OTA- Over The Air Antennas
UHF & VHF Signals- Free TV

OTA - Over The Air Antenna - UHF VHF Signals FREE TV STATIONS !


When shopping for an OTA antenna remember:
(1)  Most overstate the distance !!


(2)  The Perfect Antenna is  eBay item number:  131345911819   ( it’s already half way put together, 2 weeks delivery)


(3) Normally I would say “ You get what you pay for” but the above antenna is a little cheaper than most, but it is larger than normal.. so it picks up 10x better !!     The  “ Slim “ looking antennas will only pickup in & around your town.


(4)  The window sticker flat antennas are not worth that much.   Really, Nothing at all in Columbus.  However, in Starkville, if you put it in the window facing Houston MS, you can get our local channels pretty good.   When you see online that some people get 40 to 80 channels,  their in BIG CITIES !!


(5)  Your OTA antenna design is only 1/4 of  your reception.. the other 3/4 is the Transmitter Towers Strength.


Columbus, West Point, & Tupelo antenna towers are in Woodland MS. the Birmingham towers are in Bessemer AL. You can point your antenna to Bham and still get the Columbus, WP, & Tupelo. 


However, on rainy nights the “Other” direction will be sketchy. Your antenna pole needs to be high enough to receive signals  over close trees and hills.  Example.. My 20 foot pole gets signal from Woodland (45miles) & Bham (150miles) However, Meridian (90 miles)  Even from Macon, you need a taller pole to get Meridian.


The stations Transmitter strength will also affect how well or little you get their signal. ** Tupelo  WTVA uses VHF signal which is very touchy.  You have to be careful putting the antenna together because the VHF thin wires may get damaged.  All cable must NOT be coiled on top of itself, and DEFINITELY not touching any cord with electricity going through it, nor dish cable.   Try to ONLY use how much you need to avoid interference. stretch it out around the attic.


This cable will plug into an Old Style cable coax on your TV,  Or buy a coax flip switch if you have a dish cable plugged in.   If you have a free coax port it may be on a different TV Input selection. After your TV searches for channels, I suggest Re-Naming the stations to Easy Names.


If you have DISH NETWORK ( Very Easy) ..  Goto Dish.com and write down what type of "OTA Converter" you need.. then go to Ebay or Amazon and buy it.  The cable will come from the Antenna, into the Booster unit (each antenna),  Into the Combiner/splitter, Down the wall, into the Dish Network Converter Box, then on into the Dish Receiver - - So You have your OTA Channels in with your DISH Channels ! ! ! !   No need to change Inputs.


REMEMBER.. Each  Switch,  Combiner/splitter, cable Connector/joiner, extra TVs.. your signal DIVIDES !!   Example, if you only have -1- OTA antenna with the cable going into a splitter into 2 TV’s.. you’ve cut the signal in half.   If you didn’t have enough cable and you used a cable connector… you’ve lost some signal.  If you run cable over 100 feet your signal reduces..  SO.. reduce the cable & connections to minimize signal loss.


Note:  ONLY use Extra Extra Shield Low Loss RG6 Coaxial Digital cable/coax to avoid interference issues.


TVFool.com   (TV Map )  TV station Transmitter Location Map https://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=90


4-1  (35) CBS WCBI  Columbus 
4-2          My Tv 
4-3          CW
9-1  (8)  NBC  Tupelo
9-2       ABC WTVA —— ABC 33/40  Birmingham
17-1 (18)  CW  *Bessemer AL—+++ No Guide Info
17-2           ABC 33/40
17-3       Weather
33-1   (33) Heros & Icons-+++ No Guide
27-1   (16)   WLOV Fox   West Pt
27-2   (16)   MeTv Fox
27-3   (16)    This TV- WLOV2 — +++  No Guide Info ——— 
        27 WKOW Madison WI


To set up a Outside OTA antenna
1.  purchase a 150+mile antenna,  Note how long the attached cable is. ( little confusing to put together, but a teen/gadget person could do it in a snap )
2.  Measure the distance the cable will need to be ( out of the entertainment center, up the wall, through the attic, up the mast(pole).
3.  Order some HDTV Extra Extra SHIELDED Low Loss RG6 Coaxial Digital cable off Amazon or Ebay
4.  Buy 20 to 30 feet of Mast from Radio Shack ( 10 ft sections for like $25 each )
5.  If your friends with a Satellite guy.. get him to install on his time on a Sunday or I'll let the installer I used contact you.  ( I gave him $100 to do it all )
6.  Use a splitter / combiner up to 900 Mgz, NOT a Dish splitter with no current pass through, because you'll be using a booster.
7.  ONLY use the # of splitter tips you'll need with multiple antennas..  Your Signal strength is divided between EACH Splitter OUT and reduced with each coax connection used!!
8.  Keep multiple antennas 3 to 4 feet APART.  This will matter more for common signal bands.  MYSELF.. my antennas are only 1 foot apart, but the channels are far apart ( and different directions)
9.  Stretch your coax out & away from electrical current, dish or cable coax, & try not to let it coil up on or touch it's own coax.  THIS MATTERS MORE with VHF higher band signals ( like wtva).. even if it's own coax coils, the interference screws the signal up. I tacked nails on the attic 2x4 beams and stretched & hung all my coax up.