Chowderhead

Piggie

Bigger. You need a LOT of antenna where you live. Bigger the better.

Plus you have several stations on VHF, so any of the previous antennas you mentioned won't receive them.

WJLA-DT (Digital)
Channel: 7 (7.1)
Network: ABC

WUSA-DT (Digital)
Channel: 9 (9.1)
Network: CBS

That are at 150 degrees from your house along with the strongest stations.

You would need a rotor also if you want to get the stations at 99 degrees. However I would mount an antenna then manually turn it to see if it's worth buying a rotor.

The signals are weak enough also you would need a small amp.

A typical installation I would recommend.

One antenna solution.

Winegard HD 7698P High Definition VHF/UHF HD769 Series Antenna (HD7698P) | HD7698P [Winegard] | HD769 Series 769 7-69 high band hi band hi-band HD7698 HD 7698P HD7698P HD-7698
Winegard AP8700 Chromstar 2000 Series VHF/UHF Pre Amplifier (AP-8700) | AP-8700 [Winegard] | antenna booster AP-8700 8700 pre-amp pre amplifier pre-amplifier AP 8700 ap8700

Two antenna solution
Winegard YA 1713 Prostar 1000 10 El. Hi-Band VHF Antenna (YA-1713) | YA-1713 [Winegard] | YA 1713 YA-1713 YA1713 YA 1713 YA-1713
Antennas Direct 91XG UHF Antenna (91XG) | 91XG [Antennas Direct] | 91XG 91-XG 91 XG 91 GX xg91
Winegard AP 2870 Chromstar 2000 Series Pre Amplifier (AP-2870) | AP-2870 [Winegard] | AP-2870 antenna booster 2870 pre-amp pre amplifier pre-amplifier AP 2870

The XG91 can be substitued with a
Winegard HD-9032 UHF Prostar 1000 Antenna (HD9032) | HD-9032 [Winegard] | PR9032 PR 9032 PR-9032 HD9032 HD-9032 HD

Then you would need to find if you need a rotor if the stations at 150 degrees are not enough, or you want more channels, if you can pick the weaker one up.

The two antenna solution is a little cheaper and will actually give you more reception. You might need to go to 25 ft with the 2 antenna solution, putting the UHF on top and the VHF 4 to 5 ft below it.

__________________
The more I understand, the less I know.

Chowderhead

thanks but are you sure I'm going to need a rotor? Do one of those antennas perform better with spread out broadcast towers?

Piggie

Those two things are mutually exclusive. An antenna that has gain, has a narrow aim or beamwidth. That is how the antenna gets it's gain or better reception by only pointing in one direction.

Think of a water sprinkler that is rotating in a full circle. It will spread a certain amount of water in a certain amount of time over a large area.

Now take the same water sprinkler stopped in one direction, locked down. It will make the area in front of it much wetter in the same time than if it were rotating.

========

1) I am not sure you will even receive the stations listed on TVFool at 99 degrees.

2) The ones at 150 will be a challenge and need a large strong antenna system.

3) don't buy a rotor until you are sure, you can receive signals from both 99 and 150 degrees. If it turns out only one direction works, no point in a rotor.

__________________
The more I understand, the less I know.

Chowderhead

So antennna first, then test out directions I can receive stations. I haven't bought my antenna yet but I have another question. Does it matter if I autoscan for stations or can I manually add the ones I know I want to receive and try to adjust the antenna accordingly?

Piggie

It doesn't matter if you do an autoscan or add manually.

Yes, I would put an antenna to find out what you can receive.

__________________
The more I understand, the less I know.