TV Reception Help
Tips for getting the best over-the-air reception from WKAR-TV.
Good reception over the air can present some challenges. If you are in the
WKAR-TV coverage area and experiencing reception troubles, here are some possible causes and suggested solutions.
On this page:
For additional help with TV Reception, send email to
digitalguy@wkar.org
Poor Reception
The two main causes of poor reception are a
weak signal or a
multipath signal. The symptoms for either are picture and sound that cut in and out or simply do not appear. Each problem has a different set of solutions.
Weak Signal
You may experience a weak signal from WKAR if:
- you are near the outer fringe of our
FCC-estimated coverage area
- you are down in a valley
- large buildings, trees, hills, etc., are between your antenna and WKAR
- you are located very close to our WKAR tower
- you are in an area that is receiving interference from other signal transmissions
Suggestions
- Reposition your antenna. The higher you can place your outdoor antenna, the better your reception will be. The FCC-estimate of coverage areas assumes an outdoor antenna at a height of 30 feet. If you are using an indoor antenna, try placing it near a window.
- Invest in a new antenna. New antennas designed specifically for digital television are often much smaller than the rooftop antennas of the past. Compact antennas allows more flexibility in placement and can be easier to install.
- Try an amplified antenna. An amplified antenna can boost a weak signal up to acceptable levels. But, if your trouble is actually multi-path interference (see below), an amplified antenna may create problems instead of solving them.
Multi-Path Interference
Large objects can reflect a television signal. Any reflected signal reaches your antenna a little bit later than the signal that travels direct from our tower, and the late, reflected signal creates interference with the first. The result is a weak (or non-existent) signal.
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Multi-Path
A signal traveling along Path B arrives later than the signal traveling along Path A, creating a ghost image for analog TV, and interference for Digital TV.
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Large buildings in your area can create multi-path interference for an indoor or outdoor antenna. In the home, large metallic objects like refrigerator doors and silver coated mirrors can create multi-path interference for indoor antennas.
Reflected signals can be quite strong close to a broadcast tower, and so multi-path interference is common for those who live close to a broadcast tower.
Suggestions
- Use a directional antenna. A directional antenna will receive signals only from one direction, ignoring reflected signals.
- Reposition your indoor antenna. Raise the antenna above appliances and mirrors that might be reflecting the TV signal.
- Do not use an amplified antenna. An amplifier can boost reflected signals along with direct signals, and so can be a cause of multi-path interference. If you are using an antenna with a signal amplifier, try disconnecting the power to the amplifier unit.
- Reduce the signal strength. Reducing the strength of the signal may be the fix for you if your problem is caused by a strong signal from a nearby tower. An attenuator pad connected between your antenna and TV may reduce the signal to a level where the reflected signals no longer create interference. Antennuator pads are available at most electronics stores for a few dollars.
Antenna Selection
If any of the reception difficulties above suggest a new antenna or a new location for your antenna, additional help can be found at
AntennaWeb.org.
AntennaWeb.org presents a map, customized for your location, of TV station directions and distances, and recommended types of antenna, based on the address that you provide.
AntennaWeb.org is a Web site of the National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Electronics Association.
Visit:
www.antennaweb.org
Transmitter Locations
Use this map of TV station transmitter locations to help determine:
- if you need a directional or multi-directional antenna
- best direction to point a directional antenna to capture the most available stations
Scanning for Channels
The first time you set up your digital TV or converter, follow your TV instruction manual to scan for available channels. You should also re-scan for channels any time you reposition your antenna.
Manually Entering a Channel
When a channel in your viewing range is not found during a scan for channels, you may wish to manually enter the digital frequency for the missing channel. For
WKAR Channel 23, enter frequency
40 (for instructions on entering channel frequencies manually, check your TV or converter box manual).
Double Re-Scan
If your TV already has channels programmed in, and will not seem to find additional channels that should be available, try a "double re-scan" to clear your tuner's memory of saved channels and start fresh.
- Disconnect the antenna from the box or digital TV.
- Rescan the box or digital TV without the antenna connected. As with any scan follow the on-screen instructions or owner’s manual for your device.
- Unplug the box or digital TV from the electrical outlet for at least one minute.
- Reconnect the antenna to the box or digital TV and plug the unit into the electrical outlet.
- Rescan the box or digital TV one more time.
To learn which channels you might expect to receive at your location, and their digital frequencies, visit
antennaweb.org
published: August 24, 2011
