Yes, you need a good antenna first – there are plenty of great TV antennas for cord cutters – but it’s entirely possible to misconfigure your system, or rather, install your antenna incorrectly. To begin with, it needs to be pointing in the right direction. Typically, you want to point your antenna toward your local broadcast centers (more on how to find them later). But you’ll also want to reduce local interference as much as possible. There are a few other tips you should know about; if you don’t follow them, your TV antenna may be incorrectly configured.
Poor antenna placement will not only interfere with the signal; it could also put the device in a prime location for interference from everything else. Physical obstacles such as walls, trees, and other buildings, as well as electronic devices such as routers, can degrade signal quality. Bad weather conditions and faulty cables can also degrade signal quality. This may prevent you from accessing certain channels or enjoying content that should be readily available.
Choosing and placing your TV antenna
First, choose a suitable antenna. Most modern smart TVs don’t come with a built-in antenna; you need to purchase one separately for OTA broadcasts. You have conventional outdoor options installed high up outside; Meanwhile, some of the best indoor TV antennas, according to Amazon reviews, are just as good. Outdoor roof-mounted antennas will always deliver better ceiling performance, with greater range and signal stability, but indoor models remain a solid choice for OTA signals. You will need to know whether the antenna you choose is directional and should be pointed towards a tower, or multi-directional and can receive signals from all sides.
When shopping, you may see ATSC 3.0 compatible labels. ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) uses the same broadcast frequency as older versions. Although you will still need an ATSC 3.0 tuner, you don’t have to buy a “special” or overly expensive antenna. Additionally, in the world of antennas, a high price does not always translate into better visual performance, as some inexpensive antennas perform just as well as or better than expensive models.
The height of your antenna placement is also critical. If it’s an outdoor antenna, mount it as high on your roof as possible. If it’s an indoor antenna, you want to keep it out of the basement and mount it as high up in your house as possible – an attic would work great. If you have to place it in the same room as your TV, the same rule applies. Use shelves, racks, or other smart fixtures to place it as high as possible.
How to Set Up Your Antenna (The Right Way)
After installing the antenna or choosing a suitable location, you will need to point it in the right direction if it is a unidirectional model. Multi-directional models receive signals from several or all sides, so this is less of a concern. You can use DTV reception maps from the Federal Communications Commission to find towers in your area and check signal strength. Enter your address or zip code, and once the information loads, you’ll see a list of local broadcast networks by call letters. Click on one, and the main antenna will be highlighted. All green stations can be easily received with your antenna. However, yellow stations may experience interference, and orange stations may be difficult to tune into.
Note the tower’s direction relative to your house and point your antenna toward it. If you want to receive several channels, you will not be able to point to all the towers. Instead, do your best to optimize placement by choosing a reliable midpoint. You can run channel scans at each potential location. The location that offers the most channels with the highest signal quality should be your first choice.
Some other quick tips: Keep the front of the antenna away from dense furniture, decorations, large trees, and other outdoor objects, if you can help it. Try placing your antenna near a window or open space. You may need a longer coaxial cable to route the antenna to a better location. Additionally, some antennas, certainly many newer models, are equipped with an amplifier to increase signal strength. The amps can be hit-or-miss, sometimes causing more distortion. Try alternating between the amp on and off to find the optimal operating mode.
