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what would make reception on one channel "stutter" (periodic dropouts - I don't know what the appropriate terminology is) even though it has 100 percent signal strength on both TVs?
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Amplifier overloading or multi-path. Either will cause it.
Your Monoprice antenna contains a built-in amplifier of unknown performance characteristics. You have two full power stations very close by with unimpeded signal paths that have substantial potential to put most amps into intermodulation distortion or compression. You're on the back side of a 20-50 dB attenuator called a "hill" using an antenna with no ability to focus on receiving signals from one direction.
Okay, now you know the complications of your location. You will need a very directional antenna with strong rejection off the back (or expensive suppression filtering for the two strong stations) along with a properly selected pre-amp. The antenna(s) must be mounted to give the clearest possible line of sight back towards downtown and should likely be tiled up and aimed at your visible horizon.
Reliable meters or analyzers aren't cheap unless you get lucky on eBay. A good one will cost several hundred dollars.