OTA Antenna Question

[Marv B]

Wish I still had an extra outdoor antenna. I would give it to the OP, but I gave most of that stuff away with some old channel master Ku dishes a year or so ago. I started to take the one at the lake house with me when I sold it 2 years ago, but figured it had been in the elements for a decade and my knees would appreciate me just getting a new one should I ever need another one. De-cluttering has been my motto the last 3 years since my dad passed. Everyone else in my family would just as soon pay for streaming services than use OTA or Tivo's now.

I never got around to posting this a couple of weeks ago, but I did finally get this antenna adjusted properly (vertically, as a couple of you suggested). I'm picking up all four (network) channels pretty well at this point. I'm just hoping this will continue to be the case when the trees start filling in in the coming weeks. Thanks again for all of your suggestions!

 

[comfortably_numb]

After zooming in on your photos, I was able to determine it's a Winegard Squareshooter antenna. There appear to be two models, both from the early 2000's. One is the SS-1000 (passive) and the SS-2000 (amplified).

Here is the manual:

https://www.3starinc.com/manuals/manual_ssx000.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOooP6lmEYnssaVcxkwREOkcH63oW4MFhwrbIQO_grl2H012pfaJF

 

[Marv B]

After zooming in on your photos, I was able to determine it's a Winegard Squareshooter antenna. There appear to be two models, both from the early 2000's. One is the SS-1000 (passive) and the SS-2000 (amplified).

Here is the manual:

https://www.3starinc.com/manuals/manual_ssx000.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOooP6lmEYnssaVcxkwREOkcH63oW4MFhwrbIQO_grl2H012pfaJF

Thanks! Good to have that mystery solved! The guy who installed that back in 2010 is long gone from around here, as far as I know. I was never able to get back in touch with him.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Thanks! Good to have that mystery solved! The guy who installed that back in 2010 is long gone from around here, as far as I know. I was never able to get back in touch with him.

It's difficult to tell if you have the SS-1000 or the SS-2000 from the photos. If it's the 2000, there would (or should) be a power injector somewhere.

 

[Marv B]

It's difficult to tell if you have the SS-1000 or the SS-2000 from the photos. If it's the 2000, there would (or should) be a power injector somewhere.

Here's the best shot I could get of what this runs into.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Here's the best shot I could get of what this runs into.

I'm not familiar with that switch/splitter, unfortunately. Hopefully somebody more familiar with recent Dish technology can advise.

 

[primestar31]

Here's the best shot I could get of what this runs into.

That's an amplified splitter, one of the better ones. I have one myself, though I haven't needed to use it for years. It provides just enough amplification on each output, to nullify any loss from the splits.

 

[Triride44]

Here's the best shot I could get of what this runs into.

I'm using that exact one, it a distribution amplifier "drop amp." for short. Bought it on E-bay, Channel Master also sold it. Been in use for 10+ years in my attic works great no problems.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I'm using that exact one, it a distribution amplifier "drop amp." for short. Bought it on E-bay, Channel Master also sold it. Been in use for 10+ years in my attic works great no problems.

Is it powered? Could be possible his power supply failed and the reason he lost reception?

 

[primestar31]

Is it powered? Could be possible his power supply failed and the reason he lost reception?

Yes, it's powered.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Yes, it's powered.

Are these lights supposed to be lit?

How is it powered?

 

[primestar31]

Are these lights supposed to be lit?

How is it powered?

View attachment 190153

"Normal" should be lit up. I don't think "Bypass" should be. It's powered with an F-connector T power supply screwed into the lower left "Power In" port.

https://pctinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PCT-MA-B-xx_PCT-BEMA2-xx_PCT-NEMA2-xx_PCT-MA2-xx_PCT-MA210-xx_Drop-Amplifiers_Installaiton-Guide_Ver2_20110104.pdf

 

[comfortably_numb]

"Normal" should be lit up

It appears his amp has lost power then.. I wonder if that's the original cause of the issue.

Replacing the power adapter might fix all the issues.

 

[Bavi_H]

Note: I found an old page from the PCT International website in the Internet Archive Wayback Machine that shows a picture of this amplifier. The green and red dots next to NORMAL and BYPASS are just a legend printed on the label. There is just one dual-color LED slightly above and to the left of the printed dots, which is beyond the edge Marv B's picture, so we can't tell from the picture if the LED is off or green or red.

web.archive.org/web/20070430025237/www.pctinternational.com/_products/northamer/amplifiers/bypass.html

 

[Marv B]

Note: I found an old page from the PCT International website in the Internet Archive Wayback Machine that shows a picture of this amplifier. The green and red dots next to NORMAL and BYPASS are just a legend printed on the label. There is just one dual-color LED slightly above and to the left of the printed dots, which is beyond the edge Marv B's picture, so we can't tell from the picture if the LED is off or green or red.

View attachment 190169

web.archive.org/web/20070430025237/www.pctinternational.com/_products/northamer/amplifiers/bypass.html

Sorry, just now seeing this. Here's a better shot of mine, now showing the green light. Thanks for the info!