just got an hdtv...

[S33SQUAR3D]

just bought myself a new hdtv for chirstmas, and i would obviously like to get some hd channels. i would like to use antennas to do it but i really have no idea what im doing. the antenna selection guide is helpful, but theres too many letters and abbreviations and numbers and such for me to figure everything out. i live in the 92078 area code, any help is appreciated...

[tigerbangs]

It is so hilly in your area that I really need a street address to know what to recommend: you are closest to San Diego, but those stations are blocked by mountains: it actually looks as if LA is oyur best choice, at over 90 miles away, byt you'll need a deep-fringe antenna to see the stations. You can send the address to my PM if you like.

[tigerbangs]

OK, Thanks for providing your address in a PM: your situation at the address that you provided is VERY different that what a generic zip code plot would be. The San Diego stations are the best way for you to go: You have 2 VHF stations in the same direction, and 4 VHF stations in a slightly different direction.

I would use a 2-antenna system: An AntennaCraft Y-10-7-13 VHF high-band yagi mounted on your roof aimed at 182 degrees by your compass, and, mounted 4' above that antenna on the same mast, an AntennasDirect XG-91 UHF antenna aimed at 146 degrees. Combine the signals from the two antennas using an Channel Master Titan 7777 preamplifier, which has separate VHF and UHF inputs, and run the coax cable to a location in your house where you can mount the preamplifier power supply.

If you only have one TV set, you can mount the power supply behind the TV set, if you have more than one TV, mount the preamp in a central location in your house that has AC power, and use an appropriate splitter after the preamplifier in the line to connect the various TV sets.

Since you have large hills between the transmitters and you, you can use the mounting system of the the XG-91 UHF antenna to tilt the front of the antenna up about 20 degrees to allow it to see the refracted signal from the nearby mountain tops.

http://www.channelmaster.com
http://www.antennasdirect.com
http://www.antennacraft.net
http://manuals.solidsignal.com/AntInstallGuide.pdf