[StephanieS]

Preamps are best used in weak signal situations where you have long coaxial runs. They don't "improve" signal. Instead, they more compensate for signal loss over long runs. Say, 150' and split 4 times.

You have healthy amount of your Sacramento signals. If you intend to run to more than 2 TVs with 150' total run of coax a distribution amp may be needed. When you split signals you degrade the signal coming down from the antenna. Many find this out the hard way splitting a signal 4 ways and then two of the TVs have troubles with certain signals and they are unsure why.

RE: The next size up mounted outdoors. Sure you could do it. Do you need it? Probably not. The benefits may not yield much other than some off the wall foreign language or religious programming. You could put a DB8e in the air for your Sac signals. It'll work fine and do a great job. In your case the HBU11k mounted out doors will provide the vast majority of Sacramento broadcasts and likely a chunk of the peripheral broadcasts will be received. An HBU22 would be my choice if I were doing an attic install. Why? Roofs slice and dice signals. Think of adding a solid object a signal must pass through to get to your antenna. It'll be weakened and therefore require an antenna with more gain and ability to compensate for the signal's weakened state.

Yup, you could up and receiving a boatload of Sac stations with $50 or so invested in antenna (HBU11k) and coax.

If you wanted to play with a single antenna option that wasn't the HBU11 or HBU22. A DB8e could be fun to point one panel to magnetic 181 for Sac (more than plenty) and the second panel point to magnetic 333 for Chico CBS and FOX attempt. This set up runs you up well past 100 bucks for antenna, mounting gear and coax but gives you some ability to test if you see Chico's strongest two signals at your locale. The only tripping point here may be the DB8e may have an issue with KVIE and KXTV which both operate in the high-VHF band. These two signals have good signal so chances are reasonable that the DB8e will see them without a small supplemental antenna to augment VHF reception (HBU11).

Cheers.