Identifying TV Aerial Problems

How to check it's your aerial

Before you attempt to repair or replace your aerial, it’s first important to check that it is your aerial and not other equipment that is causing the problem:

• Contact your neighbours and ask if they’re having problems
• Check any other TVs in your house that are connected to different aerials

If other TVs are affected, the problem is likely to be with your local transmitter, which may be giving off a weak signal. Bad weather such as strong winds and rain can also cause reception interference.

If you are experiencing signal problems with a communal aerial, such as within a block of flats, the aerial may be faulty. Check with your neighbours and other residents to see if they are having the same problem.

There are a number of other factors that could affect your aerial reception:

• Check your TV to ensure all the leads at the back – to the mains, the aerial, the digital box, the video or DVD player or recorder are properly connected
• High air pressure may cause picture break-up or even complete loss of reception. This is temporary and your reception should return to normal once the weather has passed
• Outside interference such as an illegal broadcaster can affect your signal. Check this if you can

If both your neighbours’ aerials and other TVs in your household are fine, it is likely that part of your equipment is faulty. To rule out problems with your Freeview box do the following:

• First restart both your Freeview box and your TV
• If nothing changes try retuning your Freeview box
• Check that all leads and plugs are connected properly and securely to your TV and Freeview box

If you’re missing channels or receiving channels from the wrong region, restarting and then retuning your Freeview box should solve the problem. If this is not successful, contact your Freeview Box manufacturer as the device may have developed a fault.

If none of the above solutions fix your signal problem, your aerial may be broken or out of alignment. If you can see your aerial, look at whether it is pointing in the same direction as others nearby. If it isn’t, it is likely to need to be adjusted. You should also have the aerial and its connections checked for faults by a professional.

Do I need a new TV aerial?

Whilst you can often repair a digital aerial, you may need to replace your TV aerial if:

• It is not digital compatible
• It has been weathered or damaged by exposure to the elements

This is often advised, as you may otherwise be attempting to repair your aerial on a frequent basis. If you’re not sure if your aerial can be repaired or you wish to replace it, get in touch and our team of experts will be happy to advise and assist you in the installation of a new aerial.