Antenna Selector

• AntennaWeb.org's website has an antenna selector that takes your address and zip code to give you a colored list of your available local channels. Each color distinguishes distance from your home and the type of signal receptor needed for each station. The colors will correlate with the Consumer Electronics Association's approval mark. When purchasing your antenna look for this color wheel, as it assures the antenna has been tested and approved for performance.
  
  

VHF vs. UHF

• Very high frequency (VHF) antennas collect channels 2 through 13. They tend to have large elements and for reception of channels 2 through 6 the elements should be as large as possible. Ultra high frequency (UHF) antennas collect signals from channels 14 through 51. Since the switch to digital, 90 percent of these channels are available in high-definition
  
  

Directional vs. Multi-Directional

• Directional antennas only capture signals from the direction that the reception elements are facing. If you are between two broadcasting stations you must turn the antenna when you change the channel, but the overall reception is better than with a multi-directional antenna. Multi-directional antennas can pick up signals from two or more directions; omni-directional antennas will capture signals from all directions. These tend to work best within 20 miles of station towers. Multi-directional antennas do not necessarily discriminate interfering signals and broadcasting signals. Consider possible sources of interference before deciding on this type of antenna.