I got to know my area when I was in charge of all electronics for a 10-store chain of A/V stores, using a $600 analog meter by Leader. That was the mid 80s. Experience is how you used to have to learn.

Near the end of that job, I discovered that (the Los Angeles) TV stations had coverage maps that could tell you what signal to expect within about 1/4 mile of where you are.

Then antennaweb.org and tvfool.exe gave detailed direction arrows overlaid on a map. This was the most accurate way to aim.

All of this experience and technology didn't predict or solve multipath, though. You had to be able to imagine where signal reflections might come from in order to avoid them.