Replacing part of an OLD preamplifier

[Mr Tony]

OK need some help from the experts

My buddy moved into a house kinda in the middle of nowhere. Just down the road from our cabin

On the premises is a HUGE TV antenna tower system. Its been there as long as I can remember...probably been around since gas was 49 cents a gallon
I want to say its at least 75 feet up...maybe higher (I dont know how high they are built). Well we tried to hook up a converter box to it and got nothing
I looked and found the preamp in the house. Its an old Channel master 0040C model...coax input and either coax or flat lead out. The input connection is bad so it doesnt work.

I want to get this going for him as right now he has no TV. There has to be some type of pre-amp on the antenna as I dont get anything right now. But I can't swap out the part on the antenna because....well that tower is HIGH!

I see folks selling older power supplies on Ebay...now checking models here is what I see. The 0040C that I currently have says its VHF only but the antenna is VHF/UHF. There is a 0264 which says there are 2 inputs for VHF & UHF. Also a 0071 that says its UHF Only. Here is where I found that
Stark Electronic

Here is my question.....Can the preamp (that goes in the house) be a different model than what we currently have? If we get say the 0071 model will that work with the current pre-amp on the antenna?

Here is the TVfool at 75 feet...I told you it isnt much (there is more but they are all too far away to pick up anyways....and at a different direction. The antenna the rotor wire was cut and the rotor was thrown so its facing towards these stations

Only 2 stations are digital...12 (KCCW) and 22 (PBS). The rest are analog. Here is their power
39 Fox 15.2kw
48 Fox 1.14kw
16 ABC 15.6kw
14 NBC 13.1kw

 

[sergei]

From what I can find in my old catalogs the power supply is the same for all the Spartan 2 amplifiers which include the 0071c model main different is what is mount on the antenna. Have you check the output voltage of the power supply?
Also it's only 80 feet give or take a foot or two so it shouldn't be and issue to check the cable at the antenna. I won't do it on a windy day!
Something else maybe that's not the original power supply because why would someone put up an 80 foot tower with a UHF/VHF antenna and install only a VHF amplifier, doesn't make a lot of sense. How about a picture of the antenna!

Output voltage should be 14 VAC.
Found a 0071c on Ebay 150540424315
also the following units used the same supply..0063c,0064c,0068c,0264c,0268c,0029c,0059c, only different is the amplifier construction components.

 

[Mr Tony]

From what I can find in my old catalogs the power supply is the same for all the Spartan 2 amplifiers which include the 0071c model main different is what is mount on the antenna. Have you check the output voltage of the power supply?

The output is fine. The issue is the coax on the input is shot....its not connected properly (it spins) and one other part is broke inside.

Also it's only 80 feet give or take a foot or two so it shouldn't be and issue to check the cable at the antenna. I won't do it on a windy day!

my judgement of visual height sucks so it could be easily 125 feet up for all I know...Its an old tower and at the time there was only a couple stations so it could be 100 feet or higher. I started to climb it and got 15 feet up and was like "no way in hell. Thats way too high"

Something else maybe that's not the original power supply because why would someone put up an 80 foot tower with a UHF/VHF antenna and install only a VHF amplifier, doesn't make a lot of sense. How about a picture of the antenna!

not up there right now.....back at home. Going back up next weekend so I'll take a pic. The antenna is an old VHF/UHF one. Big Yagi part of UHF and a smaller VHF portion. The only VHF in the area is 12. Everything else is UHF. Thats why its weird. But the model on the power supply says 0040C. I brought that home

Output voltage should be 14 VAC.
Found a 0071c on Ebay 150540424315
also the following units used the same supply..0063c,0064c,0068c,0264c,0268c,0029c,0059c, only different is the amplifier construction components.

so you're saying the 0071 would work? maybe??

The power supply hasnt been used probably in a while. There is an old Dish dish on the tower and a Directv dish on a pole.

 

[Mr Tony]

found this one on Ebay too. Its a 264 which says UHF only which might be fine
Channel Master Preamp Booster Uhf 0264c Power Supply - eBay (item 190488032847 end time Apr-07-11 15:16:53 PDT)

 

[Mr Tony]

Hey google maps shows it

The house is no longer that color but there is the house and the tower

 

[sergei]

Both the 0264 and the 0071c should work, no maybe. The catalog only make reference to just one power supply for all models that I listed. Look at the picture of the 0071 on Ebay and see if it looks like the one you have with the same voltage listed on the preamp lead output.

Also remember it's not the falling that hurts only the stopping part! If you don't have a linesman safety belt it's better to stay on the ground for sure.

 

[Mr Tony]

Yeah the info is the same. I saw that one on Ebay before posting

No way I'm trying to climb it. I mainly wanted to make sure the cables werent cut. I guess when the Directv guy did the install he cut a bunch of cables. The antenna and rotor cable werent cut (thank goodness)

 

[sergei]

I'd say it's about 60 -68 footer and looks like a Taco self supporting design which is a real pain to climb because of the design especially when you get to the top, it just gets smaller at the top so less area to put your feet.

 

[Mr Tony]

well I grabbed one of those off Ebay...hope it works

I laughed as my buddy said "you think my amplified antenna would work"? Uh that thing barely worked here in the Minneapolis area...much less a remote area
It works good as a radio antenna...thats about it

 

[sergei]

Once you get his system up and working or not you'll have to get him a BUD so he can get additional FTA stations because he sure doesn't have much to see.With a system he could get probably get KEPR CBS station most of the time or KCWY & WVGN (NBC) all the time and doesn't need to spend a lot of money.

 

[Mr Tony]

well he's use to just the networks right now but I know what you're saying. The only issue is the landlord has some rules. Its an older lady and I got the story of how the DIrectv guy "did a horrible job running wires". She hired her own electrician to rerun the wires so I know we cant run any new wires. Thats OK there is enough wires running into the house that I can work with

I thought about putting a 6 footer there with some cinder blocks on it aimed at 99W...or maybe he'll just have to get DIrectv (I know he wants to get satellite again...maybe later)

 

[sergei]

Which power supply did you finally get?

 

[Mr Tony]

I bought the 0071

 

[sergei]

Hopefully that will fix it for him as the amplifier itself is usually hard to destroy.

 

[Mr Tony]

I hope so

 

[primestar31]

TV antenna tower sections are commonly 10ft each. So, if you count the sections, you can figure out how tall it is. I use to climb those years ago, but I used a leather linemans belt. 75 to 95 ft is terrifying, especially if you are stupid enough to look UP, and focus on a moving cloud for even a minute...

There was a time I was at the top of a 50ft tower, forgot I had unhooked my belt to make some adjustments, and started leaning back... Thank God it was properly guy-wired, and I was able to catch one of the wires, and keep myself from that sudden stop on the bottom. I never, ever made that mistake again..

 

[sergei]

Rohn RG25 main section are 10 foot but Taco self supporting towers are only 8 foot sections as you can get their DMX tower in 52, 60 or 68 feet and the picture looks like their tower design. Nothing like leaning back at 60 or 80 feet and enjoying the view on a nice sunny day, but a windy day now that's another story as just to much movement on an unguided tower even with a good Klein lineman belt..

 

[boba]

You know Ice if that antenna is as old as you are guessing it was probably connected with a 75 to 300 ohm balun at the antenna. Most of them lost their insulation or the wires broke after only a few years of exposure. DISH welcome pak might be the cheap option for TV viewing.

 

[Mr Tony]

boba
There is a Dish dish there but a couple issues. Its about 20 feet up on the tower (dont ask why) and the cables for it are cut. So I'd have to climb the tower and try to feed some new wires in.
There is a Directv slimline on a pole right by the tower. The landlord doesnt want any new holes in the house and the pole for the slimline is bigger than what a D500 would fit on.

From talking with him he doesnt want to spend a lot of money right now so I figure the $10 power supply might be a start

 

[boba]

boba
There is a Dish dish there but a couple issues. Its about 20 feet up on the tower (dont ask why) and the cables for it are cut. So I'd have to climb the tower and try to feed some new wires in.
There is a Directv slimline on a pole right by the tower. The landlord doesnt want any new holes in the house and the pole for the slimline is bigger than what a D500 would fit on.

From talking with him he doesnt want to spend a lot of money right now so I figure the $10 power supply might be a start

I've got about a 20' tower for 1 of my TV antenna setups, I use a 28' extension ladder to service the antenna and rotor, it's easier on my knees than trying to climb the tower.