Quote:
Originally Posted by ETMegabyte
There are a couple concerns I still have....
First, the only place I can mount an antenna without drilling into the roof is the chimney, and from the chimney, magnetic 190 degrees goes right through a pair of pine trees 
Also, my original concern still exists. I don't want to buy a bunch of equipment (particularly a high end antenna designed for maximum reception) only to find out I still can't get the Boston stations...
Does anyone think there may be an installer or someone who can come out and give me an actual idea of what I can expect to get? A temporary set up to see what comes in from my actual location? I've never heard of an OTA antenna installer, so I don't even know if they exist... |
One possibility is to buy an antenna and return it if it does not work out. Supposedly Walmart stores carry the RCA ANT751, which is a good antenna for urban/suburban locales. The Radio Shack stores distribute the Antennacraft line. There's also the Eagle Aspen, which looks like a knock-off of the Antennas Direct DB2, for about $15 on eBay plus shipping. Get a cheap/returnable antenna and a long cable and try out some locations on your property.
Also, there are a lot of different possibilities for mounting an antenna, including non-penetrating mounts for the roof. I ended up screwing a roof bracket and eye bolts to my shingle roof... you have to drill through the shingles, but that's why they sell the pitch pad kits.
You're going to have to spend some time and effort to scope out your local conditions. It isn't really "free" TV when you add in your start-up costs... everyone is in the same boat as you when they decide to go OTA. That's one of the reasons the cable companies have captured so much of the market.
Also RE your GE antenna, the smaller the antenna, the higher frequency its peak gain will be. WMUR is VHF 9 so it's less likely to be heard by a little antenna. And the direction may not be favorable - all antennas are directional, some less than others. If the GE antenna claims 20 dB gain, that includes the amplifier gain, which is really a meaningless spec. My 10' long VHF high antenna has a passive gain of about 9.6 dB. It may be that WMUR is so strong at your locale that it is overloading the amplifier. A cheap passive antenna will tell you more about local signal conditions.