How to use mySwitch
Enter your address in the search box and click Go. The yellow location marker should be displayed on the map at your address. You should also be able to see which switchover area your location is in, and when that switchover area is due to turn off analog TV signals.
Unresolved search
Sometimes, mySwitch may need you to choose from a shortlist of similar addresses before it can display your information. For example, this might happen when your town or suburb name is also used in another state. If this occurs, the shortlist will be displayed in the top left corner of the page, just under the mySwitch page heading. Click on an address in the shortlist to display the information. If your address is not in the shortlist, you may need to enter a nearby location and search again.
Map info window
The map info window should be displayed on the map above the location marker by default. This window contains summary information and shortcuts to other functions and content in mySwitch. You can close it at any time by clicking on the cross 
in the top right corner of the window. To open a map info window, simply double click on the location marker.
Updating your position
If you feel that mySwitch has not precisely located your position, you can click on the yellow location marker and drag it to the correct location. This may be useful to you if you live in a townhouse complex or block of flats, and will allow you to get an accurate digital TV coverage estimation for the precise location of your home.
Map view/text view
mySwitch presents information in two ways — graphically on a map, as well as in text. You can switch between these views at any time by choosing either the View Map tab or View Text tab underneath the search address entry box.
Antenna Setup Guide
The antenna advice section is provided to achieve two purposes, to:
- help you visually identify whether your current antenna is suitable for reception of the television services from the transmitter site selected in mySwitch: and
- provide you with a technical guide to a suitable antenna system to assist you receive the digital services from the selected transmission site at your location.
To achieve these purposes, mySwitch provides information through the antenna setup guide. It is provided in three main areas:
Transmitter and Transmitters Available Section – contains all transmitter sites providing coverage to the location, the name of the selected transmitter site, distance, direction and predicted level of coverage.
Recommended antenna setup for your location – provides pictures of the individual basic elements of a suitable antenna system at your location including the type and correct polarization of your antenna, amplifier and height of installation.
Follow the instructions below – provides text to describe the range of digital television channels, and the appropriate antenna system including Gain, type and polarization – all of which are visually depicted above
This combination of the transmitter site, direction and distance from your address and antenna system is intended to act as a guide for you to conduct a very preliminary visual check of your current equipment for its suitability for the current range of digital channels from the selected transmitter site.
An experienced antenna installer is best qualified to provide specific advice and assistance in receiving digital television at your location. It is not recommended that you climb onto your roof to examine or change your antenna system.
Basic antenna advice is provided through the Antenna setup guide on mySwitch however each viewer’s antenna system is individual and it is not possible for the mySwitch tool to represent all possible types that may exist in the area. For this reason the focus of this guide is to establish the basic type of antenna, its polarisation and any additional features of the system that may be required at your location.
Satellite Setup Guide
The following information is provided as a general guide in order to assist you to correctly position and setup your satellite television reception equipment, including the recommended dish size for your location. It is not intended to replace advice from an endorsed antenna installer.
The dish size listed is the minimum size that the Digital Switchover Taskforce recommends for reception of the VAST service at your location. In some situations a larger than recommended dish size will further improve the reliability of reception of the VAST service in adverse weather conditions.
The first step in correctly pointing your satellite dish is to establish the direction the dish needs to face, known as the magnetic bearing. This has been calculated in mySwitch by combining the map bearing and the magnetic declination for your location.
Use a magnetic compass to point your dish in the direction indicated by the value above.
The elevation of the satellite dish is the degree to which the satellite dish points towards the sky. The angle will be somewhere between 0 degrees and 90 degrees, where 0 degrees points straight ahead and 90 degrees points directly overhead. Most dishes have the elevation marked on the mount to help.
The final part of pointing a satellite dish is ensuring that the Low Noise Block converter, or LNB, is correctly positioned to receive the VAST service. The angle of the LNB, or its skew, helps get the best signal. Once fitted to the LNB arm, the LNB should have markers on it indicate which direction to adjust the LNB and by how much.
View available channels
To see a list of the digital TV channels available at your location, you can either click on the What channels can I receive? link in the map info window above your location marker, or click on the Transmitter Information tab and then on More info in the lower right hand corner of the map info window. Please note, the channels list is specific to the currently selected digital TV transmitter. Your location may have more than one transmitter that provides you with digital TV coverage.
Selecting a different transmitter
There may be more than one digital TV transmitter that provides your location with TV coverage. These are listed in the Transmitter Information box in the lower left hand corner of mySwitch. This box is closed by default. You can open it at any time by clicking on the + icon in the title. Transmitters are listed in the box by the quality of the coverage they provide to you. If you select another transmitter, it will be displayed on the map. To see more detailed information about a transmitter, including a list of channels that it transmits, you can either click on the Transmitter icon and then on More info or click on the View Text tab above the map.
Viewing approved digital advisors and endorsed antenna installers information
To see the details of retailers who can answer your queries, look in the Switchover Information box on the left hand side of mySwitch and select Local Digital Advisors. A list of icons will be placed on the map to show the locations of these retailers. You can click on an icon to see precise address information. If you have currently selected the View Text tab, then a list of these retailers will be displayed instead. This list is organised by how far away these businesses are from you, with the closest ones at the top of the list. You can also reorganise the list by alphabetical order if you prefer.
You can also view endorsed antenna installers who meet the requirements of the Australian Government Antenna Installer Endorsement Scheme and information events that have been organised in your area.
How to email details from mySwitch
If you find a business you want to keep the details of, you can either click on their icon in map view or click on their business name in text view. If you click on their icon in map view, a pop up window containing their address details will be displayed. Click on the Email me this info link in the lower left hand corner of the window. Enter your email address and click Send. Using the text view option will allow you to email the details of a number of businesses. Select the details of the businesses you want to keep and click on the Share link OR 
envelope icon on top of the right hand corner of the text view.
Previous search
If you have used mySwitch before on your computer, you can access a list of the previous searches you have done by clicking on the red arrow that sits between the search entry box and the Go button at the top of the page. Click on any entry in the list to repeat the search.
When you perform a search, you can send yourself or others a link to the search information that can be accessed at a later time. Simply do the search, then select the Share link underneath the Go button. Enter the email address that you want to send the link to and click Send. Please note, you can only enter a single email address at a time.
Information security
Your address is used for your search only and is not retained or stored for future use by the Department or any other user. If you wish to apply for the VAST satellite service then certain information relating to your search needs to be transferred to the broadcasters site, however mySwitch will ask you to confirm your consent to the information being transferred prior to transferring any information.
Related information
The antenna advice section is provided to achieve two purposes, to:
· help you visually identify whether your current antenna is suitable for reception of the television services from the transmitter site selected in mySwitch; and
· provide you with a technical guide to a suitable antenna system to assist you receive the digital television services from the selected transmission site at your location.
To achieve these purposes, mySwitch provides information through the antenna setup guide. It is provided in three main areas:
Transmitter and Transmitters Available Section – contains all transmitter sites providing coverage to the location, the name of the selected transmitter site, distance, direction and predicted level of coverage.
Recommended antenna setup for your location – provides pictures of the individual basic elements of a suitable antenna system at your location including the type and correct polarization of your antenna, amplifier and height of installation.
Follow the instructions below – provides text to describe the range of digital television channels, and the appropriate antenna system including Gain, type and polarization – all of which are visually depicted above
This combination of the transmitter site, direction and distance from your address and antenna system is intended to act as a guide for you to conduct a very preliminary visual check of your current equipment for its suitability for the current range of digital channels from the selected transmitter site.
An experienced antenna installer is best qualified to provide specific advice and assistance in receiving digital television at your location. It is not recommended that you climb onto your roof to examine or change your antenna system.
Basic antenna advice is provided through the Antenna setup guide on mySwitch however each viewer’s antenna system is individual and it is not possible for the mySwitch tool to represent all possible types that may exist in the area. For this reason the focus of this guide is to establish the basic type of antenna, its polarisation and any additional features of the system that may be required at your location.