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Getting the Most from your Digital Installations

We have come a long way since the days of the bunny ears antenna seen on the top of the TV, so many years ago, but if we want to access, over-the-air signal, we do still need one. Thankfully, technological advances have increased dramatically, so that the picture clarity we can get on our TV today, is absolutely stunning. An antenna, essentially works the same way as its predecessor, though far more efficiently. The antenna is sensitive to the vibration of radio waves at certain frequencies, which cause electrons in the antenna to rapidly move back and forth, generating signals, which cause changes in voltage. While the antenna covers the reception of frequencies in specific ranges, it is the TV that will then fine tune the required frequency, to pick up a specific channel.

Choosing the Right Antenna and Position

This is one area where size is important. The larger the antenna, the more energy it is able to collect, meaning it can find even weak signals. The shape of the antenna is also important, especially for specific frequency bands like HF, VHF and UHF. The shape will also determine which direction the antenna will look to collect signals from. This works exactly the same for your tuner as well as for the Television. When mounting your antenna, it is important to know the signals polarity, or the axis in which the wave is vibrating, which is why we see some antennae mounted vertically, with others horizontal.

Antenna Types

There are three main types of antenna. Firstly, we have the Log Periodic Dipole Array, or LPDA, formed of several dipoles arranged in echelon for a very wideband antenna and are especially good for VHF TV signals. Reflector Antenna work by reflecting signals, similar to a mirror, from large conducting planes. The three main variants within reflectors are flat, square shaped screen reflectors, curved parabolic reflectors and the paraboloid reflector, which we more commonly know, as the satellite dish. The Yagi is an increasingly popular narrowband antenna, which has several elements arranged in echelon, connected by a long boom, with a reflector at its base. Bandwidth can be increased by sizing the reflector to pick up the lowest frequency, while sizing the antennas directors for the highest. It is the most common UHF antenna, as it can be mounted on the front of a VHF antenna without decaying any of the VHF signal.

Getting it set up and the Picture Perfect

If you need TV antenna service from Macarthur to Manly, the smartest idea is to contact your local Digital Antenna Installation professionals, who can evaluate where your home is located, and which set up is going to work best for you, install it and then fine tune it, for the perfect picture.

Roof installation is a popular and reliable option, but aside from potentially navigating the roof, a professional’s expertise and experience in placement, really means it is him who should be doing it, not you. He can best advise you on the type and placement location for your antenna to get the best signal because it isn’t worth saving a few dollars, to then live with a fuzzy picture on your HDTV.

Author
Fred Pedro
Fred Pedro is a creator, writer, and publisher with a deep knowledge of every heritage.

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