There was a reason…

One of the lasting images of the golden age of television in the 1950s and 1960s is of a sea of suburban homes topped with a ubiquitous rooftop TV antenna. Each antenna looked like a streamlined, metallic robot, its metal arms reaching out to grab the new broadcast signals from NBC, CBS, ABC and DuMont networks. Your Show of Shows and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. Uncle Miltie and I Love Lucy. The Texaco Star Theater and The Colgate Comedy Hour. The rooftop antenna, some even with fancy, moving rotors, delivered all your favorite TV shows in crystal clear black and white without any picture fade or fuzziness.

But while your TV set may have been big and beautiful, the tuners of the time were not very good. To compensate for this problem, broadcasters used VHF (very high frequency) channels to make up for the tuner deficiencies. In time, UHF (ultra high frequency) would come along, but the tuners of the day had an even more difficult time clearly displaying these short-wave signals. UHF stations were allowed to operate at high power so that the unique short waves and the tuners could work almost as well as longer VHF waves. If you want to look at some of the old time beauties. take a look at www.earlytelevision.org.

Not all antennas are the same.

Now, the great new potential of digital television (DTV) faces some of the same antenna issues of the past. In many ways, what is old has become new again. Viewers who get their signals over-the-air must face many of the same reception obstacles that their parents and grandparents faced back in the 50s and 60s. Between the high-powered transmission of UHF stations and the occasional inadequate signal strength from VHF stations, the problems of receiving VHF signals with an indoor, rabbit-ear style antenna becomes immediately apparent.

The rabbit ears that many people have on their TV sets may work fine for UHF signals, but don’t work nearly as well in getting VHF signals. This problem is largely attributable to the unique, longer wave length of VHF signals. Rabbit ears just do not get the job done with signals like those of KUSA on Channel 9.

The Winegard antenna company makes an indoor VHF antenna that uses new design coupled with signal amplification to improve VHF reception to an indoor antenna.

Even with this new design there are limitations. You may still have to physically move the antenna around the room. Depending upon your location, you may have to turn the amplifier on and or off to fine tune the performance of each channel. In the digital world, amplified indoor antennas are recommended. Despite this recommendation, however, it may be necessary from time to time to turn off the amplifier to improve reception on signals that simply overpower the amplifier.

VHF signals are also very sensitive to electronic noise. There may be things in your house that cause the VHF signal to decrease in efficiency. For example, if you are having problems receiving TV at night, it might be because of the use of compact florescent light bulbs, appliances, computer microprocessors or other video displays. You may find it necessary to turn a few off, re-orient the antenna or lastly, turn on (or off) the amplifier.

Reception Tips and Antenna recommendations

For optimum reception, you should position your antenna on the roof or in the attic.
An outdoor antenna is your best bet for getting both VHF and UHF signals. If you have an old antenna, on the roof or in the attic, you should always try that before purchasing a new one.
Make sure that the cable connecting the antenna to the TV is in good shape and that the antenna is in good repair. Also make sure the antenna is capable of receiving both UHF and VHF signals.
If the flat, u-shaped or horseshoe-shaped wire is still on the antenna, you would benefit by replacing this old wire with a coaxial cable.
Older, larger antennas are the best. Of note here is the Channel Master CM2016 with a Titan 2 amplifier. There has been some success with this antenna in suburban operations.
For viewers in rural areas you will need to get something that will “reach out.” One possibility is the AntennaCraft HBU44. It has a 116 inch boom and should do the trick. Make sure that you remember that you will have to supplement these VHF antennas with the appropriate UHF antennas so you can receive programming from VHF and UHF stations.
All of the antennas and items mentioned in this article are only suggestions and are meant only as a starting point. These antennas may not work in your location and with your system. You will need to do your own research and testing to make sure you get what will work for you and your particular system design and need.

Three other antennas of note: