Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I live about 35 miles from the city where the transmitters are located, with a few trees obstructing a clear shot from my roof. But since I was determined to eliminate our monthly cable bill and go with FREE instead, I looked at many different outdoor antennas and read dozens of reviews. I also found out signals in the air are 100% HD, whereas cable compresses the signal to around 70%. But you probably already know that if you're looking for an outdoor antenna... Anyway, after weeks of research I decided to try the DB8. When we first cancelled cable, I was getting 16 channels using RCA's "best" amplified indoor antenna. After hooking up the DB8 on the roof and aiming it in the general direction of the city, I got 35 channels. I eventually added a Motorola Signal Booster to the line in order to get the local ABC affiliate that is a little further away, bringing the total to 36 channels. Needless to say, I love this thing. Years ago we had the conventional old school "arrow" looking outdoor antenna. It pulled in about a dozen stations, half were all fuzzy. But with digital, it's all or nothing. Fuzzy won't cut it. So I'd highly recommend the DB8. It simply works better. That, and it looks cool, the neighbors probably think I'm contacting Mars, lol. I also found out a few other things along the way, which may be helpful if you're new at this... As with most outdoor antennas, you'll need a few other things to hook it up: 1. Antenna mast (the pole the antenna mounts on) 2. Mounting hardware (basically 3 types: wall mount, tripod roof mount, or chimney mount) 3. Coaxial grounding block (connects the antenna cable to copper grounding wire) 4. Copper grounding wire (enough to go from the grounding block to the grounding rod) 5. Copper grounding rod (9 ft long copper pole that hammers into the ground) 6. Grounding rod connector (connects the grounding wire to the grounding rod) 7. And of course, coaxial cable. If you're running custom lengths you'll also need connectors, a coaxial wire stripper and crimping tool. A few other tips... TIP 1: I noticed every antenna mast and mounting bracket I've seen on other roofs are seriously rusted. Rusted to the point they're staining the roof. So pick up a can of Rustoleum and spray paint your mast and mounting brackets before assembly. Just don't paint the antenna or grounding hardware. TIP 2: Pick up a cheap rubber chair leg tip and stick it on the top on the mast to keep the inside dry. TIP 3: Don't underestimate the importance of grounding your antenna. You're basically putting a large lightning rod on your house, so it's worth the extra time and money to make sure the lightning goes to the ground and not your family room. TIP 4: Say a prayer that you don't fall off the roof and die.