Arvada, CO antenna channel guide

Arvada viewers can pick up 20 full-power and Class A stations with an indoor antenna, plus their subchannels and 12 low-power stations. The main network towers stand 8 to 12 miles southwest of central Arvada.

Free channels
21
Miles to main towers
12
Aim direction
SSW

FCC data, Nov 6, 2026 · Signal tiers estimated without terrain

Main networks in Arvada

All six main networks reach Arvada over the air. Tune to these channels after a scan.

ABC

7.1

KMGH-TV · 8.3 mi SSW

Strong

CBS

4.1

KCNC-TV · 8.3 mi SSW

Strong

NBC

20.1

KTVD · 8.3 mi SSW

Strong

FOX

31.1

KDVR · 8.6 mi SSW

Strong

PBS

6.1

KRMA-TV · 12 mi SSW

Strong

The CW

2.1

KWGN-TV · 8.3 mi SSW

Strong

Lost a channel?

No network has changed stations in the Denver area in the past two years. If a channel goes missing, a rescan usually brings it back.

Rescan in 3 steps

  1. Open your TV's settings.
  2. Find the channel, broadcast or antenna section.
  3. Run "auto scan" or "channel scan" with the input set to Antenna or Air.

Is the station hard to receive here?

KFCT (channel 22.1), KOAA-TV (channel 5.1), K22NW-D (channel 12.1), plus 11 more, are weak in Arvada; they may come and go. If a weak station is the one you're missing, these steps can help.

Recommended for Arvada

An indoor antenna should work in Arvada

Antenna type: Indoor, with VHF reception.

KMGH-TV (ABC, channel 7.1) broadcasts on VHF, so choose an antenna rated for VHF as well as UHF.

KUSA (NBC, channel 9.1) broadcasts on VHF, so choose an antenna rated for VHF as well as UHF.

How to choose an antenna for VHF channels

  • ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS and The CW are all within 12 miles
  • The main towers sit southwest, so one aim works

Do you need an amplifier?

You likely don't need an amplifier. The towers are close, and a strong signal plus an amplifier can overload your TV's tuner. The farthest main network station, KRMA-TV, is 12 miles away.

Splitting the signal to more TVs weakens it at each one. One antenna, several TVs

All stations

Station data from the FCC, as of

32 stations reach Arvada at a Strong or Moderate signal. Full-power and Class A stations are listed first, then low-power stations. 11 of them have no published channel number yet, so they show their RF channel; your TV may list them under a different number after a scan.

ChannelStationNetworkDistanceSignal
2.1 KWGN-TV The CW source 8.3 mi SSW Strong
4.1 KCNC-TV CBS source 8.3 mi SSW Strong
6.1 KRMA-TV PBS source 12 mi SSW Strong
7.1 VHF KMGH-TV ABC source 8.3 mi SSW Strong
8.1 VHF KTSC PBS source 77 mi SSE Moderate
9.1 VHF KUSA NBC source 8.3 mi SSW Strong
10.1 KSBS-CD Independent / ABC source 8.3 mi SSW Strong
12.1 VHF KBDI-TV PBS source 21 mi WSW Strong
14.1 KCEC Univision sourceEn español: 14.1 Univision 12 mi SSW Strong
20.1 KTVD Independent / MyNetworkTV / NBC source 8.3 mi SSW Strong
25.1 KDEN-TV Telemundo / NBC sourceEn español: 25.1 Telemundo, 25.2 TeleXitos 23 mi NE Strong
31.1 KDVR FOX 8.6 mi SSW Strong
33.1 VHF KQCK Not listed 49 mi N Moderate
38.1 KPJR-TV TBN source 23 mi NE Strong
41.1 KRMT Daystar source 16 mi S Strong
50.1 KTFD-TV UniMás sourceEn español: 50.1 UniMás 8.3 mi SSW Strong
53.1 KETD Estrella TV sourceEn español: 53.1 Estrella TV, 53.2 Estrella News 12 mi SSW Strong
59.1 KPXC-TV Ion source 22 mi NE Strong
RF 4 Low VHF KVAI-CD Not listed 8.5 mi SSW Strong
RF 16 KQDK-CD Not listed 8.6 mi SSW Strong
Low-power stations (12)
24.1 VHF KHDT-LD Not listed 8.5 mi SSW Strong
30.1 VHF K12XK-D Not listed 16 mi S Strong
35.1 Low VHF KPDD-LD Not listed 8.5 mi SSW Strong
RF 2 Low VHF KBRO-LD Not listed 8.5 mi SSW Strong
RF 5 Low VHF K05MD-D Not listed 32 mi S Moderate
RF 6 Low VHF KXDP-LD Not listed 9.4 mi NW Strong
RF 14 KZDN-LD Not listed 8.5 mi SSW Strong
RF 20 KDNF-LD Not listed 16 mi S Strong
RF 21 KDEO-LD Not listed 8.4 mi SSW Strong
RF 27 KAVC-LD Not listed 9.3 mi NNW Strong
RF 30 KLPD-LD Not listed 8.5 mi SSW Strong
RF 30 KZCO-LD ABC source 8.5 mi SSW Strong

Broadcasts on VHF (RF channels 2 to 13). Many flat indoor antennas pick up VHF poorly. RF channels 2 to 6 need a larger antenna. VHF antenna guide

Strong: inside the station's FCC coverage area, tower within 30 miles. Moderate: inside the coverage area, tower farther away. Weak: outside it, tower within 60 miles. How we rate signals

Network and subchannel details are adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. The "source" link in each row opens the station's article.

Weak signals: 14 more stations that may need an outdoor antenna

These towers are outside the FCC coverage area for Arvada but within 60 miles. Reception depends on terrain and antenna height.

ChannelStationNetworkDistanceSignal
5.1 KOAA-TV NBC source 59 mi S Weak
12.1 K22NW-D Translator PBS source 9.3 mi NNW Weak
13.1 K19MN-D Translator ABC source 59 mi S Weak
21.1 K28GE-D FOX / The CW source 59 mi S Weak
22.1 KFCT Not listed 58 mi NNE Weak
RF 10 VHF K10PM-D Translator Not listed 51 mi WSW Weak
RF 16 KPXH-LD Not listed 49 mi N Weak
RF 23 KDDI-LD Not listed 21 mi WSW Weak
RF 24 K24HQ-D Translator PBS source 9.3 mi NNW Weak
RF 24 KMLN-LD Not listed 46 mi N Weak
RF 26 KZFC-LD Not listed 45 mi NNE Weak
RF 26 K26GY-D Translator Not listed 51 mi WSW Weak
RF 28 K28HI-D Translator Not listed 51 mi WSW Weak
RF 29 K29HM-D Translator PBS source 58 mi SSW Weak

Extra channels you also get

Stations above also broadcast these 38 subchannels. They come free with the same antenna after a channel scan.

  • 4.2Start TV
  • 4.3Dabl
  • 4.5Catchy Comedy
  • 4.6Story Television
  • 7.2Ion Mystery
  • 7.3Laff
  • 9.2Cozi TV
  • 9.3True Crime Network
  • 9.5Quest
  • 9.6The Nest
  • 12.2PBS 12 Plus (4 a.m.–4 p.m.) FNX (4 p.m.–4 a.m.)
  • 12.3Deutsche Welle (4:3)
  • 12.4NHK World
  • 14.2MovieSphere Gold
  • 14.3Great (4:3)
  • 14.4Infomercials
  • 14.5Shop LC
  • 20.2Heroes & Icons
  • 20.3Shop LC
  • 20.4Quest → Outlaw (soon)
  • 25.2TeleXitos (4:3)
  • 25.3Cozi TV
  • 25.4NBC True CRMZ
  • 25.5Oxygen (4:3)
  • 25.6Nosey
  • 50.2LATV
  • 50.88AltaVision
  • 53.2Estrella News
  • 53.3Confess
  • 53.4ShopHQ
  • 53.5Buzzr
  • 59.2Bounce TV
  • 59.3Court TV
  • 59.4Ion Plus
  • 59.5Busted
  • 59.6Defy
  • 59.7Game Show Central
  • 59.8MeTV Toons

Spanish-language channels in Arvada

Canales en español

6 Spanish-language channels reach Arvada at a Strong or Moderate signal. They come with the same antenna after a channel scan.

ChannelNetworkStationSignal
14.1 Univision KCEC Strong
25.1 Telemundo KDEN-TV Strong
25.2 TeleXitos KDEN-TV Strong
50.1 UniMás KTFD-TV Strong
53.1 Estrella TV KETD Strong
53.2 Estrella News KETD Strong

Where to point your antenna

Aim south-southwest (213°). Rings at 5, 10 and 25 miles from central Arvada; dots are Strong-signal towers.

5 mi 10 mi 25 mi N E S W Main towers KRMA-TV +2 K12XK-D +2 KPXC-TV +2
  • KMGH-TV, KTVD, KCNC-TV and KWGN-TV and 12 other stations: 8 to 9 miles south-southwest
  • KRMA-TV and 5 other stations: 12 to 16 miles south-southwest
  • KPXC-TV and 2 other stations: 22 to 23 miles northeast
  • KAVC-LD: 9 miles north-northwest
  • KXDP-LD: 9 miles northwest

Placement and interference tips

  • Place the antenna on a south-southwest-facing window or wall. Higher is better.
  • LED bulbs, especially older or cheaper ones, can interfere. If reception gets worse when the lights are on, that's the cause.
  • Living near a cell tower? An LTE filter can block the interference.
  • Trees and hills block signals (Cord Cutters News covers these and the LED and cell tower problems), and so do metal roofs and foil radiant barriers in attics (Solid Signal). Move the antenna away from them if you can.

NextGen TV in Arvada

NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) is on the air in Arvada, broadcast from KHDT-LD and KWGN-TV. Any antenna receives it.

  • Your current TV keeps working. Today's broadcasts continue alongside NextGen TV: full-power stations that switch must keep simulcasting their main channel in today's format (CommLawCenter).
  • You need an ATSC 3.0 tuner to watch it. That means a TV or tuner box with one built in. Most TVs don't have one (PCWorld).
  • Some channels are encrypted. Some broadcasters encrypt their NextGen TV channels, and some tuners and DVRs can't play encrypted channels yet. HDHomeRun devices are one example (Antenna Land). Check before you buy, especially a DVR.
  • No shutoff date yet. Broadcasters have asked the FCC to end today's broadcasts in large markets around 2028 and everywhere around 2030. The FCC hasn't set a date (PCWorld).

Arvada antenna questions

What channel is CBS in Arvada?

CBS is channel 4.1 (KCNC-TV) on an antenna in Arvada. The tower is 8.3 miles south-southwest and the signal is rated Strong.

What channel is ABC in Arvada?

ABC is channel 7.1 (KMGH-TV) on an antenna in Arvada. The tower is 8.3 miles south-southwest and the signal is rated Strong.

What channels are NBC, FOX, PBS and The CW in Arvada?

NBC is 20.1 (KTVD), FOX is 31.1 (KDVR), PBS is 6.1 (KRMA-TV) and The CW is 2.1 (KWGN-TV).

Which way should I point my antenna in Arvada?

Point it south-southwest (213 degrees). The main network towers are 8 to 12 miles southwest of central Arvada.

Do I need an outdoor antenna in Arvada?

Probably not. The main network towers are within 12 miles of central Arvada. Hills, tall buildings and thick walls can still block signals, so an attic or outdoor antenna helps if indoor reception breaks up.

Nearby cities

Other Denver-area cities with channel guides, nearest first.

Station and tower data: FCC, Nov 6, 2026. Network and subchannel data: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Signal tiers are estimates from FCC coverage areas and distance, without terrain modeling. How we estimate signals.