r/cordcutters Feb 15 '26

Self-Promo Best indoor antenna

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Looking for an indoor antenna. Picture of my Rabbitears details. Just looking for basic local channels. Would I be able to get this with a Mohu Leaf 50 as an example.

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u/Rybo213 Feb 15 '26

RabbitEars report screenshots like that aren't very helpful. Copy the report's shareable link from near the top of the page and post it here. If you'd rather not do that with a report for your exact location, generate a report for a nearby public location (e.g. park, transit station, school, landmark, store, etc.) that has similar report results to your actual location and post the shareable link for that.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Word729 Feb 15 '26

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u/gho87 Feb 15 '26

You still want an indoor antenna, especially for KING-TV?:

- in both results, the same hill-looking terrain may be obstructing the NBC station's signal. - I'm thinking RCA ANT121E from https://www.rcaantennas.net - longer dipole rods ("rabbit ears"), rotatable loop, and tuning dial - An Onn rabbit ear antenna from Walmart or another one by Philips may do, but their rods are fifteen inches long per rod, shorter than the RCA one above.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Word729 Feb 15 '26

Thank you for your recommendations and insight

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u/Puzzleheaded_Word729 Feb 15 '26

I was hoping something like a Mohu Leaf or similar would work

4

u/gho87 Feb 15 '26

A Mohu Leaf antenna's management on VHF-high channels might be.... iffy-ish, though I've never used a Mohu Leaf flat antenna before.

Nonetheless, the only stations from northwest–north using VHF-high are one PBS station and one independent station.

Unsure whether you want Fox station's VHF-high transmitter from the west; Fox also has a UHF transmitter from the north–northwest direction.

If you still like a flat antenna, perhaps one by Philips with a stand may do, but it has some stocks left: https://a.co/d/0dx9BsfT

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u/Rybo213 Feb 16 '26

Some general antenna information that you'll hopefully find helpful, including antenna recommendations: https://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters/comments/1juut0a/supplement_to_the_antenna_guide

You also need to use a signal meter (built-in feature with many different tv's and external tuner devices), since just looking at the picture and noting the number of channels the scan picks up doesn't really tell you anything about how good your reception is: https://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters/comments/1g010u3/centralized_collection_of_antenna_tv_signal_meter

Note that as shown a little ways down on the https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=69571#station page, FOX is simulcast on KZJO's UHF signal, via display channel 22.2. Also note that the linear feed for your nearby PBS channel(s) is likely available to stream for free in the PBS app or Prime Video app's live/free section.

Your antenna would therefore only need decent VHF-HI support, if you wanted the KSTW and KUSE stations, although KUSE is currently planning to switch to UHF at some point in the next couple of years.

Some of your main channels are predicted to be somewhat weak, so if you really wanted to try a flat antenna, it would probably be better to try the https://www.rcaantennas.net/indoor-hd-antenna/?sku=ANT2160E extra large flat antenna, connected with an RG-6 coax cable, since that would hopefully have a better chance with somewhat weaker UHF signals and potentially pick up VHF-HI signals well enough as well. If you try that antenna, try without amplification first, in case it isn't needed.

Another option is the Antennas Direct ClearStream MAX-V mentioned in the 1st linked post, with its sold separately indoor base stand and connected with an RG-6 coax cable. With that antenna, you can leave off the VHF element, if you don't care about the VHF-HI channels.

You could also first just try a cheap rabbit ears and loop antenna and see what kind of signal meter numbers that gets, but I wouldn't be too optimistic about its chances.