In some cases, you can get really long-distance reception with high-gain antennas. Part of the value in using TVFool is seeing what you're truly up against. In your case, there are just too many terrain obstacles that the signals have to scatter over before they get to you.
We can also use the noise margin predictions and some math to see what's possible. Picking on WLWT, the predicted noise margin "in the air" is -19. Realistic gain values of the largest antennas are 15 dB or so. Adding the gain in leaves an NM of -4 dB - still no lock.
Now the important part - any amplifiers, either integrated with the antenna or installed separately as a pre-amp WILL NOT ADD to the noise margin (you're amplifying the noise picked up just as much as the signal). Pre-amps will zero out cable losses, but they also have internal noise that SUBTRACTS from the overall noise margin. The better pre-amps have a noise figure of 3 dB, so adding one in this case drops the noise margin for WLWT back down to -7. No lock.
There's no fighting physics
