Buyer's Guide to Indoor and Outdoor TV Antennas: Including Terk, RCA, Jensen, and RadioShack Brands

If you want to watch television without paying expensive cable or satellite bills, you'll need to buy a TV antenna. Some satellite TV providers don't include local channels or charge extra for them, so you might want to purchase an antenna in this situation as well. In most rural areas you will receive at least three TV stations with a properly installed antenna, and it is common to receive 5-12 stations in many urban areas.

The two main types of television antennas are indoor and outdoor. Most indoor antennas sit on top of your TV, while outdoor antennas are mounted on your roof or satellite dish. Some people use outdoor antennas in their attic, and a few antennas are designed specifically for attics. There is also a type of antenna which claims to turn your home's electrical system into an antenna, but many people have reported poor results from these - it will only work with some particular electrical system types.

Indoor antennas are suitable for many areas, both urban and rural. A simple "rabbit ears" antenna - priced at under $10 in most electronics and discount stores - can produce acceptable reception in some areas. A slightly more expensive type of antenna, which has both rabbit ears and a metal loop in front of them, is more effective - especially for receiving UHF channels (ch. 14-69). If you live more distant from TV stations, an "amplified" indoor antenna should be considered. This type of antenna usually has rabbit ears, but plugs into an electrical outlet. 

The electrical amplification of TV broadcasts can substantially improve reception, but effectiveness depends on the type of TV you own more than it does for regular indoor antennas. The Jensen TV911 amplified antenna has an FM radio antenna feature, but some amplified antennas (like the Terk TV-3) do not improve FM reception. The maximum signal amplification is indicated in the antenna's DB rating - for example, an RCA ANT301 can amplify the broadcast up to 10db, while a Terk TV3 can reach 40db amplification. Other indoor antennas have been made by Recoton, Magnavox, Archer, and Radio Shack.