Antennas, Antennas Everywhere!

Can you have too many antennas on your house? This is a legit question from the company that encourages people to cut the cord, get DIRECTV, and a cell phone signal booster. All three of these things requires an antenna. (Yes, a satellite dish is a type of antenna.) Believe it or not, we don’t think we’re asking too much of someone to have all three on their roofs. That’s the short answer, or the “TL;DR” for all you internet junkies. The antennas themselves aren’t the issue because they aren’t that big and they’re pretty easy to install. What’s more important are the questions you need to answer before you even think about getting a ladder.

Are Multiple Antennas Unsightly?

Look, there’s nothing wrong with having a cell phone booster, TV antenna, and/or satellite dish at your home. Each of these things does something different. But if you do go for two or more of these devices, you’re going to have multiple antennas. That’s just the way it is. Is this going to be a problem? If you’re part of a homeowners association (HOA), it could be. That’s why we suggest you learn the rules about what you can or can’t put on your roof.

If you’re landlord or HOA says you can’t mount an antenna above your house, you need to know your rights. A specific federal law trumps HOA guidelines… within reason. It’s called the OTARD rule, which is a nickname for edition 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 1.4000. It was created by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). According to this rule, you can put an antenna or dish on your roof as long as you follow these rules:

  • It must be smaller than 39.37″ (one meter) in any direction. (This covers all satellite dishes and most small to medium-sized antennas.)
  • You still need permission if you want to put it in an area that can be seen by the public.
  • You also need permission before you start drilling holes in your property.

Want a hint about working within HOA guidelines? It’s always best to touch base with your homeowners association before you mount an antenna. It’s never a good idea for them to just see you up on the roof or have a neighbor snitch on you while you’re up there. Go to “yard bosses” ahead of time, tell them what you want to do, and make them aware of the OTARD rule. If you need help, you can always give us a call or post your questions to the Support from Solid Signal Facebook group. It’s a great way to get the installation answers you need!

Is Everyone on Board?

And by “everyone,” we mean the rest of your household. Your spouse or significant other might not like the way an antenna (or more than one antenna) looks on top of your house. If you disregard their opinion – or mount antenna(s) without asking them – then Solid Signal cannot be held responsible if you end up in the doghouse. Be sure to check with your loved one or roommates before you go all in with a TV antenna, satellite dish, and/or cell phone booster antenna. (Hint: if you explain the benefits of these devices, you’ll probably have a better chance of selling them on the idea.)

“How Do I Mount Multiple Antennas?”

This is a good question, and we don’t have a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all answer for you. You have about as many mounting options as you have types of antennas and homes. The up-side to this is that you have options. There’s traditional antenna-mounting of course; there’s also wall, under-eave, or non-penetrating roof mounts to consider. If you’re getting two or three antennas, you might even want to put them on one pole. (It will work as long as you strap the mast down well enough.)

If you think you’ll have trouble mounting two (or three) antennas, Solid Signal will help you. No, we won’t be able to get up on the roof to lend a hand, but what we can do is the next best thing. We tell you how to mount cell booster antennas right here on this blog. We also have a variety of TV antenna and satellite dish tutorials. And don’t forget the Support from Solid Signal group on Facebook. My colleague, the learned Stuart Sweet, has the answers you need. If you’re really in a bind, you can give us a call at 888-233-7563.

Get the Tech You Need from Solid Signal

It’s perfectly normal to have a TV antenna, DIRECTV dish, and cell phone booster antenna on your house. One delivers free local TV while the other another provides national programming. (Yes, you can use them in conjunction with one another.) The last one helps reduce dropped calls and texts at your home. You don’t have to be the expert at all this stuff because we are. Our talented tech team can answer your questions and give you the best product recommendations. If you need our expert help, just fill out the form below. Someone from our team will get back to you in one business day or less.

About the Author

Jake Buckler
Jake Buckler is a cord-cutter, consumer electronics geek, and Celtic folk music fan. Those qualities, and his writing experience, helped him land a copywriting gig at Signal Group, LLC. He also contributes to The Solid Signal Blog.