If you have faced antenna reception problems, you are not alone. Antennas can be quite frustrating at times, especially when you’ve spent so much money and what you get in return is a bunch of weak signals that don’t even allow you to enjoy your favorite movies and shows.
For this reason, we will give you a first-hand experience guide to the best ways to boost your outdoor TV antenna’s signal.
In General, the Top Methods of Boosting Your Antenna Signal that We Will Cover Are:
- Adjust the antenna’s direction: Adjusting the direction of the antenna can help it pick up a stronger signal.
- Move the antenna to a higher location: Mounting it on a higher location, such as the roof or a mast, can help it pick up a stronger signal.
- Reduce interference: Interference from nearby electronic devices, such as cordless phones or Wi-Fi routers, can weaken the TV signal.
- Upgrade to a high-gain antenna: These antennas are specifically designed to pick up a stronger signal and may be more effective in your location.
- Use a signal amplifier: A signal amplifier can help boost the antenna’s signal strength, allowing it to pick up a stronger signal.
The direction of The Antenna
Most of the TV antennas of today need to be faced toward the signal source to receive the strongest possible signal. If your antenna is facing the wrong way, your signal will not be at its best, and you may face reception problems.
The question now is, how to figure out the ideal direction of the antenna? There are several things you can do:
Check Other Antennas
This is the most basic method to identify which method your antenna must be dealing with to get the best signal. Please look at other antennas in your area. You can then guess which instructions you need to deal with the antenna in your home.
Find Transmitter’s Location
You can utilize this tool on the antenna’s direct site here. Simply enter your postal code, and the map will reveal to you where your regional TV transmitter is.
https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps
Utilize the Signal Strength Indicator in Your TV
This strategy isn’t the most convenient, as it requires having somebody to assist you, and some TVs can be sluggish and time-taking to update their information. However, it does work and can be a nice option if you want to know whether your hard work is paying off.
Essentially, you need to figure out where your signal strength is displayed in your TV settings and then keep changing the antenna’s direction until the signal’s strength is at the highest level.
Use apps
There are several apps available that can help you check the signal strength of your TV antenna. Some popular options include:
- TV Fool: This app provides information on TV signals in your area and can help you determine the best direction to aim your antenna.
- Antenna Point: This app helps you find the best location for your antenna and provides information on your area’s signal strength and channel availability.
- Antenna Web: This app provides information on TV signals in your area and can help you determine the best type of antenna for your location.
- TV Antenna Helper: This app provides information on TV signals in your area and can help you determine the best direction to aim your antenna.
It is important to note that the accuracy of these apps can vary depending on the specific location and the specific TV signals in the area. They can be useful tools, but it is still a good idea to experiment with different antenna configurations to find the one that works best for your specific location.
Change the Location
TV signals can’t travel through opaque objects effectively, so the next thing to inspect is if your antenna has a clear line of vision to the TV transmitter.
If it is obstructed by anything in your home, change its location and mount it somewhere with a clear view. The best area for a TV antenna is typically as high as possible on your roofing.
If you live in an area where trees obstruct your view of the transmitter, tall buildings, or hills, then you will need to try a combination of what we’ve mentioned in this guide, along with several locations, to find out which one works the best.
Although not necessary, purchasing some coax cable and inserting a temporary line into your TV might work. Move the antenna to various locations on your property/roof and have somebody watch the TV’s reception. Find the area with the most reliable/strongest signal. You can use your TV’s in-built signal strength indicator as a guide.
You may check here how to adjust an outdoor TV antenna.
Check your Cable’s Condition
How the signal travels from your antenna to your TV is through the cable. So it is critical to ensure that the cable remains in good condition and that any connections between your antenna and TV offer an excellent electrical connection.
If possible, examine the whole cable and search for the following indicators of problems:
Exposed cable: If the outer sheath of the cable is damaged, it is most likely deteriorating your TV signals. Search for damage by birds (part of it), sun damage, and unexpected damage. If you discover any, then changing the whole cable would be a good idea.
Make sure not to add joins to a cable, e.g., in the above case, you might want to replace the damaged part with a new part, but that’d mean you have to create a join. Joins can cause weak signals and poor reception, so they’re not worth it.
Twisted or Coiled Cable: A quick rule to remember is that if the cable’s bend has altered the size or the shape of the cross-section of the cable, then it should be changed.
Rusted Cable: If moisture enters the cable for any reason, such as via a damaged or exposed part, rust can begin to develop and signal problems. This is usually easy to spot by making sure the cable doesn’t have a tarnished or corroded appearance.
Improperly Fitted Connections: Inspect all connections and ensure they have been linked effectively. A typical error made is when a coax cable’s shield is in contact with the center conductor. This can cause significant weakness in signal reception and strength.
Get an Amplifier
Sometimes, a fast and simple solution to weak antenna signals is to fit a signal amplifier. These devices are re-linked inline on the coax cable, and they can improve both the signal strength and reception to a considerable degree.
However, they are not magic and will not do you good if the signals are super poor. You ought to relocate the antenna or change the cable in that case.
Conclusion
Almost every antenna user, at some point in their life, has encountered signal problems. The important point is that these issues are common but easy to fix. All you need to do is identify the hindering factor and eliminate it. For some, it may be the direction of the antenna, its location, damaged cable, or just a bad area to live in, e.g., mountainous or somewhere surrounded by trees and tall buildings.
If nothing works, calling a professional is your best bet. However, the techniques mentioned in this guide are guaranteed to improve your signal strength and reception to an acceptable level.
Another learning guide you can check is installing an outdoor TV antenna. Until our next article!
