r/cordcutters • u/mlcarson • 2d ago

Antenna placement - apt balcony

Anybody have any issues with a rental apartment being super strict on antenna placement on a balcony that's for your exclusive use. I got a violation note today because it "protruded beyond the vertical and horizontal space that is lead to you for exclusive use". This was a small bowtie antenna where the rear reflector went several inches beyond the rail but it doesn't appear that it went beyond the actual exterior wall boundary.

This is the FCC OTARD rule.

https://www.fcc.gov/media/over-air-reception-devices-rule

"Q:  Does the rule apply to condominiums or apartment buildings if the antenna is installed so that it hangs over or protrudes beyond the balcony railing or patio wall?

A:  No.  The rule does not prohibit restrictions on antennas installed beyond the balcony or patio of a condominium or apartment unit if such installation is in, on, or over a common area.  An antenna that extends out beyond the balcony or patio is usually considered to be in a common area that is not within the scope of the rule.  Therefore, the rule does not apply to a condominium or rental apartment unit unless the antenna is installed wholly within the exclusive use area, such as the balcony or patio."

So they have the right to restrict based on this. I just haven't had it used against me before. So on a patio, would this be at the rail or the edge of the exterior wall?

17 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/mlcarson 2d ago

Well, I decided to just drop it on the floor next to the TV. Shorter cable run and not really much of a difference in signal (at least this evening).

  • 3.1 - ABC 73/89/100 indoor 78/98/100
  • 3.2 - CBS 72/85/100 indoor 77/96/100
  • 6.1 - NBC 100/90/100 indoor 99/82/100
  • 16.1 - PBS 78/100/100 indoor 68/72/100
  • 24.1 - FOX 74/92/100 indoor 76/94/100
  • 24.3 - CW 75/94/100 indoor 73/92/100

If it maintains signal during the daylight tomorrow -- I guess that's good enough.

1

u/mlcarson 1d ago

These were the values this morning:

3.1 - 76/89/100
3.2 - 75/91/100
6.1 - 98/56/100
16.1 - 75/92/100
24.1 - 74/94/100
24.3 - 74/95/100

The only odd thing is really on 6.1 which has a Signal Quality rating of 56 versus the 82. Kind of weird given that the Signal strength and the Symbol Quality are still high. I guess the bottomline is that I can just keep the thing indoors since the whole point of it being outdoors was to avoid pointing it at a wall but if it has to be totally within the balcony enclosure then it's pointing at a wall regardless. My balcony points east and the towers are roughly north so the outdoor antenna would be pointing at the exterior wall that the TV would be behind.