What antenna will work for me? Guide to TV Antenna Installation? Contact Us
Todays Question Signal Amplification
I'm hoping to get my antenna about 80' up a utility pole facing north towards Cleveland. The antenna has about a 180 degree look angle. I know I will experience some signal loss due to running about 150' of RG-6. What can I do to mitigate the losses and improve the signal? what else do I need? Thanks Lee
Hi Lee,
To compensate for the signal loss of the cable run from the TV antenna to the TV use a preamplifier. The amplifier portion of a preamplifier mounts near the antenna before the signal loss occurs. It's powered via the coax cable from a power inserter included with the preamplifier. 150 feet of RG 6 will average about 15dB of signal loss. The LNA 200 preamplifier has a signal boost of 18dB totally eliminating the effects of the signal loss caused by the coax cable.
If a signal splitter will be in use a signal distribution amplifier will likely be needed installed in line just before the signal splitter on the antenna side of the splitter. The distribution amplifier will boost the signal to compensate for the signal loss of the splitter. Use the HDA 100 distribution amplifier when using a 2, 3, or 4 way signal splitter. Use the HDA 200 distribution amplifier when using a 6 or 8 way splitter.
This method of signal amplification will provide maximum TV antenna performance to the TV(s).
Best Regards,
Denny Duplessis
Visit our physical store at 3758 W. Washington Rd. Ithaca, Mi. 48847 Mon. - Thur. 8am - 6pm. Friday 9am - 4pm. and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. Denny will be happy to answer your questions. The same products featured in our online store are available at the physical store location.
Ask Denny TV Antenna Questions Begins Here
>
How can I select my own outdoor digital HDTV antenna?
Denny, I'm interested in either your EZ HD or the HD Stacker. How do I know which outdoor digital antenna is best for me? I plan to install outside on the roof. There are four HDTV televisions connected. Is there a way I can know which TV antenna is best for my location. Thanx bruce
Hi Bruce, There is a good way you can do this yourself. We have a page at the link below that will guide you through the process of selecting a digital TV antenna. This page utilizes the FCC mapping system to determine reception conditions. Follow the steps suggested and it should be clear which antenna is best for the location.
Here's the link http://www.dennysantennaservice.com/digital_tv_antenna.html
Take Care, Denny
Denny, I'm assuming everything comes with instructions. I'm not the most mechanical person.
Thanks for all your help!!! Mike
Hello Mike,
Everything does come with instructions. However, one of the advantages of doing business with us is the knowledgeable help we can provide. Unlike most online vendors we don't just sell outdoor TV antennas and equipment we know how to properly install everything we sell.
If you need assistance during the installation we can help.
Denny
With few exceptions a TV antenna can be mounted outdoors. The 1996 Federal ruling trumps just about any local rules that may be in place. There are a few exceptions such as antenna height above roof line and Historic District neighborhoods. You can read the entire outdoor antenna placement FCC ruling here. Unfortunately most people aren't aware of the Federal rule and simply accept the local rule. In an attempt to get the word out USA Today published "Yes you can put up that TV antenna".
>
Mast mounted TV antenna preamplifier troubleshooting.
Question: Denny - I've had your Stacker TV antenna on my roof for a few years now. The reception has been great until just recently. We have lost about half the channels we were getting on every TV in the house. I have a preamplifier from Radio Shack that is mast mounted below the outdoor TV antenna that feeds to the power supply and then to a 4 way signal splitter with home run lines to each TV. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Dan
Response: The likely cause is the . The first thing I suggest is to unplug the power supply from the electrical outlet. If the is working the signals should degrade. If the reception remains the same when the amplifier is unplugged the preamplifier is likely not working. There are 3 reasons why a preamplifier fails to operate. Either the mast preamplifier or the power supply went bad or the coax cable connection between the mast preamplifier and power supply went bad.
The following steps will determine why a preamplifier isn't working. Disconnect the coax cable coming from the mast preamplifier at the power supply/injector. In its place install a short length of coax cable. Plug the power supply into the electrical outlet. At the open end of the short cable you just installed use a volt meter to check for power on this cable. Place one probe of the meter onto the center copper wire of the cable and the other probe to the threaded connector fitting of the cable. If voltage isn't detected the power supply/injector is bad. If voltage is present reconnect the cable leading to the mast preamplifier back onto the power supply/injector. At the other end of this cable remove it from the mast mounted preamplifier. At this end of the cable at the preamplifier test for voltage in the same manner as you tested at the power supply. If voltage isn't present the coax cable is not carrying the operating voltage from the power supply/injector to the mast preamplifier. The solution is to look for a bad connection on this cable. If the connections all look good replace the cable. If voltage is present on the cable at the mast preamplifier and the preamplifier isn't working the preamplifier is likely bad.
HD Stacker antenna gain
Ask your HD Stacker TV antenna question: I will be installing in a Deep Fringe area and have been considering the Channel Master CM-5020 TV antenna due to it's gain and published performance. I cannot find the specifications on the HD Stacker, so could you provide them so I can make a better informed decision?
Television antenna, or TV aerial, is an antenna specifically designed for the reception of over-the-air broadcast television signals, which are transmitted at frequencies from about 41 to 250 MHz in the VHF band, and 470 to 960 MHz in the UHF band
Response: Hi Dan, Due to the various methods that can be used to test TV antenna gain and the exaggerated false claims made by some vendors we no longer publish antenna gain figures. We refuse to play this game. The truth is the only way to win is to falsify the data.
The benefit of the HD Stacker TV antenna is it performs as good or better than any VHF/UHF deep fringe antenna with a much smaller more stable design.
Ken Nist from HD Primer says it best. Quote "Antenna marketing is a racket in that the less honest you are, the more antennas you sell.(Nobody goes to court over a TV antenna).Gain figures published by antenna makers are mostly useless, except maybe for comparing antennas by the same maker". Source: http://www.hdtvprimer.com/antennas/comparing.html
Ask Denny Continued On Page Two
Outdoor TV antenna
Once an outdoor antenna has been installed, the seller will rarely take it back. Even Radio Shack will not take back an installed outdoor antenna. Not true when you purchase from Denny's Antenna Sales. See our guarantee.
Get Free TV
Follow three easy steps to receive free, over the air TV.
How does a TV antenna work?
A television antenna, or TV aerial, is an antenna specifically designed for the reception of over-the-air broadcast television signals, which are transmitted at frequencies from about 41 to 250 MHz in the VHF band, and 470 to 960 MHz in the UHF band. Outdoor antennas always work better than indoor antennas.
Antennapoint
Transmitter locator
Antennas and Digital Television
Broadcast TV stations in the U.S. have switched from analog to digital transmissions. This guide provides information on outdoor TV antennas and tips for obtaining good quality reception of digital broadcasts.
Organic goats milk soap and products
