It sounds backwards, but living close to the transmitter can be the cause of a bad TV picture. Inner Brisbane suburbs such as Spring Hill, Newstead, West End and Toowong sit near the 50 kW Mount Coot-tha site, which broadcasts in all directions. That means the signal reaching your roof is usually strong, and the trouble comes from too much of it or from reflections bouncing off nearby towers. When a strong signal meets an amplifier that was never needed, the tuner can be overloaded, and the picture breaks up or freezes even though plenty of signal is arriving. The first thing to try is simple: check whether an amplifier is fitted, and ask whether it is actually helping.

Apartments add a few complications of their own, which is why many residents ask Topline Antennas Brisbane to look at the building before changing any equipment. Many blocks run a shared antenna system, and in that case the equipment on the roof is the body corporate's responsibility, so a private antenna is often not the answer. Poured concrete walls also leave no cavity for cables, so a neat painted duct usually replaces an in-wall run, and any new dish or antenna generally needs written approval first. A proper fix starts with a signal reading at the wall outlet, which shows whether the level is too high, too low or distorted by reflections, and that reading should be handed over so you can see what was found.