# Improving Aerial TV reception in my apartment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improving-aerial-tv-reception-in-my-apartment/686718 "2014-04-22T21:13:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improving-aerial-tv-reception-in-my-apartment/686718/21 "2014-04-23T22:46:52Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > In the markets I get (Detroit, Lansing MI, and Toledo OH), all the stations moved out of the low VHF band (channels 2 - 6). I think most stations did that, although there are a few still there. One of the stations in Tucson, KGUN, broadcast in analog on channel 9. They began digital transmissions on channel 35 in 2005, but when they ended their analog transmissions in 2009, they moved their digital signal back to channel 9. I know it’s high VHF, but still, they reversed the VHF-to-UHF trend. Also, KVOA broadcasts on the physical channel 23, but also runs a translator on VHF channel 4 for viewers to the northwest of town. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improving-aerial-tv-reception-in-my-apartment/686718/22 "2014-04-24T13:14:13Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > This is why apartments should have their own Antenna and RF distribution. I don’t know if this is an urban myth or not, but I read that years ago cable companies paid apartment complexes to remove their building-wide antenna systems, in order to increase the number of cable subscribers. In any event, I’ve lived in two older complexes, including the current one, where the building used to have a shared antenna – the connectors are still in the living room – but the building antennas are no longer there. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improving-aerial-tv-reception-in-my-apartment/686718/23 "2014-05-05T21:56:06Z")
I bought a new television set, and now the passive antenna gets 12 channels! I can’t understand it, but am pleasantly surprised. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improving-aerial-tv-reception-in-my-apartment/686718/24 "2014-05-05T22:08:54Z")
every tuner (brand and model) can be different from others. one tv can be drastically better than another for broadcast reception. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improving-aerial-tv-reception-in-my-apartment/686718/25 "2014-05-06T00:53:12Z")
I use a simple dipole antenna and pick up everything in my area. It doesn’t seem to matter what wall I put it on or which room. All the TV transmitters in my area come from the same basic location. For reasons I can’t explain putting a loop in the antenna near the TV helps. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improving-aerial-tv-reception-in-my-apartment/686718/26 "2014-05-06T01:42:09Z")
UHF antennas shaped as a loop or a bow-tie (open or closed) can be very effective. a straight dipole can also work. placing other (correctly sized and spaced) elements (rod or loop) near an antenna can enhance the quality of the antenna. this is a multi-element antenna, an antenna like this could have maybe 5 to 11 elements but could be 2 or 3 if that’s all that was needed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improving-aerial-tv-reception-in-my-apartment/686718.md?page=1)