TV antenna replacement vs repair in Melbourne: how to decide

When the reception goes south, the obvious-sounding answer is "new antenna." But a new antenna won't help if the fault is in the cable, the wall plate or the splitter — and an old antenna in good condition can keep working for another decade. Here's how to make the call.

Replace if… - The antenna is over 20 years old and visibly weathered (chalky paint, plastic crazing, loose elements) - Elements are bent or missing after a storm - The boom is rusted through at the bracket - It's a VHF antenna (Melbourne switched to UHF-only in 2013) - It's a no-name import installed in the last 10 years that has already failed once

Repair if… - The antenna is a Hills or Matchmaster less than 15 years old in good condition - The fault is at the F-connector, in the cable, or at the wall plate - The masthead amp has died but the antenna is fine - A storm has knocked it out of alignment but not damaged it physically

How we tell the difference We climb to the antenna, inspect it physically, and meter the raw signal *at the antenna terminals* before any cable loss. If the raw signal is clean, the antenna is fine and the fault is downstream. If the raw signal is poor, we replace.

The 70/30 rule we see in practice About 70% of "the antenna is broken" calls turn out to be downstream faults — cable, splitter, amp or wall plate. About 30% genuinely need a new antenna. This is why we always meter first and quote second.

What you save by repairing A repair-only visit is a fraction of a full new install. Don't let an installer condemn a perfectly good antenna without metering. Book a metered diagnosis or call 0497 098 109.