Antennas Direct ClearStream 2V Indoor Outdoor TV Antenna UHF VHF Multi-Directional, 60+ Mile Range, 4K 8K UHD, NEXTGEN TV – w/Reflector, 20-inch Mast

In my quest to cut the satellite cable, I subscribed to a streaming service (YouTube TV) and decided to add this as a backup in case of Internet loss. I live about 15 miles downrange from the cluster of TV transmitters in Jacksonville, FL, so this 2V antenna had the range I needed.Assembly was simple. Antennas Direct has a video for this specific model that's helpful, but the enclosed directions are easy to follow and assembly took just a few minutes. The antenna comes with a mast, but I decided to purchase a separate 75 cm. mast, also from Antennas Direct, as I was uncertain about roof clearance. My plan was to install this at the same place where the satellite dish had been mounted, but even with the taller mast, I was shy of a clear shot to the transmitter region over the roof peak. I ended up placing this on my roof on the opposite side of the house, but this meant a longer cable run. I will add a 4-port powered distribution amp (also from Antennas Direct) later this week to compensate for the longer run and multiple outputs.The antenna is currently connected to a TV on the opposite end of the house, but even with the long cable run and no amp, the signal is excellent. I'm currently pulling in a strong signal on over 40 digital channels, and the HD quality of the main broadcast networks (CBS, ABC, etc) is superb. When I tested the antenna in the old dish location, with the roof peak in the way, I still managed to pull a great signal from about 33 channels, so moving it helped a lot.This is a great unit, excellent value and construction, with an easy assembly and installation. Eliminating my satellite bill ($170 per month) and having a great backup for the streaming service makes this a no-brainer for cord cutters.Update: photo updated.Update After adding an Antennas Direct 4-port amplifier/distribution box at the end of the antenna's cable run (at the location of the termination of the house cables), I am not pulling in about 65 local channels and sub-channels. Even with the extended cable run from this 2V antenna, the signals are strong and the picture images are clear and sharp with no pixelation. Easy installation and great performance, highly recommended.

In my previous review of the Mohu Leaf Ultimate Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna, I commented on how I was located in a complete dead zone for signal (sitting in a valley surrounded by acres of trees in the middle of a woods). The Mohu Leaf brought in two digital channels which demonstrated the promise of getting more signal if I went with an outdoor antenna.I considered purchasing the Mohu Sky, but had my doubts as to its range. Plus the folks at Mohu told me it had to be placed as high as possible. The highest I can set an outdoor antenna, right now, is approximately 20 feet.I decided to go with the Clearstream 2V. I set this up on the roof of a ranch house on a mast strapped to the chimney. This gives me the 20 foot height.Using TVFool.com, I pointed the antenna towards Youngstown, Ohio towers (40 miles SSE). My initial scan brought in 14 digital channels. Amazing reception for an antenna this small! Ten channels are from Youngstown, while 4 channels originate in Cleveland. I'm receiving CBS, Fox, ABC, and PBS out of Youngstown. The fringe channel out of Cleveland is WVIZ (PBS). It's spotty and not at all as rock solid as I'd like (That tower is located SSW). In addition, for some reason, Youngstown's closest transmission tower (38.5 miles) to my location (WFMJ NBC), is nowhere to be found.Since installing, I've been adjusting the antenna's direction trying to find the sweet spot. Again, even though I can't get WFMJ, WFXP out of Erie, PA registers. It's 55.5 miles in the opposite direction!Pointing the antenna SSW, I was able to bring in WVIZ rock solid. I was also able to keep WKBN (SSE) out of Youngstown and, lo and behold, WFMJ finally registered. But, much like the Erie PA staton, I only received WFMJ as a still picture with a short burst of audio.I'm doing most of my testing on quite a windy autumn day. This means trees are blowing in the wind and all that movement is probably disrupting signal.Youngstown stations register an 84% signal strength as does WVIZ out of Cleveland. Again, for an antenna this small, in a valley surrounded by trees, this is amazing performance!I'm thinking once the atmosphere settles down, I should get rock solid steady reception on all 14 channels. And perhaps I'll also get WFMJ.:)All in all, an amazing antenna.EDIT -- I forgot to mention in my review...because I'm located in a fringe reception area (40 miles or more), I'm using an amplifier with this antenna. Radio Shack #1500321. It boosts signals by up to 33dB and has an FM trap.UPDATE - 5/15/2014. I've had the antenna now for six months. It's still mounted on the roof, strapped to the chimney. That puts it about 20 feet up. Reception has been pretty much the same as when I first posted this review. But, I was still scratching my head as to why WFMJ out of Youngstown still wasn't coming in. At 38 miles, their tower is the closest to my location. In contrast, the tower for Cleveland WVIZ is 48 miles away! And, as I mentioned, I'm not even pointing directly at WVIZ's tower. As one reviewer mentioned, "This is a directional antenna, but with a wide beam (around 70 degrees)." Yes, the CS2V has a wide enough reception area that WVIZ comes in quite well. This allows me to get this one Cleveland station and three out of the four from the Youngstown area.So, why am I able to receive a Cleveland station 48 miles away but can't get a Youngstown station 38 miles away? The other Youngstown transmission towers are 40-44 miles away and the CS2 pulls in these stations in with no problems.Well, I did some research and sent a few emails. The answer came back from WFMJ themselves. They wrote, "I'm sorry you're having reception issues with WFMJ. Unfortunately you're probably the victim of our requirement to cut back on signal strength to the north to protect a station in Canada. We've had that issue since we first got our DTV license in 2002."In a followup, they mentioned, "We have to protect a digital allotment Canada never built on St Thomas and CBLFT in Toronto, both on ch. 20. That was the agreement between the US and Canada back in 1999 and still stands. I don't think CBLFT is on 20 anymore and moved back to 25 but with the repack around the corner we can't change anything here."So the solution for me then is to go higher. Since I'm in a valley and WFMJ had to back off on transmitting their signal, I need to go higher. That's pretty much the standard solution in order to grab a distant/weaker signal. Get the CS2V as high as possible. If WFMJ was pumping out more signal, I wouldn't have to go higher.But, "repack"? What exactly is this repack? As they explained to me, "The upcoming spectrum auction will give space in the TV broadcast band to wireless carriers - cellphone companies - and TV stations will be repacked into channels in the lower part of the band."(I had information linked, but Amazon won't allow external links to be posted in my review. No matter. Just Google "FCC," "Repacking," etc. and you'll get loads of info.)Bottom line, It appears that the repacking could result in many TV viewers losing their free, local TV service.It might be time to contact your Congressman/Senator/legislator and tell them to keep free Over the Air Broadcast signals available.For the time being, until I can get this antenna hoisted a bit higher, and now that I can get on the roof (Wow! What a tough winter!), I'm going to turn the CS2V, once again, due WSW and see if more Cleveland stations are received (they are all less than 50 miles away). Now that it's Spring, atmospheric changes may have helped reception.I only hope that, regardless the direction the CS2V is pointed, free antenna T.V. will continue to be in the air for many years to come!Update: 6/22/2014. Well, it's the start of summer and I don't know if atmospheric changes have taken place or if broadcasters have changed the way their transmitters send out signal. Maybe both?But last night, after the sun finally went down, I decided to do a little television scanning to see what signals I could bring in. As mentioned earlier, I can grab Erie, Pa channels on the back end of the antenna. This happens mostly at night which is why I was scanning the T.V.'s tuner. I wanted to see what programs were on the two Erie, PA stations that usually come in. The antenna is pointed directly south.While the tuner scanned, I noticed that it grabbed a few more channels than usual.When the picture came back on, I was watching Channel 2, KDKA out of Pittsburgh! I clicked up one channel and there was WPXI, Channel 11. Again, a Pittsburgh station!AntennaPoint.com tells me that the transmission towers for these two stations are SSE 90 and 88 miles away, respectively.Morning found the two stations still coming in rock solid. As the morning progresses, however, it appears the signals for these stations are starting to break up a bit.But, more than ever, I want to get this antenna up another 10-15 feet. Once elevated, and with a rotor, these stations should be received more consistently. With the antenna higher, I'm thinking I'll be getting more channels from Youngstown, Cleveland, Erie, and Pittsburgh.I'm just amazed at how well this antenna performs.UPDATE 09/04/2014Last week, I raised this antenna up another ten feet. It's now 30 feet above the ground. I raised the height because, being in the middle of a woods, the trees really filled in during August and cut signal to the point where I lost the ABC affiliate.Once raised, I was able to get ABC back. But, WKBN, the CBS affiliate, is a bit spotty. It has always been a rock solid signal. But now, the signal drops out. So, recpetion swings from being rock solid to not being there at all to being rock solid. I'll try adjusting and tweaking the antenna position and report later.In addition, WFMJ still does not register. Cleveland is still to far or the terrain not conducive for reception. Erie continues to come up on the back end in the evening and, once again, Pittsburgh popped up one night.Given that increasing the height of this antenna only helped marginally, I'm beginning to think I should try the RCA ANT751R Durable Compact Outdoor Antenna or Denny's EZ HD Antenna.UPDATE 09/06/2014 Last night, I turned on the television and did a re-scan of channels. I was surprised when 17 channels registered. Finally! WFMJ channel 21, the NBC affiliate, is being received. Last night, it was still spotty, but this morning it's rock solid. I'm not sure what has changed. Have they pumped up their signal? Have temperatures and terrain changed in some way making propagation of the signal better? Did someone, off in the distance, tear down a building or take down a tree that may have been blocking signal? I don't know. I tweaked and turned the antenna several days ago and maybe I hit the sweet spot.Then again, let's see how long this lasts. I was considering switching antennas and installing the RCA ANT751R Durable Compact Outdoor Antenna. But now that I have this outstanding performance, I'll hold off and see if reception continues. What was a marginal increase in reception last week has now become a major and significant boost!UPDATE 09/05/15. Well, one year later and I'm still using this antenna. In July, I grabbed 30 digital channels. Youngstown (including channel 21), Akron, Canton, and Erie PA stations came in. I even received Pittsburgh Channel 2 KDKA! Their broadcast tower is nearly 100 miles away. I realize this is due to atmospheric conditions, but still impressed by this performance. As the trees filled in, I lost channel 21 out of Youngstown. I suspect that, when the leaves fall, channel 21 will return. Again, this is due to their meager signal. Last night (9/4/2015), Pittsburgh KDKA returned. But this reception is spotty. Consistent reception comes from Youngstown channels 27, 33, and 45. More often than not, channel 25 (Cleveland) and 66 (Erie, PA) are received in the evenings. Again, channel 66 is received on the back end of the antenna. The valley, trees, distance, atmosphere, etc. all contribute obstacles for reception. So, it's pretty amazing that, with this antenna, I receive any stations at all.:)