Check the signal where you are
Get the channels, antenna type and aim direction for your exact spot instead of the city center. Your browser will ask for your location. It's used only on this page to do the math, and this site never sends it anywhere or saves it.
Step 1: Find which way your towers are
Open your city page. Every station is listed with its distance and compass direction from the city center, and the page names the main direction to aim. You can also tap "Use my location" above to get directions from where you are standing.
The FCC's reception maps do the same for any address. Its guide explains that the results are "color coded by signal strength," and that clicking a call sign places that station's transmitter on the map, which helps you "determine whether a directional or omni-directional antenna is appropriate, and whether an antenna rotor might be needed" (FCC Reception Maps Guide).
Step 2: Point the antenna and scan
Face the antenna toward the main direction and run a channel scan. Antennas Direct's transmitter locator tells you to use the heading it gives with a compass to point the antenna (Antennas Direct).
Mount it as high as you safely can. Winegard's manual says "the higher the antenna is mounted, the better signal" (Winegard FreeVision manual). If you are going on the roof, read our outdoor installation safety guide first.
Step 3: Adjust in small steps and rescan
Small moves make a big difference. Winegard says "moving the antenna three feet in one direction is often enough to change the reception," and suggests turning it "10 or 20 degrees in either direction to avoid reflection." After every move, scan again: Antennas Direct says "any time you reposition the antenna you must rescan your channels" (Antennas Direct).
A signal meter makes this faster. Winegard's advice for its meter is to "move the antenna slowly and observe the signal strength readings" (Winegard).
When your towers are in different directions
Look at the compass directions on your city page:
- Close together: Winegard's manual says that when stations are less than 30 degrees apart, aim between them. Antennas Direct suggests a single-direction antenna when your towers are within 20 degrees of each other.
- Spread out: Antennas Direct suggests a multi-directional antenna when the towers are more than 20 degrees apart, and bases its advice on the tower located farthest away. Our antenna types guide lists which cities need which type.
- Far and spread out: the FCC guide mentions an antenna rotor for this case, so you can turn a directional antenna toward each tower.
Using a phone compass: magnetic north vs true north
Our directions are true bearings, measured from true north. A compass points to magnetic north. NOAA defines magnetic declination as "the angle between magnetic north and true north," and says you get the true bearing "by adding the magnetic declination to the magnetic bearing" (NOAA). In the cities we cover, NOAA's model puts it between about 6 degrees west (Atlanta) and 15 degrees east (Seattle). The compass button above corrects for it using the declination for your market.
Phone compasses can be thrown off by metal and electronics nearby. Use the direction as a starting point, then turn slowly and rescan.