Photo by Franck V.

Originally Posted On: https://ventsmagazine.com/2020/06/06/entertainment-for-all-10-pro-tips-for-how-to-boost-antenna-signal/

Are you exhausted with the limited number of stations to see on your TV? Are your eyes tired of watching TV shows and series in low and grainy quality? Do you want to understand better the words that people on the screen are saying when you watch TV?

Even though around 40 states have lessened their “safer at home” orders, people remain at home. It’s a smart move, seeing that thousands of new cases still appear every day. Yet, getting terrible TV signals can make your self-isolation attempts difficult and uneasy.

This is our list on how to boost antenna signal and reception. Keep reading to learn what they are.

1. Experiment With Antenna Locations 

When it comes to finding strong signals, location is the key. If you want to learn how to get a better antenna signal, you need to look for the right spots at home. Look for the highest point that is also near a window in the house.

It also helps if you can check your map for the closest stations and bring your antenna to face them. Finding the best spot in the house to place your antenna may take some trial and error. You can also check which direction the outdoor antennas of your neighbors are facing.

2. Keep Your Antenna at a High Place

The strength of the signals you get will depend on the terrain and buildings around your house. If there’s a mountain or tall forest between you and a tower, finding a good signal may be hard. The height of an antenna makes a big difference in the strengths of the signals you get.

You want to look for the highest yet safe spots inside your home. For example, skylights are almost-perfect places for indoor antennas. Sometimes, it can almost feel like you have an outdoor antenna in your home.

3. Invest in a Longer Cable

Let’s say your problem isn’t where to place your antenna. The problem is how to boost antenna signals when the cable can’t reach a good spot first. If you know you don’t have a good spot in the living room, get a longer cable before the installation.

By the time it comes to install your TV antenna, you’re at least ready for distances. Buy an RG6 coax cable. Note that you don’t need antenna cables that are too long.

Otherwise, you risk losing good signal levels. However, if it’s going to help your antenna reach a window facing a station, it’s worth it.

4. Quality Cables Deliver Quality Reception 

It’s not enough to have a long cable. You want to get good cables too. Remember how we said that longer cables can decrease signal levels? If you buy good antenna cables, you can avoid getting too large of a signal level reduction.

As we mentioned, the RG6 coaxial cable is what you want to get. If you got the RG59 coax cable, don’t use it.

5. Try a Horizontal Antenna Placement

Did you know that the best way to boost your antenna signal may not be a vertical position? Your antenna may get a better signal when it’s parallel to the floor.

Depending on antenna type and location, this may not work for everyone. Give this a try anyway if you’re invested in boosting antenna signal and reception. When you position your antenna by the window or ceiling, try the horizontal style.

6. Find Transmitter Towers to Learn How to Boost Antenna Signal

Unsure about which side of the house is the best side to place your antenna?

Like these top antenna signal tips, a little research can always do a lot for you. Before antenna installation, know what direction transmitter towers are to your home. During the TV antenna installation, use that knowledge to decide what side offers the best signals.

If, for example, the tower is in a north-eastern direction from your house. Let’s say the outside-facing wall of your home that’s closest to that direction is the east wall. Place your antenna on the east wall and turn it towards the northeast for the best reception.

7. Get a Better Tuner

Not all tuners are equal because some are better at their jobs than others. Most of these high-quality tuners include those from brands like Sony, Vizio, and Samsung. Some of the best tuners are by Samsung.

If you don’t need a new TV, buy a tuner without the accompanying TV screen. An example is the Ematic Digital TV Converter Box. You can also get a Tablo or Channel Master Stream+ DVR.

8. Add an Amplifier

What if there was something you can use to improve the signal-receiving power of your antenna? Signal boosters or amplifiers are great at boosting antenna signals for your TV. They’re perfect for those whose homes are over 20 miles away from the closest station.

They work best when your Station Finder can’t find any clear stations. Note that amplifiers or signal boosters only work with non-amplified antennas. You can also choose to get an amplified antenna if you already have a passive antenna.

9. Remove the Amplifier

Do you live in the city or near a station? If so, then you don’t need an amplifier for that. Amplifiers and signal boosters ruin the signals you get if you live near stations.

Think of it as settling close to a large and powerful speaker at max volume.

If you have perfect hearing, you don’t need implements to “hear well”. If you have bad hearing, only then will you need such implements.

10. Keep TV Antennas Away From Metal or Add a Touch of It

Metallic surfaces in the house can cause interference with digital signals. If your home has metal bars in the windows, this can be causing you a bad signal. You’ll want to look for a place in your home that’s clear of metal for at least six feet.

Another ironic twist to this final tip is to do the opposite with a metal antenna. Try to attach a metal hanger or other metallic bit to your metal antenna. This can boost the reception of your antenna or even make it better.

Watch TV in Great Quality

Now you know how to boost antenna signal and reception for your TV!

But it doesn’t stop here. Did you enjoy our top ten tips for boosting antenna signal and reception? If you want to see more useful content like this, read our other guides right here, today!