Why do I have to touch my antenna to get good reception?

[DaKing]

I know it sounds funny but I have to put my finger or foot on my antenna at times to get the best reception. I've bought some longer coax and so I could sit the antenna next to my feet on the couch and rest my foot against it when I want to watch NBC. Hardly acceptable.

 

[Aaron62]

I thought that touching an antenna for improved reception only applied to analog signals? Sorry, I'm no help other than I would suggest checking your coax cables for damage.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

It has to do with grounding the antenna, would be my guess. Piggie or Don probably can elaborate better. Id be interested in knowing the whys of that as well.

 

[Don_M]

When you touch the antenna, or even get really close to it, you literally become part of the antenna through capacitive coupling. If the antenna needs the size boost that your leg gives it, I suspect the NBC affiliate is broadcasting on a VHF channel, which may be different from the channel number it displays on screen. VHF broadcasts = longer wavelengths than UHF signals = a bigger antenna needed to receive the signals properly. Can you give us a station callsign (i.e., WABC or KXYZ), or at least which market we're talking about here? Does the antenna have both "rabbit ears" whips and a loop in the middle?

 

[DTVuser2009]

Yeah you're 'being the antenna' which is why i used to use foil suits to improve bad analog reception and/or hack into scrambled pay cable back in the 1980s before VideoCipher took all the fun out of it lol!

Failing fluorescent fixtures or ones with bad earth ground have similar problems, you touch the fixture the light comes on. also how 'touch lamps' work.

And also how the iPod touch or iPhone's touch screens work without a stylus or calibration.

 

[staticMHZ]

i noticed that too, when i hold my rabbit ears the picture stops breaking up and when i let go it breaks up again

 

[Piggie]

i noticed that too, when i hold my rabbit ears the picture stops breaking up and when i let go it breaks up again

Static! Living here you should ask for a better antenna recommendation!

Don said it all. It also will work on FM whips.

 

[Aries]

I'm not big on electrical physics, but if you look up an easy means of grounding an antenna, then you'll have one hand for a snack, and one hand for the remote.

 

[DTVuser2009]

I'm just happy that the only reception issues i get are when the cables get wet.

 

[Yes616]

I know it sounds funny but I have to put my finger or foot on my antenna at times to get the best reception. I've bought some longer coax and so I could sit the antenna next to my feet on the couch and rest my foot against it when I want to watch NBC. Hardly acceptable.

Maybe, if the price is right, you can come on over to my place and hold on to the antenna while I am watching TV.

BTW.. How much do you eat?