Customer Ratings & Reviews

Hello Jackie - Have you performed an Auto Program, or also often referred to as a Channel Scan, using your TV’s menu system as noted in the Owner's Manual as-well-as the Quick Start Guide of the antenna? This is the most important and most often overlooked step after physically connecting the antenna to the TV.  Your TV will not recognize any channels unless this step is performed. Unfortunately, each TV manufacturer has a different process on how to get to the channel scan function. The channel scan is typically found within your TV menu settings, so please refer to your TV owners manual for those specific steps on how to perform a channel scan as it is a function of your TV and not the antenna. The FCC has constructed a chart that provides step-by-step instructions for several television brands HERE. The channel scan on some TV’s will take some time so please be patient. One the channel scan is complete, you should be able to view channels on your TV.  After performing the channel scan, make sure your TV input is set to "Air/Antenna" or something similar and not "Cable" within your TV menu settings. If you can place the antenna near (or in) a window facing the broadcast tower general direction, the better your chances are of receiving a signal. Also, make sure you completely uncoil the antennas cable before running the channel scan. If you have cable that is coiled up, uncoil it before rerunning a channel scan. The signal strength from the broadcast tower at your particular location, inside your home, is the single most important factor on whether or not an antenna can receive a signal. No antenna will receive a signal that isn’t there or pixelation/dropouts will typically occur if the signal is weak or intermittent. Also, keep in mind that you will have to perform a new channel scan each and every time the antenna is physically moved or adjusted. If you did not rescan for channels after relocating the antenna, any new and expected changes in channels/reception would not be accurate and would likely be much worse.

Keep in mind that there are also several other factors that can negatively affect your ability to receive the broadcast signal at your specific location. Each antenna installation location is 100% unique and typically presents its own set of challenges. Objects such as tree foliage, building construction type and materials, metal roofing materials and the physical terrain (mountains & hills) of the land all play significant roles and may severely block the incoming signals at your specific location. If using an indoor antenna, aluminum or steel siding, metal lathe used under older plaster walls, and metal mesh under exterior stucco all can also impact the incoming broadcast signals. When looking at signal strength ratings online, keep in mind that those signal strength ratings are taken at a height of about 30 feet with zero obstructions. As no two antenna installations are 100% identical, reception seemingly always varies from neighbor to neighbor and even from room-to-room even within the same house.  Also Mileage ratings placed on antenna packaging are merely provided as a general guide to antenna performance and those ratings can vary substantially based on all of the above mentioned items that affect incoming broadcast signals.

If you still do not see any channels after performing a channel scan and you have also made sure your TV is on the correct “input” it is likely you will have to check to see if your TV is compatible with today’s digital broadcast signals. Listed within your TV’s specifications (somewhere inside your TV owners manual), there will be a type of “tuner” listed. Your TV must have “ATSC” listed as the type of tuner. Most TV's built after 2007 have this type of tuner.  An easy way to find out is by entering your TV’s model number and performing a Quick Google Search for your TV model number. Again, the type of tuner listed should be an “ATSC”  and NOT an “NTSC”. If your TV does not have an ATSC tuner built in, you will need to purchase a digital converter box.

Hello Zackyzac, we appreciate your feedback. Signal strength can fluctuate based on terrain, distance from broadcast towers, and interference from walls, buildings, and other structures. If channels are disappearing after rescanning, it's possible that signals are fluctuating due to environmental conditions. We recommend positioning the antenna in a stable location near a window, away from electronics, and ensuring it is directed toward the strongest available signals. Additionally, always perform a fresh Channel Scan after any changes to the antenna’s placement. The Quick Start Guide and Owner’s Manual included in the package mention that this step must be performed, but they do not outline the process, as each TV manufacturer has a different method for performing a Channel Scan. Please refer to your TV’s Owner’s Manual for those instructions. You can also verify available channels and their signal strength using the FCC’s tool at https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps. For further troubleshooting, please visit https://www.rcaantennas.net/ask-engineer/.