Hello World! Welcome Friends! Have you ever wondered why TV aerials are mostly installed on roofs, high walls and chimney stacks – usually on large aerial masts? This article offers all you need to know including, what’s the best loft aerial for a new build home?
Unlike satellite dishes which get signals from satellites orbiting in space, TV and radio both receive signals through their aerials from land-based transmitters.
This means that trees and buildings can obstruct the TV signals by getting in the way between the transmitter and your property. This will hinder or even block the signals from reaching your place, unless you live near the transmitter itself and in that case even an indoor aerial or aloft aerial will do.
But in most cases it is much better, even essential, to install an aerial on a high place, such as roof or a chimney stack. You may also erect a long pole for installing the aerial on the exterior of your property.
Aerial Height Maximizes Signal Strength
If you mount your aerial outside on a high place, you are most likely to get a good signal strength. The signal being received on your TV aerial in this case will provide a reliable reception, which is less prone to break up and pixelate. By installing aerials on high places you actually clear the way of the signals by removing the obstructions like nearby trees and buildings around your property that could block the way and bar the signals from reaching your TV aerial.
If you can get line of sight between the TV transmitter and your TV aerial, you are likely to have a very good TV signal. In this case, it will also be quite easy to properly align your aerial as you would just point it with your eyes without needing any special aerial alignment tools.
Though it is generally recommended to install the antenna outside, it might not be advisable if you live in a strong signal area. In that case, you could end up overloading your TV tuners and distribution equipment with too strong signal. This issue is mostly resolved with an attenuator. However, you may want to go for something like a log periodic aerial, instead of a high gain aerial to avoid signal overloading.
By installing aerials at high places at your home or office, you are maximizing the signal strength and therefore you are less likely to need an amplifier to run multiple TV points, as a passive splitter will do the job. You can afford to lose a bit of the signal through the splitter as the TV aerial has been installed at a place where the signal is strongest.
Every Extra dB of Signal Means A More Reliable Reception
TV signal strength is measured in dB (decibels) with reference to micro-volts. The absolute minimum for a digital TV signal (like for Freeview and Soarview) is 45dB, but you must aim for no less than 50dB. If you are getting less than 50dB, you will need to install the aerial higher up at a position where the signal is strongest.
Install a high gain aerial along with a masthead amplifier to boost the signal and overcome the losses associated with the connecting cable. The signal strength is one thing that we are concerned with. Another key thing is the signal to noise ratio, or carrier to noise ratio.
This is the relation between the received signal and unwanted noise in it. For example, if you are receiving a 60dB of signal strength that has an interfering signal of 40dB on the same frequency, the real signal strength you are getting is only 20dB which is not very good.
All equipment measures the signal to noise ratio differently but I recommend paying attention to the MER (Modulation Error Ratio), if your equipment has it. This allows you to look into the signal and provides a more reliable measurement.
However, theoretically speaking, every extra dB of the actual and intended signal received through your TV aerial will be added to the carrier to noise ratio and create a more robust reception.
Height Gets The Aerial Away From Many Interference Sources
When you install your TV aerial at a high place, you maximize the distance between the potential sources of interference and the TV aerial, decreasing the chances of your receiver picking the interference signal. This increases the signal to noise ratio and you get a better TV reception.
In today’s wireless world there are many sources of signal interference which could cause trouble. Typically, they are categorized Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). All wireless equipment like routers, mobile phones, and computers can potentially interfere with your TV signal. Sources of impulse noise, such as timed circuits and car ignitions, etc. also cause interference.
Installing your TV aerial away from these sources minimizes the chances that they could ruin your signal reception. It doesn’t mean that if you mount your aerial at a high place it won’t get any interference because you could also pick interference signal from nearby TV/ telecom transmitters.
To help reduce interference induced into the television signal I recommend the following things.
- Use a double screened coaxial cable as this will help stop the interference penetrating onto the signal carrier itself.
- Use an aerial with a balun. This will help prevent any interference taken in by the coaxial cable screen from feeding back into the system.
- Install all cable connectors like F connectors and cable terminations within a metal housing – like the one used in screened wall-plates.
- Install the aerial high up as advised in this article
- Use an appropriate aerial filter to filter out unwanted signals that could be picked up by the aerial.
If you take all these steps you would never get any problems with your TV signal reception.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Cheer up your Home with a Splash of Color
Galaxy Themed Teen Bedroom Reveal
I’d love for you to join my email list! You’ll receive a notification straight to your inbox once a week on Monday which will include links to party posts and my home project posts! Simply enter your address below.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
Leave a Reply