There are many things that will affect the performance of your antenna
, but as a general rule, the higher you can get your antenna
the better. UHF signals are line of sight so the higher the elevation
, the better your chances for success.
Indoor installations are often problematic for two reasons. First, they are lower than a roof mounted installation. Second, the digital
signal is weakened by every wall the signal must pass through. This is especially concerning as UHF signals are more sensitive to attenuation
from building materials than lower band VHF signals.
Next, outdoor is better than indoor. Mounting your antenna
in the attic may get it high, but the attic's insulation will cut your signal by almost 50%. We realize that many people don't like the looks of an outdoor antenna
or may fear that their home owners association won't allow it, but outdoor mounts typically perform the best. If you have any questions about the legality of installing an antenna
on your roof, chances are that the law is on your side. You can read the FCC directive on Antenna
Installation.
It is important to note that the behavior of the antenna
can be affected by the presence of nearby metallic objects, such as older antennas, air handlers or metal roofs. Try to keep a few feet of distance between your new antenna
and existing metallic objects.
If you live on lower terrain and the location of the transmitters in your area requires you to point the antenna
into the side of a hill, your chances for success may be poor. People who live in deep valleys or canyons need to accept the possibility that getting HDTV
through an over the air antenna
may not be possible. Similarly people who live in high-rise apartment buildings will have more success if they live on the side of the building facing the transmitters. If you live on the opposite side of the transmitting towers and do not have roof access, you may not have much success.
Similarly, if you live more than 70 miles from the transmitting towers, you will either need to build a tower, have a tall mast on top of your roof, or live on high terrain. We have customers receiving their signals at over 100 miles, but they either live on top of a tall hill or have their antenna
mounted on a tower in their back yard.
