TV ANTENNA & AERIAL INSTALLATION ARMADALE
STARLINK, WALL MOUNTING & SAME-DAY SIGNAL FIXES

If you"re in the hills — Roleystone, Bedfordale, or upper Kelmscott — you already know the antenna struggle. The Darling Scarp creates valleys that block transmitter signals from the Bickley tower, which is ironic because the transmitter is literally up in the hills too. The terrain between your roof and the tower is the problem — ridges, tree canopy, and elevation changes all conspire to make your TV pixelate at the worst moments.

I did a job in Roleystone last month where the customer had been through two antenna installers before me. Both had put up standard antennas and called it done. Neither worked because the signal in that particular valley was too weak for a standard setup. I went with a high-gain Matchmaster antenna on a 3.6-metre mast with a masthead amplifier, and suddenly he's getting every channel. Sometimes you need the bigger gear.

Steep Roofs in the Hills

Steep roofs are the other challenge in the hills. Those heritage-style homes with 35-degree-plus roof pitches aren't just harder to work on — they need different mounting systems. A standard tripod mount designed for a flat-ish roof won't sit right on a steep pitch. I carry adjustable tilt mounts specifically for hills jobs. Costs a bit more but won't slide off in winter.

Compact Lots on the Flats

Down on the flats in Seville Grove and Harrisdale, it's a different story. These newer estates have tight blocks with two-storey homes everywhere. Your neighbour's second floor can be enough to block signal to your single-storey place. Compact lots also mean antennas are close together, and if someone's got a poorly installed amplifier, it can actually interfere with surrounding homes.

For anyone in the hills: don't accept a standard antenna if the installer hasn't done a signal strength test first. The reading at the top of the mast tells you exactly what antenna and amplification you need. No test means they're guessing.