How To Aim OTA Antenna?

[Mikey11]

where do i aim an OTA antenna? i have no experience with these....the location is about one hour north of Toronto, Canada....do i aim towards the south (Toronto)?

 

[boba]

You aim at the broadcasters, if they are in Toronto then yes you aim for Toronto.

 

[rogerduncan100]

What type of antenna is it? The 8-bay type are aimed flat (perpendicular) to the incoming radio waves but the older fishbone kind are aimed with the axis parallel to the incoming waves. Worse, often these kinds are aimed exactly backwards! So tell us what the antenna looks like.

 

[Mikey11]

What type of antenna is it? The 8-bay type are aimed flat (perpendicular) to the incoming radio waves but the older fishbone kind are aimed with the axis parallel to the incoming waves. Worse, often these kinds are aimed exactly backwards! So tell us what the antenna looks like.

it is an 8 bay antenna.....it looks like 4 squares formed to make one large square.....

another question is.....does this antenna need to be mounted straight up? as in the pole being directly vertical from the ground? or can the post and antenna be on a slight angle? or will that affect reception?

 

[Larry1]

First is to see what is available at your location. Try the TV fool site
TV Fool
CKVR (CTV TWO) should be close to you to start off with.

 

[rogerduncan100]

An 8-bay antenna does not have to be aimed accurately like a satellite dish at all, but it does have to be aimed.

I have one on a rotor so I can turn it toward Buffalo or toward the CN Tower about ninety degrees to the right (I live in Scarborough). You aim it so it's flat toward the incoming waves similar but not the same as a dish. You do not have to be totally accurate, just within ten degrees or so. I use the signal strength meter on my TV to optimize my aim.

If you are an hour north of Toronto you might be able to get Buffalo stations as well as Toronto stations but I think you will need a long-range antenna for Buffalo.

It is best to mount the antenna vertically but it probably makes little difference if you mount it on an angle. It just looks funny.

There is a lot to get. I get 2,4,5,7,9,17,19,23,25,26,29,36,41,47,49,51,57,67 and 69 with subchannels.

 

[Mikey11]

thanks for all the help,

i used a satellite image from dishpointer to draw a straight line from the house to the tower in Toronto, then used a compass and the image to aim....so i am sure the antenna is aimed 100% correct....after a scan i got 1 analog channel and 9 digital channels....is that normal for my area?....the antenna is located as high as possible on the roof and there are no visible obstructions within my sight....

 

[rogerduncan100]

You probably got 5,9,19,25,36,41,47,57 and 69 all digital and all from Toronto.