These days we have technology where we can stream all our tv shows via Netflix, Hulu and more. But did you know there’s still a way to get your favorite shows via outdoor TV antennas?
They’ve come a long way since the early days and now there’s super quality TV antennas on the market that will give you all your favorite shows and movies for free, it’s all about choosing the right one, especially an outdoor one. Today we will review some of the best outdoor TV Antennas, why it’s worth getting one and more.
Top Picks
Best for: High Gains, being reliable – PBD Outdoor Digital Amplified Yagi HDTV Antenna
This PBD Outdoor Antenna packs a lot of power with high gains and is extremely easy to put together.
Best for: Easy setup since its compact – GE Pro Outdoor TV Antenna
This antenna may be small but it’s mighty easy to set up either indoors or outdoors.
Best for: Being outdoors since its weather-resistant – RCA Outdoor Yagi Satellite HD Antenna
This antenna is 100% meant for outdoors because it is extremely weather resistant so you don’t have to worry about your TV being cut off if there’s a storm.
How to Choose an Outdoor Antenna
There are some considerations that you need to factor in before rushing to buy an outdoor antenna and they are:
Knowing what channels you can access
Before you drop money on an outdoor antenna, it’s clear that you’ll need to do research with an online tool to see what channels are available in your area. Then you can base your decision from there.
If you live in a major city you’ll obviously get way more channels than someone who lives in the bush. It’s also dependent on how the antenna is installed outside and the distance from the antenna to the broadcast station.
Power
We’re not talking about true power, we are talking about antenna’s gain. So if you see something like “power” advertised, the manufacturers truly mean gain and it has an impact on the reception that you’ll get with the antenna.
Installation
You can choose between the attic or rooftop model if you invest in an outdoor antenna. Although the rooftops are usually the safest location for the antenna to mount, the attic fits well. Make sure that the antenna signals reach the substance of the roof. However, it’s important to set up the antenna externally if you have an aluminum roof.
Frequency
This is another important fact that you need to consider when choosing these outdoor antennas. You’ll have to check if the antenna you are buying has both VHF and UHF capability so that you can get the most channels. You’ll want to get that, instead of a single frequency one because you’ll get more channels which is always good.
Interference
In plain English, if there’s anything in the way of the antenna, there will be interference. So, where you place the antenna is important so that you don’t get reception or crackling sounds.
Height
The antenna height influences its entire spectrum directly. The antenna height will minimize interference in the vicinity and increase the overall reception efficiency. Try mounting your antenna on the mast for stronger signals when your favourite canals are distant.
Related: Get a Cool and Useful Outdoor Subwoofer for Your Patio
Buildings, hills, trees, and signal deflection will weaken, so the antenna should be positioned in a higher space for enhanced reception. Although signalling can travel through walls and other materials, weaker signals can interrupt the signal. Place the antenna on your rooftop and ensure the optimum level is achieved.
Types of direction
The direction that you have the antenna matters because it will determine how strong of a signal you will get. It’s always best to get a multi directional one because it doesn’t need to be fixed in one direction to get the strongest signals. If one direction doesn’t work, the other one will, which is why you should definitely consider a multi directional antenna.
Tips for Using Outdoor TV Antennas
Go way high
The higher you install your outdoor antenna, the better reception that you will get from the antenna due to less interference.
Make sure nothing is in the way
You’re best off building an antenna in a spot with few physical obstacles. Trees, hills and large buildings can influence output and hinder television signals. Place the antenna at a height in your house to prevent these issues. You may also tie it to a long post, which reduces the number of obstacles.
Investing in a rotator is a good idea
We recommend you invest in an antenna rotator when you can’t reach your favourite station. This useful gadget helps users to monitor the location of the antenna. You will use it to change the orientation of the antenna. Antenna rotators are pretty cheap and won’t cost you more than a couple of bucks so it’s worth it.
Make sure your antenna is secured
It is important to mount the TV antenna securely, so that strong winds literally do not blow it away. The rotor can be vulnerable to wear or tear by adverse weather conditions. Although heavy rain will roost the metal, high winds will crack down and break down the antenna.
It is vital that you safely install the antenna to prevent any problems. You can achieve this by using a wire or a seal for additional protection, which stabilizes and anchors the antenna, avoiding issues during bad weather conditions.
Get a professional install the antenna
Whether you are afraid of heights or you’re just clumsy, sometimes it is just best to hire a professional to install the outdoor antenna! It’s not really worth injuring yourself (or even your life) just so you can have free TV.
When you follow all those tips for your outdoor antenna, you will have free TV for years to come to enjoy.
Types of Outdoor TV Antennas
Directional Antennas
A directional antenna enables the signal to converge on a certain location and to intensively concentrate the signal on the same location. Directional antennas are also great for point-to-point connections. Two antennas are used in a point-to-point situation. An antenna is used to broadcast a hotspot when a second antenna is being used to link to the hotspot that broadcasts the first antenna. The antennas are pointed straight at each other such that the relation is almost ideal, giving the potential for higher bandwidth. Finally, because the pulse is more like a cone form and just moves in the direction it is pointing out, less people have access to it and make the signal more morbid.
Related: Enjoy Al Fresco Movie Nights With An Outdoor Home Projector
Omnidirectional Antennas
The Omni-Directional antenna emits a spherical signal. The omnidirectional antenna is also a perfect alternative for many cases. It works well for moving vehicles such as motorhomes, mobile homes, boats and semi-cabs… that seek WiFi from beaches, clubhouses, hotels, camps, restaurants, etc… Omni-directional antennas work well when you get a signal that you are unaware when the signal comes from all angles It is also useful to broadcast a hotspot from a central place like a park, a fairground, the backyard etc.
Other uses for Outdoor TV Antennas
Outdoor Patio TV
You can easily install your patio TV with the cable that comes with your antenna and you’ll probably receive the strongest signal due to it both being outside. So if you’re looking to watch the football game outside, you may be in luck with the outdoor antenna.
Outdoor TV Mount
You can mount your antenna on the outdoor tv mount that usually comes with the antenna. They’re usually very flexible and you can adjust it however you want.
Outdoor Home Projectors
Watching movies outdoors at home or even in a small public place has been really popular these years. People set up the projectors with certain cables and those cables are usually connected to the antennas so that it can display HD movies and shows, depending on what the user wants to do with it.
The Best 8 Outdoor TV Antennas
Channel Master EXTREMEtenna Long Range
This TV antenna by Channel Master is one that you’ll want. You get at least 100 channels and have a range of 80 miles. *Note it depends if you’re in the city or in a rural channel of how many actual channels that you get.*
You also get 75 Ohm and it’s very easy to install. You can literally install it yourself in case you are one of those people that is embarrassed to ask for help. You can install it just outside the window (upstairs of course). This antenna is multi directional (180-degree span) so it means you can have it in any direction and it will pick up the signal, giving you HDTV quality. The manufacturer also makes other styles and coverage antennas that you can choose from if you don’t like this particular one.
Pros:
- Multi-Directional
- Compact
- Easy to install
Cons:
- It does not give you as many channels as advertised
PBD Outdoor Digital Amplified Yagi HDTV Antenna
Here’s an antenna by Pingbingding (PBD) that is packed with cool features. It doesn’t claim it can guarantee certain channels, but it does claim that you can literally watch in HD and even 4K, which is pretty awesome for an antenna. It has a 120 miles range and 75 Ohm. It’s also weather resistant so if there’s a storm, you should still have your shows/movies on and not worry about the actual antenna itself and losing whatever you were watching.
It’s very easy to set up as there’s a manual so you can do it yourself or you can hire a professional if you need it in a difficult space. You should set it up on an antenna pole (sold separately) so you can control which direction it will be. This is, by the way, a directional antenna, so it’s 100% meant to be outside. Before buying, always check to see what broadcast stations are nearby so you can determine how many channels you’ll get.
Pros:
- HD/4K quality
- Has both UHF/VHF Signals
- Good value for money
- 120 miles coverage
- Weather resistant
Cons:
- Involves setting up potentially in dangerous areas
- It apparently cuts out a lot
Antennas Direct Clearstream 4V TV Antenna
Here is a stylish antenna by Antennas Direct that you could have for your home. Like the last antenna we just reviewed, this one also has HDTV/4K quality so all your shows will be crystal clear. This model can cover up to 70 miles, and the manufacturer has other mile coverage should you need them and depending where you are. This is a multidirectional antenna which means it can cover a whole lot of area. It’s also lightweight at 6 lbs and it’s fairly easy to set up. We should note that it has high gain, so that means less cutting out while watching a show or movie.
Pros:
- High Gain
- Stylish
- Multi directional
- 4K quality
Cons:
- Connection is unreliable
PBD Outdoor Digital HD TV Antenna
Here is another PBD antenna and this one has an even wider range of 150 miles. Like the others it has HDTV/4K quality so you can expect a crystal clear quality when trying to watch something. This model also comes with a remote control so that you can literally control the antenna’s direction should it keep cutting out. It’s weather resistant as well so you don’t have to worry about damage to the antenna or getting cut off by lighting as it’s lighting resistant.
This model also claims that it has super high gain, so there should be no cutting out or issues viewing anything as it’s pretty “powerful”. It is easy to set up and all you have to do is snap it on.
Pros:
- Super high gain
- Remote control
- 150-mile range
- HD/4K quality
- Weather-resistant
Cons:
- It apparently does not scan 150 miles as advertised
- Many complaints that the rotor doesn’t work
GE Pro Outdoor TV Antenna
Here is an antenna by GE that is super easy to set up. You can set it up in your attic or on the side of your house if you don’t want to climb. It also features crystal clear HD and even better, HD SOUND for that clear audio that we all enjoy without the crackling. This antenna has a range of 70 miles and GE even offers a replacement should you have issues with it.
Pros:
- Easy to set up
- HD sound
- Free replacement if there’s issues
Cons:
- Setup instructions are confusing
RCA Outdoor Yagi Satellite HD Antenna
This antenna has a 70+ miles range so if you live in an urban area, you may get quite a few channels. With this antenna you can get HD quality such as 4K and even up to 8K. Also, this antenna is super weather resistant so you don’t have to worry about any damages. This antenna is easy to install as it’s preassembled, so all you have to do is follow instructions, set it up and you’ll have a way of watching TV.
Pros:
- HD quality with 4K and even up to 8K
- Weather resistant
- 70 miles range
Cons:
- It doesn’t pick up as many channels that you hope for
Five Star Outdoor Digital Amplified HDTV Antenna
This outdoor antenna by Five Star can reach 200 miles searching for a broadcast so if you’re looking for one with the one of the longest ranges, this is for you. The manufacturer also has two other options that you can choose from (antenna only and a standard kit). This version includes an installation kit for up to 5 TVS. That’s right 5 TVS in your house could be watching TV for free. Because it comes with a kit, it’s supposed to be a straightforward installation. Like the other antennas we discussed here, it can handle HDTV/4K capability so you can have the best picture displaying on the screens.
We should mention that this antenna has 6 UHF reflectors so you could get more channels than you expected to. This is also an all-directional antenna that can cover more areas.
Pros:
- 200 mile range
- Weather resistant
- Can handle up to 5 TVS
- 6 UHF reflector
- All directional
Cons:
- It doesn’t pick up a lot of stations, even if you’re in the urban area
TV Antenna Amplified HD Digital Antenna
Finally, we have a TV antenna that has a 280-mile range by Forlov. You can use this indoors as well if you don’t feel like trying to install it outside, but outdoors is better if you want uninterrupted reception. It has a cable that can go up to 36 feet so it should be long enough to hook the cable from TV to the antenna. This model has a built-in amplifier and like the other antennas we’ve rounded up today, this model also can stream HDTV with 4K capabilities. It has a 3-minute installation time so it’s easy to set up. The manufacturer also offers a warranty on this antenna should you have any issues with it.
Pros:
- 280 mile range
- Can be used indoors too
- 3 minute set up
- Warranty
Cons:
- It doesn’t pick up a lot of channels
- It has reception issues
FAQ
What is the most powerful outdoor TV antenna?
The most powerful outdoor TV antenna in our opinion is the PBD Outdoor Digital HDTV Antenna.
What is the longest range outdoor TV antenna?
The Forlorv Store TV antenna has the longest range with 280 miles, which means you can find lots of broadcast stations in that range and possibly have up to 100 channels or more for free!
What is the best antenna for TV without cable?
There are so many good antennas out there that are worthy of being the best one for TV but as far as the best one without cable would be the antenna from the Five Star Store. You can connect multiple TVs, it has a range of 200 miles and you can get a lot of channels depending on where you are, making no need for cable.
Do outdoor antennas really work?
Yes, they do! They often work better than indoors because there’s usually no obstacles in their way to have weak signals and they cover more area due to that!
Bottom Line
Having an outdoor antenna can save you hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars per year. Whichever one you choose, make sure that it’s one that works for your home as where you live matters and how easy to install matters as well. If you have enjoyed reading this guide today, please leave a comment below!
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