TV Reception Sydney Archives - Nu-Life TV Antenna

What Are The Digital TV Frequencies Used in Australia?

August 15, 2023 by NLFWPAdmin

Australia’s diverse and expansive landscape is home to many beautiful sights, but it can also pose challenges for TV reception. Fortunately, technology has allowed us to overcome these challenges, and now, quality TV transmissions are accessible to many. Here at Nu Life TV Antenna, we specialise in TV antenna installation that provides you with the ultimate television viewing experience. Let’s delve into the world of TV transmissions in Australia.

Understanding TV Frequencies in Australia: A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to enjoying free-to-air television in Australia, the quality and reliability of your reception depend on various factors. One of the crucial aspects is understanding the frequencies, RF channels, and bands used for TV broadcasting. In this guide, we’ll delve into these details to provide a comprehensive overview.

RF Channels and Centre Frequencies

Australia’s TV broadcasting uses VHF and UHF frequencies with a specific bandwidth of 7 MHz for each channel. This means that each successive channel is 7 MHz apart from the previous one. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the RF channels and their corresponding centre frequencies:

VHF RF Channels

RF Channel Number	Centre Frequency (MHz)
6	177.5
7	184.5
8	191.625
11	219.5
12	226.5

UHF RF Channels

RF Channel Number	Centre Frequency (MHz)
27	522.5
28	529.5
29	536.5
30	543.5
31	550.5
32	557.5
33	564.5
34	571.5
35	578.5
36	585.5
37	592.5
38	599.5
39	606.5
40	613.5
41	620.5
42	627.5
43	634.5
44	641.5
45	648.5
46	655.5
47	662.5
48	669.5
49	676.5
50	683.5
51	690.5
52	697.5
53	704.5
54	711.5
55	718.5
56	725.5
57	732.5
58	739.5
59	746.5
60	753.5
61	760.5
62	767.5
63	774.5
64	781.5
65	788.5
66	795.5
67	802.5
68	809.5
69	816.5

This specific 7 MHz bandwidth ensures clear and smooth transmission, free from interference with adjacent channels.

TV Bands in Australia

Australia’s TV channels are organised into different bands, each encompassing specific RF channels:

Band	RF Channel Range	Description
A	6 – 12	VHF
B	28 – 33	UHF
C	34 – 39	UHF
D	40 – 45	UHF
E	46 – 51	UHF

These bands enable an organised distribution of frequencies and play a crucial role in minimising interference.

LTE Filters in Australia

With the proliferation of 4G LTE mobile networks, there can be potential interference with TV reception. In Australia, LTE filters generally pass FM and TV up to channel 51, with LTE rejection from 694 MHz onwards.

This filtering helps in eliminating any disruption from mobile network signals, ensuring that your TV reception remains clear and uninterrupted.

Why Does This Matter to You?

Understanding these aspects is vital when selecting and installing a TV antenna. By being aware of the specific channels, bands, bandwidth, and LTE filters, you can choose the appropriate antenna and positioning for optimal reception.

How Nu Life TV Antenna Can Help

At Nu Life TV Antenna, we specialise in TV antenna installation, understanding Australia’s TV frequencies, channels, and bands. Our team uses this knowledge to provide top-notch service tailored to your location and preferences.

Whether you’re looking for a new antenna installation or troubleshooting an existing setup, we’re here to ensure that you receive the best possible reception, free from any interference or disruptions.

Contact Us Today

For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact us at 9549 0082. Let Nu Life TV Antenna enhance your free-to-air TV viewing experience in Australia, providing professional and reliable solutions.

What Is The Best Type Of TV Antenna In Australia? Yagi Or Log Periodic?

May 16, 2021 by NLFWPAdmin

In Australia’s major capital cities, the main transmitter for digital TV signals requires a VHF antenna, in order to receive frequencies that are located in the VHF spectrum.

In terms of what design of outdoor antenna is available for the VHF spectrum in Australia, you are limited to two main options, either (i) a yagi antenna, or (ii) a log periodic. Note that there are also VHF phased array and omni-directional designed antennas available, however, they are very rarely used.

Yagi Antennas

The Yagi-Uda antenna (“Yagi” for short) is an antenna design that is directional and consists of at least 2 parallel elements (arms), in what they call an end-fire array. They can also have other elements not used to for electrical connectivity, called reflectors and directors.

In short, amongst VHF digital TV antennas available in Australia, yagi antennas are easily recognisable by the fact that the elements are all of approximately equal length. Most commonly in Australia, they will have a minimum of 4 elements and a maximum of 18 elements.

Due to the fact the length of the elements relate inversely to the frequencies which the antenna is designed to receive signals, VHF yagi antennas in Australia are cut to receive channels 6 – 12 (Band 3). Note that when we say ‘channels’ here, we are not referring to the channels you tune in on a TV (e.g. Network 7), but rather the RF frequency channel.

Yagi antennas are designed to receive only a very small, specific range of RF channels. They work very well in a small range of frequencies. Luckily, digital TV signals in Australia are only spread over a small range of frequencies, making yagi antennas a perfect match!

Getting a little more technical, by design they often exhibit very good signal characteristics. Possibly the most important signal characteristic of an antenna is signal gain, and yagi antennas provide the very best option in this regard. In addition, the front to back ratio of a yagi antenna is also normally very good, due to the fact that the reflectors and directors block many unwanted signals. This contributes to the antenna receiving a signal with very strong signal strength as well as very high signal quality.

Log Periodic Antennas

The Log Periodic Directional Antenna (“LPDA” for short) is an antenna design that is directional and consists of elements of varying lengths. It is designed to receive a very wide range of frequencies but as a result will have low gain.

Compared to a yagi, which will have all elements the same length, LPDAs will have a large number of pairs of elements that have an equal length. You can think of this as though each pair of elements (that are the same length) are a separate antenna, and so each additional pair of elements will simply add a new separate antenna that receives a different frequency range.

Large “log” antennas can receive a very wide range of frequencies and in Australia, most log periodic antennas will receive VHF and UHF frequencies.

Unlike yagi antennas, where additional elements result in higher gain, with LPDAs, more elements result in the antenna being able to receive a wider range of signals. It will not normally result in a better quality or stronger signal.

On the technical side of things, LPDAs will have a very wide frequency range, however will lack in some key characteristics. LPDAs will have low signal gain (the most important signal characteristic of an antenna), and will also have a relatively weak front to back ratio.

The Winner Is...

In short, a yagi antenna wins hands down for VHF digital TV signals in Australia.

If you are comparing the two designs, LPDAs really only have 2 elements dedicated to grab the VHF signals you are trying to receive. Whereas yagi antennas will have a minimum of 4 elements (and anywhere up to 18 elements) dedicated to grabbing those same signals.

LPDA antennas fundamentally work in a completely different way to yagis. Adding elements to a yagi increases its directionality, or gain, while adding elements to a LPDA increases its frequency response, or bandwidth.

This points to the one reason why an inexperienced TV antenna installer may use an LPDA. It is normally able to receive both VHF and UHF frequencies.

If an inexperienced TV antenna installer doesn’t know which signal is available in a ‘fringe’ area, he or she can use a log periodic antenna to receive either one!

However, remember that in 99% of cases, the correct yagi antenna will receive a far better signal than a log periodic antenna (for both signal strength and signal quality).

Other Considerations

Apart from design, there are a number of other important considerations you should take into account when selecting an antenna.

If you want to get a little more technical, you should read our article on TV antennas used in Sydney. This provides more background on additional technical considerations, including built-in filters.

In addition, for outdoor antennas, you should always take into account the durability of the antenna.

It is a device that will be outside for many years. It will be exposed to the often harsh Australian environment, including very hot weather, wind, rain, hail and electrical storms. Not to mention the cockatoos and other birds!

In our experience, a strong, durable antenna will last decades, whereas a flimsy antenna will normally last a few years. It is for this reason that we always recommend and install Australian made antennas only. They are manufactured by companies that have Australia (and its environment) at the front of their minds when considering design and quality control.

In recent years, there have been a flood of poorly manufactured, overseas made log periodic antennas hit the Australian TV antenna market. They are the cheapest option available to TV antenna installers (often costing as little as $15-$20) and often fail due to elements that are easily bent by birds simply landing on them once. They are yet to stand the test of time to see if they would last 25 years or more and we have replaced many (“new” ones) in recent years.

Conclusion

Having been established in 1981, the team at Nu Life TV have over 40 years experience in installing TV antennas in Australia. We are Australia’s longest serving TV antenna company and over the years, we have seen what works and what doesn’t work.

Our advice is, don’t fall for the hype of a cheap international log periodic. Stick to the tried and tested Australian made yagi antenna for VHF signals in Australia.

Do You Need a TV Antenna Repair or TV Repair?

February 22, 2021 by NLFWPAdmin

TV Signal, TV Tuner or TV Screen

In order for you to watch your free to air television channels the way they are meant to be watched, you need the following:

TV Signal: the TV signal (power and quality levels) need to be at the right levels when they run down your flylead (the cable from the wall to your television) and plug into the back of your TV.
TV Tuner: the TV tuner built into your television is a crucial part of the puzzle. It grabs the particular TV signal for the channel you are watching, eliminates the noise, and processes the signal into pixels (picture) and noises (sound). Since analogue TV signals were turned off in Australia over a decade ago, it is important that this TV tuner is in fact a digital TV tuner, otherwise, it won’t work!
TV Screen: the TV screen (and speakers) also need to be working in order for your to see each and every last pixel and so you get the full picture without fault. Similarly, the speakers in your TV need to be working so you can hear the audio transmission coming from the digital TV tuner.

Indicators That You Need TV Antenna Repairs

Without getting an TV antenna technician and/or a TV repair technician out to your premises to test these crucial parts of your TV antenna system, here are a few indicators that likely mean that the issue lies with your TV antenna.

There is a message on your TV screen that reads ‘No Signal’.
You have performed an auto-tune of your TV to search for all local digital terrestrial signals and the TV has not picked up any channels.

If you experience any of these issues, it is likely that you need TV antenna repairs, an antenna man (or woman!) to fix your TV antenna system, or a new digital TV antenna installed.

These symptoms may also mean that it is your TV tuner that is at fault. In order to rule this out, you can do one of the following:

Try a different television at the same TV point (it is unlikely that 2x TV tuners on 2x different TVs will go faulty at the same time).
Buy a digital DVB-T (terrestrial) set top box, which contains a TV tuner (separate of the TV).

Indicators That You Need A TV Repair

On the other hand, the below indicators may mean that your TV is faulty and you may need a TV repair, or perhaps it is time to buy a new TV.

Some horizontal lines on the screen are working perfectly (perhaps the top half) and other lines on the screen aren’t working.
Some pixels (dots) on the screen are black, or faded and never show any colour or part of the image.
You can tune into and change each TV channel, and the sound (audio) is working perfectly, but the picture isn’t showing.
You can tune into and change each TV channel, and the picture is working perfectly, but the sound (audio) isn’t working at all.
Your TV doesn’t turn on.

If you get any of the items mentioned above, it is likely that you will need to repair your TV, or buy a new TV, rather than get a new TV antenna installation.

After reading this article, if you are convinced that you have a fault with your TV antenna, feel free to give us a call on 9549 0082 and we will provide you with a free onsite quotation to resolve all your TV reception issues.

What Digital TV Channels Are Available In Sydney In 2021?

February 12, 2021 by NLFWPAdmin

What Digital TV Channels Are Available In Sydney?

If you have completed an auto-tune on your TV, you should be able to receive all 35 of the following Digital TV Channels for free off your TV antenna.

List of Sydney's Digital TV Channels

Nine Entertainment Co.:

9
9HD
9GEM
9GO
9Life
9GEM HD
RUSH
Extra

Ten Network Holdings:

10
10 HD
10 Peach
10 Bold
10 Shake
TVSN
Spree TV

Seven West Media:

Seven
7 HD
7 TWO
7 mate
7 mate HD
Open Shop
7 flix
Racing.com

Australian Broadcasting Corporation:

ABC TV
ABC TV HD
ABC TV Plus
ABC Kids
ABC ME
ABC News

Special Broadcasting Service:

SBS
SBS HD
SBS Viceland
SBS World Movies
SBS Food
NITV

If you aren’t receiving all of these channels from the main Sydney transmitter, feel free to call us for a no obligation quote to look into your antenna system and get you all those channels up and running.

Extra Channel - Sky News on WIN

If you are lucky enough to be in an area of Sydney that receives a UHF transmission from the TV transmitter in Wollongong, you can also install a separate UHF antenna to receive Sky News on WIN.

Other Cities and Regional Areas

Remember that the channels you receive may differ, depending on which TV transmitter your antenna is point at. For a more detailed list of other capital cities and regional digital TV channels available in your local area, check them out here.

Please note that this information is correct as of January 2021. There are often new channels added or existing channels changed, which may not be reflected above.

Sydney TV Transmitters Map

January 11, 2021 by NLFWPAdmin

Sydney TV Transmitter Map

We have prepared a map of Sydney below, outlining all the TV transmitters located in Sydney.

Please note that the highlighted circles surrounding each of the TV transmitters shows a very rough guide only of the suburbs covered by each transmitter. Each street within each suburb, and each house within each street can have varying TV signal levels received on each house, particularly in suburbs with hills and valleys.

Artarmon (VHF): The main Sydney transmitter is located in Artarmon and services a very large part of the main Sydney metropolitan area using VHF TV signals.

Kurrajong (UHF): A TV transmitter was turned on in Kurrajong in 2013 to assist with suburbs in the local area to receive UHF TV signals.

Razorback (UHF): A TV transmitter was also turned on in Razorback in 2013 to assist local suburbs to receive UHF TV signals, although it initially caused some interference issues.

North Head (UHF): The Manly/Mosman TV transmitter operates on UHF and is helpful in delivering TV reception to many suburbs up and down the North Shore and Northern Beaches suburbs in Sydney.

Kings Cross (UHF): To assist TV reception in getting to the very edge of the Eastern Suburbs, there is a TV transmitter in Kings Cross. This transmitter is also helpful for suburbs where the Sydney CBD skyline of high rise buildings blocks the VHF TV signals from the main Artarmon transmitter.

TV Signals Not On The Map

Please note that the TV signals shown on this map broadly reflect those of TV transmitters that are physically located in Sydney.

It may be the case that there are transmitters located in Wollongong or Central Coast NSW that are best for your house in Sydney. This is due to the fact that the power levels on the TV transmitters in Wollongong, Bouddi and other transmitters are relatively high powered, meaning their signals will travel further than lower powered transmitters (like the one at North Head).

In addition, contours in the earth’s surface may also mean that the closest TV transmitter may not necessarily be the best choice for your premises.

TV Reception Issues Sydney (Top 10)

January 15, 2021September 25, 2020 by NLFWPAdmin

Man experiencing TV reception issues in Sydney

1. Your TV Antenna Is Pointing In The Wrong Direction

One reason why you may be experiencing reception issues with your TV is because of poor antenna alignment. If your antenna is not pointing in the correct direction the performance will be reduced.

So where should your antenna be pointed? Good question. While there are multi directional antennas, generally an antenna that is used for TV reception will have a directional pattern. What this means is they will receive/transmit more signal in one direction than the other. When they have been installed, they should be pointed toward the transmitter for the TV so that the best possible reception can be provided.

If you do not know where the TV transmitter tower is, you could point your antenna in the same direction as the other antennas on your block. However, this is not a guaranteed solution.

It may seem like TV antenna installation is easy, but it requires expert knowledge and experience with specialised RF equipment. After all, Sydney is a big place, with large hills, mountains, structures, and high rises, as well as many rivers and an expansive coastal area. Luckily for you we have been installing TV antennas in Sydney for nearly 40 years so we know it well. Nu Life TV will come up with the best solution for your circumstances to ensure crystal clear reception.

2. Location Location Location

The television reception problems that you are encountering could be related to the part of Sydney that you are based in. Let’s take a look through some of the most common TV reception issues across different areas of Sydney to help you get a better understanding.

Western Suburbs

Multi-storey buildings are common in this area, and they can block the signal to your TV. This can result in signal strength being a big problem here.

Sydney CBD

A common issue here are the high rise buildings in the area, which can result in the line of the sight to the main transmitter being blocked.

Sutherland Shire

Because of where Sutherland Shire is, there can often be a considerable distance from the main transmitter, causing the signal strength to be reduced.

South West Sydney

A lot of residents in the Macarthur region experience problems because they are situated quite a distance from the main transmitter. This means that signal strength can also be an issue in this area.

South Sydney

The line of sight to the main transmitter can often be blocked because of the buildings in the CBD.

Northern Beaches

Being at a low height and rusting are two of the most common problems experienced in this area.

Hill Shire District

You may have guessed the main problem in Hill Shire District; the hills! This means the location is prone to poor TV reception.

Eastern Suburbs

TV antennas on properties in coastal areas are prone to rust. The ground contours can be another problem.

So, what are you meant to do if you’re experiencing any of the above issues? Do you just have to accept the poor TV reception? You don’t! Nu Life TV have local knowledge required to come up with a solution so you can get great reception no matter where in Sydney you are located.

3. Weather

Bad weather can result in signal quality and strength being reduced. This is especially during periods of heavy rain and wind.

If you already have a low signal, it may drop beneath the “cut off” threshold during these bad weather conditions.

The absolute minimum standard for adequate digital TV reception in Sydney is 45dB, but we would recommend to leave a buffer of at least 5-10dB in case of poor weather or worsening product performance over time. Minimum signal quality should be ~25-30 MER, depending on which brand of spectrum analyser you are using!

4. You Have An Old Analogue Antenna

In Sydney, while analogue antennas still receive the digital signal, they are not designed for digital signals and therefore, do not result in as good reception as digital antennas do. This includes things like poor picture quality and pixilation. It also puts you at greater risk of experiencing issues with your reception during periods of bad weather as we discussed above.

There are many factors at play when choosing an antenna, including quality, brand, filtering, material, gain, design, and frequency. Nu Live TV’s experts will be able to select the best antenna for your requirements.

5. You Don’t Have The Correct Antenna For Your Area

In Sydney, there are a lot of different transmission sites that enable you to watch your favourite television shows. Some are on UHF, whereas others are on VHF.

In some areas, you could have different towers, and your stations could be on different frequencies.

Below, we will reveal the different sort of transmission towers across Sydney, as well as the frequency they use. This information is imperative when ensuring you have the right antenna in place.

Some of the transmission towers across Sydney include the following:

Wollongong (UHF – Ultra High Frequency)
Gore Hill / Artarmon (VHF – Very High Frequency)
Razorback Range (UHF)
Newcastle (UHF)
Manly/Mosman (UHF)
Illawarra (UHF)
Kurrajong (UHF)
Kings Cross (UHF)

With Australia being so vast in area and terrain, there is no such thing as one Digital Antenna that will do everything in every place.

VHF antennas will provide coverage of VHF Band 3, from channels 6 to 12. UHF Band 4 and sometimes Band 5 are covered by UHF antennas.

The main difference between the antennas is the size of their elements. VHF demand a bigger antenna element surface to receive longer frequencies.

Nu Life TV have installed thousands of antennas all across Sydney. We have the experience to recommend the right antenna to get you the best results in your area.

6. Obstructions

If you are experiencing TV reception problems, it could be because of an obstruction. Examples include trees, buildings, and hills. Essentially, this means that something is getting in the way of the transmitter.

When a signal leaves the transmitter, it is imperative that it finds the best direct path to your antenna. If there is an obstruction between the transmitter and antenna, this will result in the signal reflecting or bouncing.

When this occurs, your signal could become weak or distorted. This impacts the quality of the signal, which can cause it to break up.

Another common problem is trees! If the signal is going through a tree, this will cause the signal to weaken. Should the wind blow the tree, this can then cause issues to the strength of the signal. This can impact the quality of your television picture more than you may realise.

7. 4G interference

Aside from the different television reception issues that have been mentioned so far, 4G interference could be to blame for the problems you are encountering.

You may be wondering why you have had to get your television re-tuned so shortly after the digital change over. Well, this is because the demand for fast Internet has increased considerably!

Television has had to condense the allocated frequency bands so that this can be accommodated, therefore, enabling for more 4G frequencies.

These new 4G frequencies are within the range of older amplifiers and antennas that have been installed over the years.

You are going to have issues with your digital television signal if you have an older system that does not have any filters to take the new 4G frequencies out. The reason for this is because the 4G could be stronger than your television signal, and your amplifier may over-drive, which can result in signal distortion.

Without an amplifier, the 4G signal could be overpowering the signal for your digital television, pushing over the TV signal and resulting in corruption.

8. Weak Signal

If you live a long distance from your transmitter, you may get a weak signal. You may need an amplifier. The best thing to do is get in touch with a local TV installer, such as Nu Life TV, as they will be able to determine whether an amplifier is going to be sufficient or if something else is going to be required.

9. There May Be An Outage

Sometimes your reception issues can be completely out of your control, it could simply be a case of one of the networks experiencing an outage. Here you will find a list of network specific contact information regards TV reception outages.

10. Cabling

Finally, the type of cable used can affect your signal. The older coax cables that were utilised for analogue television do not have the same sort of screening quality of the new digital cables.

Plus, the attenuation rating of the cable could be greater than new RG6 or RG11 cable. This can cause there to be a drop in signal strength. This often results in the signal to your television being lost, which can cause it to break up.

Another issue with regards to cabling is in terms of length. The longer the cable you run, the more losses in the signal you can experience.

Contact Nu Life TV if you’re having any TV reception issues

If you are having any of the TV reception problems mentioned, or you’re struggling with any other issues with your television, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for more information.

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, you can be sure that our friendly team can get to the bottom of the issue so that you don’t have to worry about TV reception problems again.

You can reach us on 02 9549 0082. We are always happy to answer any queries you may have, no matter how big or small.

TV Antenna Sydney

August 29, 2022June 23, 2020 by NLFWPAdmin

It should come as no surprise that the most important piece of equipment in any TV antenna system is the TV Antenna itself! In our guide outlining the 10 Steps to Perfect TV Reception in Sydney, it is the first step listed in order for you to get your TV back to picture perfect.

What Frequency Band - VHF, UHF or Combination?

All antennas are ‘cut’ or tuned for different frequencies. You can get antennas that are used for enhancing 3G or 4G mobile phone reception, antennas for FM or DAB radio, GPS antennas and of course TV antennas. Each of those types of signals are all broadcast on different frequencies.

VHF (very high frequency) bands, which are from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), are used for TV signals to be broadcast on the main transmission towers in Sydney, which are located in Artarmon.

UHF (ultra high frequency) bands, which are a large range between 300 megahertz (MHz) and 3 gigahertz (GHz), are also used for TV signals in Sydney, however, these are broadcast (sent) from different transmission towers that are located in hard-to-reach areas. Basically, wherever the main VHF TV signals cannot reach, the Government has kindly organised for new transmissions on other towers to make sure everyone in Sydney can still get a reliable TV signal. The location of these UHF towers in Sydney are as follows:

Kings Cross servicing Kings Cross, Sydney CBD and Eastern Suburbs
Manly servicing Manly and Mosman
Razorback Range servicing South West Sydney
Kurrajong Heights servicing the North West Sydney
Bouddi servicing Bouddi
Woronora servicing Woronora

If you are close to one of these areas, then you might get a better incoming TV signal on UHF rather than VHF frequency bands. This should always be tested onsite, however, the Australian Government’s MySwitch website may provide some assistance in determining what is right for you.

From there it is simple, if the best TV signal in your local area is broadcast on VHF frequencies, buy a VHF antenna. If the best signal is on UHF frequencies, buy a UHF antenna.

Oh and just to cover them off, combination antennas are antennas that receive both VHF and UHF frequencies. They are often used by installers who do not know how TV signals work and so they can be used in a wider range of situations to ‘guess’ which direction the signal comes from. There are only a few rare scenarios in which a combination TV antenna should be used, and quite often they result in a poor quality signal, can introduce interference into your TV antenna system and cause other issues. Overall, they are more harm than good.

Low Gain or High Gain?

A TV Antennas ‘gain’ or ‘power gain’ describes how well the antenna converts radio waves arriving from a specified direction into electrical power. This is very important to introduce a strong signal power straight off the antenna. Sometimes, if a high gain antenna is used over a low gain antenna, there can be enough signal power straight off the antenna to avoid needing to install other devices, like a TV Antenna Booster or other amplification devices.

It is often the case that antennas with only very few elements (arms) will be low gain, and high gain antennas will have many elements (up to 18 elements for a very high gain VHF antenna). A top quality high gain antenna should deliver you a minimum of 10db gain (on VHF) and some will get you 14db gain or greater!

UHF Antennas - Yagi or Phased Array?

UHF Antennas generally come in 2 shapes, being a Yagi or Phased Array. A yagi is the more traditional long, narrow antenna (used for VHF antennas), whilst a phased array TV antenna looks like a square mesh board with diagonal metal patterns.

A yagi antenna should be your go-to UHF antenna under normal circumstances. It will provide higher gain and a better quality signal under circumstances where your line of sight (LOS) to the transmission tower is relatively clear.

If the LOS from your rooftop to the transmission tower is terrible, and there are a lot of hills and valleys along the way, then your best bet may be to install a UHF phased array TV antenna. These antennas are better at picking up ‘scattered’ signals which become scattered due to the radio waves bouncing off hills, trees, bushes, and other objects before they get to your rooftop. Phased array antennas are a higher cost antenna than yagi antennas, so you are best to have a signal survey from your rooftop to determine which is the best in your local area.

Front to Back Ratio

The Front to Back Ratio of any antenna is the ratio of the signal power received from the front of the antenna compared to the signal power received in the opposite direction.

Whilst some may not look like it, antennas have a front and a back and it is crucially important that you do not turn them around 180 degrees to have them facing the opposite direction. However, if you were to do so, and you had a bad antenna with a low front to back ratio, there is a very slim chance it might still work for you!

However, the best TV antennas will have a high front to back ratio, and this is why. If an antenna can receive a signal from the wrong direction, it will introduce ‘noise’ and unwanted signals into your TV antenna system. Because we know that we only want signal coming from the TV transmission tower, we ideally want to completely block out as much other noise as possible. A high front to back ratio will mean that we get lots of good TV signal from the front, and minimal unwanted radiowaves from the back.

Built-in Filters

Depending on your location and proximity to telecommunications towers, you may suffer from strong 4G (LTE) mobile phone signals in your area. Whilst this might be great for making mobile phone calls and watching 4K movies on your iPhone, unfortunately, this can result in interference to your TV antenna signals.

There are a number of stages in which you can ‘filter’ out the unwanted 4G signals. You can have an in-line 4G filter (separate device), a 4G filter built in to your TV antenna booster, or you can eliminate the 4G signal at the source and buy an antenna that has a 4G filter built-in. Note that in some cases, you may require more than one device to filter the 4G signal as it can be very strong in some areas and cause a lot of interference issues for your TV signal.

In summary, there are a number of different attributes that you should look out for when selecting a TV antenna in Sydney. No matter which attributes you decide, there is also the build quality that you should definitely take into account. Australian made TV antennas are generally made out of higher grade aluminium, as compared to some international antennas, and have a more rigid construction. You can rest assured knowing that they are designed and made for Australian frequencies and Australia’s harsh and varying climate. It’s for this reason that many Aussie made antennas come with a 25 year warranty… they are built to last!

10 Steps To A Perfect Digital TV Antenna Installation in Sydney

July 31, 2020March 7, 2020 by NLFWPAdmin

10 Steps to Perfect TV Reception in Sydney

So the Free To Air TV reception at your house in Sydney has suddenly gone bad. The picture has started pixelating, it then skips a frame every now and then, and the audio is constantly breaking up. There is something wrong with your TV antenna system.

10 Steps to A Perfect Digital TV Antenna Installation in Sydney

In order to get your digital TV reception back up and running again, there are the following 10 steps you need for your digital TV antenna installation in Sydney to get that picture and audio back to perfect again.

1. The Right TV Antenna

The most important part of any residential TV antenna system is the TV antenna itself. If you are based in Sydney, you will need to check whether or not you need a VHF (Very High Frequency) or UHF (Ultra High Frequency) antenna. This will depend on which TV transmitter gives the best signal in your local area. For a large part of Sydney, this will mean getting a VHF antenna and pointing it towards Artarmon in Sydney’s North. But if you are on the outskirts, or in a hilly area, there may be a different TV transmitter that provides better reception.

In addition, no matter if you pointing at a VHF or UHF transmitter, there are many different designs and sizes of antenna that will receive the signal better than others. For TV reception, the most critical design element is the antenna’s ‘gain’. A high gain antenna will receive a stronger signal power and a better quality signal than a low gain antenna. You may also get an antenna with some degree of 4G or 5G filter built-in to assist in reducing noise or interference (see more details below).

For more information, visit our more detailed look into how to choose the right TV antenna in Sydney.

2. The TV Antenna Mount or Mast and Antenna Alignment

The type of antenna mount you use can actually improve the quality of your reception due to one important factor – height. The height of antenna mount can make a HUGE difference to the signal quality and power you receive at your TV and is often the difference between having some reception or no reception. In some areas, where you have line of sight to the nearby signal transmitter, you will only need a short ~1.4m tin or tile roof mount. In other situations, you may need a 15ft guyed masted, or even up to a 50ft guyed mast. Yes, we still install 50ft (~15m) guyed mast on the top of 1 or 2 storey buildings. This can mean up to 70ft above ground level! Thankfully, with digital TV signals, this isn’t required nearly as much as back in the days of analogue TV.

In addition to the type of antenna mount, you will also need to consider the alignment of the antenna (to ensure it is pointing towards your desired transmitter) and placement of the antenna mount on your rooftop. There may be trees or foliage (or other tall buildings) you will want to avoid, whilst trying to get to the highest point on the roof for the most reliable signal.

3. TV Antenna Booster (with 4G Filter)

Whether you have a VHF or UHF antenna, depending on your location, building height, number of TV outlets and type/length of cable runs, you may need a TV antenna booster.

Digital TV signal has two main components: (i) signal power; and (ii) signal quality. Whilst signal power can be adjusted with the assistance of a TV antenna booster (also called an antenna amplifier or TV signal booster), you cannot improve signal quality with any similar device.

Signal quality will be primarily determined at the antenna (type and location of the antenna). If you are experiencing poor signal quality, you will likely need to replace the antenna with a better one or relocate the antenna to a different location (normally higher) in order for it to receive more signal.

Signal power, on the other hand, can be increased with a TV antenna booster, or decreased with an attenuator. Signal power decreased for a number of reasons. You may be in a poor signal area (a long distance from the transmitter), have a large hill between your house and the transmitter, be splitting the signal between a number of TV outlets in your house, be using old high-loss cable, have long cable runs, or something else. There are many factors that contribute to signal loss in a TV system that results in the need to use a antenna booster to amplify the signal.

When using a TV antenna booster, there are 2 main things to lookout for.

The first is that you do not want to overload the signal (by turning the amplifier up too high). TV tuners can only process signal when it is received within a specific signal power decibel (db) band. The TV tuner will not work with a signal power level that is too low, and will also not work with a signal power level that is too high!

The second warning is that a TV antenna booster does not know which signals are used for TV channels, as compared to AM radio, 4G mobile phone signals, or any other RF signal. As a result, it is important that you are not amplifying unwanted 4G signals that can cause interference with the TV signals which we want to isolate. As a result, many TV antenna boosters these days have in-built 4G / LTE filters.

4. Lead-in Cable

The lead-in cable connects the antenna to the next device in your TV system, which is normally an antenna splitter located in your roofspace. The lead-in cable should be of the highest quality as it needs to keep signal levels as high as possible, and also needs to be weather (sun and rain) resistant.

As a result, we recommend the use of 50ohm quad shield RG6 or RG11 cable only. Four layers of shielding is the premium standard for TV cabling in Australia and ensures protection from the elements, but also ensures that there is no other unwanted RF signals entering our cable and causing interference.

5. High Isolation RF Splitter

The antenna splitter may look like a standard device, but beware of the small but subtle differences between the types of splitters available. The first important feature is the frequency able to be passed through the splitter. Whilst Free To Air TV reception (VHF and UHF) all sit below 850Mhz, if you need your Foxtel reception to pass through the splitter, you may have to increase the quality of your splitter to pass up to 2400Mhz. In addition, you will want to look out for high isolation splitters, as they will result in one port of the splitter not having any impact on other ports, which can cause issues that are sometimes very difficult to locate.

Splitters come in various sizes, from a simple 2way splitter up to an 8way splitter. They can be ‘daisy-chained’ so as to serve more than 8 TV outlets from the one antenna, however, each time you split the signal, you lose signal power. So, in a system where the signal has been split, there is a greater chance of requiring a TV antenna booster in order to return the signal power back to a level that can be used by your TV tuner.

Finally, splitters can have certain ports that are ‘power pass’. This means that a small electrical current can be passed from the TV outlet up the TV cable to any booster that is normally located near the antenna. Boosters need power to operate, and so without the coaxial cable allowing electricity to pass through, and without a splitter that has ‘power pass’ ports, there is sometimes no way to get it powered up.

6. Outlet Cabling

Outlet cabling runs from your splitter to the TV outlet or wall plate. Depending on the type of cable used, there are maximum distances that the signal power level will remain in tact before it becomes too low to work. If there is a very long cable run, you will need RG11 cable, otherwise, we recommend the use of a high quality quad-shield RG6 cable.

7. Wall Plates

Wall plates screw onto the wall (much like a power point) and allow you to plug in a short patch or fly lead from the TV to the wall. Wall plates don’t look like much, but comprise of a C-clip, the wall plate itself, a cover plate and a mechanism. They can come in a variety of colours and styles, so you can have a ‘double gang’ or ‘triple gang’ if you want more than one TV point in the one location, or you want to also have a data point on the same wall plate.

8. TV Booster Power Supply

TV boosters require power to operate – ie they are an ‘active’ device. Thankfully, we have a way to get power to them without placing a power point on your rooftop!

The coaxial cable that we install to send the signal from the antenna to your wall plate is actually capable of sending a very low electrical current in the opposite direction! The TV booster power injector and power supply is the device that ‘injects’ power into the cable and sends that power (normally 13V or 18V) up the coaxial cable, all the way up to your TV booster. As you already know, this will only work properly if you have a splitter with a ‘power pass’ port on the right cable!

9. TV Fly Leads

A TV fly lead is the short piece of cable that connects your TV to the TV wall plate. It should not be underestimated in terms of its importance, and we have had many situations in the past where a poor quality fly lead has caused many issues.

The first thing to look out for are that the fly lead is made of high quality cable. Again, we recommend the use of quad-shield RG6 cable.

Secondly, you will not want the fly lead to be very long, or have many joins in the cable. Given fly leads can sometimes be very low quality (especially those that come with the TV or that you can buy in your local electronics shop), you will want to make this cable as short as possible (no more than a few metres).

10. TV Tuner

The final piece of the puzzle to ensure you get perfect digital TV reception is the TV tuner that sits inside your TV or set-top box. Whilst there are situations where you have a perfect digital TV signal at the end of your TV fly lead, if the TV tuner in your TV is faulty or broken entirely, then you will not receive a reliable video/audio experience.

Unfortunately, with TV repairers few and far between, this means you can either buy a TV set-top box to perform the TV tuner function on behalf of your TV, or you will have to buy a whole new TV!

So, there you have it – 10 steps to get perfect digital TV reception in Sydney. We hope this helps for anyone trying to get their TV reception back up and running.

If you are still experiencing issues, feel free to give the Nu Life TV Antenna team a call to organise an experienced technician to attend to your premises for a free quote to fix your system.

Please note that this was intended for a small residential TV system, and in larger apartment complexes, and with Foxtel installations, there are many more factors at play and there may be additional parts and equipment required to get you back watching TV again.