Help with my tv antenna.

Question

So I have been trying to get FOX to come in on my TV and it isn't working. I am getting most of the other basic channels, but the only one I want to see is not coming in.

Any suggestions to help the channel come in?

Answer 1

Sounds like all you need is a signal amplifier (goes by other names to).  It is a very small box and cost about $20.  You simply run the coaxial from the antenna into the box and run another coaxial from the box to the back of the tv.

That should fix your problem.

Answer 2

Not sure where you are and where your local FOX affiliate is broadcasting from, or whether you're talking about receiving a High Def channel or local analog channel. But here are a few pointers that should help.

Antennas are directional and like to get high (hey, I'm talking about height of placement here!).  An antenna does best with a direct, unobstructed line of sight to the broadcast tower.  So if you own your home, put your antenna on your roof or in an attic pointing at the broadcast towers for best results.  If you're in an apartment, it isn't always possible to get roof access or even to point your antenna in the correct direction (due to steel and concrete structural walls that may be in the way).  

If you are limited in antenna placement, you should still start with a decent quality directional antenna (unpowered), placed as high as you can manage and point it at the tower and see how your reception is.  If it is not strong enough, then you can try a powered amplifier, but make sure you buy it from a store with a good return policy as these sometimes have no beneficial effect (particularly on the UHF frequencies used for digital TV broadcasts).  If the signal is too noisy, the booster amplifies the noise too and you'll end up with pixelated garbage.  

I'll include links to a couple of reviews of products that might help.  A good affordable VHF/UHF antenna (which works also for HDTV and digital signals) and a separate signal booster which may help.  

Also, to find out exactly which type of antenna is best for your purposes, and in what direction to point it, go to AntennaWeb.org (link below), enter your address and view the results.  This will tell you how close the nearest broadcasters are, which direction to point your antenna, and what type of antenna you need for best results.

Hope that helps.