THROWBACK THURSDAY: The launch of Xtreme Signal

Every story has a beginning. We launched our Xtreme Signal line of antennas in 2014 with just two models, the HD1080X and HD8200XL. Since then, we’ve added the exclusive, award-winning HDB2X, HDB4X, HDB8X, and HDB91X to round out the line and give you top performance no matter how far from the towers you are. (The HD1080X and other models we’ve launched have not quite lived up to standards so we discontinued them.)

Back then…

No one believed that a web site like ours could launch an antenna line. The antenna market was dominated by longtime players with loyal followings. But we were patient. We sat back and learned from the masters. We added Xtreme Signal to our product mix, but we kept antennas from Winegard, Antennas Direct, and more into the mix. Still, there were those who thought it wouldn’t work.

The break we needed

In 2015, the world watched as Radio Shack went into bankruptcy. Radio Shack was the first foray into home electronics for most of us, but in the decades since its heyday in the 1980s, the company had fallen further and further behind. Unfriendly customer service practices and poorly maintained stores meant the company couldn’t compete with new online competition like Solid Signal.

Radio Shack’s house brand of antennas, AntennaCraft, stopped manufacturing at that same time. While AntennaCraft’s antennas weren’t really dominant in the market, their disappearance left just enough of a hole that a new manufacturer could come in. That manufacturer… was us. Our custom-designed antennas, based on proven reference designs, proved to be an instant hit. Unlike Radio Shack, though, we didn’t rely on local stores. We sold on SolidSignal.com immediately, and added eBay and Amazon soon after.

How enthusiasts found out about us

Today, there’s a selection of Xtreme Signal antennas for everyone, but back in 2014 no one knew about this new brand. So we reached out to partners throughout the country to test the new products. We found antenna hobbyist forums and we started reviewing our products on YouTube, which was a fairly new practice at the time. The verdicts were always the same — looks great, performs great. Among all the other reviews were the ones we really treasured, that said the antenna was a great value.

Today Xtreme Signal is one of the top performing brands of antennas in the US, and it’s all because of millions of satisfied customers. But… it all started back in ’14 with just two antenna models.

Get yours now

Shop now for the amazing Xtreme Signal antennas! If you’re not sure that Xtreme Signal is right for you, why not get a no-cost recommendation from a real antenna expert? Solid Signal carries all the major brands of antennas, and if Xtreme Signal isn’t right for you, we’ll tell you. We’ll suggest the antenna that works perfectly for you. This amazing service is free and it starts with a phone call. Call us at 888-233-7563 and we’ll get you started on the road. We don’t use overseas call centers. Instead all our technicians are in our Novi, MI corporate offices. That’s why we’re only available during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get right back to you!

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.