John:

I would get a box. Choose a good sensitive box after reading the reviews at various places like Amazon. I am satisfied with the Zenith/Insignia. My son said he saw Zeniths at Wallmart for $49.95

The box is returnable if you don't like it. I do this all the time, I get two things and return the one I don't want.

If you use a coupon, you cant get the $40 back so get it without the coupon, return it and get one with a coupon if you want to keep it.

If you don't have the coupons, sign up and get inline for them, the money ran out in December but Porkulus has money in there for more coupons. https://www.dtv2009.gov/ApplyCoupon.aspx

Maybe even borrow a box but not a crappy one.

Get your antenna as high as possible.

The bigger and higher the antenna, the stronger the signal.

Try it at different spots on your roof.

Check with your neighbors to see it they have an antenna, what they are receiving and where the antenna is pointed.

It is possible you are in a dead zone and are screwed.

I don't feel I have been lied to except for people pushing digital antennas as if you need a digital antenna to get digital television when old existing antennas will work.

The digital stations are not able or not allowed to transmit the digital signal at full power until the cutoff date for analog. After that date, the situation might improve.

One station I am receiving is actually 4 channels in one with 4 different programs. I don't know what the limit is.

Back in the vacuum TV days we got 4 watchable channels here, 3 networks and 1 independent station. Now I get 33 and I don't have to turn my antenna each times I change channels to get a clear picture.

Back in those days we had to actually get up out of our chair to change the channel, re adjust the horizontal hold, re tune the fine tuning and maybe tweak the horizontal hold the get something watchable.