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Can anyone answer this:

We do not have cable.

We have a non-digital TV (16 years old) and get adequate tv reception.

I understand that when the switch occurs we will not have ANY reception without one, but would a converter box actually improve it or will we also need a special antenna?

Depends on how far you are from the tower. If you get good reception now, your old antenna should work. If you are in a fringe area, you’ll probably want an amplified antenna.

I’d certainly try it with the old one first, and then look at either adding an inline amplifier or an amplifier if needed.

As for converter boxes, I found the $60 Digital Stream from Radio Shack to be a lot better than the $50 RCA from Wal Mart.

I understand that when the switch occurs we will not have ANY reception without one, but would a converter box actually improve it or will we also need a special antenna?

You'll need to experiment to find out. The frequencies will all be UHF, and many transmitters have been relocated. Go to the antennaweb.org website. They have information about what antennas work well in each ZIP code in the US.

“The frequencies will all be UHF”.
Almost 100% correct BUT the upper frequencies will still be in use. (See link at the bottom of this reply for channels in your viewing area).

An example of what Seattle’s channel 9 is doing:
Is KCTS 9 currently operating in digital?
Yes. All Seattle television stations, including KCTS 9, are currently operating in both analog and digital formats. KCTS 9 operates digitally on UHF channel 41 (remapped to appear on your receiver as channel 9). KCTS 9 will return to our VHF channel for digital operations after the transition after February 17, 2009.

In the Cleveland viewing area we will still have channel 8 on the upper VHF frequency, (the lower frequencies may be auctioned off). A standard VHF/UHF antenna or even rabbit ears will work depending on how far you are from the broadcast towers, but you will need a digital TV, HDTV, or the U.S. Government coupon for a converter box (if you do not have a coupon or have an expired coupon, you will need to go to a waiting list, the allocated monies are gone). http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx is a great site to find that information, the TV antenna installers use it. (For example, where I live from the broadcast towers are almost all @ 230/231 degrees on the compass from my house, so I would not need an antenna rotor. But if I also wanted to pick up the our of town broadcast stations IE: Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, Detroit Mi, London, Ontario, or Erie Pa. I would need a rotor AND “larger” antenna with the best gain rating.)

If you have cable or Satellite TV, you will not need a converter box for now, but this may change in the next few years for Satellite TV, but I am not sure about cable.

If you want an education on antennas go here:
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/erecting_antenna.html

For channel designations, go here:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-138A2.pdf

We have a non-digital TV (16 years old) and get adequate tv reception.

I understand that when the switch occurs we will not have ANY reception without one, but would a converter box actually improve it or will we also need a special antenna?

Depends how far you are from the station's antenna, their transmitting power and what type of antenna you have. The downside is that most HDTV stations will stay on UHF so their signals might not go as far as they used to. Also, in the summer, tree leaves can absorb some UHF signals, there was a case in 1952 when a UHF station went on the air in West Virginia, a man lost his reception when the leaves came out in the spring.

My experience is that I can get a lot on just plain rabbit ears, my best set dates from 1959. I can pick up all the Pittsburgh stations and there are times I can get Youngstown, Altoona and Johnstown at night.