![]() It’s so high in fact, that perhaps you shouldn’t bother with using a preamp for your antenna. In this case it’s a very high, positive number, virtually guaranteeing you reception of all channels on KXAN-TV. You’d then arrive at grand total: 77.2 (starting NM) + 12 (antenna gain) – 10 (forest) – 2.5 ( coaxial cable to TV), and F-connectors (-1): 75.7 dB. Normally you use the noise margin as the starting signal power at the antenna, then add gains and subtract losses to arrive at a final value that’s hopefully positive.įor example, in estimating reception for KXAN-TV (noise margin of 77.2), you would add to this noise figure your antenna gain (say, 12 dB for the ClearStream 4V), then subtract interference from the forest outside your house (around -10 dB), from your 50-foot cable run (around -2.5 dB), and from physical connections between your cable and devices (around -1 dB). Note that stations in the gray band have negative values. Positive values mean your antenna should be able to pick it up - if the value is zero or negative, you’ll probably get no reception. The noise margin column shows the station’s estimated signal strength for your location, and it’s in decibels (dB). You can find complete lists of virtual channels for the corresponding stations on Wikipedia. See my article about choosing the right antenna for more information.Īs far as your TV’s concerned, the only channel you’ll see displayed is the virtual channel (in a format like 7.1).Īlthough TVFool’s station list shows only one virtual channel per station, keep in mind that each station might be broadcasting several virtual channels.įor instance, the first station in the list, KXAN-TV, uses virtual channel 36-1.īut it’s also broadcasting Cozi TV (36-2) and Ion Television (36-3) simultaneously. ChannelsĮach station is listed by callsign, real channel, and virtual channel.Īs far as your antenna’s concerned, the only relevant channel is the real (broadcast) channel, which also denotes the broadcast frequency (i.e., UHF, or high or low VHF). Here, I might just settle for an indoor antenna in my living room, maybe placing it next to a window that’s in the stations’ general direction (see the compass headings in the “Azimuth” column). In this example, we’re fortunate in that many stations are listed in the green band. When looking at this report, a few things come to mind: Stations in the Green Of the features offered, the signal report is all you need for estimating your TV signal reception and setting up your antenna.īelow is an example signal report for Austin, Texas. You derive all this from the TVFool signal report, which you generate using your address or zip code. It shows you in which direction to aim an antenna, once you’ve set it up.It indicates (indirectly) the right type of TV antenna to buy.It shows you which channels you’re likely to pick up.There are three main reasons you should use the site: Given the breadth of useful information it offers, it’s a good starting point for your antenna journey, especially when compared with other services. None of this is to say TVFool’s information is somehow unreliable. TVFool is run by volunteers and you can post station discrepancies you find in the forum, which will eventually get incorporated in their database. The FCC Channel Repack - which took place between September 2018 to July 2020 - hasn’t helped matters, which is why it’s important to cross-reference the signal report’s list of stations with several other sources (which I detail below). While in most places it does provide accurate coverage, some users have noted (in the forum) discrepancies in the list of channels they receive. The main issue with the site is its database of TV stations and channels, which may not be 100% accurate in all areas of the country. Let’s take a look at TVFools’ negatives before turning to its main advantages. ![]() There are some compelling reasons to make it your first stop in all things reception, though. You can literally spend hours there, losing yourself in antenna theory or reading about others’ reception troubleshooting narratives.įor beginners it’s definitely time well spent in getting acquainted with a world that many last saw in high school physics. TVFool’s sections and forum threads provide an education in OTA television that’s second to none. Where are TV Signals Coming From? (Hint: the Radar Plot).Making Accurate Predictions of Reception.
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