If you’ve had a long day at work, you most likely want to come home, lie down on the couch, and watch some tv to help you relax for the night. This is why it is so frustrating when you turn on the tv and get ready to watch your favorite show and there’s no signal.
If this happens frequently, it can be especially annoying. Sadly, this is a common experience for many people who live in rural areas. Are you try to figure out how to improve tv reception in rural areas?
If you are, then you have come to the right place. So keep on reading and we will take you through everything that you will want to know!
Remove Obstacles
You want to make sure that you remove as many obstacles as possible. Make sure that the antenna has a clear shot in the direction of the television station transmitter.
Check and Replace Antenna Connections
You need to make sure that the tv connections and the antenna are secure. Look for fraying and brittleness.
If your antenna is outside then cables can also tear when they are exposed to harsh weather. Pets can chew on indoor antennas.
Make sure that the antenna connection terminals haven’t rusted and check to see that the cable is cut or broken anywhere. You might not be able to check the part of the cable that goes into the wall.
If the cable is from the analog tv times then it might be pretty weak. You should think about replacing it with a thicker cable. A thicker cable will help with digital signals because they support wider bandwidth and hold up better outside.
Run a Channel Scan
After you check on the placement of the antenna and the tv connections, you should go into the tv box setup menu and run a new channel scan.
New channels might have been added that were not available before. If you find a new station show up then you should be able to view it.
Use a Rotor
One way to improve tv signal in a rural area is with a rotor. This is especially true for outdoor antennas that get tv signals from multiple locations.
Move Your Antenna
Do you own an indoor antenna? If so then you should put it on or near a window. This will help you avoid interference that can come from walls and doors.
Also, put your antenna as high as you possibly can. If you have a really long cable then the signal might be relatively weak. A signal amplifier can help with his.
Use a Signal Amplifier
If you aren’t receiving any tv signals that well then you should put a signal amplifier between the television and the antenna. This is going to boost the signal.
This is also going to help if you have a DTV converter box or a tv tuner. Just connect the cable from the antenna to the amplifier’s input. You then connect the output to the input on the television antenna.
You will also need to plug in your signal booster. This is one of the best ways to boost TV reception.
Use a Distribution Amplifier for Several Televisions or Use a Different Antenna for Each Television
Do you have more than one television? If you do then you should use a different antenna for each tv.
When you split the signal between your devices you will weaken the power of the signal. This is especially true if the cable distance from the signal splitter and the television is far.
You can also use a distribution amplifier if you want a simpler way to improve your tv signal. You need to connect the main feed from your antenna with the amplifier’s input. Then just connect the amp’s outputs to the television sets.
Get an Attenuator
If you’re too close to the television transmitter then the signal might overload from the DTV converter box or the tuner. You should use an attenuator to lower the power of the signal.
It would be best to have an attenuator that has a continuous adjustment. This will give you the chance to set the amount of gain (attenuation) that is needed for different channels.
Get A New Antenna
If you’ve tried all of the above steps and you’re still not getting anywhere with your current antenna then it is likely time to go out and buy a new antenna.
Find out if local stations broadcast on UHF or VHF. Because it takes more energy to transmit at higher frequencies, the effective range of signals can be reduced depending on what the stations broadcast.
Switching to an outdoor antenna from an indoor antenna is another great way to get better tv reception in a rural area.
The Importance of Knowing How to Improve TV Reception in Rural Areas
Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now have a better idea of how to improve tv reception in rural areas. As we can see, there are many methods that you can use to improve your tv reception. And if nothing else works then you can always just buy a new antenna and solve it that way.
Are you looking for other helpful and interesting tech articles like this one? If you are then you should make sure to check out the rest of our site today for more!
