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1. Should I go out and buy an HDTV or digital antenna?
   
   
2. What kind of antenna will I need to get good signals where I live?
   
   
3. On what stations will I get a good signal?
   
   
4. Do I have to mount the antenna outside?
   
   
5. What are the harder channels to get good reception on?
   
   
6. What kinds of antennas have been frequently recommended by users?
   
   
7. Where can I buy an antenna?
   
   
8. Can my homeowners' association keep me from mounting an antenna outside?
   
   
9. What's the most important thing to remember in installing an antenna?
   
   
10. Bottom line, what are the best antennas out there?
    
    
11. Where can I find out more?

Should I go out and buy an HDTV or digital antenna?

Absolutely not! There is no special characteristic of digital or high-definition signals that requires a special antenna. The things you do for good reception of existing (old-fashioned, analog) signals will improve digital signals also, for the time when you upgrade to a new-technology TV. Such measures would include increasing antenna height, adding a quality preamplifier, or replacing old antenna cable.

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What kind of antenna will I need to get good signals at my house?

Go to http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx to find out. There you'll enter your address, and you'll find what to buy. People in large cities can often get excellent reception. In more remote areas, you'll need a better antenna.

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On what stations will I get a good signal?

Go to www.tvfool.com and enter the requested information to find out. You'll find both the conventional (analog) and newer (digital) stations listed, along with lots of technical information.

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Do I have to mount the antenna outside?

For the best results in the most remote locations, yes. If you're lucky, you may be able to get good signals with the "rabbit ears" that come with many TVs. If the signal isn't acceptable, a larger, attic-mounted antenna may do the trick. But to minimize the hassle, it may be best to go straight to an outdoor mounting of the kind of antenna recommended at http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/address.aspx.

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What are the harder channels to get good reception on?

Generally, the higher-numbered channels. That's especially true of the UHF (Ultra High Frequency) channels above 13, which are usually more difficult than all the VHF (Very High Frequency) channels 2-13. For an excellent reference on UHF reception, see http://www.tvantenna.com/support/tutorials/uhf.html

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What kinds of antennas have been frequently recommended by users?

Channel Master and Winegard get good reviews among contributors to the newsgroup alt.tv.tech.hdtv. Terk, on the other hand, is considered overrated by some, though a number of contributors have reported good results. Terk antennas tend to look very good and blend well with exterior decor, but apparently the results aren't as good as with less elegant looking antennas.

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Where can I buy an antenna?

Your local Radio Shack is a good starting point, and a Radio Shack antenna may be all you need. But if you have more challenging reception conditions, you'll need to see an independent electronics dealer that handles brands such as Channel Master and Winegard. If you prefer shopping on the Web, try http://www.starkelectronic.com/ (a highly informational website), www.solidsignal.com or www.warrenelectronics.com.

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Can my homeowners' association keep me from mounting an antenna outside?

The general answer is "no." Under Congressional authority of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the FCC has adopted a rule that allows most viewers use an outdoor antenna. But there are exceptions, include provisions for safety and for preservation of historic areas. For more information go to to http://www.hats.stevens.com/otafacts.html

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What's the most important thing to remember in installing an antenna?

Don't get yourself killed.

Seriously, there are two hazards you might underestimate

1. the risk of falling. If you don't regularly work on a ladder, you won't know how easy it is for something to go wrong when you're up high.
   
2. the risk of electrocution. TV antennas often require long masts. You don't have to be that close to an electric line for a misstep to make that mast fall across the line, and then you're fried (maybe).

So be careful or get a professional installer.

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Bottom line, what are the best antennas out there?

In my experience and reading, here they are (I own three out of the four, and they're all currently hooked up and performing well, aimed in different directions):

1. As a good first antenna to just "give it a try": the ChannelMaster 4221 with no pre-amplifier. If you have a long cable run or you're a long way from the stations, add a ChannelMaster 7777 pre-amp.
   

2. As a good simple antenna, easy to install, that gets the whole range of close-in stations: The Winegard GS-2200. It already comes with a built-in pre-amp.
   

3. If you're way out and need the most signal strength possible: Get a ChannelMaster 4248 (if you're in a windy area and need an antenna with low wind load) or a ChannelMaster 4228 (if you're not worried about wind). Team either antenna with a ChannelMaster 7777 pre-amp.
   
   I own a ChannelMaster 4221 (pointed toward a single hard-to-get signal, a Winegard GS (pointed toward some close-in stations) and a ChannelMaster 4248 (pointed toward stations over 90 miles distant). I had to read up on joiners and combiners to make the three signals behave on a single cable.

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Where can I find out more?

Here are links to some useful resources:

www.tvantenna.com (great tutorials)
www.antennaweb.org (antenna selector)
http://www.hats.stevens.com/otafacts.html (homeowners' rights)
alt.tv.tech.hdtv (newsgroup on High Definition TV)

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