Higher is better: 10-20 feet off the ground is ideal. Try to avoid obstructions such as tall buildings, forests or hills, which can weaken signals before they get to your antenna. You'll need to be able to point your antenna, even if it's multidirectional, at the source of the TV signal for the best reception.
Raise Your Antenna
We've found that the height of your antenna is a critical factor in getting decent reception. That's one reason roof-mounted antennas typically outperform indoor models. It's also why you probably won't get good reception using an antenna placed in your basement.
The height of an antenna has a major impact on its performance. Aspects including the feed impedance, radiation diagram, radiation losses, distance from interference, reduction in possibility of exposure to RF radiation, etc.
Typically, the higher your antenna is placed, the better your reception will be.
At a minimum, the antenna should be above the rooftops of local buildings. 30 feet of height is easy to achieve with commercially available, lightweight, collapsible, fiberglass masts. A taller mast is better than a shorter mast.
The antenna needs to be placed in the same position as the TV transmitter. Because most of the TV transmitter are horizontal polarized it would be best to start putting the antenna in a horizontal position.
While smart TVs typically come with built-in antennas, they are used for Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity — not for picking up free-to-air channels. You can always try using a less sophisticated analog antenna, but there's a good chance you'll experience signal problems.
The larger the surface area of the antenna, the more channels it's likely to receive. Because outdoor antennas are up high, they are more likely to get long-distance signals. Outdoor antennas receive broadcasts with less interference, as well.
The dual antenna technology means you always receive the strongest signal automatically whether you're in the high country, on rough terrain or on the flat.
As a rule, it's best to place your antenna where the entire height of the mast can 'see' in all directions – on the roof, or on the roof racks. Use a quality, hinged mount and remember that an antenna works best when installed vertically. How should I route the UHF antenna cable?
Yes, you do. Smart TVs do not have built-in antennas, so to be able to view free over-the-air channels, an antenna is required.
If hills, trees, buildings, or other geographic features are in between the broadcast towers and the antenna, the signals might not be able to reach your antenna. Elevating the antenna, either by placing it in a higher location or using a taller mast, will increase the signal reception.
The truth is, the answer to whether you need a higher or a lower gain antenna lies in your application. Which antenna and gain do I need? If you want to focus all of the signal to direct it to a distant target, then the high gain antenna is definitely the best choice.
As stated earlier, most experts feel that an antenna height of 30 or 40 feet (9 to 12 meters) is optimum for 6 meters. This takes into account the ground effect and the fact that Es signals are coming in from many elevation angles — not necessarily the lowest angle.
Factors That Influence Range
Antenna Length & Type: Everything else equal, longer antennas will always have a longer range than shorter antennas. Also, certain types of antennas have a longer range than others.
If resetting doesn't improve the reception, it's time to check your antenna. The antenna is typically the main cause of low signal problems. You might not pay a lot of attention to your antenna until it stops working, but it's common for it to be knocked or moved, which can impact the quality of the signal.
Wrapping aluminum foil around an antenna increases the antenna's conductivity and surface area. It will then boost the signal received by a television. That works perfectly. Because most antenna wires are thin, this method works.