How to Choose the Best Terrestrial Antenna for Free High Definition TV
With so many streaming services that allow us to watch what we want and when we want it, it only makes sense that people would consider dropping the cable . And as great as being able to come home after work and watch straight episodes of The Office or Living Single, there’s something to be said for being able to tune in to local news in the morning. to check the weather and traffic jams.
If you are thinking of taking this route, you will need a good terrestrial antenna to watch some of your favorite shows. Here’s how to pick the best one for you (along with some of our favorites).
I gave up on cable TV a few years ago. However, this does not mean that I have given up television. Netflix , Hulu Plus , Amazon Prime, and my PC home theater were more than enough to get everything I wanted to watch. However, I missed local news, sports, primetime shows, PBS and luxury – just turn on the TV and watch whatever was on. Luckily, all I needed was a good terrestrial antenna to connect to a TV. Once I got one, I had dozens of local channels, public service broadcasters, and other channels – all free in crystal clear HD.
You can too. All you need is a good antenna, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You need to find the right antenna for your location, your life situation and what channels you want. Before spending money, you need to know the following.
Step one: find out what’s available in your area
The first thing you need to do is find out what channels are available in your area. If you live in or near the metro area, you will likely have several options to choose from, including major network affiliates (CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, etc.) and PBS. Even if you don’t, you might still get lucky. Search sites like TV Fool and AntennaWeb to see what’s available. Both use your address to create a list of the channels closest to you, where in the city they are broadcast (which will be important later) and how strong those channels are.
TV Fool is the best search tool . It creates a polar graph and a colored list of channels sorted by call sign, signal strength and distance. It even rips out UHF and VHF channels. You can see an example in the image above. You can quickly determine which channels will enter clearly, which will be noisy, and which will not enter at all. AntennaWeb, on the other hand, better explains the different types of OTA antennas and the language you’ll see when you go shopping.
Once you get an idea of the channels available to you, look up the callsigns to see which network they represent. This will give you an idea of whether you can watch your favorite shows or live sporting events. We’ve already talked about some of the most common cable cut myths , so don’t get into this by assuming you will get a cable-like TV experience. However, if your favorite programs are broadcast on channels like NBC, ABC, or PBS, a treat awaits you. Likewise, you won’t be able to follow every sporting event, but you can find some of them on broadcast channels like CBS and FOX.
Step two: choose the right antenna type for your channels and geography
Once you know what’s in stock, it’s time to choose an antenna. There are two important decisions you need to make. First, you must decide what type of antenna you need. Take a look at the geographic story that TV Fool (or AntennaWeb) brought you. The map is positioned “up” as true north. Lines approaching your location show which direction each network is broadcasting from.
You will need an omnidirectional antenna if you have many different networks coming in from all directions. This option means that you get the maximum number of channels from all directions, but you can sacrifice signal quality. Omnidirectional antennas are easier to place and you don’t have to worry about beam widths or adjustments every time you change channels. The person on the map above would probably do well with the omnidirectional pattern.
If all the channels available to you (or at least the ones you want to see) come from the same direction – for example, from the nearest major city – then a directional antenna may be the best option. One bonus of directional antennas: they are stronger and can reach more, so the channels you get will come in more clearly than with an omnidirectional antenna. The person in the image above will do best with a directional antenna. But which is best for you depends on your location in relation to these channels.
Second, you must decide if your antenna should receive UHF channels, VHF channels, or both. It’s easy to say “both!” but most of the models you’ll see on the market are good at one and not the other. The FCC explains the difference here . In short, the lower numbered channels (1 through 13) are likely to be VHF, and the higher numbered channels are UHF. Most popular antennas can receive both, but they are much better at receiving UHF than VHF.
Directional or signal loop antennas (such as the ones shown below) pick up UHF channels well. Fortunately, many VHF channels are network branches and transmit powerful signals, so even antennas that don’t specialize in them can pick up them well if you are close to the source. If you know you want low numbered channels, make sure you have an antenna that can receive them clearly. If the company doesn’t say what type of channels it can receive, assume it’s UHF.
A third, less important point to keep in mind is whether you need an amplified antenna. Many manufacturers sell them for a higher price, and ideally the amplifier model means you can select more distant channels and closer channels will sound more clearly. However, this was not always the case in our testing, so we would suggest saving some money if you don’t need it. Better yet, before you buy anything, test the water to decide what’s best for you.
Step three: buy cheap or DIY and then spend your money
Before you get done and start spending money, consider creating your own or buying a super cheap one to see what you get in the real world. We have already shown you how to create some models of their own hands , including the infamous ugly but effective Pietenna and the more attractive the fractal antenna . The directional model can be made of aluminum foil and cardboard . The great thing about DIY is that you spend next to nothing to see what channels you really get and can determine the optimal antenna placement in your home. Plus, if your DIY antenna works well, keep it and save money!
If you don’t want to buy or do something, we have heard several times that people in apartment buildings or condominiums can try to plug their TV into the cable jack even when there is no service. In theory, this would result in the entire building being used as an “antenna,” which means you get great reception for free. It didn’t work for me, but I’ve heard it many times (and it’s easy), so it’s worth a try. Your mileage may vary. If you’d rather spend a few bucks grab something cheap like this $ 18 RCA antenna . It’s omnidirectional and it’s a small investment to see what you can get. Again, if this works for you in the long run, leave it and postpone the search.
Some Rugged Antenna Options for Residents and Homeowners
If you’ve tried the do-it-yourself approach but find that you need something more powerful, you have some great options. A few years ago, we picked out five of the best wireless antennas for your money (including the just mentioned RCA ANT1050). This is a good starting point for suggestions for both directional and omnidirectional models, but here are a few others. which we tested here in Washington, south and east of most of the available channels (and a few more south and west):
- Mohu Sheet / Mohu Curve ( $ 21-80 ) : This is a paper-thin omnidirectional model, so it is important to place it against walls or near windows. One place might be awful, while another a few feet to the left might be starry. The Leaf costs $ 21 for the standard model, $ 41 for the enhanced version. Curve (Leaf, designed to be shelf-mounted, not wall-mounted) costs $ 41. If you own your own home, the $ 80 Mohu Sky is an omni-directional outdoor model designed to be installed in the attic or rooftop.
- The Mohu Leaf Metro ($ 18) : The Leaf Metro is a version of the Mohu of a smaller, more inconspicuous (as if possible) antenna for townspeople or people who have channels broadcasting to them from 25 miles away. If that’s you, Metro is a tiny strip of antenna that can go almost anywhere without being visible (other than the cable, of course). We tried this and it worked well as long as your favorite channels are nearby. It’s also tiny – you’ll forget it’s behind the TV or on the wall.
- HD Frequncy Cable Cutter ($ 49) : This omnidirectional antenna isn’t the most inconspicuous (it’s a black metal frame), but it’s incredibly powerful. It performed surprisingly well in our tests, capturing all available channels near me with an excellent and reliable signal. Its size and construction meant placement was not a problem, which is good because it definitely looks like an antenna. It is also suitable for outdoor use, and its waterproof design will withstand the weather.
- Monoprice HDTV Indoor / Outdoor Antenna ($ 16) : This Monoprice model is a great starting antenna. It is weather resistant and can be installed outdoors, and it picks up UHF and VHF channels perfectly. Height and power can be an issue, however – I found it a little underpowered unless I position it close to a window or in the right direction. This is not to say that it is directed, but it definitely looks like a detail. It performed well in our tests, though, and it’s cheap.
- There are tons of other models out there, but these are just a few of those that we had the opportunity to test, and they worked well. Do your homework, check the reviews, and – since we’ve seen them appear there – don’t buy the antenna in the commercials.
How to improve your signal and what to look for
Once your antenna is at home and tuned in, use your TV to search for available channels. On most kits, this is all in the setup menu. Switch the coaxial input from cable to antenna and then auto scan channels. It will scan for a few minutes and then show you the available channels. Try them and look for quality. Then compare what you have with what TV Fool and Antennaweb said. If all is well, you’re done.
If you are missing something you want, or the signal is poor, don’t send the antenna back just yet. Here are a few things you can try:
- Try different locations and directions . If you have a lot of walls between the antenna and the window, or your antenna is omnidirectional but still does not point in the direction your channels are coming from, try changing its position and direction. For some models, even a few feet makes a huge difference, or placement near a window versus an interior wall.
- Consider an amplifier . Now this is the point where you can think of a signal booster. Mohu, for example, sells a $ 43 USB-powered amplifier that fits between the antenna and the TV. Winegard sells several , others are sold on Antennas Direct or Amazon . It may or may not work, but if your reception is poor it is worth giving it a try.
- Add some coaxial cable . One thing that worked for me was to use a longer coaxial cable than I thought I needed. This especially helped to curl it up a bit. You don’t want the coax to just lay there, but if you can do a semi-free coil between the antenna and the TV it can help a lot, especially with the usually weak or finicky channels.
- Keep the antenna away from other powerful wireless devices . I needed to test a new Wi-Fi router a few years ago and I usually keep it next to my TV. As soon as I plugged it into a new router, I noticed that my over-the-air reception was terrible . The antenna is on the wall behind the entertainment center and TV, and the router is next to the TV. I turned off the router and the reception improved immediately. I turned on the router again, and the reception quality dropped sharply. Moral of the story? If possible, move the Wi-Fi device and antenna away from each other or from anything else that floods radio waves with a signal that the antenna can perceive as noise.
Hopefully with these tips you can find the right antenna, cut your cable once and for all, or at least enjoy free high-quality HDTV terrestrial TV without installing a cable box or running a ton of coaxing into your home. Like everything else, it all starts with research, but in the end it really pays off.
This story was originally published in 2014 and was updated on 12/4/19 to provide more complete and up-to-date information.