Outdoor Antenna Amplifer question -

[Dennishp]

Installed a Winegard HD 7082 on a telescoping CM Mast. Have a 150' RG6 cable run from the antenna to the house wiring. I do not have an amp installed as of yet.

I get a high of 99-100% signal strength on my only VHF station CBS (ch 11- freq asgnmt (9) and a low of 66% on UHF station ABC (ch-26 freq asgnmt (41).

If I install an amp to boost my weaker signals will I over boost my channel 11?

I'm using the cable loop in the house to get the OTA signals to the TV's. The reading above are on my 1st TV...second set has a 93% on channel 11 and 55% with drop outs and pixelation on the second set.

It was recommended to me to try the Wingrad hdp 268. Still valid..even with a 100% on my strong channel?

 

[Tower Guy]

Installed a Winegard HD 7082 on a telescoping CM Mast. Have a 150' RG6 cable run from the antenna to the house wiring. I do not have an amp installed as of yet.

I get a high of 99-100% signal strength on my only VHF station CBS (ch 11- freq asgnmt (9) and a low of 66% on UHF station ABC (ch-26 freq asgnmt (41).

If I install an amp to boost my weaker signals will I over boost my channel 11?

It was recommended to me to try the Wingrad hdp 268. Still valid..even with a 100% on my strong channel?

There's not enough information provided to know, but the HDP-269 is the right preamp in situations where overload is likely.

 

[Rick0725]

sounds like attenuation of uhf because of the long cable run.

would use the hdp 269 preamp (over a distribution amp).

If vhf overloads or causes interference with uhf...I can advise of a workaround.

 

[Dennishp]

the quest continues

Before I order the hdp 269 preamp, I figured I'd hit the local Radio Shack and try one of their in line signal amps. I picked up their 10db model with the little silver tube amp that goes out at the antenna and power injector that goes in the house.

Installed it and my signal strengths wen up to acceptable levels on my weak station ch26 to 84 and my high strength station dropped to 87-89. So I was pretty happy and had decided to order the Winegard HDP 269...., that is until this morning.

When checking the channels again...I found that My channel 26 was only in the low 60's and channel 11 was in the high 60's to low 70's. Channel 26 would pixelate occasionally too. The other stations were pretty much unaffected as far as signal strength...just my high and low stations. (which just happen to be High UHF (ch-26=freq asgnmt 41 and ch-11=freq asgnmt 9).

All my stations are located no more than 35 miles away, with no major obstructions (Florida is pretty flat). The transmitters are on two towers with no more than a 5 degree spread between them..due North of my home.

I realize that atmospheric conditions and other natural occurrences can cause signal deviations....but I would like to know that when these deviations do occur, that I will still have enough signal to maintain a picture.

Should I maybe look an an in-line amp that allows me to manually adjust the gain?

RS sells one that starts out with 10 db gain but can be increased up to 30 db using a set screw on the power injector. It has the weather proof amp at the antenna and the power injector in the house set up.

 

[Rick0725]

I tend not to use radio shack amps since they are rather high on the noise level...6db range and that amount of noise offsets the benefits.

still would go with the hdp269...why?

gain is only 12 db, noise is reasonable 3 db, can be mounted at the antenna before there is a chance to get noise in the system (160' of coax exposes alot of potential for noise), and most important ....designed not to overload the tuner. but that is your choice.

wish I can bring my inventory of stuff out there to swap and test.

 

[Dennishp]

a Brainstorm?

This just came to as a bolt out of the blue. My two Dishes (Dish regular and Dish HD) are located approx 50 feet from my antenna. Rather than using the old cable loops in the house for my OTA signals....couldn't get a dish guy to diplex (sp?) my OTA antenna signals with the Dish satellite signals?

The benefits would be elimination of 100 feet of cable run outside the house to the old cable hook up. the elimination of the cable loops (splitters) thoughout the house to each set, and last, basically getting home runs to each set in the house...each run would be much shorter than one continuous loop.

Any thoughts?

 

[Rick0725]

you can try that but there would be 2 losses...one where you combine and one where you separate.


then you loose flexibility

 

[Dennishp]

I'm not sure I understand the splitting and joining part of your post.

I'm currently using my dish receivers to deliver my OTA signals to each TV (not using the TV set tuners at all). Right now I have two coax cables running each receiver, one carrying the satellite signals on "home runs" from the Dish distribution box under my eave, the other coax carrying the OTA antenna signals from my antenna on a separate 150 cable run outside to my old cable box on the side of the house. I have each dish receiver connected to my TV's using HDMI and component connections (no coax).

I assumed that if they diplex the antenna into the distribution box, the OTA signals would travel on the same coax that my current satellite signals travel to each receiver in the house.

So there would be one join (the Antenna signal to the satellite signal) at the satellite distribution box...but after that it would be a straight shot to each receiver with one coax cable carrying both signals.

Sorry if I I'm not understanding..but with this type of connection, wouldn't I be eliminating more splits (with the cable loops) and about 150 feet of extra cable run (100 feet outside and at least another 50 feet of up and down cable loops to the splitters in each room with a TV)?

Thanks for taking the time

 

[bhelms]

If your Dish "distribution box" is a switch as I suspect it is, it won't pass the OTA signals. So you would have to pull them back out again before they enter the switch with another diplexer then in to another splitter into two coaxes to the two TV OTA antenna inputs. You almost have that now with the separate system so I recommend you just leave it alone. The diplexers are not lossless, so every time you use one you impart some additional loss to both the sat signals and the OTA signals. The sat. signal loss probably won't make much difference, but you could see some difference with the OTA signals since they are apparently already marginal.

I would add the 269 preamp (at the antenna) as others have suggested and leave the OTA system independent of the sat. system...

 

[Dennishp]

Thanks for all the info guys.....I understand now about the satellite hook up. Looks like the HDP 269 is the ticket for my application.

Many thanks to you both again.

 

[Dennishp]

I did measurements of my actual cable runs from my antenna to the three TV sets I have connected.

1. 150 feet of RG6 coax from the antenna to my grounding block at the house entry

2. 41 feet from the entry to the first cable loop in the house. (I removed the splitter in that room as there is no TV there and that's where I used my power injector for the pre-amp on the antenna mast. Prior to that I just had a barrel connector to attach the two coax ends together.

3. 33 feet from the power injector/barrel connector location to the first TV set in the kitchen..which is on a splitter.

at this point I have 224 feet of coax and one splitter before the signal hits the first TV,

4. 45 feet of coax from the kitchen TV to the next TV in the family room which is also on a splitter.

5. 25 feet of coax from the family room TV to the last TV in the bedroom.

My approximate total run of coax is 294 (lets call it 300) feet from the antenna to the last TV set.

Can I use a variable gain distribution amp after the power injector for the HDP 269 to boost the signal strength through the rest of my house if I need it?

I'm figuring that I have a -15.2 db loss from the coax and splitter before I hit the first TV. I pick up an additional -6.2db loss to the next set and another -1.2db loss to the last TV in the bedroom. Total 22.6db (give or take a db) loss over the entire cable run to the last set

I figured a 5db loss for every 100 feet of coax and 3.7 db loss for each 2 way splitter.

 

[Rick0725]

would like to stay with a preamp option since the run to the distribution point is about 190' and is best to amplify the signal at the antenna and not use a distribution amp.

1- winegard ap 4700 preamp - would amplify uhf 19db with high overload tolerance and pass vhf with about 1 db insertion loss. this option is mentioned since your vhf signal was plenty strong at the sets (99 signal strength on your tuner as mentioned above).

2- winegard hdp 269 12db gain on vhf/uhf to amplify both.

 

[jgags6]

I also have a qeustion about pre-amps. I have the Winegard 7084 antenna and i want to be able to get Madison locals. Right now i am located in Rockton IL. When i turn my antenna i can get fox at 68 nbc at 54, abc at 69 pbs at 67 and the cw at 67. I was thinking about getting the Winegard AP-8700 would this help me?

 

[Rick0725]

need your zip to see the stations around you.

 

[jgags6]

61072

 

[Rick0725]

suggest the winegard hdp269 preamp there.

antenna web shows several towers about 11 miles away.

The ap8700 will have too much gain.

 

[jgags6]

So i went to the local dish store and they suggested that i get the 8700. So i got home, installed it but i still cannot get the madison CBS station. I spent about 30 min on the roof trying to get the right spot, but nope didnt work. I dont get it considering at the store in Rockford (about 20 miles south of me) they said that they can get all the madison channels there.

 

[Tower Guy]

So i went to the local dish store and they suggested that i get the 8700. So i got home, installed it but i still cannot get the madison CBS station. I spent about 30 min on the roof trying to get the right spot, but nope didnt work. I dont get it considering at the store in Rockford (about 20 miles south of me) they said that they can get all the madison channels there.

Preamp overload is not understood by most sales clerks. Listen to Rick0725. The 8700 has too much gain.

 

[jgags6]

I believe that Rick was talking about the Rockford locals being overloaded. Madison is a good 50 miles away from me. I dont think that they are overloaded, especially when the other 5 digital channels all in the same area come in fine.

 

[Rick0725]

Return the ap8700 and purchase the winegard hdp269.

The ap 8700 will overload your tuner with the stations 12 miles away and may influence your success trying the receive the stations you are interested in.