Indoor/Outdoor HD TV Antenna

louie

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 31, 2002
Messages
1,101
Location
Seattle
I normally use cable TV and for internet, but when it goes out, or to catch a couple other obscure OTA channels, I just use ancient analog Radio Shack rabbit ears. It works fine, but I'm in the city pretty close to the transmitters, and for some stations I have to move the antenna around a bit. Sometimes, a channel or two can be weak and unusable for no known reason. If I had to cut the cable, this would work for me as well as pre-cable days - I'd get all the major network affiliates.
 

dealgrabber2002

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 9, 2007
Messages
1,908
Location
California, Los Angeles
I am interested in what you guys use as well. I have the flat one that you tape to the wall, tradition-cheap rabbit ears, the long stick, and the RCA rabbit ears; all not very good. If I move it around, I get some channels really clear but will get some really glitchy ones. If I fix the glitchy ones, the clear ones will become glitchy or just plain black out. I live in the city w/o much tall building.
 

StarHalo

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
10,927
Location
California Republic
Quick and easy lookup of stations you can realistically get: https://antennaweb.org

Way more detailed index of all stations in your area, with mapping and signal strength indicators: http://www.tvfool.com/

We used various iterations of the amplified/"50" Leaf antenna before we had cable, which can work well if you take the time to figure out placement.
 

Lynx_Arc

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 1, 2004
Messages
11,212
Location
Tulsa,OK
I made an antenna out of coat hangers, house wire, a board, some screws and washers and a 75 ohm balun. I can pull in every station locally even some over 20 miles away. I haven't paid for tv since 2002
 

this_is_nascar

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
8,330
Location
Gloucester, New Jersey
Quick and easy lookup of stations you can realistically get: https://antennaweb.org

Way more detailed index of all stations in your area, with mapping and signal strength indicators: http://www.tvfool.com/

We used various iterations of the amplified/"50" Leaf antenna before we had cable, which can work well if you take the time to figure out placement.
I'm familiar with these sites. I've spent many hours on them over the last few weeks.

They keep pushing that Lava brand antenna that's supposed to be omni-directional, so you don't have to move it, however, I've been reading mixes reviews.
 

wlarrison

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
6
I have a ClearStream 2V antenna with a 60 mile range (i'm only about 25 miles from a major city, but hoped it would help get more channels). It works great. I have it in my attic instead of outdoors, so there's probably some loss from that, but we get just about every major over-the-air HD channel.
 
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