With over 50 years of experience manufacturing antennas in Australia, we have learned how to ensure our antennas survive the harsh UV radiation, extreme coastal environments and the wide range of temperatures experienced throughout Australia. Our antennas never use “pop” rivets for structural connections because these can easily rust from the inside. We also pay particular attention to metal interfaces on all antennas in order to minimise corrosion. Most baluns on Hills antennas are ultrasonically welded to prevent moisture ingress, which is a major reason antennas fail. Also, we design our antennas with enough strength to withstand sagging due to age or birdlife.

It might.  Most digital TV channels have been allocated in the same range of channels as the analogue, which means that many older antennas can receive digital TV.  However, our experience has shown that older antenna systems may not provide the shielding or performance necessary for digital TV.  If you experience pixelation on your digital TV, we recommend contacting a reputable installer to check your antenna and cable system.

The government allocates VHF and UHF channels at various locations in order to avoid interference between transmitters.  Also, the polarisation can be either horizontal or vertical as another way of avoiding interference.  Your receive antenna needs to receive the correct range of channels on the correct polarisation for your local transmitter.  More information about your local transmitter can be found at the government's MySwitch website.

That will depend on your local transmitter (which channels and on what polarisation they are being transmitted). Also, a larger antenna is required if you are located at a greater distance from the transmitter, or if you are in a shielded area (e.g. lower terrain). Also, if you want to split the signal from your antenna, a larger antenna will ensure that there is more signal available for this purpose. Check the antenna selector on our web page to provide a list or recommended antennas for your local area, or contact the Hills Antenna Branch in your state for more detailed information.

Technically, yes.  An antenna is simply a transducer that converts electromagnetic waves (TV signals) to electrical signals.  However antennas, like cars and many other types of equipment, are designed for a purpose.  Antennas for analogue TV were designed for different parameters from digital antennas.  In particular, we now design our digital antennas to minimise interference, such as from impulse noise, which wasn’t as serious a problem with analogue TV.

The best location is as high as possible and in a location that has as clear line of sight towards your transmitter as possible.

This is definitely not recommended if you have an iron roof, as the roof will shield the antenna from the signal.  If you have a tile roof and are in a very strong signal area, it might be possible to install the antenna in the roof, but we would recommend using a larger antenna to compensate for the lower height and losses through the tiles.

Masthead amplifiers are a very important part of the receive antenna system when signal levels are very weak because they can boost signal levels significantly. Whilst very popular with some installers, we only recommend masthead amplifiers in those situations where the receive signal levels require boosting. Amplifiers will add noise to your receive system.  Also, if the amplifier is overloaded, it will certainly reduce the quality of your signal (MER), which increases the risk of pixelation.

Any cable losses between the antenna and the masthead amplifier will add noise to your receive system, so the cable should be as short as possible, with the amplifier installed as close as possible to the antenna, without it being so that it affects the antenna performance. This is usually about 300 – 500mm below the antenna.

There might be a several of reasons for this. Basically, your receiver needs to be able to detect the signal from out of the surrounding electrical noise and distortions that are present. If you don't have a strong enough signal, or if there is too much electrical noise in your environment, the receiver's abiltiy to decode the signals will break down and you will see either pixelation or a completely frozen screen.

Pixelation might also be caused if the signal is being distorted - such as if an amplifier is being overloaded with too much signal. It is the ratio between the wanted signal and the unwanted noise and distortion that needs to be maximised.

To solve your pixelation problem, you need to ensure that you have a suitable antenna - one that provides enough signal for your local area. It is better to use a genuine Hills antenna designed specifically for your local channels, rather than a "broadband" antenna, which is more prone to receiving noise as well as the signal. A masthead amplifier might be required if the signal strength is very weak, but it will probably make the problem worse if a masthead amplifier is used when it's not necessary.

The transition from excellent quality reception to pictures that are unwatchable is a very quick one, (if your system is close to the margin, only a little extra noise will make it pixelate). An experienced installer will have the equipment to determine the strength and quality of your signal, which should allow him to determine how best to solve your problem.

There might be a couple of reasons for this. You should call back the installer to investigate the problem. The propagation of TV signals varies according to a number of factors, including atmospheric conditions. Reputable installers will ensure that there is sufficient margin in your antenna system to account for these variations.

Other causes of pixelation may be from interference. Electrical noise can enter your receive system if it is not shielded properly. Also, some older analogue antennas and some "broadband log periodic antennas" have been shown to receive electrical (impulse) noise, which can cause pixelation. Properly designed digital antennas should cover the wanted frequencies only, rejecting signals outside the required channel range. Installation of the correct antenna type or adding a high pass filter may solve the problem.

Provided you have enough signal, there’s really no practical limit. If you want to install more than about 4 points, we recommend you consult a reputable installer or your local Hills Antenna Branch for advice.