Last time I tried set up OTA with HD for friend in rural area which is 50 miles away from San Antonio, it receive the standard, none HD available.
Choosing the Best TV Antenna for San Antonio, Texas
Your friend should be able to receive a number of channels in HD. You must have done something wrong. It may be your friend's TV though. Analog and digital transmissions are different, your friend's TV may not have the proper TV tuner required to receive the digital transmissions.