# TV Reception

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-reception/232011>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 2, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-reception/232011 "2004-03-02T01:11:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Buran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Buran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buran)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-reception/232011/1 "2004-03-02T01:11:18Z")

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Just wondering if anyone has anyone has any methods for improving reception on a TV?

I have a small TV that only has a wire aerial to pick up a signal, while it gives a decent picture on some channels others are almost unwatchable.

My heroic attempts to improve the situation with a wire coathanger didn’t make much difference…any ideas?

Thanks 😃

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**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-reception/232011/2 "2004-03-02T01:21:30Z")

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I had a pair of rabbit ears that I thought would be the best I could get without an external antenna, but for $4 at a garage sail I bought a amplified ‘rabbit ear’ antenna (it plugs in to 120v outlet) and it has greatly improved reception.

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**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-reception/232011/3 "2004-03-02T01:27:08Z")

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Funny, I just got back from Radio Shack this afternoon with some 300 ohm twin-lead antenna cable in an attempt to do [this](http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/misc/dipole.html). No idea if it will work, but I’ll try to come back here with results.

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**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-reception/232011/4 "2004-03-02T04:07:12Z")

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> [@drewbert](#):
>
> I’ll try to come back here with results.

Not bad, actually. Still a bit of ‘ghosting’ on some channels, but better than some of the el cheapo rabbit ears I’ve tried lately.