How much will a new antenna improve reception?

[4x4Quadder]

If I switch from rabbit ears to an outdoor antenna, will I see better reception? I live in a apartment so it'll be difficult to put the antenna up, but I may be able to mount it to my balcony.

 

[Piggie]

I would say in 99% of cases if not more, getting the antenna outside will help.

But there are a lot of constraints to that. If your balcony is on the opposite from where the TV are located, it might be futile. If you buy the wrong antenna it will be futile.

Best thing to do is post your TVFool plot and let us analyze it and give you suggestions.

Go to http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29 put in your address and if you live on the ground floor put in say 5 feet for your antenna, but add 10 ft for each story above the ground floor is you live higher.

Then copy the bold type link at the top of the results page and paste it back here.

Welcome to the forum.

Piggie )

 

[callingota]

If the station transmitter is on the wrong side of you apartment just run the extra coax..& maby add a drop-amp to boost the signal back up! You could also build you a small (SBGH) (single bay gray hoverman). This antenna is simple to build & works very well...Just trying to help!

 

[Piggie]

Welcom to the forum!


Running out and buying an amp is the worse move you can make unless you know how close you live to TV and FM stations. If you live too close, it will overload and then you will actually receive fewer stations than without it.

This is why the TVFool plot is so critical. It give the distance and strength of the stations.

 

[Eureka]

The US DTV standard was chosen assuming reception would be with fixed outdoor antennas.

If you have missing stations and/or stations that won't maintain a lock and suffer from freezing or dropouts at certain times of the day, an outdoor antenna will nearly always help.

If you get all your stations now and don't have freezing or dropout problems, an outdoor antenna will not improve the picture quality. You either get DTV perfectly, intermittently with dropouts or not at all.