Which End Is The Front Of A TV Antenna?

Have trouble pointing your antenna? This article shows you the front side of every type of antenna and how you should point it. Take a read about Which end is the front of a TV Antenna? and evade wrongly pointing your antenna.

Since the beginning of digital migration from analog to digital broadcasting, most TV users have been looking for ways to cut the cord and escape the tiresome monthly TV bills. As a result, most of these users result in purchasing TV antennas to serve that purpose. Surprisingly, connecting and aiming for an antenna is still an upward task for many. Some users either don’t know how to aim or where to aim the antenna.

In most antennas, the front side is the one that mostly points to the signal source. However, if you are not aware of which the front side is you might end up pointing in the wrong direction and getting weak or no signal at all. In this article, I am going to show you the front sides of several indoor and outdoor TV antennas. Moreover, since knowing the front side is half the battle I will also illustrate how to install and point the antennas.

Let’s begin by looking at the traditional yagi-style antennas.

These have been the hardest antennas to point owing to their traditional make. In the case where you own one traditional antenna like the Winegard HD7694P, you should locate the narrowest part of the antenna as the front.

That is the point that will be facing the city, or rather the broadcasting towers. Another tip is to look at the longest elements which are most likely to be at the back. Moreover, another way to help determine whether you are pointing in the correct direction is by checking the posts that originate from the ‘boom’. Their tops and bottoms should be pointing towards the front.

The Hybrid/modern outdoor antennas.

On the hybrid/modern outdoor antennas like the Televes DATBOSS Mix, the same key property is used to determine the front side of the antenna on the traditional Yagi antennas. The smaller elements are towards the front and both the top and bottom parts of the reflectors point in the same direction.

Bowtie Antennas

On the Bowtie Antennas like the Winegard Elite 7550A, determining the front side can be a tedious task. This antenna is made in two parts; the receiver side and the reflector side. The receiver end is ‘X’ or bowtie or circle shaped while the reflector side had bars that act as signal reflectors. To aim this antenna perfectly, you have to make sure that the horizontal bars are at the back. Even when the antenna still receives a good signal when not aimed properly, the perfect spot is to aim the antenna with the receiving end at 90 degrees with the broadcasting tower.

The panel antennas

Another type of antenna we will be looking at is the panel antenna. An example is the Antop AT-403. Even though the antenna box will tip you on the front side of the antenna, you will still need to know it even before a clue is given. The backsides of these types of antennas are the ones that have mounting points and cable connection spaces. Normally, the other side is the smooth front side, which should be the one to face the signal source.

The Omni Antennas

The other type of antenna is the Omni Antennas. Most Antop UFO antennas lie in this category and since they are omnidirectional, you will not need to bother yourself pointing the antenna. As long as you have mounted your UFO antenna facing up, you are good to go.

Even when most indoor antennas are omnidirectional, they still need to be pointed toward the broadcasting towers for the perfect signal. In this regard, you will have to install them either on a window or in a perfect spot in your house. The mounting section is usually the one on the backside and, as usual, the other side becomes the front-facing side.

Even with all that information, you can also do trial and error to locate the front side of your antenna. Once you locate the signal towers, you can alternatively place both sides of the antenna facing the broadcasting towers and from the signal quality on your TV, you will be able to label the front and back sides of your antenna. Another way to save yourself the headache of pointing a unidirectional antenna, you can opt for a multidirectional antenna that doesn’t need pointing. You can get these antennas from RCA, Antop, Winegard, and Antennas Direct stores all over the world.

Conclusion

As you walk around your nearest town, you will not miss the sight of wrongly aimed TV antennas. Not everyone with an antenna knows how to locate the front side of the antenna, or even where the broadcasting towers aim towards are. On the other hand, using the information above that shows which end of a TV antenna is the front, you will be in a position to aim your antenna correctly for the perfect signal.

FAQS for Which end is the front of a TV Antenna

1. Why is my signal weak and I am pointing at the towers?

Various reasons could lead to weak or no signal on your TV. One, the TV station might have migrated and started broadcasting from a different location. If this is the reason, you need to re-aim your antenna towards the new point. Another reason may be arising from your antenna. Your antenna may be weak and experiencing problems while attracting the signals. To solve that, you need to install a separate antenna amplifier or even obtain an amplified TV antenna. Your antenna may also be experiencing tear and wear, calling for repair or replacement.

2. How do I know where the nearest, TV broadcasting towers are?

One of the most common ways of locating nearby TV stations is by using the internet. You can Google the nearest TV towers and by entering your Zip code, you will surely get the closest broadcasting towers to aim your antennas towards.