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Here are some basic antenna guidelines. Please call our engineering department Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to speak to a staff engineer regarding specific reception difficulties you are facing.

    • Antennas are rated based on distance; determine your distance from our transmitter site (just south of La Feria) before choosing your antenna. We recommend choosing an antenna that exceeds the required distance for best possible signal quality.

    • For best results, we recommend an omnidirectional outdoor UHF/VHF antenna (it should clearly state UHF/VHF on the packaging) located at a height of 30 feet.  Outdoor antennas should have clear line of sight to our transmitter. (Trees, foliage, power lines, etc. can cause interference.)

    • The KRGV signal is transmitting in the VHF frequency. All other Rio Grande Valley TV stations are transmitting in the UHF frequency. This is why your antenna may detect other (UHF) stations and not KRGV (a VHF station).

    • If you use an indoor antenna, keep it away from wireless routers (some routers and unshielded cables might interfere). Walls and furniture may also interfere with signal quality; whenever possible, indoor antennas should be placed close to a window facing our tower site in La Feria.

    • Amplifiers should be used as a last resort.

Antenas DirectIt's all free over-the-air.

HD antennas are a great and inexpensive way to receive over-the-air local channels. And they're growing in popularity.

GfK Media's syndicated research found that, across the U.S., 17.8 percent of TV homes report broadcast-only reception. In the Rio Grande Valley, 25 percent of homes use an antenna only to watch television.

Remember, KRGV is a VHF station. To view all the stations in the Rio Grande Valley, you'll need a UHF/VHF antenna.

It is recommended you place the antenna outdoors (or in an attic) at a height of 30 feet. Ideally, the antenna should point toward the La Feria area, where TV towers are located. And a clear line of sight is recommended (avoiding thick trees or tall buildings).

You can call our engineering department during business hours at (956) 968-5555 for ideas to help improve signal reception.