Thinking of installing an XG91 Antenna

[ChrisDuncan]

Currently I have the small Winegard "bowtie" antenna supplied by Voom and I'm only getting my local ABC and PBS. On rare occasion Fox and CBS will come in, but it's far from reliable (usually only at night and if the weather is perfect and all the planets are aligned, etc.).

A friend of mine who lives in the same town as me bought an XG91 from antennasdirect.com and a CM7777 amplifier. He doesn't have Voom but uses the Dish network HD STB for his OTA. Before he was getting nothing with a Radio SHack antenna and now he's getting all the local networks, and in some cases feeds from networks even farther away.

We live in a bad area for OTA reception, but even though his XG91 isn't high up in the air yet (it's only like 10' off the ground now since he hasn't gotten around to mounting it) his reception is SO much better than mine.

If I ordered this antenna and amplifier, could I use the Winegard diplexor that Voom supplied? It says 12V on it so would it power the CM7777 amp if I put it between it and the XG91 antenna?

FWIW my zip is 62864, and antennaweb says I need a highly direction antenna with rotor or somethign like that. I think my CBS and FOX (not sure about NBC) are over 80 miles away.

I was thinking of keeping my antenna mounted on my roof where it is now, but just adding a 10' mast and seeing how much that helps.

I don't expect Voom to upgrade my antenna, I'm happy to do it myself as long as it will work.

So.... any problems with using the current Winegard diplexor that combines the sat coax and OTA antenna coax into 1 line?

THanks, and if any of you have used the XG91 I'd appreciate your opinions too.

Chris

 

[Sean Mota]

Chris,

why don't you try using it without the diplexor and run a separate line and the pre-amp? Is that possible or do you need to use the diplexor?

 

[ChrisDuncan]

Sean, no I don't necessarily need the diplexor, just wondered if it was possible (that'd be one less hole drilled in my wall but that's no big deal really).

 

[Plywodstatebum]

Voom brought me a Channel Master 3020 and installed it on a 10' pole they ran thru the diplexer and i only got 2 channels, so I got a 2 part booster from radio shack and installed a rotar, the diplexer wouldn't seam to work with the booster so I ran a seperate line to the TV and Voom box now I get all 3 networks that broadcast digital and all the networks within a 100 miles in everydirection. lol

 

[snaggerbob]

If you run a dedicated line from the antenna can you split that signal to 3 tv's?

 

[Plywodstatebum]

I split the antenna line into 4 TV's including the Voom box

 

[ChrisDuncan]

How far are your networks away that broadcast digital?

I picked up a catalog today from a local dealer that has Channelmaster antennas and they have the Model 3020.

The guy at the shop recommended I get the Model 4228 which is a multibay antenna. Both models say they're rated at 60 miles.

Also, he recommended an amplifier that's the 7777 model.

The thing is my CBS and Fox are 71 miles away (I checked antennaweb), so he told me not to get my hopes up too much. But then again I occasionally get them with the Winegard, and it's not even up very high, and my friend who bought the XG91 is getting excellent reception.... so I'm trying to decide if it's worth pursuing.

 

[tanis]

great antenna

this is a great antenna to be nonamp after 45 becomes pretty directional make sur your local are close to each other.amped up even better.

 

[Plywodstatebum]

I was told allot depends on the terrain where you live If you live in a Hilly or Mountainous area the reception will be better over longer distances, Flat areas are the worst for distance since the signal has nothing to bounce off of to travel farther. A 100 miles is a hard call. I love in Fl. and its a flat as a pancake, I get 2 of the networks from 40 miles real good, CBS is 80 miles, I get it but its a little grainy. but like i said There's allot to do with the terrain.

 

[tanis]

I was told allot depends on the terrain where you live If you live in a Hilly or Mountainous area the reception will be better over longer distances, Flat areas are the worst for distance since the signal has nothing to bounce off of to travel farther. A 100 miles is a hard call. I love in Fl. and its a flat as a pancake, I get 2 of the networks from 40 miles real good, CBS is 80 miles, I get it but its a little grainy. but like i said There's allot to do with the terrain.

anolog signal will bounce digital will not so this is not true