I live 4.2 or 4.3 miles from all the major transmitters in my area - they are clustered on a mountain just down the road. I am currently using a cheap Terk set-top antenna, and when the weather is good, it does fine. Even when the weather is not so good, it holds up pretty well - more than I can say for my satellite reception!

The problem is, during rain storms, I begin to get dropout. The signals last night were in the 70s on some channels, up to low 90s on others. However, as the night progressed, I began to get dropouts, and finally gave up.

Would a better antenna help? Can I stay with indoor, and maybe move it upstairs, or should I go with outdoor?

In my previous home, I had a CM4228 in the attic, and it was good. I could possibly go in-attic again, but upstairs or in-attic might present cable routing problems....

Any advice would be appreciated.

You mentioned storms, but does that include lightning? Lightning is vary rare in some parts of the country. The reason I ask is that digital TV is very subject to lightning interference. If your problem happens only during heavy storms with lightning then there may not be much you can do. I live in Houston and lightning causes me headaches and I have a well designed OTA antenna system.

Since you are so close to the transmitters, almost any antenna should be fine. The only possible exception would be if the TV transmitters on the mountain tops are very much higher in total elevation than where you live. If that is the case, you may actually be in a reduced coverage area due to the antenna pattern of the TV station antenna (their signals shoot right over your house). Then it is possible that increasing the system gain of your antenna system would be helpful.

...during rain storms, I begin to get dropout. The signals last night were in the 70s on some channels, up to low 90s on others. However, as the night progressed, I began to get dropouts, and finally gave up.Please go to: http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

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I meant to put the TVFool results in earlier.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d03fb59324e3a6b

By rain, I am not talking about big storms - sometimes it only takes overcast skies.

Friday night, signals were hitting 98 and 99, but the whole signal would just drop out completely. Strange to go from near 100 to nothing and right back.

If that "cheap Terk" includes an amp, the amp needs to disappear completely.

A simple UHF antenna looking out a north-facing window should be all that is needed.

This model antenna should be all you need at your distance:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103077
When you assemble it, leave off the dipole rods. For the channels in your area, all you need is the "loop" part.

Do not use an amplified antenna. You may even need a signal attenuator (http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=1296F3), since you're so close to the towers.

I do not have an amplifier in the loop - I was able to get acceptable signals on three DTV stations back before the conversion with just a piece of coax on my tuner input (no antenna).

I guess the drop-out when I am peaking 98, 99 could be overload? That would mean I need an attenuator that is "smart" - does not dump amplitude until I need it to.

My main concern is that pesky weather: The signal alternates between crystal clear and pixelation/distortion during rain or overcast. I can see a difference sometimes between my DVR receiver and TV receiver. Generally in those cases, the satellite locals are just toast (that great Dish 129 satellite for locals on the east coast!). Would a better antenna help me in those conditions?

Based on your TVFool chart, you should be getting fairly reliable reception. I would try the inexpensive radio shack antenna, which is known to work well in similar reception situations as yours if it's situated near an exterior wall that faces the towers.

If it doesn't work:
1. You may have something wrong with your tuner.
2. You may have intermittent interference at your location.
3. Your house may be made of materials that block reliable reception of TV with an indoor antenna.

My siding is Hardieplank, not sure how much attenuation that would cause. I have a lot of windows in the room where the TV is - 3 sides with near floor to ceiling windows, with 4 of them in the direction of the broadcast towers.

I am thinking of making one of the small fractal antennas (small enough to use indoors, but can be constructed with a reflector or dish to be more directional) to see how it will perform:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_make_a_fractal_antenna_for_HDTV_DTV_plus_/

http://visionplus.us/smf/index.php?topic=5813.0

If I can stay indoors, my life will be easier. Anything outside or in the attic will begin to present cable routing problems. The house is a year old, and I am not ready to start poking holes in the walls!

Hardiplank is a cement-based product. It allows the transmission of RF signals about as well as a ....rock.

If those windows have metallic coating (low-e), you might as well try to receive inside a cave....only a slight exaggeration.

The hardiplank would attenuate some, although I have a room addition w/ hardipanel exterior walls and can use an indoor loop antenna in that room. YMMV. What type of insulation is in the walls? What type of glass is in the windows? Foil-backed insulation and low-e glass can kill indoor reception.

Also, have you tried connecting your antenna to a piece of coax long enough to try different locations in the room or other areas of the house? You may have interference where the antenna is currenlyt sitting.

My house is built to EarthCraft standards, so the walls are thicker (2x6), etc.

On a day like today, reception is generally pretty good - signal strengths ranging from 70s to 90s across all 11 DTV channels. On spotty days, I have moved or rotated the antenna with some success, so I could try more cable to optimize location. That would be subject to wife approval, of course :) Also, reception improves sometimes if I sit near the antenna, but HDTV units make viewing from up close difficult! I know that on some days, not all, walking in front of the antenna will cause dropout, regardless of the average signal levels, and other days it has no effect at all.

The most frustrating thing is to have good signals on average, but still get dropouts. I always assumed that was the result of dynamic atmospheric effects.

OTA for locals is a backup for satellite - I am trying to avoid switching to cable. I was told they would require a few thousand dollars to run a cable from the road to my house, and I am not fond of the company either.

I meant, connect a temporary piece of coax, just to move the antenna around and see if there is interference in the current location. It may be sitting in a dead spot or picking up interference from your television or other nearby devices.

Your house likely has low-e glass windows. You didn't mention insulation type. But if there's foil backed insulation in the walls, forget reliable indoor antenna reception.

I meant, connect a temporary piece of coax

Heh heh yep - I meant enough extra cable so that I can move the antenna around the room to try to find better spots. I have it on a pretty short piece now because it freaks my wife out to see the wires.

I have no idea what is between the outer siding and studs as far as insulation goes - probably fiberglass and foil-backed sheathing. The reception I do get must be in spite of that.

I guess it could be interference from TV, DVR, DVD player, VCR.... However, last night it was crystal clear, even though we had some overcast.

Thanks for the ideas.