I've made great use of tvfool.com, which I think I learned about here,
and it seems to say that I would have to go at least 50 feet high --
much higher than I had in mind -- just to get 2 to 4 stations that I
can't get with an antenna in my attic. And they would probably be
network stations with mostly the same programs as a station I already
get. Also it says that all the additional stations I really want
to get (the ones in DC) are within 4 degrees of each other! and within
10 degrees of the direction the rafters/trusses in my attic point. So
I think I'm pretty lucky and I'm going with an attic antenna, for
channels 7 and up. But how big?

1) I plan to bring the antenna into the attic, unfolded, of course.
For those who have seen one, or better yet, installed one, is it
possible with a Winegard antennas, or any other brand, to start with a
folded antenna, unfold an element a little bit, remove it completely,
and reattach it in the fully unfolded position? (I"m afraid they
might be riveted on, loose enough to open but able to be removed.)

I may need to get past a 2x4. My pitched roof is not free-standing,
but has trusses every 24 inches. And those trusses include inverted
W's, made by 2x4s. Only 2 of the 2x4s are likely to be in the way.
But I'm trying to foresee all the possible mounting problems.

2) Is each element on the antenna responsible for one (or more)
channels? Or is sometimes more than one element able to receive the
same channel? I ask because: It's conceivable, and more likely if I
get a bigger antenna, that one of the truss 2x4's will be so much in
the way that I'll have to remove an antenna element permanently. I'm
sure this question is obvious, so please excuse me, but which is
better, an antenna with 36 elements but where one was permanently
removed in order to mount or aim the antenna, or a smaller one one
with 28 elements, all of them still present. ??? (Or 41 vs. 36
elements) IIUC, I might remove an element essential for a
station I want, but in that case, I could probably remove another
meant for a station I can't receive anyhow, move the antenna up or
down, forward or back, until I can put the first one back in place.
That would work, right??

3)I won't need an assistant for aiming because I have a co-ax splitter
in the attic, I'll bring a tv up, and I'll have RF remote control for
the DVDR tuner. So: Should I use a color tv, or is a (lighter) B&W
tv just as good?? The B&W is 12 and I think the color is 14 inch. (I
have no stairs, just a hatch in the closet)

4) Does it matter if I tighten the F-connector all the way to tight.
Usually, just touching the center wire to the center hole is enough to
get a good and strong picture, without even touching the outer nut to
anything. I'll certainly screw the connector on, but with weak
signals, like distant channels, does it matter if the connection is
tight?

Thanks a lot.