Newbie OTA Antenna Questions

I recently subscribed to Dish Network but they don't carry the New
Orleans local channels in HD so I bought a cheap OTA antenna from
WalMart and plugged it into my 722 receiver. There are numerous
problems but it works just well enough to prove to me that I want a
better OTA antenna. I have several questions I hope someone can help
me with:

1) Will an OTA antenna still work after next February when everything
goes digital? Is it pretty likely that Dish Network will carry my
locals in HD by then?

2) We regularly get 60 mph (and higher) winds here during storm season
so I'd rather mount the antenna in the attic instead of on the roof.
Will this dramatically reduce my signal?

3) I get from a few pixelations to complete signal loss multiple times
during shows using cheapo rabbit ears. Some networks are much worse
than others. AntennaWeb shows that my house is 10-16 miles from the
broadcast towers I'm interested in, which are at 79, 86, 87, and 103
degrees. Does this indicate that I will need a rotor or two antennas
to get acceptable reception?

4) I can connect the antenna to my receiver with 80-100' of coax going
through the attic louvres, down the side of the house, around the
corner, and into the living room. At this length, will I need a
signal amp near the antenna? If I want to split the feed to go to the
bedroom as well as the living room, will I definitely need an amp?

Any other tips I need to know about to make this work well?
.

Relevant Pages

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