First, thank you for your help.
I live in downtown Manchester, NH:
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Desired Channels (most to least)
- Network Channels (all but one are in Boston) - ABC (WMUR or WCVB), CBS (WBZ), NBC (WHDH), Fox (WFXT)
- ION (WPXG)
- PBS (WGBH or WGBX)
The Boston stations are really the main concern.
Experience so Far
I purchased an inexpensive open-box
Winegard Flatwave Antenna (includes pre-amp). The local stations: WMUR, ION, Telemundo are no problem. As far as Boston: it occasionally receives a clear signal of CBS (WBZ) and ABC (WCVB), long enough to watch a couple of tv shows; but the next day, no signal. I seem to have had the best luck with the antenna positioned at about 135° (which is partially out a window) or 105° (which is directly out the window); so I'm hypothesizing that I'm picking up reflections from a building across the alley? Positioned at 165°/166° (with a Cell Phone compass, I'm ordering an actual compass), the correct orientation, I haven't gotten either station but I haven't left it there for more than 30 minutes a few times. Also in this orientation, its angled into a brick wall.
Potential Problems
The two biggest problems are: that I'm in an apartment building, so I can't mount an antenna on the outside or the roof, and that there's no direct line of sight to the Boston stations. The only windows face East and there's a least one old brick building in what would be the line of sight (the building is about 4 stories tall).
Proposed Solution
Is there any possible solution here or is the attenuation of the neighbouring buildings dousing all hopes of receiving OTA Boston stations? I'd be willing to try a larger antenna, such as
Antennas Direct 91XG or
Antennas Direct Clearstream 2 or
Clearstream 4; but I think the attenuation of the buildings downtown is just destroying the signal. I'm having trouble finding the gain for the Winegard Flatwave to be able to understand how much additional gain would be needed from an antenna to reliably receive the Boston stations. So far though, any additional gain doesn't seem too promising though?