Help!! need more channels!!

[radio nut]

My wife and I are trying to avoid cable tv, at our apartment complex they will not allow satellite tv. Our only option is time warner which we feel is a rip off.
We have been using a rabbit ear ant. with a digital converter.
My Sansui crt tv will get digital or analog by itself but the picture goes in and out sometimes. With the converter it holds the signal just fine.
I did try an amplified (Philips) ant. but it performed horribly.
Can anyone suggest a way to improve performance?
I forget the website name but I found one(mentioned here) that shows I should get more than just local (Lima, Ohio) stations.
I would try putting an ant. in the attic but am not sure if I am wasting my time.