Whether you have an antenna or are planning to buy one, make sure you’re in an area that can receive local broadcasts and that your antenna’s mileage range is appropriate for your location. Antennaweb.org is the perfect place to find that information. Simply type in your address or zip code. The website will produce a map showing where the broadcast towers are positioned in proximity to your location. It will also include a list of available channels that are color coded to indicate the type of antenna recommended to receive their broadcasts.
Although you may be near the broadcast towers, reception blockers could still disrupt the broadcast signal. Mountainous or hilly terrain, tall buildings and trees, building materials and even household appliances like microwaves and blenders can interfere with reception. Hiding your indoor antenna inside a TV cabinet or behind your TV can also block the broadcast signal and result in extremely poor reception.
When selecting the best antenna for your setup, confirm the antenna’s mileage range and whether your space can accommodate an indoor or outdoor/attic antenna. You’ll want to place an indoor antenna as high as possible or near a window for best reception. For an outdoor/attic antenna, make sure it’s aimed at the broadcast towers.
No matter which antenna you choose, make sure you scan for over-the-air channels on your TV:
If your antenna supplies the signal to multiple TVs, make sure you run a channel scan on each connected TV.
If you have an outdoor/attic antenna that provides a signal to multiple TVs in your home, poor reception may be caused by issues with your whole-home installation accessories, such as the coax cable splitter or your coax cable.
Splitters can accommodate two or more TVs. However, keep in mind that each TV you add to your setup divides and weakens the signal. A 2-way splitter divides the signal equally, providing each TV with 50% of the signal. A 4-way splitter also divides the signal equally but provides only 25% of the signal to each TV. One solution to overcome a weak signal when using a splitter is to use an amplified antenna or add an amplifier to a passive antenna. Another solution is to use an amplified splitter or distribution amp with a passive antenna.
When installing your antenna, it’s important to understand that the type and length of coax cable used can affect signal loss. RG6 Quad-Shield Coax Cable is preferred for residential and commercial installations, as it’s designed with extra shielding layers to guard against electromagnetic interference. It’s also engineered to maximize transfer speeds, resulting in crisp signal quality. As for cable length, the longer the cable run, the more the signal will degrade. However, adding an amplifier or amplified splitter to your setup can help to overcome this.
Cutting the cord is an easy way to save money by ditching costly cable or satellite service, and setup is fairly simple. The information above should help you troubleshoot any reception issues you may experience. If you’re new to cord cutting, check out these other helpful blog posts.