Anyone who uses a TV antenna will be aware of one major issue that many of them have: their range.
If the range is limited, it can seriously affect how TV channels are viewed. Not only will it significantly weaken the signal, but it will also affect how clear the picture is.
The good news is that there are some simple steps you can take to improve this situation with your TV antenna. In this article, we will show you how to make a TV antenna amplifier that will help fix your signal issues.
This guide will show you how to improve the range of indoor antennas or outdoor TV antennas. You only need a few basic materials, and, best of all, it’s not necessary to have any technical knowledge or DIY skills.
You will quickly see how easy it is to build your signal amplifier to improve the signal your antenna receives and sends out.
How Do I Know if I Need a TV Antenna Amplifier?
Before we show you how to make a TV antenna amplifier, let’s look at some reasons why you may need one. While you may think you need such a device, the issue with your TV reception could actually be caused by something other than weak signals.
For example, if you have a directional antenna, you must check it first to ensure it is correctly adjusted. Bad weather or strong winds could have caused it to move, which could be why it isn’t receiving a strong signal reception anymore. In such situations, you may find that simply readjusting the position will work and improve the antenna reception.
If you have an outdoor TV antenna, you will need to conduct a physical inspection. This is the only way to determine if your antenna is damaged or if something is blocking it and preventing it from receiving a clearer signal.
If you’ve done all the troubleshooting possible and the signal strength is still weak, you may want to consider making an amplified antenna.
But before we get into the nitty-gritty of making your own type of amplifier for a TV antenna, let’s cover the basics of how these devices work.
What Is a TV Antenna Booster?
The antenna signal booster in your TV helps increase the strength of the signal being received – meaning that the TV coverage you get is much more comprehensive. Not only does it help to strengthen the TV reception, but it also helps to boost the signal. As a result, you will notice that the images and sounds from your TV are much clearer.
A TV antenna amplifier gives you access to clear TV shows, whether you are watching on a high definition or analog TV. With such devices, you can access a wide range of signals within a 100-mile radius of your home.
Now that you know what a TV antenna booster is and how it works, it will be easier for you to understand how to make your own amplifier.
How Does a TV Antenna Amplifier Work?
To put it into the most basic of terms, the number of programs you can access on your TV depends on the strength of the broadcast signal where you live.
The quality of this signal also depends on how far from the local network towers your antenna installation is. There are other factors that can result in weak signals to your antenna, including the following:
- The weather
- The location of your home
- The kind of terrain that surrounds your home
A TV antenna amplifier, also called a signal booster, will help improve the quality of your TV’s signal reception. Amplifiers work by amplifying the signal. However, if you live in a location with many trees, high buildings, or hills, you may find that these interfere with the signal received. Knowing how to make a TV antenna amplifier when living in such locations could prove helpful.
But before you get started, read the guide below to ensure that you know exactly what needs to be done.
How to Make a TV Antenna Amplifier
You’ve noticed that the TV reception isn’t as good as it should be, even if you installed a good wireless TV antenna outside, because the signal reception it is receiving is weak.
You can strengthen the signal by fitting a booster to your TV antenna installation. But you don’t need to purchase costly signal boosters because you can make your own amplifier to boost the incoming signal quickly.
Before we take you through the steps to make an amplifier, you need to get all of the materials together.
What You Need to Make a Television Antenna Amplifier
To make an amplifier to boost TV channel signals, the only materials you need are some thick pieces of cardboard and aluminium foil.
Also, you may want to get some plastic to cover these materials if you use the amplifier on an external antenna because the materials aren’t waterproof.
The additional tools you need are:
- A pen or marker
- A pair of scissors or a sharp utility knife
As for making an amplifier, you don’t need any specific knowledge or skills, but you must be careful to follow the steps below.
Here’s How to Make a TV Antenna Booster Amplifier
Step 1
Take a thick piece of cardboard and draw a large circle onto it. Then make semi-circular projections on both sides of the cardboard. You need to make sure that you place these above and below the midpoint of the circle you drew previously.
Also, these shouldn’t be any larger than the circle you’ve drawn.
Step 2
Take another piece of cardboard slightly longer than the diameter of the circular piece you drew and cut it into a rectangular shape.
The width of this rectangular piece of cardboard should be slightly less than that of the circular piece. However, it must extend past the projections of both the semi-circles at the end of the circle.
When making this reflector, you need to consider the size of the wireless TV antenna to which it will be attached.
Step 3
Now you need to wrap the cardboard (on all sides) in aluminium foil.
As you can see, the whole process of making your own foil-covered TV antenna amplifier is very simple.
Why Not Buy a TV Antenna Amplifier?
If you have been struggling with getting a good TV signal and don’t feel you have the necessary skills to make your TV antenna amplifier, you could buy one.
There are plenty of places where you can purchase such devices, and many of them are standalone models. But you need to be careful because if you choose one that is too powerful, it can lead to issues with your TV later on.
If you intend to buy rather than make your TV antenna amplifier, choose one with adjustable gain control settings. This means that you can adjust your TV reception more efficiently and boost the low-quality signal you are receiving.
Let’s Wrap Things Up
As you can see from the steps above, learning how to make a TV antenna amplifier isn’t a difficult process.
Knowing how to make an amplifier can prove very useful, and once you’ve made yours, you will quickly notice that the signal reception your TV receives is a lot better.
Not only will making your own antenna amplifier give you more range, but the images you see on your TV will be much higher quality.
Of course, don’t forget the other major benefit of doing this yourself: the cost of making your own antenna is far less than if you were to buy one. You’ll be surprised by how well a homemade television antenna booster works compared to the ones you can buy.
Before you decide to make your own antenna, make sure that you have all the necessary tools and materials on hand. As long as you have all the materials, and you follow the steps listed above, you’ll be amazed by how quickly you can make your own antenna amplifier.
If you tried making your own TV antenna amplifier, let us know what you thought of this guide and tell us how helpful it was by leaving a comment below.
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