Outdoor TV antennas rule compared to indoor antennas, especially when you are trying to get over-the-air TV signals from distant broadcast towers.
Choosing an outdoor antenna and mounting it in an attic is a great middle-ground option, especially if you live in a zip code with moderate to strong over-the-air (OTA) signals.
What should you expect from a TV antenna? Most TV markets are set up so the majority of households can get free access to the “big four” in broadcasters. ABC, CBS, FOX and CBS should be accessible along with growing sub-channels like ion TV and The CW.
There are a number of things to look over and consider before going for an attic antenna setup or keeping things at ground level with an indoor antenna.
Under The Roof: Pros and Cons
If your roof is simply wood, insulation and wood shingles, then reception of an attic antenna could be very similar to mounting it outdoors. However, if your roof has metal ducts or anything else that contains metal, it could impact your reception.
On the other hand, keeping your antenna under the roof means you are essentially weather-proofing your hardware, which is great. You can possibly get the benefits of having a roof setup without having to ground it.
Signal Reception
Attic antennas are much higher elevation-wise than where a typical indoor antenna is mounted. Indoor antennas can be placed in a window. However, indoor antennas mounted to a wall or placed on an entertainment center have to deal with potential obstructions such as dense walls, furniture and other electrical appliances.
Your reception with an attic antenna might not be on par with an outdoor antenna if you live far away from broadcast towers, and your signals are weak. But if local TV signals in your area are moderate to strong, then trying an antenna in an attic might give you very similar results to mounting it outside.
More Gain, More Channels
If you are mounting an outdoor antenna in your attic, you get the benefits of having a larger antenna compared to a more compact indoor antenna. That means larger UHF and VHF elements, and likely a higher inherent gain (dBi) that can help with getting better reception.
A high gain antenna (11dBi or greater) can really help with receiving signals from distant towers.
When it comes to getting the best reception, gain matters. A manufacturer’s advertised range? Not so much. In fact, be wary of any antenna claiming to have ranges in the triple or quadruple digits.
Indoor antennas generally have low to moderate gain, which doesn’t help much when you are trying to get signals that are 30+ miles away. But it could be all that you need based on the proximity of local TV transmitters.
Making the Right Call
Before you start shopping around for an antenna, you should get acquainted with different antenna styles.
With a variety of online tools from the FCC, RabbitEars and others, you can determine how far broadcast towers are from your address. These tools estimate signal strength based on your exact location, and break down which stations are broadcasting on the UHF and VHF band.
