IBcarguy wrote:
Thanks for the input. It's a 110 TV so I'll need shore power. It never occurred to me that just the antenna might pick up enough stations to satisfy me. I'm sure it will vary by locations. Before I do anything, I think I'll give the antenna a try. If it doesn't do the job, I'll look into going to a dish.
Before you start: Get a good compass, or use a compass app on a smartphone. Be sure you know the zip code of your location
I find AntennaPoint.com the easiest tool to use to show you exactly which direction the stations' towers are from your location. Armed with that information, point your antenna towards them. Then do a channel scan on your TV.
Antenna Point will also tell you the analog and digital channel numbers, the stations call letters, and the network they represent (ABC, CBS, FOX, ICON, etc.) Write those down while you have the program up on your screen.
Sometimes you will have to decide which stations are most important, as depending on your location . . .. CBS might be to the North and ABC to the southwest. That doesn't happen very often as most towers tend to be in the general area of larger metropolitan areas.
We are "most timers" and are very satisfied using Over the Air programming. We even use this to feed two TIVO DVRs.
We recently replaced the standard antenna booster (the button that switches back and forth from antenna to cable) with a Winegard Sensor Pro and that has helped bring in stations from further distances.
When using the antenna, if you see channels that are pixilated, that means you are on the cusp of reception for those stations. The Sensor Pro will boost those signals and produce a nice clear picture.
One more variable . . . it's not just the distance of the station but their broadcasting strength that determines the quality of the signal you receive. Antenna Point has a column named "power" that will tell you that.
