DTVSWITCH2009

I have had broadcast tv only all my life here in metro Detroit and never had a problem with it. I got all the local stations (about 7 - 2,4,7,62, 20, 50, 56) with never a problem. I rarely if ever had to adjust my rabbit ears on my old analoque tv's. I got my convertor coupons and bought 2 boxes at a cost of $40 to me. I tried hooking up one tv, which already had a rf modulator and a vcr/dvd player combo hooked up to it. I bought several antennas and none worked well The maze of wiring and boxes was atrocious. Then I got a good deal on a small 22" flat screen with tuner and DVD player for under $200 before I got laid off. I hooked that up to various antennas. The stores must hate me for all that I bought, tried and returned, I could not get a decent signal on channels except channel 7 come in best.I bought a small $40 indoor outdoor multi-directional antenna which was recommended online and spliced it into a amplified antenna (both indoors as I am in a lower unit of a two story condo). Seemed to work for several months. I found a sweet spot and could get most of the other local stations in addition to channel 7. Then I get weather issues - snow storms, rain storms and lots of pixilation cutting out every other word, now even on channel 7 my best one, the signal now cuts out in good weather all the time!!! The signal cuts when I walk near it, or when a neighbor walks by outside or upstairs!!! I used to be able to get the old analogue signals too and now I cannot even get them. I am unemployed now and cannot afford basic cable - I cannot understand why we would be switching to a technology where the signal is blocked by a human body and ruined by weather. I now am taping only a few shows on analogue TV/VCR as the local stations have reduced analogue signal power so they do not ciome in, and soon I will lose that. I dread having to hook up my other tv to the convertor box with the anntenna maze and coiling. I have no clue where to go or how to get help. I have well overspent my budget on what used to be a free service.
sorry for typos I am typing by the light of my pc screen to save electricity and oh ya, I am on 28kbps free dialup on the cheapest plan the phone company allows me for my landline - 50 local calls per month.