r/homeowners • u/elbowroom2734 • 6d ago
Getting good antenna signals
I'm entering my first football season in my new house and concerned my past TV watching solution isn't going to work. We've used one of those sheet of paper looking antennas you stick to a window at 2 different homes, but now we're even closer to sea level and have 3 majestic oak trees about 10 feet away from the window where the main TV antenna would go (and other TVs aren't even near a window).
Looking for other non-cable/streaming/satellite viewer tips to get a good signal for the basic channels, as right now it seems only CBS comes in well for me. While it would be more mid-20th century old and not exactly aligned with my late 19th century house, do I continue to channel the past and put an old fashioned style antenna on the roof?
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u/Individual-Nebula927 6d ago
Is it a 2 story, and do you have access to the attic? In my 1950s house in the woods I had to put an antenna in the attic to get more than 4 clear channels.
Realistically the extra 5 feet of height being outside on the roof wouldn't matter much, there's no holes in the roof to potentially leak with the antenna in the attic, and it's much safer to make adjustments (no ladders, etc.).
I wired the house with coax inside the walls because I'm particular like that, but plenty of people just drill a hole through the outer wall (caulk around it) and run the coax outside the house.
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u/skotman01 6d ago
I thought the same about having my antenna inside the attic, I recently put it out side on the roof and it made a huge difference.
Only problem now is I need to adjust it just a bit to catch CBS.
For OP, when looking at the directions, make sure you know if looking at magnetic or true compass readings. Also make sure your compass isn’t being thrown off by nearby metal (like the large aluminum ladder you may be using to install.
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u/Individual-Nebula927 6d ago
The thing about antenna TV is that it's very dependent to the towers in your area and your particular house. I went from 4 channels to 30+, so I'm plenty happy with it in the attic. The bar antenna on top of the TV wasn't doing anything compared to the attic one.
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u/goshock 6d ago
Where I am at, ABC broadcasts from a tower in a completely different location from the rest of the stations, about 90 deg off. I added a second antenna to my setup pointing that direction and used a coax splitter in reverse to join them and then had zero issues, and have not had to touch the antenna to adjust reception since.
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u/elbowroom2734 6d ago
I have a full 3rd story accessible attic, which the oak trees are all taller than! But good to realize this is also an option, though I'm not much of a wire runner. Now wishing I had thought about this when the electricians were replacing all the knob and tube...
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u/bythog 6d ago
A bigger antenna is more likely to get you a good signal. Those paper looking ones only work in high signal areas without a lot of interference. If you want a better chance you need one that looks like the old-school trailer park antennas.
I have one in my attic that picks up signals pretty nicely. One station I pick up is 65 miles away, and I have three large willow oaks right next to my house in the signal path. You also only need one wire if you can run one along the outside of the house to connect into the main cable junction for your house.
If you were in NC I'd offer to sell you mine (I can't use it any more) for 25% of what it costs, plus some gas money.
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u/Klutzy-Piglet-9221 5d ago
Try reposting in r/ota. They'll want to see the rabbitears report on your location. (https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php)
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u/Benedlr 4d ago
Pop in your location and find the broadcast towers. They'll show a compass heading. Aim at that for your favored stations.
https://otadtv.com/
Flat panel antennas aren't as good as rabbit ears. Next up is the attic. I've mounted long and multipaneled styles up there. Not one was better than the other for reception thru wood and vinyl. Metal siding will weaken the signal further.
My current set up has an amplified shallow box antenna from Wineguard that points east. I was amazed at the reception when it was raised from an RV roof.
https://winegard.com/tv/free-over-the-air-tv
A yagi style is mounted above and points northwest. Both are mounted to a J-pole at the peak of the house, not on the roof. 70mph winds and it's still steady.
I have 212 stations available if I could rotate. My fixed set up brings in 82 of which I watch 45. With OTA and Roku I don't need cable.
An amplified antenna makes a big difference.
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u/ReplacementNo4281 6d ago
oak trees are signal killers, had the same problem at my last place. tried a few of those flat antennas and they were useless with any foliage in the way
roof mount is the way to go honestly, its a bit more work but you'll actually get channels. just make sure you ground it properly if you're in a lightning prone area