television reception without cable/satellite

[mamasangel]

I recently moved here (bowling green, ky) and am a college student just starting out in an apartment and until i find a job will have to do without cable or satellite for awhile.

I am wondering if anyone can tell me how to increase my reception if possible. I can only get one channel right now. I have the kind of antenna that is sort of box like and has a circle antenna in the middle that you can turn around and a striaight antenna on each side of the circle one that you can raise, lower, turn around as well.

I've been told this area is bad for reception and now I'm believing it. I don't know if this is the correct place to put this type of question or not, if not, I apologize.

I have a fairly new Zenith tv and have webtv hooked up to the television as well as a Zenith vcr. I have what I think is called an amplifier hooked up between the tv and antenna. It's a little silver box with 2 places to put the black (coaxil type wire, I think that's what it's called) that also plugs into an electric receptacle.

I'd appreciate any input.

Thanks for your time.

[Trophy1]

I would have said see if the apartment has an TV antenna on top of the building but in this day and age it's not likely since cable has been around for a long time. If there is an antenna atop the building run a line to that. If not buy a cheap set of rabbit ears. You should be able to get a few good stations to view until you get enough cash for cable. Good luck.

[mamasangel]

There's no antenna's on any of the buildings. They don't even allow tenants to have satellite dishes even if you had it mounted to a wooden post that you put in a big container full of dried concrete on your porch/balcony. They're super strict here. Only allow you to have lawn chairs on your porch/balcony, not tables, etc. and before you put anything on your porch, they have to approve of it first. Jerks.

About the rabbit ears, at the risk of sounding stupid, aren't they about the same as what I've got, or not? If not, where all can I look around to get one?

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[thezeeness]

I'm not sure want kind of amplifier you have (if it's a signal amp, it may not do you much good,) but if you don't mind dropping a little bit of cash, you can get fairly strong antennas at radio shack. I was cable-less once, and had some standard antennae that didn't work very well, then picked up a good one from RS and the picture came in surprisingly well!

Hope this helps.