How to Install TV Antenna in Simple and Smart Ways

Are you into outdoor games like watching basketball, tennis, cricket? Are you into old-school type fun, like when we used to watch Wimbledon, ashes all together with our family? Or you’re just bored of watching Netflix or any other online streaming service? No matter what your answer is, it all leads to one permanent solution which is by installing a TV Antenna. Now if you stay with me I am going to discuss with you some simple and easy steps to set up a TV Antenna.

At first, you need to note down some tips you might need before installing a TV antenna.

Contents

1. Examine Your Network Area

First, you need to consider which channels do you need now and how are their network coverage here to do. So you should visit the MySwitch.com website where it shows the channel artist’s signal strength in your location. I think this will help you to decide to choose your channels.

2. Signal Booster

We can use a preamp before the antenna to boost your signal. You might need a signal booster for several reasons. Like if you connect several TVs in one antenna or your coaxial cable is like 50 feet or external interference. Your signal booster will amplify the signal to get you the required channels.

3. Cable Selection

You need to have a high-quality coaxial cable to receive the channel among multiple TVs using the same antenna.

4. Gather Your Tools

To mount your antenna you need a hammer, drill, wire cutter, ladder.
For connecting the antenna with your TV you need an antenna, screws, mount cable, cable ties, and splitters.

5. Test Your Antenna

Before installing an antenna you have to test its reception strength to determine how long from the TV you can place the antenna.it requires two people for this job.

6. Metal Object

You should mount your antenna away from any hard object interfering with your connection.

7. Away From Power Lines

You should establish your antenna connection at least one foot away from any other power line to avoid any short circuit connection.

Choose the Types of Antennas You Need

1. Indoor Antenna

We choose indoor antennas when a terrestrial transmitter station is nearby because it needs a strong transmitting signal from the station. Otherwise, I suggest you stick with the outdoor antenna because in Australia indoor antennas can not receive signals over maximum area coverage. If you have a problem placing your antenna over the rooftop or you have an accessing problem to the roof then keep in mind some techniques while connecting the antenna at home.

1. Plug in your coax cable from TV set to antenna.
2. Place it over the TV set.
3. If your TV does not get clear vision then place the antenna facing the window.
4. Make direct contact from the antenna to the broadcasting station.
5. Move any existing object creating a barrier to pass the signal
6. Move antenna left and right if the picture is still fuzzy
7. Hold still to its right position when you get the clear picture.
8. Every time you change the position of your antenna, scan your channel.

The direction of indoor antenna: Since we use indoor for short distance transmitters it is wise to use an Omni-directional antenna. An Omnidirectional antenna receives the signal from a 360-degree angle which means it can get a signal from any angle i.e. direction. Omni-directional works best for flat distance and hinders from receiving the signal at any obstacle between transmitter and the antenna which all indicates connecting to the indoor antenna.

2. Outdoor TV Antenna/Roof Antenna

At first, you have to figure out what type of antenna suits you most according to your local transmitter and also which channels you will be provided. For local channels, you will get a clear picture without any complexity but for overseas channels, you have to optimize your antenna. We receive the broadcasting channel in VHF or UHF spectrum of radio frequency (RF). now today’s digital antennas are compatible with VHF and UHF both but the early analog antenna is only compatible with VHF. So if you are still using analog antenna then you will only be getting channels of VHF frequency.

a. Choosing a Direction for Outdoor Antenna

Outdoor antenna should be unidirectional or bi-directional. Since an outdoor antenna is used to capture channels for long-distance, a directional antenna (receives the signal from a certain angle/direction) is made to do that.it covers 60-80 miles. A directional antenna works best if the transmitter and the antenna are head to head. So it offers a stronger signal than Omni-directional.

b. Location of Outdoor Antenna

You will always get an advantage of placing your antenna outside rather than inside because the wall of your home always makes barriers from receiving your signal to get clear reception, place your antenna at the direct line of sight propagation for the transmitter

c. Mounting Antenna

Mount your antenna as high as possible to overcome the barrier that is supposed to interfere with getting your signals.it should be at least 15-20 feet from the ground. Considering your neighbourhood and your geographical position it may vary. Like if you stay on the hillside or your neighbour has a taller rooftop then you will likely need a better location to place it.

d. Beware of Cable

Coax cable can be the reason for power loss or signal interference, so check your cable if it has a spiral path or it takes sharp turns.

e. Waterproof

Make sure your coax cable is waterproof since moisture can seep into your TV line and cause poor signal.

f. Connecting Your Cable to TV

As mentioned earlier, spiral paths should be avoided. Make your cabling path as direct as possible. If it is needed, you can use a connector to create a direct route.

g. Check-in Your TV Set

Once you plug in your coax cable to the connector or main TV set, scan your TV set to see if you get your desired channels. If you are not satisfied then move your antenna slightly from left to right to see if it can get more channels. If not then you should consult with TV antenna installers.

h. Grounding

After setting up your rooftop TV antenna with a TV set, you need to ground it properly. Because it may create a lightning strike in a thundering storm which ultimately not only sets the TV set but also endangers your life.

3. Attic Antenna

Due to the fact that installing roof antennas may cause lightning strikes, many subscribers now prefer to install in the attic. Thus it has cost-effectiveness and mounting on the wall or ceiling is easier. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about maintenance since it is always in your sight.

a. Choosing a Suitable Place

Place your antenna which has the least amount of obstacles to interfere with your signal.
Search for the most direct line of sight propagation to the tower.

b. Adjust Your Antenna

When you choose your antenna, leave some free space around it so you can move it frequently to capture the right image of the channel.

c. Final Set-Up

Check the wall or ceiling with which the antenna is attached to is hard and stable enough.
Shake the antenna to check if it is hooked up well enough.
Face your antenna to the vertical direction of your wall since it can not get sufficient signal in bad weather.

d. Run the Coax Cable

Normally from user guidelines, you can connect your coax cable with an antenna.
Try to maintain the shortest path from TV to antenna because a lengthy path creates power loss and signal interference.

e. Examine Your Antenna

After installation, you can get help from your friend to scan the channels whether it gets sufficient channels or not. If the response is not satisfactory then you can set up a signal booster.

Final Setup Using the Remote Control

After you have established the connection between antenna and TV you need to scan your TV to set up your channels using the remote control.

1. Switch on your TV
2. Press SET UP on your menu of remote control.
3. Then press AUTOTUNE. After pressing it, the channels automatically keep changing. When your desired channel

appears you hold it by selecting an algebraic number for this channel. Then you finalise it.

TV Antenna installation requires some basic technical knowledge. You have to have patience and give some time to establish a connection. If you can’t manage to do so, you can always ask for service from a TV Antenna installer near your location.

Happy watching TV!