Ideally, all your local stations will transmit from one location, and you can buy the largest antenna you can afford or live with. If domestic or neighborly bliss requires a lower profile, use a small- or medium-sized antenna with a preamplifier. In some cases, even if you’re close to the transmitters, signal reflections from nearby objects will necessitate the use of a larger, more directional antenna. You might be able to hide the antenna in your attic provided the roof isn’t made with materials that block the signal, like metal sheeting or chicken wire. Wood, non-metallic clay, tile or asphalt shingle roofs will reduce the signal level about 20 percent, so unless you have signal to spare, you might need a larger antenna in the attic, possibly with a preamp, than you otherwise would need outdoors.

If local stations are located in different directions and are too far away for a small, multidirectional antenna to pick up, or if they’re close by but there are too many reflections from nearby objects, you have two options. Both options require a larger, more directional, higher-gain antenna. One option is to get a rotor. This is a motor connected to the antenna mast that is controlled by a rotary switch in your living room. Turning the switch causes the motor to rotate the antenna to point in the desired location. It’s not a great solution, but it’s relatively cheap and works well enough.

Figure 3: Like the bow tie antenna, this UHF Yagi antenna (model 4248) will receive channels 13 through 69. There is no major performance difference between the Yagi and the bow tie.

A more convenient (read: more expensive) choice is to get multiple antennas. Point one in each direction that you need, and then combine the signals. In addition to the antenna farm on your roof, you’ll need an equipment closet to house all the filters and traps required for each antenna. (You want to block the signals from one antenna that will be picked up by the other.) Check with a local installer to find out what equipment you need.