Aerial / Network Specialist - Install Aerial

DIY Aerial Installation

Maybe you prefer to use a professional service to have an aerial installed? It is a bit techy after all. But if you really are prepared to go it alone (or maybe you are trying to become a pro yourself?) let this article serve as an initial guide on how to install an aerial.

Equipment you will need to install an aerial

Let's start with the required equipment (you may already possess some bits of it). Pending a full consideration, the list includes the following: brick bolster, club hammer, filling knife, power drill bits, power drill (cordless), screwdriver; spanners; stepladder, and, in likeliness, other access equipment; trimming knife; cable clips / ties; cable splitters; coaxial cable; coaxial plugs; TV aerial; mounting brackets and fixings; mounting / outlet boxes; plaster filler; pvc conduit; separate TV and FM outlets; signal booster.

Fitting The TV Aerial

And now: how to actually do it. Few will argue that the best receptions are resultant of aerials positioned both outdoors and at height, such as on a chimney stack, above the roof line at a gable end or on a mounting pole. One common mistake in mounting TV aerials is for one to aim to locate them in a position too high and precarious for them to muster – speak to the pros!

If you are not exactly an expert on TV aerials, the only real way to find out if you are using the right kind of TV aerial is to speak to, well, an expert (like a professional). But there are two generic kinds of TV aerial: loft aerial and external aerial. If the signal is strong, the aerial must be 10 elements, or 14 with a normal signal and 18 with a weak one. Besides having the aerial pointed at the transmitter, the elements must be horizontal (vertical if it is a relay transmitter – remember that!). And don't forget to consider your neighbours!

Another common mistake is improper use of coaxial cables when TV and FM signals are being carried from the aerial to the receiving equipment. Use a double-screened cable because it suffers less interference and there is less chance of losing signal power.