For fair weather sports fans, playoff season is the time of year when we all start pretending to care about our local team and attempt to tune in our TV sets to channels we might not usually care about. With digital TV, it's a bit more difficult to find a signal, but a few tricks will make the process easier.
If you only have a set of rabbit ears trying to pick up a signal can be hard. This is especially the case with digital where you get either a solid picture or no picture at all. If you're struggling, here are some pointers for finding the best signal with rabbit ears.
Find the Location of Your Nearest Broadcast Center
We've previously mentioned AntennaWeb is a great source to angle your outdoor antenna, but it's also a valuable resource for setting up your indoor antenna.
Start by typing in your address. If the channel you're trying to get is within about 20-30 miles, you should be able to get reception over any rabbit ears you have around. You can also see the location of the broadcast's origin here.
Each channel is also color-coded. If it's yellow or red, you won't have a problem tuning into it. Television signals are broadcast in one of two ways: VHF and UHF. Rabbit ears are used to pick up the stronger VHF signal. UHF is lower power and the antennas will usually look more like a little bowtie or circle. Generally, if you purchased your antenna within the last few years the antenna can pick up both.
Click the "View Street Level Map" button and make a note of the broadcast origin you're trying to tune into. This is where you're going to try and point your rabbit ears.
Angle and Set You Rabbit Ears
If you're just trying to tune into one show or game for the week keep in mind this can be a temporary setup. For instance, the best way to get a clear signal is to move it away from the TV and near a window. You should also move it as far away from your Wi-Fi router as possible because the signals can interfere with each other. This isn't the most aesthetic solution in most cases, but it's good to keep in mind if you're only watching a single broadcast.
Start by angling the antennas in a "V" shape. Next, angle one of the antennas at the broadcast tower you found above (if you're on the ground level assume it's a few stories high). HD signals take a few seconds to find, so give it five seconds before you start tweaking everything. If you don't get a signal, start moving the antenna that isn't angled at the broadcast tower down toward the floor. TV antennas receive the signal when they're perpendicular to the transmission's origin. This means you want the rabbit ears to resemble one long pole. Keep moving the antenna down toward the floor one inch at a time until you get a signal.
In some ways, getting reception is the equivalent to a sniper shooting a bullet straight into another sniper's gun barrel. If the above method doesn't work, angle both antennas at signal's origin. This gives you a wide barrel to catch the signal with.
These are the two easiest ways to make rabbit ears work. Indoor antennas will never be as good as outdoor ones, but if you're stuck with them, these tips can help ensure you don't miss the big game. If all else fails, you can always build your own with coat hangers or aluminum foil. We've outlined the ways you can ditch cable and move to online alternatives, but for fair weather sports fans looking to watch a few games during the playoffs, the rabbit ears are still the best solution. Photo by Andy Price.
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