Tips for Installing a TV Antenna by Yourself

Having the appropriate TV antenna and ensuring that it is set up properly are absolutely key to receiving the optimum viewing experiences in your home. You can either approach a professional specialist to complete the installation process for you or you can attempt it yourself.

Please note that if you would like to do this yourself you must take extreme caution throughout as you are risking injury through possibly working on a rooftop and being exposed to power lines or even lightning. If you have any doubts at all then use a professional service. If you are looking to complete the installation yourself there are a few factors to take into account to make sure that the procedure is done correctly: –

Choose the Appropriate Antenna

You will need to know where you are located in relation to the television broadcast towers. Use an online search site to check this. There will likely be multiple towers so the spread of them will be key to choosing the appropriate antenna. If the towers are all located in a single place, then both directional and omnidirectional antennas will be suitable.

However, if the towers are located more than 50 miles away then you should choose a directional antenna. If the broadcast towers are in two locations, then you should choose a multi-directional antenna. Finally, if the towers are in numerous locations you should choose an omnidirectional antenna. As before if the distance to the broadcast towers is greater than 50 miles then you should consider a directional antenna but use it in conjunction with an antenna rotator.

Decide If You Require an Amplifier

If you are living more than 50 miles from the broadcast towers, then it is generally recommended that you choose an amplified antenna. These will boost the signal to your tuner strengthening weak signals and locking them in. However, they should not be used if they are not necessary as they will actually reduce the signal when used inappropriately.

Antenna Location

The best method to establish this is through good old fashioned trial and error. Hook your antenna up into the TV set and test out various locations. It may not be necessary to climb all the way up to the top of the roof so check out various places such as high on a wall or at the side of your property facing the broadcast towers. Look at how neighbouring houses have theirs set up too.

Generally speaking, the higher up the better so consider the lay of the land. If you have any raised areas, consider utilising these as they could be blocking a signal path to your antenna no matter where you try to place it on your property. Consider the distance to the broadcast towers too. If you are close it may be perfectly reasonable to have an attic mounted aerial but if you are further away the reduction that this will cause to your signal quality could make this unachievable.