I seem to keep replying to myself, as well as others, going to give myself a complex :-)

Okay, given that 7" wires on the antenna peak at channel 69, I decided to put longer ones on.  Found I didn't have enough wire left to do them all.  So I now have 10" on the top and bottom, and 7" in the middle.  Still no Buffalo though.

My current strategy is to build another antenna using copper wire instead of galvanized wire (I though it was AL, but on rereading the spool, turns out it's gavanized.)...   Thinking of building a wood box to go around and behind the antenna then putting some aluminum foil on the inside of the box, as a reflector.  My SO can paint the box so that it looks nicer then the rather ugly antenna. 

I am wondering though, what guage wire would be best, I used 14 guage for the first attempt, because I had it.  I need to buy some, so wondering what guage works best for this?