[StephanieS]

Greetings upks,

I'm with ADTech on reassessing your system from tip to tail. I can see a much more efficient set up for you.

We will be combining TWO antennas to bring in signals from Hannibal and Quad Cities.

First, let's start with signals we'd be focusing on for the first antenna:
Real channel 7 KHQA CBS/ABC Hannibal
Real channel 10 WGEM NBC/CW/FOX Hannibal

This will require an Antennacraft Y10713 VHF antenna.

The second antenna will be a Antennas Direct DB8e.

This will focus on:
Real channel 36 KWQC NBC Quad Cities
Real channel 38 WQAD ABC Quad Cities
Real channel 49 KLJB FOX Quad Cities

This in effect will give you nice coverage of both markets. I would further expect a couple of strong signals you aren't pointing at, for example K28JD-D which is a repeater of KIIN PBS to be recieved as well.

Orientate Y10713 to magnetic heading 185. Orientate DB8e to magnetic heading 46. Use a roof tripod mount or a chimney mount. On your mast make sure DB8e is mounted at the top with the Y10713 about 4' below it.

Now, you need to combine the antennas. A 2-1 one splitter is a bad idea as it just "throws" both sets VHF/VHF and UHF/UHF of signals together, which is recipe for problems for reception. If I were in your situation I'd use Antennas Direct EU385CF combiner. This combiner specifically combines VHF only and UHF only signals into one downlead. From there, with 4 splits required a distribution amp is something further I'd install. I would remove the Skywalker distribution amp in favor of a Channel Master's CM3414 4 port amp. This unit is suited exactly for this as it provides a 4 way split and amplification. Additionally, it has excellent reviews.

Run your leads to your TVs off the distribution amp.

What you have in the end is no need for a A/B switch and you will have Hannibal and some Quad Cities without changing anything.

It is worth noting amplification is best left to occurring once in your chain. If you have multiple amplifications, weird things can start to happen. For simplicities sake, single amplification is the best way to go unless no other option is available. You may be wondering why I've not suggested a preamp. In this case, I'd rather have the amplification at the end of your combiner downlead rather than at the antennas. Where you'd be losing signal will be the 4 port split. That is where you need to try to offset signal losses.

So my advice, toss the Winegard, toss the Denny's EZ HD. Return the Channel master 7777 preamp as your application is not what it was designed for and there is a strong likelyhood with the 7777 in-line, you reception would worsen (overloading). In short, build a precise system targeting the specific signals you want. You need something higher octane and gain. Neither of those antennas are suited for your reception situation.

If you are "2 into 1" splitting them, you are just making them perform worse. Antenna combination requires specific combiners and antennas.

Cheers.