How to set up a TV antenna: types, signal maps and channel scans

An over-the-air (OTA) antenna picks up free local broadcasts from nearby towers. The setup is simple, but location decides how well it works.

Step 1: Learn what is available at your address

AntennaWeb, run with the Consumer Technology Association, lists the stations you can expect at your location, how many sub-channels each carries, and the distance and direction to each tower. It assumes an outdoor antenna mounted well above the ground, so indoor results will differ. AntennaWeb makes no recommendations about indoor antennas. Engadget notes that the FCC also publishes reception maps based on an outdoor antenna at least 30 feet up, and that the FCC itself says indoor reception can vary significantly. This guide could not read the FCC site directly, so check its map yourself for tower locations.

Step 2: Choose an antenna type

AntennaWeb describes a color-coded labeling standard for outdoor antennas:

• Non-directional (yellow, green, light green): small, medium and large antennas that receive from all directions. Each step up adds range. They can pick up noise from weak, distant signals.
• Directional (red, blue, violet): focused antennas that reach farther in the direction they point but may miss close stations from other directions. Blue and violet include a preamplifier.

For indoor use, Engadget suggests a window or the highest spot you can manage. Indoor models are usually omnidirectional, but if yours is directional, point it toward the tower. Thick walls and big appliances can weaken the signal. Amplified antennas help only with signal loss, not with a transmitter that is too far away.

Ignore mileage claims. Engadget says no antenna offers 150 miles, let alone thousands, and that a clear line of sight to the transmitter matters most. It quotes one maker's rule of thumb of about 15 miles for indoor models. Buy from a seller that accepts returns so you can try it. The Channel Master Flatenna is an example in our catalog.

Step 3: Place the antenna

1. Put it as high as you reasonably can, near a window facing the towers.
2. Keep the coax cable short with few joins and no breaks.
3. For outdoor installs, mount as high as possible and aim toward the tower. If you reuse a satellite mast, Engadget says satellite splitters or diplexers may need to come out.
4. Connect the cable to the TV's antenna input. Smart TVs with a built-in tuner can decode OTA TV, but they still need the antenna to supply the signal.

Step 4: Scan for channels

TV makers use different menu names for the scan. Samsung Australia's guide gives a good template, though the Australian guide mentions an aerial type choice that may not appear on US models:

1. Set the source to Live TV. Samsung says the Broadcasting menu is only available there.
2. Go to Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy > Broadcasting > Auto Tuning.
3. Select Start, choose the antenna type if asked, and select Scan.
4. Wait for the scan to finish. Channels save automatically.

Samsung adds that a TV set to Retail or Demo mode will not save channels, and that you should switch to Home Mode in the usage settings. On other brands, look for terms like channel setup, tuner, auto tuning or channel scan, and use your manual.

To pick up one missing station, Samsung's manual scan lets you enter a specific channel. If a scan reports weak or no signal, check that the cable is firmly connected and the antenna is positioned well.

Step 5: Rescan now and then

Run the scan again after moving the antenna and whenever channels go missing. Station lineups change over time, so an occasional rescan keeps the list current.