KBDI-TV channel 12.1
KBDI-TV is a PBS station on channel 12.1 in the Denver area. Its tower is 20 miles west of Lakewood. 15 of the 15 Denver cities we cover get it at a Strong or Moderate signal.
- Channel
- 12.1
- Band
- VHF
- Cities served
- 15
What's on KBDI-TV
KBDI-TV broadcasts 4 channels, all free with an antenna. Network names link to the channel finder for that network.
| Channel | Programming | On-screen name |
|---|---|---|
| 12.1 | PBS | PBS |
| 12.2 | PBS 12 Plus (4 a.m.–4 p.m.) FNX (4 p.m.–4 a.m.) | KBDI+ |
| 12.3 | Deutsche Welle (4:3) | KBDI-DW |
| 12.4 | NHK World | NHK |
Reception notes
- VHF. KBDI-TV transmits on RF channel 13, in the High VHF band (RF 7 to 13). Many flat indoor antennas pick up VHF poorly, so choose an antenna rated for VHF as well as UHF. VHF antenna guide
- Channel number. Your TV shows it as 12.1 even though the signal is on RF channel 13. A channel scan finds it either way. How to rescan
- NextGen TV. The FCC does not list KBDI-TV as broadcasting in ATSC 3.0, so any digital TV tuner can receive it.
Where KBDI-TV comes in
Strongest within about 27 miles of the tower, which stands 20 miles to the west of Lakewood. 4 cities get a Strong signal and 11 get Moderate, out to 64 miles.
| City | Tower distance | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Lakewood, CO | 20 mi W | Strong |
| Arvada, CO | 21 mi WSW | Strong |
| Westminster, CO | 27 mi WSW | Strong |
| Boulder, CO | 27 mi SSW | Strong |
| Broomfield, CO | 30 mi SW | Moderate |
| Denver, CO | 33 mi W | Moderate |
| Thornton, CO | 34 mi WSW | Moderate |
| Centennial, CO | 34 mi W | Moderate |
| Longmont, CO | 40 mi SSW | Moderate |
| Commerce City, CO | 40 mi WSW | Moderate |
| Castle Rock, CO | 40 mi WNW | Moderate |
| Parker, CO | 40 mi WNW | Moderate |
| Aurora, CO | 43 mi W | Moderate |
| Loveland, CO | 56 mi SSW | Moderate |
| Greeley, CO | 64 mi SW | Moderate |
Distance and direction are from each city's center to the tower. Signal ratings are estimates from the FCC's coverage contour and distance.
Other stations with the same network
PBS is also on KRMA-TV (6.1), KTSC (8.1), K22NW-D (12.1) and K24HQ-D in the Denver area.
Station summary
| Network | PBS |
|---|---|
| Virtual channel | 12.1 |
| RF channel | 13 (VHF-high) |
| Service | Full power |
| Community of license | Broomfield, CO |
| Licensee | COLORADO PUBLIC TELEVISION, INC. |
| Effective radiated power | 34 kW |
| NextGen TV | No |
Sources
- FCC TV Query record for KBDI-TV (channels, tower, power, licensee and NextGen TV)
- Wikipedia: KBDI-TV (network and subchannels, CC BY-SA 4.0)
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.