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Originally Posted by tony2tall
I would like to pick up 5.1 & improve 13.1 signal. Appears I will need a VHF antenna to do that. What antenna would you recommend?
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Hello and welcome!
Yes, you are right. The 4228 is a UHF only antenna, and it would be wise to supplement it with a VHF antenna. Some of your more distant VHF stations cover both low-VHF (WMC, ch 5) and high-VHF (WHBQ, ch 13), so this would warrant a full-VHF antenna like the Winegard HD5030.
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How will I connect the 2?
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What you need is a UVSJ band separator/combiner/diplexor. This will efficiently combine the two different frequency bands (UHF and VHF) onto a single coax with minimal signal degradation for both ports (about 0.5 dB of loss). This is much better than what you'd typically get out of a standard 2-way splitter/combiner (about 3.5 dB of loss).
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Do I need to add a amplifier for antenna?
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I would recommend avoiding any kind of amplification if you can. Your two strongest local stations (ch 20 and 48) are probably too strong for most amps to handle. This can drive an amp too hard and cause signal distortion, which ultimately can make things worse rather than better.
If you add a proper VHF antenna to your setup, the VHF stations might be strong enough to eliminate the need for the distribution amp too. 5.1 and 13.1 should come in much better with the added VHF capability. Going from a 4228-only to a VHF antenna like the 5030 means you're probably gaining about 7 dB on channel 13 and over 15 dB on channel 5.
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I anticipate decrease in reception when trees leave out so I may need amplifier for the 4228 to keep the presently Good reception channels stable.
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I would suggest leaving the amps out of the configuration at first. Aim your antennas at compass heading 138 degrees and check for reception on all TVs. If the TVs on the longer cable runs are having trouble, you can try adding the distribution amp back in.
