help for a newbie

[landocalrision]

Hi Guys,

I just bought my first house. It has an old tv tower antenna in the back yard. stands about 50' high (no amp). Here is my tv fool signal analysis:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...46aee99e1db3be

My antenna coax runs about 40 feet into my house, where it is split, runs to two tvs. I am getting most of the channels that I should get, but they are often annoyingly choppy (sometimes they are watchable, othertimes not). I want to boost my signal so that these channels are more reliable. I read about preamps, they seem like a good option? but I am worried about climbing up my old antenna tower to install one in the middle of winter. Any advice for me?

Also, my antenna has an old channel master rotor that works by a dial, yes it surprisingly still works, but for some reason it won't rotate 360 degree. I can go from southwest, clock wise to to EES, but I cant point antenna south or SSE, only EES. I figure i would benefit from pointing my antenna more to SSE to get those buffalo area channels better? (many of them are coming in now , even though I am pointed at SW, but they are often too choppy to enjoy).

Basically I need advise on:

Should I get a pre-amp?
could i install a pre-amp halfway down the mast instead of up at top of antenna (climbing to top seems dangerous)?
Would I benefit more from having my antenna point towards SSE (per the analysis) than from a pre-amp?
Are there local installers that could do this work?
Also, I was told that I would angel electronics that I would benefit from install the winegard lna-200 amp inside my house, before the coax splitter. This would be the easiest option as I could easily do this myself. Do you thin this would this help?

any advice would be appreciated. I have limited budget so I can't just wing this by trial and error, have to get it right first time.

I am new to this, done a lot of reading and research and could really use some solid advice. thanks for your time guys.

-Lando

Looks like a Simple reception situation , with 1 antenna aimed in 1 direction.

So that I make a recommendation.

What is the Make and Model number of the antenna that is up on the tower??

Does it look like a old antenna that has been up for a long time and is old and beat up.

If not know the make and model number , then what antenna looks the most like the antenna.

http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.

[tomfoolery]

Originally Posted by landocalrision

I have limited budget so I can't just wing this by trial and error, have to get it right first time.

Same for me, which is why I came here in the first place. Fantastic resource, IMO.

Someone is bound to ask, so I might as well, since I'm here already; what antenna do you have up there now? Can you post a pic of it, preferably close-up and clear enough to get a good idea?

It looks to me that you should be able to get a lot of channels, especially if you can rotate the antenna (assuming you can add channels after an initial scan), but I'll leave it to those in the know to give specific advise on how to do it.

[landocalrision]

Hi Tom! thanks for the message.

I used google maps to get a picture, not the best, but it does show it pretty well. Seems to work for UHF/VHF. I have attached.

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For reception of the Digital Boadcast Tv stations/channels in the Tvfool Current Plus Pending Applications Included Channel List down to and reaching out for , WNYB and WBBZ .

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Remove and discard the old antenna.

Remove and discard All outside , coax , twin lead , couplers , connectors , splitters and etc. .

Install All New.

Install a , www.winegarddirect.com , HD7698P antenna aimed at about 180 degree magnetic compass direction.

Here is how to aim antenna , www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html

Use a Real and Actual magnetic compass to aim antenna.

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The first 7 Tv stations channels of the Tvfool channel list are 4.5 miles away and very strong signal strength.
So I recommend do not install a preamplifier at the antenna.

>Test reception first< , with no antenna system amplifier , run a New Continues length of coax that has the Compression type connectors on the ends of the coax , run the coax direct to 1 Tv through a open door or window.

Digital Tv tuners can develop - Digital Glitches - that are not cleared out with simple channels scans.

To clear tuner do Double Rescan.

www.wchstv.com/DoubleReScanAlert.pdf

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Install the HD7698P antenna on the rotor in such a manner that what rotation the rotor does have will turn the HD7698P antenna will rotate back and forth , south west , south , south east.

Receiving the 2 weak Tv stations , WNYB , WBBZ , is the goal.

The other Tv stations above the 2 weak Tv stations in the tvfool channel list will be received with out moving the antenna once the 2 weak Tv stations are received and the antenna then will be on one position with out moving the antenna.

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As to a antenna system amplifier , after the , >Test reception first< .

If a antenna system amplifier is required , install a , Winegard - LNA-100 'Boost' indoor amplifier , before , any splitters , so the signal is amplified before being split.

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Here are some places to buy antennas and etc. .

http://www.saveandreplay.com.

http://www.trentondistributors.com.

http://www.amazon.ca.

http://www.amazon.com.

http://www.winegarddirect.com.

[WIRELESS ENGINEER]

I'd suggest a small VHF/UHF antenna like the Winegard 7694 with a winegard
vhf/uhf preamp and feed it with RG6 coax

The gain of the antenna will be plenty and the beamwidth will be wide enough that it should pick most of them up in one direction

Attention Wireless Engineer.

Winegard has Dicontinued All of it's mast mounted Preamps , even the HDP269 preamp .

And now has only one mast mounted preamp , the LNA-200 'Boost' XT .

Winegard has Confidence in the , LNA-200 'Boost' XT , Confidence to the point of discontinuing all of it's industry standard mast mounted preamps that have been industry standards for a long time.

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The LNA-200 'Boost' XT has been Shot Down Repeatedly here at tvfool and buy other evaluators.

I tried several times to recommend the LNA-200 'Boost' XT and have given up recommending it.

I have given up recommending the , LNA-200 'Boost' XT , not because it is a bad preamp.

I have given up recommending it because when I do recommend it , It Brings on Wave after Wave of People Shouting It Down , here at Tvfool.

For the winter , you can install the HD7698P antenna above the roof and receive Many channels including some USA channels.

Here are some above the roof antenna mounts.

http://www.ronard.com/909911.html.
Use the , ronard (911) , 5 foot tripod antenna mount.

http://www.ronard.com/34424560.html.
Use the , ronard (4560) , eave antenna mount.

http://www.ronard.com/ychim.html.
Measure around the chimney and use a , ronard (2212) , ronard (2218) , ronard (2224) .

http://www.ronard.com.

[GroundUrMast]

I have suggested the LNA-200 on several occasions as well. My opinion shifted, if for no other reason, the price/(features & performance) which is beaten significantly by the RCA TVPRAMP1R. I'd argue the same holds true of the CM-7778 which also strikes me as being a bit pricey for it's features and performance.

I was biased against the RCA for quite a long time... (shame on me.) I simply presumed the worst about it, until I saw credible reviews of it and then finally gave one a try.

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The LNA-200 'Boost' XT , noise figures are
VHF 3 dB and UHF 1 dB .

The RCA TVPRAMP1R , noise figures are
VHF 3 dB and UHF 3 dB .

The CM7778 noise figures are the same as the RCA TVPRAMP1R .

[GroundUrMast]

That's what's advertised. Then there's the actual product... The tested samples failed to live up to the add copy.

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=13583
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=13530

For most applications, the 2 dB difference is irrelevant. However, if the LNA-200 actually delivered on the advertised NF, there may be a few cases where the added cost could be justified. In an effort to be a bit generous, perhaps the 1 dB NF claimed may be that of the active devise without accounting for the effects of the additional components. If so, shame on the advertising department for incomplete (misleading) statements. Then there's the issue of no shielding, which makes FM interference a serious issue in some applications. And finally, the overload tolerance is not as claimed.

The bottom line remains the same... price/(features & performance)