If you live in rural areas where you’re surrounded by thick bushes and hills, you might not be able to watch a decent channel. Is there still hope to watch a decent movie even if you live far from the metro? Yes! With the RCA ant751 Compact Outdoor Yagi HDTV Antenna, you can get clear signals as if you’re in the city. We will be reviewing this antenna brand.
All the lush foliage and thick roofing materials can serve as signal interference. And rural areas don’t have many transmission towers as they do in the city. Not to mention, you may be living miles away from broadcast transmission towers. This makes your TV reception blurry or none at all. See our top picks below.
What to Like About RCA ant751 Compact Outdoor Yagi HDTV Antenna
The RCA ant751 compact outdoor yagi HDTV antenna boasts of a yagi design. Meaning it has a traditional antenna design. It has a particular form of antennas utilized in most old school directional antennas. Though it might look old fashioned, it’s what you need if you’re living in rural areas.
Yagi directional antennas can pull in clear signals from remote areas compared to modern types of antennas. You just have to determine the location of the broadcast towers and point the antenna to the spot. You’ll be amazed at how clear your TV reception will be. Even if you’re far from the city, you can still binge-watch your favorite movies or soaps.
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Long-range directional antenna
Directional antennas usually have longer ranges than multidirectional ones. While omnidirectional antennas are useful if you live in the city, directional antennas perform better in rural locations. Because you can be living far from a broadcast tower, you need an antenna that has a longer range.
The RCA ant751 has over a 70-mile range and you just have to point the antenna to where the transmission tower is located. This will ensure that you get a clear signal.
And directional antennas often offer a higher gain. Meaning, they can filter out noises that they pick up. So you can enjoy watching without the annoying noise of the amplifiers. Directional antennas also have better focus. And since the signal isn’t divided into several directions, it can focus its power on a single direction. Thus, it has more strength.
Frequencies
This antenna can pull in both VHF and UHF channels. So that’s more bang for your buck. You can have more options. And it can pull in more channels than your old antenna.
Compact design
This RCA antenna does have a yagi design, but it’s an upgraded version. It’s quite compact and might not be such an eyesore. So even if you’re mounting it on your roof, it would not demand much attention.
It also has a reflector that helps increase the gain of the antenna.
Durable
It’s made from stainless steel and aluminum. And since it’s an outdoor antenna, you can expect it to be decently weather resistant. So you can still get a clear signal even if it’s raining. It’s not fully aluminum so despite being lightweight, it can still stand harsh elements.
And an outdoor antenna should be durable. Otherwise, a little rain will block the signal.
Full HD channels
Apart from local channels, this RCA antenna is also capable of pulling in HD channels reception. And it can give a resolution of 1080i. So that’s pretty clear and the sound will be crisp. You don’t need to settle with pixelated images.
Easy to assemble
The RCA antenna is pre-assembled already. So it’s easier to set up and you don’t even have to commission a professional. And the customer service is also great. If you experience any troubles or issues during the installation, the brand has comprehensive troubleshooting tips. It’s better to go through this before you mount your antenna on your roof.
Some Complaints
And these are some of the things we wished it had.
1. It does not have a preamplifier. You have to purchase one separately. And a preamplifier is needed if you happen to experience the following:
- You’re using a longer cable ( 50 ft.)
- You are 20 miles away from the nearest transmission tower
- You plan to use splitters to connect to multiple TVs
- You’re going to mount it on the attic
2. Since it’s directional, you need to rotate the antenna if it can’t pick up any signal.
3. You need to do research. To know the exact location of the transmission towers, you have to do your research. Since you have to point the antenna to the line of sight of the broadcast transmission tower, this is a must.
You may also use antennaweb.org or tvfool.com as references for the signals that are available in your area. That’ll speed up your research.
4. You have to purchase a coaxial cable separately since it does not come with the package.
And You Have to Do These
The antenna may have an easy setup. And it can be used straight after the installation. But here are several things that you have to do as well.
- You have to ground the antenna. This would prevent accidents. And some municipalities require roof antennas to be grounded.
- You have to install the preamp closer to the antenna. In this way, you can also maximize the potential of your coaxial cables. It can help strengthen the incoming signal.
- A transformer might be necessary. Most yagi antennas often require a transformer. This lessens the impedance between the antenna and the cable.
How to Install RCA ant751 Compact Outdoor Yagi HDTV Antenna
Installation is pretty easy. But before you mount your antenna, take time to read the instruction manual. While we are going to jot down the simplified steps, you still have to do your reading.
- Check the package and ensure that everything is complete. It has to have these in the bag: Antenna, mounting pipe and foot, hardware bag, U-bolt, mast clamp insert, 2 black plastic plugs, matching transformer, 4 washers, two 10/32″ Hex nuts, five 1/4″ Hex nuts, two 5/8″ bolts, and 2 1/2″ Screw
- Get all the elements out of the box. Then unfold the antenna starting from the top to the bottom.
- The elements should be flat and parallel to the ground.
- Place the U bolt into the mast clamp. The teeth of the mast clamp should be facing the closed end of the U bolt.
- Insert the U bolt into the mast clamp onto the antenna. And screw the ¼” hex nuts into the U bolt. It should be loosely screwed first, don’t tighten it yet.
- Get the transformer and attach it to the coaxial cable lead. Attach the transformer to the bottom of the antenna using the 10/32″ hex nuts and washers. Make sure it’s attached to the studs on the tetra pole.
- Tighten hex nuts to secure the cable lead.
- Insert the plastic end caps to the booms and secure them.
- Insert the end of the mounting pipe to the middle of the pole foot. Make sure it’s the side with the holes for the screws.
- Thread the 2-1/2″ screw through the pipe and the and the foot. Use a 1/4″ hex nut to screw them together. Don’t tighten just yet.
- Insert a 5/8″ bolt through the square holes of the pipe, then out to the side of the foot. Screw in the nuts on the outside of the foot and screw them on the ⅝” bolt. This will hold the pipe in place.
- Choose a permanent location and secure the foot to it. The end of the pipe must be perpendicular to the ground. Once it is, tighten the hex nuts to secure the pipe in place.
- Attach the antenna to the mast. But make sure you did your research where the transmission tower is located. Remember, you have to point the antenna in the direction of the transmission tower.
- Slide the U bolt over the mast.
FAQs
What comes in the package?
Can I mount the RCA ant751 indoors?
Is the 70-mile range long enough for ritual areas?
You can enjoy a city worthy TV signal even if you are in the province. We hope our RCA ant751 Compact Outdoor Yagi HDTV Antenna Review helped you see the advantages of this RCA antenna.