Take a look at the antenna at the top of this article. It’s our Xtreme Signal HD8200XL, the biggest TV antenna made for consumer use. It’s also a bit time consuming to set up. I know, I did it for this video. It’s so big that some homeowners associations won’t even let you put it up. And, although I like its old-school bare metal look, a lot of people say it’s big and ugly.
I mean, it’s the 2020s and you can get an antenna that’s much smaller and packs a big, amplified punch. So why would anyone even consider getting a dinosaur like this one?
Turns out there are a few reasons to go old-school with an antenna like this one.
1. You are really really far away from the broadcast towers
An antenna like this one will pick up signals from 75 miles away. In some cases, it will pick up signals that are even further. If you put it on a tall tower with nothing between you and a major city, you’ll get astoundingly good reception from it.
Amplified antennas claim long range like that but in order for them to work, they have to receive a signal in the first place. A smaller antenna will pull in less signal and that means there will come a point where the signal is too weak to receive. If it can’t be received, it can’t be amplified.
2. You need broadcast channels 2-6
There aren’t many broadcast signals on VHF channels 2-6 anymore. Most of the time if you see “channel 4” on your TV it’s not really broadcasting on channel 4. That’s just a trick they use to help you feel loyal to the channel. Most broadcast signals today are on channels 14-35, which are easily received by smaller antennas.
However, there are a few broadcasters who cling to their old channel assignments. Maybe their technology would be too expensive to replace or maybe they’re just stubborn. If you live in the Philadelphia area, you’ve got a channel like that. Philly’s ABC6, WPVI, actually broadcasts on channel 6. That means a compact antenna won’t receive it well at all. If you’re more than about 15 miles from a city center you’ll need a big antenna to get those signals.
3. You’re dealing with weak signals or bounces
Antennas really can be more of an art than a science. In some cases it’s better to aim the signal 45 degrees away from a major city so you can get signals that bounce off a nearby hill. That doesn’t sound like it can be better, but it sometimes just works out that way. Big antennas tend to work in situations like that very well.
So what’s so special about this kind of antenna?
This type of antenna is so big and ugly, it has to have a big ugly name. It’s properly called a “hybrid log-periodic / yagi antenna.” That means the front part uses metal fins to direct as much signal to a single point as possible. That works well for UHF signals. The rest of it, the part you associate with the big ugly antenna, is what’s know as a log-periodic antenna. That means every horizontal bar is tuned to receive one and only one channel. The biggest one at the back picks up channel 2, while the littlest one in the front picks up channel 13. It’s all combined using some science and magic to travel down one cable.
By designing an antenna this way, the different parts can be really good at doing the specific things they do. That means they are as sensitive as possible and will pick up even the weakest signals. If you’re close to a major city that won’t mean much to you. But as you get out into the suburbs, there are going to be cases where smaller antennas just don’t cut it. You’ll get a lot more range out of an antenna like this.
Get the right antenna for you with a free recommendation
All the apps in the world aren’t any substitute for a real, trained antenna technician. That’s why Solid Signal has a room full of them. If you have any questions about which antenna to buy, don’t go it alone! Get an expert on the phone who can help you figure out the right choice for you. Call us at 888-233-7563 and you’ll get an antenna tech who will ask you some simple, common sense questions and suggest the best antenna for you.
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