Thread: antenna distribution amplifier

I receive all of my digital channels in perfect from my antenna, but once I split it I begin to lose some channels. I have been to Best Buy and Radio shack and tried a couple of there amplifiers but they do not work. Not sure if it was what I should of been using in the first place. Can someone recommend a good distribution amplifier that will work. Price is not a matter.

What is your zip? What are you using for an antenna? What did you try already?

yeah need a little more info to give you a decent answer

zip is 59840. The antenna is in the attic. It is very large I think 9 or 10 footer. don't know what kind but I think it is from radio shack. I put it up there when trusses were being put in. So i can not really get to it. But like I said when I do not split the cable all channels come in perfect. It is only when I put a splitter in do I start to lose channels. I am wanting to get ota hooked up to all my hd dvr's for direct tv. I know direct carries my locals but I am grandfathered in for east west feeds an do not want to lose them so I won't be getting my locals thru D*. I have been reading about the winegard hda 200. Will this ampliflier do what I want?

According to Antennaweb.com and tvfool.com Hamilton MT. doesn't have any local channels. You are pulling NBC and CBS from about 80 miles away so your antenna in the attic is probably too small to support 1 TV never mind multiple TV's.

If you can reach the antenna connections you could try a PRE AMP. such as a Winegard AP8275 with 28-29 dB of gain. From your description you can't easily access the antenna. The alternative would be to try a distribution amp with a lot of gain a Pico Macom TA36 which is not used for most consumer distribution systems. It has 31-36dB of gain and should help increase what little signal you are capturing. A large antenna located above roof level is what you really should be using a Winegard HD8200U would probably be more appropriate than your small Radio Shack. The fact CBS is Ch 5 and NBC is CH 6 further complicates your situation seeing most newly designed antennas are for CH 7-69 reception.

Thank you for the info. Not sure if the info from tvfool and antennaweb is correct. Missoula is 40 miles from my house and all the stations broadcast from bald mountain which is even closer. I receive fox, cw, 4 pbs's, abc, nbc, cbs, all perfect for one tv. just not for 6. The Pico macom ta 36 might work. The wife will not let me put the antenna on roof, which is my problem. Is there some type of pre amp that does not require power, being that the antenna is in the rafters and no where close to a power source? Sorry for the stupid question but just wondering

In order for a pre amp to work you need power. No getting around that.

Obviously, according to what you have posted so far, you have easy enough access to your splitter(s). Get one of these:

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and split 2 of the legs and connect the TV that are CLOSEST to the splitter ports. Connect the TV that is FARTHEST directly to the pre amp. This should solve your problem easily.

I will give it a try.
thank you splicer

Pre amps usually send power up the coax so any place that has an outlet can be used. It appears you have found one of the errors on both TV fool and antennaweb. At 40 miles you should be able to use your existing antenna.