Is there a device to test for OTA HD signals instead of putting up antenna first?

[Diamond Dog]

Is there a tool or meter you can buy or rent that you can test to see if you have a HDTV signal coming to your roof?

It would be so nice if there was one as its a lot of work to route another coax to the roof, erect and antenna, tune it in, only to have to undue it all and return the antenna if there isnt one.

I did check that site www.antennaweb.org and put in my street address. It says I get nothing, but I dont know how accurate it is. I guess I have wishfull thinking.

 

[Grandude]

Such a tool would probably be the size of a UHF antenna to start. When I started playing with this I put two ten foot poles into an umbrella stand, mounted the antenna on the top and ran the coax through the patio door. This encouraged me enough to try different type antennas in the attic and I have been marginally successful.
How far are you from a major city that has TV transmitters? What is the terrain between you and that city? A clear shot, mountain top to mountain top, would probably net you a nice HD UHF signal from 40 or 50 miles. (I get one VHF HD signal from a tower 103 miles away, mostly over water.)

 

[Diamond Dog]

I am less the 40 miles from the Los Angeles transmitters. Unfortunatley I am right against a hill and its between me and the transmitters. The hill starts 6' from my house and rises 100' pretty steeply.

I went to the www.antennaweb.org site and it says I can get a bunch of analog stations, but no digital.

Maybe in the coming years they will make the digital braodcasts "stronger" It seems like they are so weak right now and so many people have trouble pulling them in

 

[cameron119]

Install an antenna at the top of the hill and run high quality RG11. Heck, even RG6 would probably work. This is how it was done in the olden days...and you can bet there is plenty of digital coming out of LA.

 

[Grandude]

I am less the 40 miles from the Los Angeles transmitters. Unfortunatley I am right against a hill and its between me and the transmitters. The hill starts 6' from my house and rises 100' pretty steeply.

I went to the www.antennaweb.org site and it says I can get a bunch of analog stations, but no digital.

Maybe in the coming years they will make the digital braodcasts "stronger" It seems like they are so weak right now and so many people have trouble pulling them in

I'm with Cameron...if you own the hill or can get permission, I would try his suggestion.
UHF is a lot more line of site than VHF which would make reception below the hill almost impossible.