Many TV antenna manufacturers brag about their antennas’ ability to pick up signals from 100 miles away or more.
But when it comes to getting the best reception from any antenna – indoor or outdoor – focusing on “range” is a misnomer. A more reliable metric is antenna gain. It tells you how well a TV antenna can capture signals on the UHF and VHF bands.
Distance definitely plays a role in antenna performance.
But paying attention to an antenna’s gain and design are far more important in determining how many channels you can get. Of course, you need to pick the right antenna, and mount it in the best spot for optimal reception. However, understanding more about gain will help you get the most channels possible.
What is Antenna Gain?
Gain measures how effectively an antenna can receive signals from a specific direction.
It is usually expressed in decibels isotropic (dBi). A higher-gain antenna improves reception by focusing on distant signals and reducing interference from other directions.
A low-gain antenna won’t help much if you live in a rural area far away from broadcast towers.
If you have a TV antenna with both UHF and VHF elements, you will have separate gain values for each band. Here are some general ranges to give you a more concrete idea about antenna gain:
Low Gain (1-5 dBi): Suitable for urban areas close to broadcast towers where signals are already strong. Any kind of rabbit-ears or desktop-style antenna will likely have a low gain.
Moderate Gain (6-10 dBi): Effective for suburban areas or locations with some obstacles, where signals are reasonably strong but may benefit from some boost. Some indoor antennas, including popular leaf-style antennas, could have moderate gain.
High Gain (11-15 dBi or higher): Ideal for rural areas, locations far from broadcast towers, or places with significant obstacles. High-gain antennas excel at pulling in weaker signals over long distances. Outdoor antennas, especially directional and multi-directional models, are designed as high gain antennas.
Antenna Gain Vs Amplifier Gain
Amplifier gain shouldn’t be conflated with the gain of the antenna itself.
Let’s say you have a UHF antenna with a gain of 6 dBi. You’re trying to get a local NBC station from 25 miles away. You can’t get a picture on your TV, so you decide to add an amplifier in hopes of boosting the signal.
Does the amplifier “boost” the inherent gain of 6 dBi to a higher number? No. The amplifier adds gain to the signal it processes. It does not change the inherent gain of the antenna.
So, if your amplifier is labeled as having 15 decibels (dB), it adds that gain to your signal coming in from the antenna. The addition of an amplifier boosts the signal strength received by the TV tuner.
An amplifier can improve reception, but not always.
Amplifiers can also add noise to the signal. A good amplifier will improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). If the signal is already strong, adding an amplifier can cause distortion. You need to strike the correct SNR for improved picture quality.
Why “Range” Doesn’t Solve the Distance Problem
It’s easy for consumers to get confused about TV antennas. They can go to a number of online retailers and see inexpensive indoor or outdoor TV antennas for as little as $15 or $35 that claim incredible performance.
But buying a 100-mile range TV antenna won’t get you that far.
Local TV markets in the U.S. are divided up so that TV stations can serve their respective areas without overlap or interference from nearby markets.
TV signals are designed to largely stay within its Designated Market Area (DMAs) to prevent interference from neighboring markets. DMAs are structured to ensure that residents in each area have reliable access to local TV stations.
So in other words, an antenna with a so-called range of 100 miles or 300 miles has no control over how broadcasters transmit TV signals.
An indoor TV antenna with a “300 mile range” that’s set up in Boston can’t magically pluck TV signals from New York City. That’s absurd.
However, it’s also true that the same person in Boston using an outdoor antenna with moderate to high gain could get TV signals from the Boston TV market and neighboring Bedford-Providence, Rhode Island market.
It’s also important to know that over-the-air signals from your local TV stations do not travel along the curve of the Earth and keep going. TV signals travel in a straight line and get exponentially weaker as it travels.
As these signals encounter trees, mountains and other obstacles, you can get a weaker signal. What can help you overcome these obstacles?
Antenna gain can help. Antenna range is misleading.
What TV antenna should I buy?
There are plenty of well-established companies based in the U.S.
Find U.S. companies that have been in the business for decades. AntennasDirect, its sibling company Mohu, Winegard, Antop and Channel Master are among the reputable antenna makers in the United States.
Companies that advertise a phone number with customer support is also a good sign. A company offering a phone number and customer support can mostly back up what’s written on its packaging. You can also read about the best TV antennas that I have tested.
