[StephanieS]

Greetings Burr,

Your goals while ambitious, might be tempered by the trees. Trees often wreak havoc on incoming signals shredding them and deflecting them away from your antenna. The result can be even signals of good strength are unreliable. You are fortunate that magnetic heading 171 - 173 is clear. If I were installing at your location the Grand Rapids market gives a nice chance for a complete set of the major affiliates with a outside shot at WGVK PBS.

Generally I favor configurations that don't include rotors. Rotors while occasionally required are just another component to fail. I much prefer being able to lock down my antenna at one heading.

Your map has a multitude of directions and bands to consider. You have low-vhf, high-vhf and UHF to consider. Also important points is what is the best direction to aim (best bang or buck or most stations accessible) and what works best with your treeline.

I would do a two antenna set up. The first would be an Antennas Direct DB8e for UHF (real channels 14 and up). This would focus on FOX WXMI and WOTV ABC.

The second antenna would be an all band VHF/UHF combo. You'll notice WGVK broadcasts on low-VHF channel 5, so an antenna that works with low-band VHF is required. The UHF capability, however for the second antenna you would not be using. This antenna would be an Antennacraft HD1850. This antenna would be responsible for WOOD NBC and WWMT CBS along and a trying for WGVK.

Orientate DB8e to magnetic 172. Orientate HD1850 to magnetic 172. When mounting the antennas on the mast, install DB8e at the very top with the HD1850 about 4' below.

I would expect in this configuration to see FOX, CBS, ABC, NBC, WLLA along with a shot at PBS WGVK. You may see additional signals off the back or sides. Grand Rapids though is the focus of where I'm going with this set up.

A mast mounted combiner, the Antennas Direct EU385CF is a quality unit. DB8e coax to UHF combiner input, HD1850 coax to VHF combiner input then run your single lead into your home. Since you are doing 4 splits a Channel Master 3414 distribution amp might be a good option to install instead of a preamp.

Your situation isn't ideal with so many pathways to consider. Your opening to the south of your property gives the best window at reception that'll be reliable. It also happens to luckily fall in the direction of Grand Rapids' broadcasts.

As for your older TVs which you need a digital capable external tuner, Amazon's ratings of the Mediasonic HW180STB are at 4 stars out of 5.

Cheers.