It is always said that you might not get all the channels from your antenna after you install it and run a channel scan. This should worry a few users who expect their antennas to pull hundreds of TV channels as the rest have something to smile at from the few acquired channels. Sadly, one of the channels that will be left out might be your favorite TV channel. It worries much because it might have been the sole reason you acquired your digital TV antenna.
Nonetheless, that is not the end of the road for you. This article on ‘Why can’t I get ABC on my Antenna’ tries to explain the few reasons your antenna may not be attracting the channel ABC, or any other major or local TV channel. This article also gives remedies/solutions to this phenomenon and additional information with some useful tips and tricks in the company. Take a read.
The reason behind your antenna not acquiring the ABC channel might be among the common reasons as to why antennas don’t or cease receiving broadcasting signals after some time.
1. No clear line of sight
One of these reasons might be that there is no clear connection between your antenna and the ABC broadcasting towers.
This might be due to obstructions that block the broadcasting signals from reaching your antenna. The obstructions may be in the form of buildings or even a mountain(s) that lie in the signals’ path. The remedy to this problem will be adjusting your antenna to ‘reach’ the broadcasting stations. This may be done by either raising the antenna higher or relocating it to a new location where it will have a line of sight to the ABC broadcasting towers.
2. Faulty coax connection
Another possible cause of trouble may be down to your coax connection. With time, coax cables to start to corrode, loosen, or experience wear and tear in various ways.
You have to check the coax cable connection for the possibility of signal loss through either of the above-mentioned reasons. Moreover, the signal loss may also be brought about by the excessive weakening of the broadcasting signal when it reaches your splitter.
It is always advisable to connect the coax directly to your TV or converter box. If you do a direct connection and run a subsequent channel scan and ABC resurfaces, then you have known the problem and worked out its solution successfully.
3. Loss of signal along the coax connection
A long coax could also be a problem. It is said that if your coax exceeds 100 feet, it can lead to the loss of around 1/3 of the signals from the antenna.
It is therefore advisable that if you experience a signal loss, you can shorten your coax to the shortest length possible and see if a solution is found. Nonetheless, in some instances, a long coax connection cannot be escaped. When faced with this situation, you can obtain a preamplifier.
4. Weak Antenna
You could be having a weak antenna. Some antennas are not as efficient as others and perform slightly below your expected standards.
Some antennas have small reception ranges that might not reach the nearest ABC broadcasting towers and as a result, leave out ABC in your channel list. The remedy to this will be getting you a new better-working antenna that will be worth the purchase.
5. Distance to the broadcasting towers
You could be far away from the ABC broadcasting towers to a point that the signals from the ABC towers do not reach your antenna. Most of the antennas have a reception range of 70 miles and so might yours. Therefore, if you are far away from the broadcasting towers, you may consider getting an antenna amplifier to help in signal acquisition.
If that does not work perfectly, you can try purchasing other longer-range antennas that run up to 150 miles of reception. Again, you have to be within the 150-mile radius to get the signal.
6. Channel may have moved to a different frequency
Another rare cause of trouble may be because the ABC channel may be broadcasting on a different frequency. Even though this phenomenon might not be common, it sometimes happens that TV stations have to relocate their towers or even broadcast on a different frequency.
You may not have much to do about that, certainly. You can run a channel scan to see if your antenna can relocate the new frequency.
On the other hand, the ABC transmitter may have been changed to a different location on the same broadcasting tower. You can change the elevation of your antenna to see if it reaches the transmitter.
7. Antenna type
Another problem may be lying on your antenna type. Your antenna may be designed to acquire only the signals on UHF bands. This will automatically leave VHF channels out because they cannot attract VHF signals. The vice versa is also true.
This phenomenon can be solved by obtaining an antenna that attracts both UHF and VHF signals. An antenna of that type will not leave any channel out despite its broadcast nature.
Above, those are the possible causes of trouble and their remedies. If you have a problem receiving a channel on your TV, you can try one or all of those remedies to see if the problem persists. If the TV station you wish to watch does not show up, consider getting help from a qualified technician. You can also opt to contact your antenna’s customer care for professional help.
In light of the above, it is every Cord-cutting’s dream to experience free HD programming from their favorite TV channels. That is the main reason most cord-cutters acquire digital TV Antennas.
It is not worth cutting the cord if you cannot watch your favorite channel for one reason or the other.
That is what this article on ‘Why can’t I get ABC on my Antenna?’ tries to address. I hope that it harbors useful information that will help you completely solve your broadcasting problems. Don’t forget to contact customer care helplines if the problem persists.
Related:
- Does a Smart TV need an antenna for local channels?
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