Full antenna guide
How to Use mySwitch Before Choosing a TV Antenna
Use the section map if you only need a quick answer. The full guide covers the diagnostic path, decision factors, practical next steps, and FAQs.
01 / Service detail
mySwitch Turns an Address Into a Reception Plan
mySwitch is the Australian Government’s digital television reception tool. Enter a full street address to see predicted coverage, the suggested transmitter, broadcast frequencies, antenna direction and polarisation. Those details give an antenna installer a testable starting point.
The output is not a guarantee that a particular antenna will work at every point on the property. Computer modelling cannot fully account for one roofline, tree, new building, internal wall, local interference source or damaged cable. Use mySwitch to form a hypothesis, then verify it onsite.
For design and installation, take the results to digital TV antenna installation in Brisbane.
Short answer
Open mySwitch, enter the complete street address, select the exact property and record the predicted coverage, transmitter, direction, polarisation and channel frequencies. Do not buy an antenna from coverage colour alone. Match the equipment and position to those fields and confirm with measurements at the property.
The ACMA’s reception troubleshooting guidance points viewers and installers to mySwitch for local transmitter and coverage information.
02 / Service detail
The Five Fields Worth Saving
| mySwitch field | What it helps decide | What it cannot prove | |---|---|---| | Coverage prediction | Expected reception difficulty | Signal at a specific roof or room position | | Suggested transmitter | Which source to test first | That another transmitter is never useful | | Direction | Initial antenna bearing | Final alignment without measurement | | Polarisation | Horizontal or vertical element orientation | Antenna condition or mounting quality | | Channel frequencies | Required broadcast range and tuning | Cable and interference performance |
Take a screenshot or record the values. Search results can change as planning data is updated, and a technician needs the details—not just “mySwitch said good”.
03 / Process
Step-by-Step mySwitch Workflow
1. Use the complete address
Enter street number, street name, suburb and state. A suburb-centre result is too broad for property design. Select the exact address suggestion where available.
For multi-unit properties, confirm the street address and unit context. The prediction describes external coverage, not the condition of the building’s shared MATV system.
2. Review the coverage category
Coverage is modelled. A stronger category supports the expectation that a suitable external installation can work, but it does not remove the need to assess building loss, interference and distribution.
A weaker or variable prediction does not tell you to buy the highest-gain booster. It tells you the receiving position and transmitter choice require careful testing.
3. Identify the predicted transmitter
Write down the transmitter name. Brisbane-region properties can have different viable paths depending on terrain and location. An antenna aimed in the same direction as a neighbour’s may still be using a different source or serving a different building height.
4. Record direction and polarisation
Direction is the initial bearing from the property. Polarisation tells whether receiving elements should be horizontal or vertical. Both matter.
Do not climb onto a roof to turn an antenna. Use the data for quote preparation and onsite alignment.
5. Record the channel frequencies
The frequency list helps select an antenna designed for the services in use and supports manual tuning or missing-channel diagnosis. It is more precise than “digital antenna” or “all channels” marketing.
6. Compare the prediction with symptoms
If mySwitch predicts good coverage but only one room fails, focus on the branch, outlet and fly lead. If every TV fails, check shared components and external conditions. If one channel group is absent, match it to the listed frequency.
04 / Service detail
How mySwitch Helps Choose an Antenna
Band coverage
The antenna must receive the broadcast frequencies used by the chosen transmitter. Avoid selecting equipment solely by its advertised distance or “digital” label.
Directionality
A directional antenna may help favour the intended transmitter and reject unwanted paths, but it requires accurate alignment. A broad design may be useful in other conditions. The address data begins that choice; onsite quality measurements finish it.
Polarisation
The physical orientation of the antenna elements should match the broadcast. Incorrect polarisation can reduce usable signal even when the compass direction looks right.
Position
mySwitch provides a path, not a mounting point. Roof shape, construction, trees, terrain and safe mast locations affect the actual choice.
Distribution load
The prediction says nothing about the number of outlets, splitter loss or cable runs inside the property. Add those requirements to the installation design.
05 / Service detail
Three Mistakes to Avoid
Buying by coverage colour alone
Coverage quality does not specify antenna construction, mounting, cable path or number of outlets.
Treating the compass bearing as a DIY roof instruction
The prediction is a planning input. Exterior work involves height, structural and electrical-clearance risks, and alignment should be verified across services.
Adding gain before testing
A modelled weaker area does not prove a booster is needed. Amplification may help a clean low-level signal but can worsen overload or interference. Read masthead vs distribution amplifier before choosing gain.
06 / Service detail
Using mySwitch for Missing Channels
Record the frequencies for each expected network group. When some channels are missing, compare:
- which services share the missing group;
- whether every TV and outlet has the same result;
- the tuner’s stored or manually selected frequency;
- broadcaster notices;
- measurements across the cable path.
The missing free-to-air channels guide turns that information into a fault map.
07 / Service detail
Using mySwitch in a Quote Request
Send:
- 1exact address;
- 2predicted transmitter;
- 3direction and polarisation;
- 4listed channel frequencies;
- 5property type and roof material;
- 6number and location of TV points;
- 7existing antenna, splitter and amplifier details;
- 8current working and failing channels;
- 9permission or shared-building constraints.
Final antenna type, position and quote still depend on the property. The model does not determine safe access, material quantities or repair scope.
08 / Service detail
When the Prediction and Reality Differ
Do not force the installation to match the model. Verify the address, then check whether:
- a building or vegetation blocks the predicted path;
- the antenna is aimed at another transmitter;
- the property uses shared infrastructure;
- cable or connector loss owns the symptom;
- electrical interference is present;
- another transmitter provides the more stable measured result.
Document the measured reason for departing from the prediction.
09 / Service detail
Keep the Prediction With the Finished System
Save the mySwitch result with the installation or assessment record. Include the date, address, transmitter, polarisation and channel list, plus any measured reason for using another transmitter or position. This gives future repair work a starting assumption that can be checked rather than rediscovered.
If the property later adds TV outlets, extensions, solar equipment or substantial nearby construction, compare new symptoms with the saved plan. The external prediction may remain the same while the property’s cable losses or interference environment changes.
For a rental or shared building, send the relevant output to the owner or manager with the fault record. It can help separate external reception planning from a private outlet or common distribution issue without presenting the model as guaranteed proof.
10 / Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mySwitch free?
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Yes. It is a public Australian Government reception-planning service.
Does it tell me which antenna model to buy?
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No. It provides coverage and transmitter characteristics. Equipment choice also depends on the property, mounting, cable path and distribution.
Can I use only the suburb instead of my address?
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Use the full address. Reception predictions and transmitter paths can vary within a suburb.
Does a good coverage result guarantee indoor reception?
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No. Walls, glazing, local interference and room position can change an indoor result.
Why does my antenna point away from the predicted direction?
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It may use another transmitter, receive reflections, be misaligned or predate current conditions. Verify the actual services and measurements before changing it.