Although cable television became the most popular choice at one time, now people are increasingly returning to antennas. There are many reasons why cable television is losing popularity, and above all the high subscription price. Also due to streaming services like Netflix, people can choose for themselves what to watch and how much to pay. And antennas are the best choice to have the largest number of channels. What can be a problem is a weak signal that is affected by various things. However, there is usually a solution for a weak signal, because there are various ways to improve it. We will give you tips on how to do it and enjoy a much better picture resolution.
1.Place the antenna outside
If your aerial is inside your home and you notice a weak signal, it would be best to move it outside. The location where you will move outside is also important, and the roof is the best choice. That way you should have enough height and not have a lot of distractions. When located inside, in addition to all external interference, the signal must also pass through the roof and the layers of insulation that interfere. This is definitely the first option that is recommended when you have problems with picture, sound or number of channels. Just be careful when mounting on the roof, so as not to fall and injure yourself. This can easily happen as you do not have the proper equipment. If it’s a higher house, you better hire professionals, like TaylorAerials, to do it for you. Or at least ask them for advice on how to do it safely.
2. Place it as high as possible
If you did as we told you and moved it outside, and you still didn’t get the desired results, then you probably need to take it to a higher height. If there are very tall houses or buildings around you, then your roof is not high enough either. Certain natural obstacles can also be a problem like a tree or a mountain. Try putting it on a chimney or even installing a bracket on the chimney that will further raise the aerial. Just make sure that the bracket is strong enough to hold the antenna in all weather conditions, otherwise it will fall and damage your roof. In case you can’t lift to the roof, try to at least lift to the ceiling or wherever you can, but to as high a height as possible.
3. Check for interference
You did everything as we told you, and you don’t even have any clear obstacles around your house that interfere with the signal, but still no improvement. Wondering where the problem lies? Well there are various home appliances that cause interference and pay attention to where they are located. Anything which is producing electromagnet radiation is a problem. Even LED lights can be one of the causes. Make sure there is nothing around the antenna that could weaken the signal. Because the signal may reach the antenna at maximum power, but then there is where problem occurs.
4. Install protections
There are special devices that serve as protection against power surges and you probably have them on your computer. It would be good to have them on the aerial as well. You will not always be at home when there is thunder, so you will not be able to turn off the power supply to the aerial. And you might also want to watch a program, even though a thunderstorm is in progress. In the event of a power surge caused by lightning or any other sudden change in voltage, the aerial will be damaged. It may not be completely destroyed, but it can be damaged so much that it has a bad effect on your signal. And you won’t even know it’s the reason, you’ll think it’s something else.
5. Point it to broadcast towers
If you are wondering how to know where broadcast towers are, don’t worry, there are various sites on the internet that will tell you the locations of all broadcast towers. It will also tell you how to point your antenna. Why is that important? Well, logically, the signal will be incomparably stronger. We have another tip for you. Check the location of the broadcast towers in your area while you are considering which antenna model you need to buy. This way you will know how far away your most important broadcast towers are and which aerial model will give you the most channels and the best picture.
6. Buy an amplifier
Amplifier is another way to improve your signal. It is usually used when you have already tried the aforementioned methods and they have not given the desired effect. There are different types of amplifiers, and which one is right for you again depends on your needs and the location of your antenna. There are different opinions where it should be installed, but we think that it is best to be as close as possible to the antenna, so that the signal is as strong as possible, and not to lose its potency.
7. Use shorter cables
Maybe everything is fine with your antenna, but the problem is caused by too long cables, which you bought so that you could put the aerial in as high place as possible. The signal weakens the longer the cables and this can be a problem. But it is certainly very useful to be located as high as possible. You need to balance between the length of the cables and how high you will lift the antenna. Make a balance by taking advantage of the best of both.
Conclusion:
This is a problem that will give you headaches because it will constantly bother you when you want to watch your favorite program. So you need to solve it as soon as possible, and some of these tips or a combination of several of them will surely significantly improve the situation. As a last resort, consider installing a rotator.
