OTA Secrets
What is the secret to good TV antenna reception? Using the right Hardware and Aiming.
Hardware
You have to look at every part of the chain from the antenna to your TV. They all affect signal quality.
– Antenna – Collect as much signal as possible
– Balun – Older baluns can be less efficient
– Amplifier – Low noise and mounted near antenna
– Cables – Length is the important number. However, older cables can be leaky and may need replacing
– Splitters & Connectors – Limit your number of splitters and connectors. Use exact cable lengths wherever possible.
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/antennas/basics.html
Aiming
The success of your antenna reception is highly dependent on good aiming strategy.
Go to tvfool.com and find the angle you need to aim. Walk around the outside of your home and determine a location where you can point in that direction and have a clear line of sight. Aim into fields, aim between houses, aim around trees, aim above houses.
If you have a clear line of sight and that angle just isn’t reliable enough, try spinning the antenna 180 degrees in the OPPOSITE direction to receive the bounced signal instead. If you have a lot of structures behind you, the reflected bounce can sometimes be stronger than your primary direction.
Remember: If your antenna has a built in electric rotor (like the cheapo chinese one), use it. The procedure to use the cheapo antenna’s rotor is:
1. Press the red rotor button on the power box and count to 1. This will rotate the antenna for approx 20-30 degrees in a direction.
2. Wait 5-10 seconds for your tv’s signal indicator to refresh. If you have a channel lock, you may have to wait up to 20 seconds for the picture to return.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, varying the duration that you hold the button. Example: Press for 1 second, release, and press for 2 seconds – will rotate in the other direction. Allowing you to “home in” on a signal.