While checking for radio birdies on my scanner, I noticed that I swas able to
pick up a few stations without an antenna. (some were voice, some were data).

I'm assuming this means that I'm close to these stations, signal-level wise.

Since I can pick these up without an antenna, would this mean that it's
intermod or just the actual frequencies the stations are on? or could it be
either one?

When using my scanner to listen to these particular frequencies,(with an
antenna, of course) should I use the attenuator to null them out or not?

I ask because I'm not sure if it's intermod or the actual frequency of these
stations that I am hearing.

On a slightly separate note, one station I hear that I now know is intermod
thanks to this group is the 162.55MHZ weather station in the 200 MHZ range, but
I didn't pick up this stationn at all on either frequency without an antenna.

My questions for this post concerns stations that I am picking up without an
antenna. And I live in a "semi-rural area". (official description).