Go to RabbitEars.info and enter your address in the “Signal Search Map” section. You’ll see a list of nearby stations and where they are in relation to your location.
No matter where you live, there are almost certainly TV channels—likely even HD—that you can watch for free with a simple OTA antenna. But you don’t need to buy an antenna to find out which channels you can get.
What is Free OTA TV?
OTA TV—also known as “terrestrial TV”—is broadcasted “over the air” from the towers of your local TV stations, such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and PBS. Since the channels are transmitted over the air through radio waves—not the internet—all you need is an inexpensive antenna to pick them up at your home for free. And that also means the picture quality is better sometimes, too. The vast majority of TVs include the necessary tuners that work with antennas, making it a super simple process to watch local channels for free.
How to Find Free OTA Channels Near Me
A handy tool for finding the free TV channels that are available at your location is RabbitEars.info. Simply plug in your address and you’ll see a list of all the TV channels near your location. We’ll show you how.
First, head on over to the Rabbit Ears website and use the map to zoom in on your location. Click the “Move Pushpin to Center of the Map” button underneath the map and use your mouse to get the pushpin to your exact location.
Once you have the pushpin where you want, click the “Go” button.
Now you’ll see a list of available TV stations with a bunch of information. You can see the city of origin, how far away the transmitter is, the direction of the signal, the signal strength at your location, and more.
Above the list is a compass chart that shows where the channels are being transmitted from in relation to your location. The colors coordinate with the signal strength in the list.
All of this is intended to help you figure out the ideal placement of the antenna in your home, and which type of antenna will work best for your situation. If all the channels you want are nearby, you don’t need an antenna with long range, for example.
Best Indoor TV Antennas
You can watch free TV with an inexpensive indoor antenna if you live near a big city—and you don’t need to live as close as you might think. Just stick the antenna to a window or a wall, connect it to your TV, and let the TV scan for channels. You can even add DVR and streaming to your phone with an OTA Box if you want.
For most people, an antenna with 25-50 mile range—like the $30 Channel Master Flatenna—will be sufficient for picking up the local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and PBS stations. Make sure you use the section above to look up your location before buying an antenna. There are plenty of inexpensive indoor antennas available online and in stores. The barrier to getting free TV at your home is very low.