Ask LH: Why Does My Digital TV Signal Get Worse At Night?

Dear LH, I live in Bayside, Melbourne about 18kms from the city. During daylight hours our TV signal is flawless, but as soon as the sun goes down it breaks up considerably. Any ideas? Thanks, Signal Free

TV static picture from Shutterstock

Dear SF,

It sounds like your house might be on the edge of the “digital cliff” (i.e. — near the perimeter of the signal available for your area). This can cause reception issues at night due to fluctuating temperature and weather conditions.

According to the government’s MySwitch digital TV website, older antennas may not be suitable to receive some new digital services in your area. A new aerial might therefore be in order. If you haven’t already done so, ask the neighbours if they have similar issues.

You could also try manually re-tuning your TV to ensure you’re picking up signals from the closest broadcast tower and replace your TV aerial fly lead cable. It’s also worth checking other household appliances to make sure there’s no interference — everything from Wi-Fi signals to electrical heating and LED lights have been known to interfere with TV reception.

Have any readers experienced similar nocturnal issues with their television signal? Share your solutions in the comments section below.

Cheers
Lifehacker

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