CM4228 with CM 7777 pre-amp

pduncan

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jul 13, 2006
278
3
Live about 50 miles South of Indy, 60 miles North of Louisville. Just put up a CM4228 with CM 7777 pre-amp, mast about 25'. Am able to get all the digital stations out of indy (9 not counting subs) and five out of Louisville. This is a UHF antenna but is able to pick up ch 8 (9 digital) with ease. Signals steady and in the 80-95 range.

Would highly recommend it to anyone in just about any situation. This was recommended to me by Tigerbangs on a different board. The man knows his stuff.
 
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I have the same setup. Probably the best UHF antenna out there, and works well for hi-band VHF also (down to channel 7). Below channel 7 it's pretty well useless. So if you have lo-band VHF you need a combination VHF/UHF antenna, or you can add a tuned lo-band VHF antenna and join the outputs.
 
Perhaps you guys can give me some input. I just put up the CM4228 in the exact same spot as my wind-damaged radioshack combo antenna. The radioshack had better signals even when damaged.....

I am about 60 miles from the towers. (Oklahoma City) There are several trees in the line of sight, but no different than what the Radioshack had to deal with.

I also added the CM7777 today (read the same post on other board), and only got modest improvement. During the day many stations are still choppy.

Any thoughts on why this is underperforming a supposedly inferior antenna?

Thanks,
Clint
 
Rick, I got a question:

If you have the setup like in post #1, and try to get channel 8 with a 4228 and a CM7777, how do you hook up the antenna to the CM7777, as it got a VHF and a UHF input? I never seen a CM7777 as I got the CM7775.
 
Clint3200 said:
Perhaps you guys can give me some input. I just put up the CM4228 in the exact same spot as my wind-damaged radioshack combo antenna. The radioshack had better signals even when damaged.....

I am about 60 miles from the towers. (Oklahoma City) There are several trees in the line of sight, but no different than what the Radioshack had to deal with.

I also added the CM7777 today (read the same post on other board), and only got modest improvement. During the day many stations are still choppy.

Any thoughts on why this is underperforming a supposedly inferior antenna?

Thanks,
Clint
Did you have the choppy reception with th damaged RS antenna too?
 
I am hoping weather issues could be to blame, but even at that the new combination is sill not a major improvement from the older setup.

I would like to experiment more with raising and lowering, but the temps here have been 104-107 when I get home from work. Last night after sunset it was still 100.

The main thing I notice is that early morning reception on one channel can be in the 90's, then a couple hours later in the 60's. Also, my ABC channel is a VHF (7) which will come in around 70 but constantly cuts out.

How much could the trees factor in? Would the multipath be worse or better with the 4228?

Thanks for the input so far. I guess we just need some cooling off so I can do some trials.

Here is a link of the channels I am trying to get: http://www.hdtvok.com/dtv-matrix/#OKC

Clint
 
Rick0725 said:
switch on the inside to common
input to uhf or combined.
So if I get a new CM7777 for my 91xg, should I leave it on combined or do I set it on seperate input? Will this affect UHF reception in any way?
 
Rick0725 said:
The specs for the 2 are the same for uhf.

CM7775 UHF: 26db gain, 2 db noise
CM7777 UHF/VHF UHF: 26db gain, 2.0 db noise; VHF 23 db gain, 2.8 db noise

The only reason to purchase the cm7777 is if you were to add vhf.

Why dont you add another 91xg installed side by side like these guys did.

http://www.atechfabrication.com/products/dual_antenna_boom.htm

http://www.bobmerritt.com/dtv/dtv.htm

another 91xg $90
dual antenna assembly $110
center boom bracket cb1 $40
you should also purchase the balum harness $35

http://www.atechfabrication.com/products/phasing_harnesses.htm

use rg 11 from the antenna to grounging block or to fist split. you can order the rg11 to length with fittings

http://www.atechfabrication.com/products/coaxial_cable.htm

Add a rotor

and amplify with your cm7775.

looks like a fun project and should help.

also play with height at antenna web and see how it affects the results. you may also need to go higher.

I know money does not grow on trees, but adding the antenna with the other stuff may be the answer.
Thanks for the suggestions Rick, but the main reason is that my CM7775 is kinda broken. When I unscrewed the coax connectors the other day, the male parts that's secured on the amp became loose and broke of the circuit board. I soldered it back on but I'm not sure it still performs the right way. I once bought it used. So I thought I'd get a CM7777, also because one of my PBS affiliates will go back to RF 11 in the near future. When this takes place, I'm curios to see hom the 91XG performs on CH11. My question was if the setting in the amp affects the UHF reception in any kind of way, if just the UHF antenna is hooked up
 
ralfyguy said:
Thanks for the suggestions Rick, but the main reason is that my CM7775 is kinda broken. When I unscrewed the coax connectors the other day, the male parts that's secured on the amp became loose and broke of the circuit board. I soldered it back on but I'm not sure it still performs the right way. I once bought it used. So I thought I'd get a CM7777, also because one of my PBS affiliates will go back to RF 11 in the near future. When this takes place, I'm curios to see hom the 91XG performs on CH11. My question was if the setting in the amp affects the UHF reception in any kind of way, if just the UHF antenna is hooked up

I have a 4228 and a 7777. My local PBS is Channel 11 and is always at 100% whereas the others hover between 95 and 100 (E* VIP 622)

I bought the 7777 instead of the 7775 just to make sure I was amping VHF and for future flexibility if needed (VHF/UHF)