Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Having been an owner and installer for a television antenna sales company, I have some experience with antennas. (It was many years ago) It seems obvious to me that Channel Master did not manufacture this antenna. It appears (exactly) the same as an RCA antenna and the quality is nothing like the old Crossfire and Quantum antennas CM used to make. I believe, if my memory serves me, I used to be able to get these, made by a company called antenna craft , or something similar. I did some measurements and it seems like even the elements are just manufactured to just "look right" as compared to actually being cut to half or even quarter wave frequency length . Before I bought this antenna , I simply put up a piece of scrap PVC pipe with a balun at the Tee in the middle, and stripped twelve gauge copper, cut to the length of channel 7 half wave. ( two quarter wave lengths) I could not get channel 4 which I wanted. Even when I cut a halt wave length for channel 4, I still was not successful. So I bought this. I Still don't get channel four, and the other channels come in just about the same as the home made antenna, with the exception of now getting channel 62 which I did not get with my previous Home made. Fortunately for me, all my channels come from the same direction with relation to my location. My home-made was not designed for UHF, but since 21 AND 33 are strong and close, I still got them. All of that said, location of any antenna is much more important than the actual antenna. Keeping the coax as short as feasible and not adding any splitters is also a must, unless you plan to add amplification. Rarely will amplification make any difference except to over come line and split loss. Experience also tells me that the usual best spot for a home antenna is ten to twenty feet above a roof peak and pointing at the horizon in the direction of the signal with as few trees and hills in between as possible. This is not a quality antenna, but if you do not have a lot of obstructions in the way, this will likely do a decent job for you, but you might do just as well with rabbit ears in your attic, depending on the signal strength where you are. This is a poorly built and cheap antenna which can be found in many stores with other names. It is Radio Shack quality. Perhaps Wineguard still makes their own antennas, ( I don't know) in which case, for the money and quality, I would choose one of their platinum VHF UHF HD antennas over this. The number 8200 is one they used to use but I have no idea if the quality is the same as it used to be. This is the first antenna I have bought in many years and it is nothing like what used to be manufactured under the CM name when Joe Resnick was in Ellenville. I can assure you, I won't buy another Channel Master product. They seem to be using only the name with no concern for quality.