RogerN wrote:
Update,

Thanks for the replies everyone! I was able to try out my digital TV
reception, my mother in law had a converter box and now has cable, so we
are getting to use her converter box and rabbit ears DTV antenna.

The picture is great on the stations we get (5 or so channels), there is
another station my wife would like to get and it comes in if he holds the
antenna just right, but I hate to have to keep getting up to feed her
popcorn while I'm trying to watch TV! :-)

I searched "make HDTV bowtie antenna" and found one that looks real simple
to make, it's not weatherproof, the writer was using it in his attic.
Anyway I'll probably make an experimental version of this and see what
kind
of reception I can get. From there I can decide to buy or build one like
it
using aluminum wire and some wire mesh backing. Anyway we should be able
to
pick up local channels good anyway. I don't miss the hundreds of channels
with nothing to watch all that bad, been without TV for about 3 or 4
months now, would like to see local news though.

Maybe I can get a HDTV for the family if there is an after Christmas
special!

I'd recommend against aluminum, because that oxide layer will interfere with
the electrical continuity. I got really lucky - My office opens onto a fab
shop and there's some weld filler that's awesome - iron coated with pure
copper. You could even use coat hangers.

For that matter, you could use ordinary #14 household wiring wire - stretch
it a little bit to straighten it out.

But please don't use aluminum!

Good Luck!
Rich