTWL-LD · facility 185718 · 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 2023-04-11
- WWAY-LD · facility 187580 · RF 4 (VHF-low) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 3 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2022-01-20
- W33FF-D · facility 182320 · RF 33 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2020-01-31
- DW35EF-D · facility 185715 · 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 2026-01-07
- WWAY · facility 12033 · RF 24 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 700 kW · HAAT 592.2 m · licensed 2023-08-08
- WECT · facility 48666 · RF 23 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 550 kW · HAAT 592.2 m · licensed 2023-08-09
- WSFX-TV · facility 72871 · RF 29 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 240 kW · HAAT 592.2 m · licensed 2023-08-09
- WUNJ-TV · facility 69332 · RF 21 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 1000 kW · HAAT 294.5 m · licensed 2020-11-24
- W30ER-D · facility 182341 · 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 2023-04-17
- WILM-LD · facility 167819 · RF 15 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2018-07-10
- WIDO-LD · facility 182069 · RF 34 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2024-05-31
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