Help with reception
 

I currently have a winegard fl6550 and not getting the best reception. Would a db8e help my reception quality any. Here is my tv fool report http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...373d63560d.Any advice would greatly be appreciated. Also should I get a preamp because I am surrounded by pine trees.

Welcome to the forum, eric:

What channels do you get?

What channels do you want?

Where is the antenna located?

What type of building are you in?

I get 10 channels total with my winegard fl6550
5-1
5-2
7-1
7-2
7-3
29-1
29-2
51.1
Trying to get the pbs station. They said the winegard fl6550 was omnidirectional but not satisfied with its performance. Hoping the db8e with a cm7777 preamp will get me better results. I have it mounted at 30feet.

"They say" in the marketing departments that it is "omnidirectional" to make you think that it will get all channels in all directions, but they are misleading you. It is actually more directional than the EZ-HD (RCA ANT751) according to Denny:

http://www.dennysantennaservice.com/...v-antenna.html

Your desired channels are weak and in many directions, and for best results an antenna should be aimed at the transmitter; your problem will not be easy to solve.
KLPA is your best chance for PBS. The DB8e with both panels aimed at it would give the most gain, but the antenna beamwidth would be too narrow for the other channels you want.

The DB8e DOES have two panels that can be aimed in different directions, but this doesn't always work the way the marketing department wants you to think it will. When the same signals from each panel arrive at the combining point they will interfere with each other if they are not in phase. You just have to try it to see if it will work. It often works best when the two panels are at right angles, 90 degrees apart.

Not good; trees will block signals. See attachment.
The 7777 will be overloaded by K51FO with a signal power of -41.0 dBm.

http://www.channelmaster.com/TV_Ante..._p/cm-7777.htm

The max input of the 7777 is 15 dBmV = -34 dBm. If you add the DB8e gain of 15 dB:

-41.0 dBm + 15 dB = -26 dBm, which is more than the -34 dBm max input of the 7777.

The 7778 has a Max input level 34 dBmV = -15 dBm; OK:
http://www.channelmaster.com/TV_Ante..._p/cm-7778.htm

An antenna with a little less gain would have a wider beamwidth that might make it possible to get most of what you want without resorting to a rotator or two antennas.

http://www.rabbitears.info/search.ph...pe=dBm&height=

Click on callsigns to see networks in above link.

K51FO Fox, real channel 51, NM 49.9 dB, 74 degrees
KALB NBC & CBS, real channel 35, NM 18.1 dB, 102 degrees
KLPA PBS, real channel 26, NM 8.7 dB, 62 degrees
KLAX ABC, real channel 31, NM 1.7 dB, 62 degrees

A DB4e would have wider beamwidth than the DB8e, but a little less gain.

DB8e
https://www.antennasdirect.com/cmss_...s/DB8E-TDS.pdf

DB4e
https://www.antennasdirect.com/cmss_files/attachmentlibrary/Technical%20Data%20PDF's/DB4E-TDS.pdf

The C2 has even wider beamwidth, but maybe not quite enough gain for PBS and ABC:
https://www.antennasdirect.com/cmss_...cSheet_C2_.pdf