For people without cable or satellite television service, the annoyances involved in tuning in a favorite show or the 6 o'clock news with a signal from a rooftop antenna have always included rainstorms and windy days. For people with set-top "rabbit ears," there is the matter of getting them into just the right position, keeping them there, and then being careful not to stand near them in a way that causes any mysterious interference.
To all of this, stalwart recipients of free over-the-air TV signals can add a few more hassles, come next Feb. 17. That, as the communications industry and government are hustling to let people know, is the date when television stations are required by law to stop broadcasting in analog format and switch to digital.
