How To Hook Up A TV Antenna

After a hectic day, we all want to go home, lay on the couch and catch on all our favorite programs without any antenna problems. Most people have the notion that hooking a television antenna can only be done by a professional

A television antenna is also referred to as television aerial which has been explicitly made for signal reception of television broadcasting them air to air. These signals are transmitted at different frequencies which range from 47-250 megahertz using the VHF band and 470-960MHZ in the UHF band.

Television aerials are designed in two types which include:

1. Indoor antenna

They are found or rather placed on top of our televisions and on the side close to it. Due to using up a lot of space this antenna cannot be as big and detailed as the outdoor ones.

 They are not installed at high elevations, due to this factor outdoor antenna are better based on the reception capability.

They are commonly used in suburb and urban areas. They include ;

It has a loop of wire,having the dipole radiation design.

  • The Flat antenna must  use coaxial cables
How To Adjust Outdoor Tv Antenna
How To Adjust Outdoor Tv Antenna

2. Outdoor antenna

Outdoor antenna
Outdoor antenna

They are situated on the outside just like the name suggests commonly on top of roofs on a special mast. They include

  • Multi-bay antenna
  • Log periodic  antenna;  bow- tie antenna, log-periodic dipole array
  • Yagi-UDA antenna

Indoor antenna are the best choice if you have close proximity to the broad-casting towers. If you are living in a location where installing an outdoor antenna is not allowed, whereas the outdoor antenna is the best if you live far from the broadcasting station.

What is the significance of antenna

There are many reasons as to why our television sets require antennas, but one of the most crucial reason is that they provide an easy way to transfer signals or information in instances where other methods cannot.

Are you planning to install a television antenna? Worry no more because here are guidelines on how to do it.

Things you need for the installation process

  • The antennae that you have chosen
  • Transformer (placed on the package of the new antennae)
  • Kit for mounting
  • Mast

Considerations before installing a television antenna

  • Make sure that you do some research and deduce the perfect spot for you to place your antennae. Mostly if you chose the outdoor one because this will greatly determine how strong your signal will be.
  • Examine the conductivity of the ground; this is a very crucial factor to consider when installing the antenna. At times sandy soils do not give good connections while wet fertile soil giving a  perfect connection
  • Make sure that the ground has a low electric resistance.
  • Antenna height. make sure that you use the appropriate height that will improve your connection.
  • Remember that objects around the antenna, if they are placed near the antenna even if they don’t block the visibility they might greatly affect the strength of the signal.
How To Install An Indoor Tv Antenna
How To Install An Indoor Tv Antenna

How do you install a television antenna?

1. Determine the connector type of your television antenna

At the back of every television, there is an input specifically for the antenna. There are two types of  input:

Coaxial rf- It is similar to a threaded cone with a hole in the middle. This variety of connectors can be used mostly on modern televisions.

IEC –it is similar to a soft cylinder with another tiny cylinder on the inside. They are commonly used on old versions of TV

It is advisable that you go through the manual to your television and write down the number to your model online then confirm the type to your antenna to avoid using one that isn’t compatible with the type of television that you are using.

2. Deduce where the nearest broadcasting station is situated

This can be done simply by keying in your location, then the station of your broadcast to your television then searching it on Google. This will give you a clue on the type of antenna needed.

If the nearest broadcasting station is at a far distance then using rabbit ears will not be effective.

3. Purchase an antenna for your television

If you don’t have an antenna, make sure you do some research before to make sure you buy the best quality. There are different varieties to choose from:

  • Flat- It is the latest version of the antenna and requires a little tuning immediately after the plugging-in process is done. They have the best reception compared to the traditional ones.
  • Rabbit ears- Just like the name, they are similar to rabbit ears and commonly used by many households that are installed behind the television set.

This “rabbit ears are only effective if there is close proximity to the broadcasting station.

  • Whip- It only has one antenna, there is no much difference between this type of antenna and the rabbit ears based on functionality.
  • Outdoor (UHF)- This type of antenna is installed on the outside on roof tops.They are efficient for connections that are long-ranged if you are situated in an interior area.

4. If necessary purchase an extension cable

Mostly if you are installing an antenna outdoor, the coaxial cable is the best option to use so that it can cover the distance from the television to the antennae

It is paramount that you purchase a connection cable specifically for the indoor antenna if there isn’t adequate room for the antenna

5. Antenna connection

Unplug and turn off your television set, this is done by making sure that you press the power button on the television first.After this is done, remove the plugs connected to it at the back.

Unplugging makes sure that the television isn’t ruined when you are performing your connection task.

6. Plug the antenna directly to the input port as written on the back

It is crucial that you first point out the port that you will plug in the cable because if you connect it to the wrong one, the television will not work. Then carefully take the cable and insert it carefully and tightly.

7. Turn on your television after plugging it in first.

By now you will be receiving television casting from various stations

8. Scan channels

Different televisions have different methodologies to scan then them, so it is advisable to get your manual and follow the guidelines given so as to scan the television.

9. Tune your antenna if need be

If you are using the rabbit ears antenna try to place them facing the direction to which the broadcasting station is. Clear any items in the house that are in the connection path of the antenna.

The good thing is that the flat antenna doesn’t  need to be tuned a lot since they are strong on connections compared to the traditional ones.

If you are installing an outdoor antenna it is advisable to use a pole to act as an elevation for the aerial above the roof. In few areas where you are surrounded by tall trees,the aerial must go high so that the connection cannot be hindered by the trees. You can use a guide mast for this.

The wire that connects the outdoor antenna to the television set is called a drop and the longer it is, the stronger the signal will get.

The television’s signal is determined by the height of the aerial, the higher it is then the signal is better.

Precautions

  • We all know that television antennas have been proven to be perfect conductors of electricity. They also attract lighting therefore, let us use lightning arrestors to protect ourselves.
  • The masts used to install the outdoor antennae are specifically made to withstand the harsh weather conditions and placed in a way that if they were to fall it wouldn’t interfere with the power lines.
  • Do not be on top of a house undergoing installations this could be a threat to your life.
  • Make sure that the antennas are constructed properly so that they can’t start falling and hurting people
  • Make sure that you have kept all objects far away from the nearby power lines.

 Antennas are a great flatter to our television sets. It makes an individual  have a wide variety of channels to watch without any signal interference

Most people have the notion that installing an antenna is only done by professionals but all that is wrong. The challenging part is choosing the best aerial to purchase,one that will suit you and is cost- effective. Once that is done, all that is left is the installation procedure that you can perform yourself at home. If you are facing any problem with your television, ask the people who live around you. If they are experiencing the same issue with a specific channel then that means the problem be the channel has a weak signal in the area.

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