this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2025
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An amplified antenna can help. I use a 20$ one I got from the evil corp a few years back. It is fine for outdoor use. I run it out my window and onto a pole to get around / over obstructions.
Not in Toronto, but near a US market, I get anywhere between 45 and 60 channels depending on weather and such.
In Kitchener/Waterloo I would get maybe 5 or 6.
One of the fixed outdoor heavy duty HDTV antennas would always be best, but they are expensive and are not friendly in limited spaces.
One thing I have found with the small antennas is that the cord placement is as important as where you place the antenna in getting the max signals.
The packaging should also mention the range the antenna is capable of. Look for one with 100km or more.
If you're feeling really frisky, you can make your own HDTV antenna with some wood, wire, mesh/screen, and screws (and a few trivial electrical components if you want to get super frisky fancy)
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-HDTV-Antenna
Does the "HD" antenna work with the new fangled digital OTA signals? I don't understand what that change was but I infer more than copper wire is needed to make the aerial.
The change in OTA was going from analog (NTSC) to digital (ATSC) signals. They operate on a different frequency range and offer higher bandwidth.
So, rabbit ears still work on for digital OTA TV on a TV with a digital receiver (any TV made since 2010 basically).
There are more specialized designs for different use cases.
In a pinch, I have used a hobby pin. An actual bobby pin. And it could pick up digital signals.
An antenna is an antenna. Everything is just radiowaves until it is received. The processing is done on the TV. But, the shape, size and material do affect how much is received or reflected or missed.
It's all ratios as far as frequency reception. The materials affect the electrical conductivity and signal strength. So, you can't make a wooden antenna, but any conducting metal would work. Some better than others. But copper is still the best aside from gold.
This is a good not really beginner article
https://www.howradioswork.com/antenna-theory-for-beginners/
OK I think maybe it's like how you can transmit digital information over a copper phone wire? But you need the modem then a computer to watch your realplayer video. ?
That's pretty much it.
The thicker the wire the higher/the more strands, the more bandwidth/electrical signal/information can be passed through it.
The coax gets the electrical signals (radio waves) from the antenna to the receiver.