Welcome to the forum, Mike:
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I picked up a Mohu Leaf 60 mile to play with. Channel 7 is not detectable when running a scan on the TV. Channel 43 (2.1) comes in but pixelates and the sound breaks breaks up. The other channels look fine.
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The Sky works better on UHF than for VHF-High (real channels 7-13), which would explain the loss of 7. Channel 43 is your weakest desired signal.
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I live in a HOA that, right or wrong, disallows antennas.
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You know the FCC is on your side, don't you? Maybe you don't want to fight the HOA.
https://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-...n-devices-rule
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The house faces South and the transmitters are to the North. Behind the house is a park full of trees.
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That worries me, because trees are the enemy of TV signals, but since the Sky did as well as it did, there is some hope.
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/siting.html
scroll down to
Trees and UHF
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Do you think I would be wasting my time trying the RCA ANT751? Is there a better alternative that would also be unlikely to attract attention from the HOA Police?
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Only you can decide how much time and money you are willing to put into antenna tests with no guarantee of success.
Antenna gain and size are mutually exclusive. The Sky is a small antenna with an integrated 15 dB amplifier. The problem is that if the antenna itself doesn't provide a good quality signal, the amplifier can't compensate for that deficiency; GIGO.
There is no Magic Small Antenna the performs like a big one.
The 751 has a little more gain than the antenna in the Sky, and you will need a preamplifier after the 751. Why don't you try it in the window (no metal screen or low-E glass) with a preamp to see how it compares with the Sky before mounting it.
The Antennas Direct C2V is a small antenna that would probably work for UHF, but its dipole (the "V" of C2V) might not have enough gain for 7-13. AD also makes the C5 which can be combined with a C2, giving you two flat reflector type antennas that wouldn't stick out very far.
The next step up would be a Winegard HD7694P antenna for VHF and UHF.
If it weren't for your concern about the HOA and size I would suggest a Winegard HD7697P on the roof. Because of the trees and that your signals are 1Edge from the terrain obstructions your reception will be less reliable.
The preamps to consider are the Antennas Direct Juice, Antennas Direct PA-18, Channel Master 7778, and RCA TVPRAMP1R. The Juice doesn't have an FM filter, but I don't see any strong FM signals in your area; see the attachment. The RCA is inexpensive, performs well, and sometimes has a quality control problem, but you can buy 3 for the price of one of the other preamps.
