Jason Weill <jason@weill.org> writes:

I live in a cottage house on Negley & Wellesley and have Dish Network satellite TV service. To get local channels in HD I need an off-air antenna. I tried one of those that clip onto the dish itself but I can't get good reception on most channels -- and I get no reception on ABC, where the Steelers have three Monday night games this year.

Yeah. What I've been told is that Channel 4's owner is too cheap to spend the money on putting out a full-power HD signal until the FCC makes him, and apparently that requirement is some way off yet. I can tell you that we get 2 and 11 fine in HD, but 4 only when the phase of the moon is just right. (We're at Elgin & Mellon.) You might have better luck if you spring for a rotatable antenna that you can point towards the station you want --- we did not do that, but are using a compromise antenna direction, and in hindsight that might have been a penny-wise-pound-foolish decision.

1. Does anyone have any recommendations about which antennas work well in such a foliage-rich neighborhood, especially on a smaller house?

You need height. I'd strongly suggest talking to a professional. regards, tom lane