Hey everyone, I have an updated list of recommended preamps at the link below. I NO LONGER RECOMMEND THE ONN PREAMP. Some people have had problems with it. www.amazon.com/shop/antennaman?listId=XLT94P404QUY 📡 Also note that an amplifier is only as good as the antenna. If you don't have the right antenna no amplifier will help. You can sign up for an antenna recommendation from me below: antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
Thanks for the great information. Can you use a pre-amp in addition to an amplified distributor? My scenario is I have an attic antenna with about 30-ft run to my home's video distribution panel. From there each TV cable run is anywhere between 10-ft to 75-ft. I was thinking I could install a pre-amp at the antenna to maximize signal coming into the distro panel and then add a powered distributor to ensure no signal is lost in the longer runs to each TV. Is this overkill? I live in 85142 which shows pretty good signal on aw.org. thanks
Tyler, I started out my electronics career working on televisions, radio & audio amplifiers many many years ago. I even worked for a company that repaired & aligned TV tuners. Very few people in this world can do what you do, especially when it comes to RF. Your knowledge & wisdom is greatly appreciated. I'm sure that most of those who subscribe to your channel would echo back to you my words. The general public doesn't understand & would not want to put in the endless hours needed to break down & convey what you do in your videos. You are providing priceless knowledge to those that watch your channel. Keep up the great work!
Excellent job, Tyler. Cannot beat experience. I am a retired antenna installer, among other talents, and the stories I could tell. Glad to see the world is in good hands with your expertise. Thanks for the videos.
Certainly is. He's probably been a ham since the 1960s, (unless he used the vanity callsign program to get the callsign, perhaps it was his dad's callsign in the past).
I’m a retired electronic tech, fixed TV’s, stereo’s & installed antennas in the 79’s, then a Field Engineer fixing ATM’s, Financial & Retail systems for 38?years. Love watching your videos, I’m currently renting a bottom floor apartment in Glens Falls, NY. Landlord let me install a Clear Stream 2Max under the eve, also tried a Clear Stream 4Max but the 2Max works better, go figure, gotta love RF. Installed the Onn Antenna Amp mentioned in this video, it helped with a couple Albany stations, 52 miles away, didn’t want the higher gain models as we have a couple low power repeaters locally 5 miles away. Keep posting the videos & stay safe.
Great job Tyler. You are very knowledgeable and cover all the angles. Terrific having someone like you out there in internet land helping us less knowledgeable folk. From Ottawa, Canada.
Thanks for making mention of grounding the antenna, back in the early 80s I lost several of these preamplifiers due to lightning close by but not on the antenna. One other problem I have found out here in the rural areas is interference from powerlines. Until I became a ham radio operator I had no idea how much powerline interference was going on at my residence. Once that was solved, TV cleared up quite a bit.
Check out the new Channel Master Preamps: CM7778 medium gain preamp (best for moderate signal areas) amzn.to/2oxQkTH CM7777 high gain preamp (best for very bad signal areas) amzn.to/2BXYPe3
months later after finally giving an expensive preamp a try, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! The difference is insane. I was using cheap china PBD 25-30$ preamp, bought a channel master medium gain which ran me about 70 bucks, and I saw about a 40% signal improvement. I went from about 50-60% signal on channels I struggled with, to 85-100%. Just want to spread the word, do not cheap out on antenna equipment, unless you literally live 20-30 miles away from high powered towers, then you can obviously get away with cheap stuff. In my case, the towers were 2 edge and 56-60 miles away. I went through 4 antennas and 1 crappy preamp, now I have a great setup with a wineguard platinum and channel master medium gain :D very happy
I fixed my signal problems, first my Channel Master CM-7778 16db Preamp Power Inserter started working again and I removed the extra LTE filter at my Channel Master CM-3418 8 port Distribution Amplifier and put in a 6db signal attenuator. Some local channels were blinking in and out from being over-amplified. So from a total of 20db gain, I dropped it to 14db, that's why I didn't choose the CM-7777 30db as I was afraid of too much amplification. The local channels are still reading at Max or just below it and the further away stations are still coming in at an acceptable signal strength. I did notice that the SNR did improve as too much amplification can raise the amount of noise in the signal and the SNR goes down. Usually when this drops to 15db is when the picture starts breaking up. Most of my channels are at 24 to 31db and some are at 21db. SNR is more important than signal strength I found, so you can have not enough amplification or too much amplification. You have to find the correct balance between the two.
Thanks Tyler, I have one of those cheap "HD" antennas with amplifier mounted in my attic, I was getting over 40 channels but two network channels were weak and pixelating. The amp was installed at the TV end of the cable, so I moved it to the antenna end (on the antenna), where as you say it amplifies actual signal, it worked! The two network channels now lock in crystal clear, and I'm up to over 50 channels.
Thanks Tyler, you have encouraged me to pull out my homemade antenna from 09. At the time i lived in Aurora CO. I had found on UA-cam a video on how to make an antenna with a 2' 2x4 and hangers. of course everyone said - that wont work. I was able to pick up everything, i never went to cable. Then I moved to Evergreen CO, again everyone said you have to have a dish to get anything up here in the mountains, hmm I had to prove them wrong, again my 2x4 & hangers worked. Left Colorado in .14 now I am in West Branch, Iowa 52358, tougher area cause the stations are in multiple directions. Surprisingly I can pick up about 28 channels, some are pretty weak with no pre-amplifier, although the channels are lets say not much to watch. The tv I have is a Insignia 55" NS-RC03A-13, yes it is a bit old. Which preamp or tuner would you recommend for an in door antenna zip code 52358
Thanks to you I have finally cut the cord. I went with GE indoor pro crystal HD amplified antenna. I live in Dallas Fort Worth and I am currently able to get 67 channels. One thing I found out was the coax supplied with the antenna is not good, I doubled the number of channels by changing to a better cable. This will save me almost $3000 a year. Thank you.
I live in the backwoods of Mississippi outside of Tupelo. I wasn't getting the stations that I wanted on my Channel Master antenna. I took your advice and tried the Onn powered amplifier. You're amazing dude. I can now get the channels that I actually put the antenna up for. Edit: Just recently I lost my channels. Somehow, and I don't know how, water got into it and ruined it. When I pulled the boot seals off of the cables they were wet. I installed everything correctly and somehow water got inside the unit on the pole.
Your video is excellent - and useful. I really appreciate you producing this! As for Radio Shack, they fell victim not to a recession, but to their own poor marketing strategy. They were once an excellent source of electronic parts and, as you pointed out, for antennas, amps, etc. HOWEVER, they became primarily just another cell phone store in an already glutted market. Come on, you can wear a blindfold and find a cell phone store in 3 minutes or under in most areas. Antennas, etc? Not so much...Radio Shack was the source until they decided being the 743rd cell phone retailer on the block was the way to go.
The RCA preamp you showed is one I used for 9 years, before I had to move. I don't need it for full market Chicago stations, but needed it for most low power stations from Chicago. My last antenna setup was separate VHF and UHF antennas, Antennacraft CS600 (all VHF channel) for VHF and the Antennas Direct DB8 for UHF. I bought this preamp, simply because it allows me to hook up separate VHF and UHF antennas into one preamp. I dread the day when I have to replace my VHF antenna, because of Antennacraft being out of business, and they were the only manufacturer that made separate VHF and UHF antennas, and while I don't really need the Antennacraft CS600 antenna in Chicago, my eventual plan is to move to Milwaukee Wisconsin, and I need it there for WIWN 68 because they're on RF 5. In Chicago, WOCK-CD 13 on RF 4 change networks on their subchannels frequently, that I sometimes want that station. I need a preamp for this station, because I otherwise cannot pick it up, due to their signal only transmitting at either 300 watts, or 810 watts (under ATSC 3.0, they're supposedly going to 3kw). If it weren't for the LPTV UHF stations in Chicago being directional, with less signal going towards Indiana, I wouldn't need a preamp, because unlike VHF not being powerful enough in digital, the 15kw UHF signals are strong enough to reach my home,but the preamp gives it the boost it needs.i like the RCA model you showed, and hope it stays around indefinitely, as I want to continue with using separate VHF and UHF antennas.
Overall, very good and informative videos. One area of confusion though. This video advises against the RCA Preamp, but there is a link in your other video regarding preamps that shows the RCA Preamp as a recommended preamp. Please clarify. Thank you.
I have been working with TV Antennas since the 1950s and just came across your channel. I usually agree with your conclusions and reviews. For preamps noise figure is the most important specification since it determines how much the amplifier degrades the signal to noise ratio and the lower the noise figure the better. If we only look at that then the best three preamps would be the Kitz Technologies KT-200-COAX, which is what I use now (noise figure 0.4 dB), the Winegard Boost XT (noise figure 1 dB), which I have not used, and the Channel Master CM-7777 which I have used in the past (noise figure 2 dB). You indicate that the Winegard is not reliable which leaves the other two. I know I had a Channel Master preamp up from 1984 until 2004 without any problem so I would rate it as very reliable. I have only used the Kitz Technologies amplifier since 2012 but with no problem so far. It has been the best preamp I ever used in terms of pulling in weak signals.
I agree that the Kitztech pre-amp is the best one and I use it for my personal tv antennas. I did have one issue so the power supply went bad and leaked a bunch of noise effectively knocking out AM around the house but he sent me a new power supply for free and its been working perfectly since. But this pre-amp is a bit unknown and you have to look for it or hear about it on a forum for tv antennas.
The RCA preamp you showed is not defective with a 9.0VDC output. The Wall-wart is 12V and the inverter has. 7809 IC voltage regulator that keeps the voltage at 9.0 volts. Some have stated it would be at 18.0 volts. That would only be the case if the supply was unregulated and drops down to 9.0 volts with a load. The current design has a 9.0 voltage regulator. That means it will read 9.0vdc connected or not.
Just wanted to say thanks for your information on walmart amplifier. I took your advise and you know what your talking about, it didn't give me any new stations but no more weak signals or lost stations Thanks again.
Whoa!!! I didn't know radio shack was still alive online!! That's huge. I used to buy from that store for all this kind of stuff, and was lost when they all closed. Thanks for the info . Keep em coming.
I've only had great results with the RCA pre-amps (TVPRAMP1Z) and have used them on a few installs. Over 4 yrs and still going strong! WM had them for about $15 a couple yrs ago so I bought a few.. The Channel Master CM-7777 died after less than 2 yrs and the replacement unit failed less than 90 days. I see CM came out with newer pre-amp models, but I'm still leary of their quality and reliability...
I'm surprised you don't discuss using a signal strength meter & ideal signal levels into the house and into and out of distribution splitter amps. Love to hear your thoughts on subject
.I had a CM7777 fail after a couple days of use, and after reading the reviews I noticed others have seen early failure with this model.. The second one I installed has lasted for years, so I guess there are exceptions. I've also been pleased with the Radio Shack Two output amp. Great info. Thanks!
I would argue one can achieve similar performance regardless of which end the preamp is installed at. In fact, I give preference to indoor models simply because it's not subject to weather beatings.
Another great video. I agree with your logic and recommendations. I personally do like the RCA pre-amp for one reason. It has a built in combiner to hook up a separate VHF antenna to a UHF antenna. So, far after 2 years, the power transformer is still working well. What is your plan when ATSC 3.0 comes to your area?
I got one of those Channel Master Amps the 777. Worked great for about a month then died. I called Channel Master and told them it stopped working. They told me it was hit by lighting, which it was not. At any rate they refused to warranty there product. Perhaps I just got a lemon, it happens. But the way I was treated when I called them I do not want to do business with them again.
One important point you didn't mention, especially for that Channel Master: too much gain is just as bad as and maybe worse than too little. I'd use the lower gain setting unless you've got a really long coax run (>> 100'). My 2 cents. I'm an EE. I have that Channel Master and an AntOp big boy antenna on a pole outside.
Yup. I have the Antop 400bv in my attic (I have the amp at the end of the cable in my media panel, not in the attic) and if I turn the amp from "Passive" 10db, to the "On" 33db I lose most of the channels. Their new one is better at is allows adjustment from 7 to 22db.
The critical factor is the signal to noise ratio. A weak signal will have a low signal to noise ratio at the antenna. The signal will then lose strength proportional to the length of the coax. Think of it like a partially filled water bucket with holes in the bottom, you won't be able to go very far before the bucket is empty. However, if you fill the bucket, the bucket still leaks, but since you start with more water, you can go farther before it is empty. An even better analogy is doing this during a dust storm. Adding amplifiers down the line is like adding water to the bucket. However, there is the problem of the mud buildup during the dust storm. The mud is noise and will eventually win. Better coax and low noise amplifiers can delay these effects and allow longer runs, but there is a limit beyond which these devices won't work any more.
The information you provide is awesome! I live in San Diego in the 92027 zip code. By Watching your videos I was able to install an antenna - now I am watching your videos to see which pre amp to buy. The uhf channels are clear - and the VHF channels (ABC 10 & CBS 8) are mildly pixelated.
This video is outdated and will be updated. This is the preamp I'm recommending now. If it doesn't fix your issues you may need a better antenna setup. I do offer custom antenna recommendations on my website as well: amzn.to/3lVW3LF
Father has that Onn brand one, for one or more channels we sometimes have to unplug the pre-amp's power adapter from the power supply and re-plug it in to get the channel back.
I bought a Magnavox MG-ANT-104 and ran a channel scan through the power supply reciecver that rotates the ant. and I only got 3 channels and rotation only works sometimes. I removed it and connected ant. to TV without it and I get great reception on most loxal channels. Iwa shoping to get more channels that I sometimes got with old rabbit ears.
Thx Tyler, I was looking for a way to cut the cord and your expertise hit the nail on the head. You are an excellent resource for the cable cutting community.
I absolutely have no issues with my cm 7777 preamp. Also have a deep fringe antenna running 100feet of coaxial cable and up high in Worcester Ma, altitude of 730feet. Can pull in 70 miles easy. Beyond that with good weather I can pull anything around 130 miles.
You are correct, the RCA preamp I had didn't last long. I just ordered the Radio Shack one that you recommend. I don't like the idea of leaving that variable gain pot and switch out in the weather though. I may cover them with a piece of foil tape just for insurance. Thanks for the tips. Correction - Didn't realize the controls were on the inside unit. Nix the tape. Radio Shack unit just installed. So far so good.
Always use those boots, heck I even use cable ties around the end up the boots for extra protection, keeps them from accidentally sliding off. Just last week I had to make a few changes to my antenna set-up, and after 5 plus years, my connections were clean, zero rust or corrosion on the connections... boots did their job. Wonder how many people don't do this?... then later have equipment failure and blame it on faulty equipment?
Been there, done that. Two RCAs, one Winegard. Winegard fared the worst, crapping out within two months. I'd LOVE to return it, but I put silicone around the lip of the halves to keep water out. Gotta go on the roof AGAIN.
I saw your review of my antenna after I installed it. You are 100% correct in it being crap. Big ravines and crows hop around on it and brake all the plastic parts holding it together.
Antenna web usually doesn't give me much of any TV stations from my location. We've had one of those antennas you hate so much on a 25-ft pole for the last few years and it's been okay but as you know it's going downhill. But I did see another antenna on Denny's website called a double stacker. I was hoping maybe you could compare it with the channel Master and the windgard long range antenna. Our house is located about 82 83 mi away from the main antennas in Dallas and fort Worth. I really enjoyed your unbiased opinion on antennas cables and amplifiers. Don't let the manufacturers suck you in. Keep it real
Hi Tyler - our problem is that we are by an everyday double track Commuter and commercial trains. Some days we get somewhat good reception then everything is pixies. We purchased the RCA outdoor antenna. Our zip code is 60073 - Illinois. Which amp do you recommend us. Thank you so much. Love your videos, very professional.
You likely need a larger antenna as the signal issues are caused by multipath interference. Consider a custom antenna recommendation at the following link: www.antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
@@evelyndaye1135 You can certainly try a preamp if you think that's the issue. A lot of people go with small antennas which don't always work but if you have a large antenna you should be on the right track. Below is a preamp I recommend: www.channelmaster.com/Amplify_TV_Antenna_Preamplifier_p/cm-7777hd.htm?Click=116838&affid=201434
Thank you for all your videos im trying to set up tv with roof antenna. Is it weak needing a preamp or facing wrong way when you get the channels and pic has cracks through it then goes back then no signal, then back to clear channel. Its visous cycle nit sure what I need. Zip code 11717 Thanks
Am I missing something? I didn't know you could buy anything Radio Shack anymore, yet here you are recommending one of their signal amplifiers. I have 3 different indoor antennas, depending on the time of day, and seasons of the year, I can get a few more marginal channels in addition to the approximately 5-6 I get all the time. Oddly, I am almost 60 miles in each direction from a major tv market. 1 antenna gets most stations from the north, while another gets them from the south. I believe ALL my antennas would benefit from better amplifiers....just need to find THE best.
I compared the cheap APL-109e line amplifier with the Johansson 7455 mast amplifier and the Televes 561610 mast amplifier. I was hoping that the mast amplifiers will have smaller real noise figure. In the case of Johansson at 40 dB gain on UHF , the signal strength after passing through a small splitter (mast amplifiers have separate slots for UHF and VHF) with 3.5 dB attenuation, the signal strength was the same as when using an APL-109e amplifier with 28 dB gain on UHF without this splitter. I thought maybe it was because one power supply is not enough (the Johansson 7455 amplifier requires 24 V and 75 mA) but when joining the second power supply to the voltage separator of the first power supply, the power increased by only 1% (regardless of whether the power supplies were connected in series or in parallel), and the quality remained the same. The quality of the signal of the DVB-T multiplex received from a distance of 118 km (about 73 miles) was practically the same as for the APL 109e without a splitter. In the case of the Televes 561610 mast amplifier, which has a gain of up to 32 dB on UHF, the receive was even worse than in the case of the APL-109e.
Very timely video. Last night watching tv, the antenna feed went out. It has a channel master, for 15 years. Sucks, have to go up the roof, drop mast, and start figuring out what is going on...
Hello my friend and thanks for the instruction and recommendations. I'm the typical "Jack of All Trades, Master of Some." I actually worked as a cable installer for about a year and a half after my retirement from the Army back in 2003, so I do kind of know my way around the block. I live in Bethel Park, PA which is a southwest suburb of Pittsburgh which is rolling hills, some small mountains with lots of trees and plenty of cell towers. For 5 years, I've been using a cheap, $20 RCA outdoor antenna since cutting the cord. I can usually get anywhere between 58-73 channels depending on the atmospherics, weather, time of day or price of tea in China. I can get channels (in some cases) from as far away as Cleveland or Morgantown, but usually no further than Youngstown. I've just purchased a Clearview 4 Max with a Clearview Juice Preamp. Unfortunately, I probably won't get to the opportunity to install the system until better weather arrives now. I have my set up for 5 TV's and am currently using an old cable inline dropamp in the basement. Yes, it is meant for Cable RF Power, but does give a good enough boost to make the TVs furthest away from the antenna recieve almost all of the channels the main set is receiving. I'll be replacing that old dropamp with an Antennas Direct 4 port inline amp when I'm ready to install everyting. My coax cables to reach all 5 sets are quite long so I'm 100% positive this will be necessary and it will probably be a bit more effective than that old cable amp. My biggest question is about the potential use of an LTE Filter. I do get plenty of pixelation from time to time, again depending on the same intangable items I mentioned above. If I do decide to purchase one of these little filters, based on what I've listed as equipment, where should I install this? Should it go into the 4 Max, at the pre-amp from the antenna befor it heads to the TV sets, or at the splitter when it first comes into the house and the first TV Set? Is it even necessary at all? Thanks so much and please keep on keeping us informed and away from the money grubbing "Cable/ Sat Pigs!"
I now offer antenna recommendations and a consultation service for a small fee at the link below. One from me can prevent you from spending hundreds of dollars and time wasted on setting up the wrong antenna for your area. antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
I use the CM-7777 amp in my area and for myself. It is a great Amp for my hilly area and I hope when the new broadcast format launches, my Fox 66 out of Erie improves. Satellite is getting way to pricey. My only bugaboo is getting new boxes for my older TVs when the switch happens!!!
I run the newer Channel Master CM777HD dual gain selectable pre amp which has a built in 700mhz LTE filter on my mast and RG6 down to a Commscope powered splitter. For distribution the Commscope CSAPDU9VPI is sweet. Its a powered 8 way splitter with unity gain. So whatever the signal is comming into the splitter is the exact same leaving on all 8 ports. Just another option, used mainly by CATV companies, just be sure to place a terminator on the -3.5db port and use the other 8.
And I just realized there's no link to the channel Master because it's been discontinued. 😭 What do I do now? This would have been perfect for my situation.
Hi Tyler, Thanks for these jam-packed information videos. I have been testing antennas and found your videos to be the most informative. I have a tip that I just came upon. One of those "duh" moments... but thought it might also help someone else. I started with indoor ( no channels) then tried an attic ( 3 channels- 1 was Spanish so for me only 2 usable) and have decided on outdoor to get the channels I wanted. Each time I got a product I followed the directions and some were very poorly translated to English. The last antenna had directions that said to change the setting on the tv to "Air" not "Cable" when I did that I went from 9 channels to 24!!! This gave me the 3 major stations plus Fox. So I tried another antenna that I was about to put back in the box because it got 9 stations and this time it got 32. I am about to install everything so I have watched all of your videos and have these questions: *Should buy a Pre-Amp and a regular Amp? When I tested everything I was testing with an amp going into the tv. *Does it matter what order I hook everything to the tv? Should it be Co-Ax, Surge Protector, Amp, TV? or Co-Ax, Amp, Surge Protector, TV? *Would I be better off with the shortest length of Co-Ax by cutting off the extra and put on a new Co-Ax end or not? *Do airplanes cause a lot of interference with antenna signals? I live about 1 mile away from a small plane airport. Thanks!
I use the Antennas Direct PA18 and it works very well for me. I'm in Eden, NC. I actually have two antennas on the roof, one pointed WNW to pick up the stations on Sauratown Mtn. This was necessary because the local PBS station is really weak and with a Clearstream 4 Max and the amplifier I can receive it consistently. The other is pointed north. It's an old Clearstream 2 and it does a great job pulling in the stations in the Roanoke, VA market plus a little bit from Lynchburg. I also get the stations to my south and southeast off the back of the antenna. I have a PA18 on each, separate coax runs, and an A/B switch near the TV. I had tried combining antennas and the separate lines work very much better. Anyway, have you tried the PA18 and, if so, what do you think of it?
I haven't tried it but it looks good. There are dozens of preamps and it's not feasible for me to try everyone out when they all do pretty much the same thing. It's more important about how long they last and making sure to not get one that's too strong to overload your signals.
We still have a local radio shack! They had to add pack and print and Fed ex shipping and a picture framing section to stay open... But their still kicking, if you can't find a chord or cable or plug... They usually have it, just be ready to pay 250% of Walmart/Amazon price. :-)
Well I got the Radio Shack preamp. I am not getting anything now whereas before I got at least SOME channels. Too high of gain perhaps? Tomorrow I am going to try the Channel Master 7778.
@@AntennaMan Hi Antenna Man, glad to see you here! I tried turning the gain from minimum to maximum. I turned my antenna another way and it was still the same result. Should I send it back?
@@purpleturkey6633 double check and make sure you have it hooked up right. It's easy to get the parts mixed up. One parts should be on your antenna (maybe switch the cables in the ports to make sure you didn't mix them.up) and the other inside your home.
@@AntennaMan Yeah I put the preamp up there with the LTE filter on the input, then ran that out through the preamp down to the inside of the house, behind the TV. (I tried with and without the LTE filter, no difference) The TV can get a picture off the coax so I know it is hooked up correctly that way. It's just this amp that is giving me a fit. It also had a FM trap switch on the preamp itself. I switched that over and it didn't help. Also I tried turning the BOOST switch on and off. The antenna that I am using is the T002. I am trying to pull in stations about 65 miles away. I have the same antenna at my house and I have the Channel Master 7778 and I can get those channels. I am not too far from my dad's house where I am working on his antenna so distance between us is not a factor. If I turn down the gain switch, how much gain am I getting compared to what the 7778 has?
I have a LOCAL RADIO SHACK i just visited on 9/5/19 they closed ALL Corporation stores, they are still franchises. Around 370 something like that @salyersville kentucky
So many variables involved especially back in the NTSC days where an amp would have to have a bandwidth of 54 to 700 Mhz. The Tilt of signal loss on a long cable run is staggering. I played around with DXing far off stations even tried pointing a long antenna at the Moon an hitting Channel scan with the odd little glimpse of something far away. I found that for one receiver on one line my best success was no amplifier and either use RG6 or RG11 as they are a passive conductor that generates no noise and has relatively little loss. MATV systems such as for apartment buildings had some really bad rules to them that in my humble opinion made them not worth setting up. One rule was that if a company owned multiple buildings close together you could not network their signals each building could only use the signals from it's own antennas on it's own roof. When it was only the VHF band not a big problem but when UHF came along they had another useless rule that you could not heterodyne or change the stations carrier frequency and place it in an unused VHF SLOT that way you could make a nice neat little row of stations with minimum signal loss tilt. I found the challenge was the local station ghosting and I would put a frequency selective trap on it about 20db then combine it with the other stations, leveling them off was quite a trick.
If you are in fringe area's an antenna pre-amp is a must. The technical reason is a thing called noise figure. What it means is what is lost in the coax, can't be recovered, so boost the signal before the coax. The TV is also important. When shopping, see if there is a weak channel, then find the TV, in your price range, that pulls that channel in the best. Even with a good antenna amp, I was able to convert a couple of unwatchable channels into good channels.
Hi Tyler. I have a bit of a mystery for you. I live in the Boston 02128 zip code and have a roof antenna that runs through a splitter to 3 TVs on 3 floors (one on each floor) of my house. Everything has worked fine for years on all three sets but then I re-scanned channels for my first floor TV in August and lost a bunch of local stations ( the ABC and NBC Boston affiliates, Ch. 56, Fox25, WHDH and some PBS standard definition channels). However, I still get all those stations on my second and third floor TVs. Oddly, instead of getting the Boston ABC and NBC affiliates, I'm picking up the Providence RI affiliates instead, the transmitters for which are much farther away than the local affiliate transmitters. The coax connections are all tight. I've changed my antenna's direction but that didn't work. No matter how often I re-scan, I haven't been able to get back my missing stations. I only get 40 channels now, down from the 50+ channels I used to get on my first floor set. So the question is: Does this sound like a job for an inline pre-amplifier and, if so, which one should I get? And what would explain the signal loss? Thanks.
You can try one but if you'd like me to look more into your situation (I don't have time to read everything you wrote and check your reception) you can sign up for a direct consultation at the following link: antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
I live 50 miles from the transmitter and have used both indoor amplifiers and antenna mount preamplifiers with no difference in signal loss. It's the same old antenna hype that I've been hearing for the past 34 years, much like the 150-250 mile range cheap antennas on eBay and Amazon.
Hi Tyler I am about 60 miles or less from most stations I was doing pretty good for the first year then it seems that every time I turn the TV off I have to rescan the channels every time or they just about all pixelate does that sound like it could be my TV I am in St Joe pulling channels from Kansas City MO thank you for all that you do
Sounds like you need a new tuner. Look into this model. You can connect it to your existing TV set and manually add missing channels without a rescan: amzn.to/2ZM9ZAC
Tyler has problem with the RCA preamp's power inserter failing. The solution is to use Channel Master CM-3400XPIPS power inserter with RCA preamp if it requires 12VDC. If the power inserter is bad but the preamp is a good product, maybe buying a good power inserter is the solution.
Great video! I'd like to take it a step further. I currently have 2 high gain fringe antenna's on different masts pointed 90 degrees apart with separate preamps going to the same TV. One preamp was an older Radio Shack with a gain control that finally kicked the bucket. Had 45 TV feeds coming in. My question is, could running 2 preamps on different antennas have caused the failure of the old Radio Shack preamp?
MY 12E rca power supply adapter rated at 12v dc output when measured, put out 22v dc at the supply itself direct no load. It must be unregulated. I replaced it with a switched power supply that put out 12.4v dc. I still got the same reading 9.1v dc on both power supplys coming out of the RCA coax device. I am not sure just because the power supply has a 12v dc out, that the voltage going up the coax ia suppose to also be 12v dc.? Not sure the power supply is the problem after all. It might be the device. Thanks for all you help Tyler. It has been most helpful and a learning experience. My Winegard HD8200U ANTENNA and LNA-200 PREAMP is pulling in the the 4 networks and many other channels. My antenna set up and wiring was a fun project. No more cable! unfortunately I already owned these 2 preamps before I read this reveiw. The winegard still works.
Oddly, using a channel master 7777 I could not pull in my Watertown stations, but with a cheap ant 1005 they came in just fine. My Radio shack preamp also did not pull in the stations. Maybe this is frequency related. I'll see if I can find some more empirical data somewhere.
I wound 30 feet of wire, the same diameter of my AM loop antenna. Seems to improve the signal. Hung it on the antenna with bread twisty ties. Used a unique high resistive wire. Acts like an inductor. I used an indoor RCA rabbit ears from Walmart. Yes, indoor through a magnavox hdtv converter. My tv is old 1080p. No tuner.
You cannot add an amplifier on an antenna that has one built in or it won't power the internal preamp and you'll lose all reception. Most antennas with built in amplifiers are junk anyway. If you have signal problems the issue is likely caused by the junk antenna - not from a bad preamp.
Tyler: I'm trying to find an antenna to pick up the Andromeda Channel located in the Andromeda galaxy. I have oriented the antenna toward the galaxy but still getting a lot of pixelization. A radiotelescope is out of the question because I live in an urban area and the zoning issues for such an invasive structure are prohibitive. I am considering a move to the Atacama Desert in Chile but I'm having some complications with my visa application. Is there a cheaper alternative available at Wal Mart that would allow me to mot disrupt my life? Thank you. Enjoying your videos.
I'm running a antennas direct juice. With there clear stream 4max . The juice has been going strong for 4 years the antenna is a week old. I have a mix of uhf and vhf in my area multiple fm raido stations and lte cell towers. I get 50 Channels from 15 to 60 miles away! In the mountains of North Carolina.
@@AntennaMan I'm running 3 TV's on one standard 75ohm splitter with a total of about 60 feet of rg6 cable. Rooftop mounted at about 13 feet. I'm getting a extra 10 channels with the booster and it made about 10 pixelated channels lock in at 50% Im super pleased. Some of the credit goes to my new antenna though. All 50 channels lock in 50-95 percent.
I now offer antenna recommendations for a small fee at the link below. One from me can prevent you from spending hundreds of dollars and time wasted on setting up the wrong antenna for your area. antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
any suggestions on finding which external cable lead goes to which internal lead? I have multiple cable wires on the outside and I'd like to connect my antenna to the one that comes into my room.
Hey luv everything u do. I went to antenna web n they say no channels r available for me. I have a 30ft tower for now with a lava I got it for $5 n I get 26 channels my locals fade sometimes what pre shioyld I get the onn
Hello. Cutting the cord. I'm 18 miles line-of-site from Milwaukee TV towers. Have two existing RG58 lines running from my old DirecTV dish to two different televisions (#1 +/- 50', 2 +/- 75'). When I had DirectTV the signal was fine. My hope was to replace the dish with an antenna. Purchased RCA ANT751, and using the website you mentioned, aimed the antenna accordingly. I installed a splitter 6" off the antenna, brought a TV to the roof and connected to one of the splitter outputs. Scanned, and received 60 channels, 59 of which locked-in. (With Recoton amplified rabbit ears on the TV itself, receive 35 channels, 17 of which would lock in). Connected cables from roof antenna to the TV's: Nothing. Didn't think the loss through the cable would be that extensive. Do you feel the Channel Master amplifier you recommended would help; and if so, just minimally? Thank you!!
I do not think your issue is signal loss in the coaxial cable. There's obviously something more. I offer direct set up guidance on my website. If you send me some pictures I'm sure I would be able to help you. Visit the link below. antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
All of my stations are strong and I get them all except for 1 low powered station that's 8 miles away, and one other low powered one has a flaky connection which has Stadium on it, so I might get the onn amp to see if it works in stabilizing the signal on the low powered station.
That Channel Master looks a lot like the old Winegard AP-8700. I had an AP-8700 for about 12 years. It went out a couple of weeks ago, and it looks like it's not being made anymore. It worked well all those years, but since I couldn't find it I ended up buying one of the Winegard's in your video. I was a little skeptical, and still am in particular about the power supply. My old amp ran off of 24V while this one just uses 5V, and can be powered from a USB. I didn't even know they were putting USB connections in TV's these days. Anyway I imagine some people are trying to use their TV USB outputs to power the amp right at the TV. I've only had it connected since yesterday, but it is working excellent. I scanned in 72 channels yesterday. I think the most I had gotten in the past was 68. They may have actually added some channels since I did the original install though. I was still surprised because this was right after it rained, and it was nasty down here in SC all day. I thought surely a bunch of the channel were barely coming in, but no. For kicks, and giggles I went through all of them, and every one was clear. This is a different TV than I had connected to begin with so not sure if that has anything to do with it. The original was one of the first ones with a converter box installed. So far I'm totally pleased, but that's a bummer to hear they don't tend to last long. Oh well, fingers crossed. Also thank you for the vids.
I am curious if you have reviewed either of the AirTV models from Sling? The white one is for one TV and the black one is a network model like the Fire Recast. Both require you supply your own hard drive but merge your local channels with Sling channels.
Great description! Question: I have an RCA pre amp and amp that I installed in approx 2003. Is something that dated due for an upgrade? I have outdoor antenna approx 30 ft tall with trees all around. Any thoughts on when to upgrade would be appreciated. THANKS
💥Tyler I watch many of your excellent video and I subscribe. Plus, I just bought the TIVO EDGE from your link on that unit. My question is, does the channel master require AC power? Do all of the outdoor boosters require it? If so, how am I supposed to get AC power to my roof? I have the exact antenna shown here in this video 7:35 and all channels are coming in strong except KTLA channel 9. Los Angeles.
I'm in that dilemma where antennaweb shows that I have 'no stations found' (with 30' mast) but I did get a station in my RV parked at my house. I have the Channel Master 3414 so I'm try it with my VHF/UHF antenna on the roof with a 20' mast. 88061 Great channel content!
Thank you for the video. So preamp should be installed close to antenna. If I install the antenna on the roof and don't have a power outlet, I can't use it. right? I have to add a booster next to my tv. What is the best booster.
You can add a preamp up at the antenna without a power outlet up there because all preamps come with power inserters you connect to the long cable going from the preamp to somewhere inside your home. You can find an updated list of recommended preamps at the link below: www.amazon.com/shop/antennaman?listId=XLT94P404QUY
Hey everyone, I have an updated list of recommended preamps at the link below. I NO LONGER RECOMMEND THE ONN PREAMP. Some people have had problems with it. www.amazon.com/shop/antennaman?listId=XLT94P404QUY
📡 Also note that an amplifier is only as good as the antenna. If you don't have the right antenna no amplifier will help. You can sign up for an antenna recommendation from me below:
antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
Will these preamps work with a roof top cell phone booster yagi antenna?
I live in 08330 nj
Thanks for the tip on the onn antenna
Its going back today
Im keeping the clearstream 4 max
Also which preamp do you suggest for 08330
And which splitter or amplifier
Thanks for the great information. Can you use a pre-amp in addition to an amplified distributor? My scenario is I have an attic antenna with about 30-ft run to my home's video distribution panel. From there each TV cable run is anywhere between 10-ft to 75-ft. I was thinking I could install a pre-amp at the antenna to maximize signal coming into the distro panel and then add a powered distributor to ensure no signal is lost in the longer runs to each TV. Is this overkill? I live in 85142 which shows pretty good signal on aw.org. thanks
You're a good guy for helping the older friend on fixed income. The world could damn sure use more people who think of others, not just themselves.
So true
Tyler, I started out my electronics career working on televisions, radio & audio amplifiers many many years ago. I even worked for a company that repaired & aligned TV tuners. Very few people in this world can do what you do, especially when it comes to RF. Your knowledge & wisdom is greatly appreciated. I'm sure that most of those who subscribe to your channel would echo back to you my words. The general public doesn't understand & would not want to put in the endless hours needed to break down & convey what you do in your videos. You are providing priceless knowledge to those that watch your channel. Keep up the great work!
Excellent job, Tyler. Cannot beat experience. I am a retired antenna installer, among other talents, and the stories I could tell. Glad to see the world is in good hands with your expertise. Thanks for the videos.
Your username looks like a HAM call sign.
I would say that it obviously is... 6 digits... Retired antenna installer.... Lmao
Certainly is. He's probably been a ham since the 1960s, (unless he used the vanity callsign program to get the callsign, perhaps it was his dad's callsign in the past).
@John Gohde
Call signs were issued sequentially back then.
My first callsign, in the winter of 1982, was KA8P**.
Hey everyone, I have an updated list of recommended preamps at the link below: www.amazon.com/shop/antennaman?listId=XLT94P404QUY
Tyler, it looks like the list on Amazon includes the RCA model you are not recommending in this video ? Thanks for your informative videos !
In addition to an FM trap, I would also recommend an LTE filter, even if the amp has one built in. Place the filter between the antenna and amplifier.
I’m a retired electronic tech, fixed TV’s, stereo’s & installed antennas in the 79’s, then a Field Engineer fixing ATM’s, Financial & Retail systems for 38?years. Love watching your videos, I’m currently renting a bottom floor apartment in Glens Falls, NY. Landlord let me install a Clear Stream 2Max under the eve, also tried a Clear Stream 4Max but the 2Max works better, go figure, gotta love RF. Installed the Onn Antenna Amp mentioned in this video, it helped with a couple Albany stations, 52 miles away, didn’t want the higher gain models as we have a couple low power repeaters locally 5 miles away. Keep posting the videos & stay safe.
Great job Tyler. You are very knowledgeable and cover all the angles. Terrific having someone like you out there in internet land helping us less knowledgeable folk. From Ottawa, Canada.
Thanks for making mention of grounding the antenna, back in the early 80s I lost several of these preamplifiers due to lightning close by but not on the antenna. One other problem I have found out here in the rural areas is interference from powerlines. Until I became a ham radio operator I had no idea how much powerline interference was going on at my residence. Once that was solved, TV cleared up quite a bit.
Check out the new Channel Master Preamps:
CM7778 medium gain preamp (best for moderate signal areas)
amzn.to/2oxQkTH
CM7777 high gain preamp (best for very bad signal areas)
amzn.to/2BXYPe3
Nice Video. I'm in NYC 10128 area code . The radio shack model you recommend is out of stock. Which would would be a good substitution ?
@e james yes
Absolutely the best antenna info I've seen. It proves somethings I already knew and raised questions about stuff I didn't. Thanks Antenna Man!
months later after finally giving an expensive preamp a try, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! The difference is insane. I was using cheap china PBD 25-30$ preamp, bought a channel master medium gain which ran me about 70 bucks, and I saw about a 40% signal improvement. I went from about 50-60% signal on channels I struggled with, to 85-100%. Just want to spread the word, do not cheap out on antenna equipment, unless you literally live 20-30 miles away from high powered towers, then you can obviously get away with cheap stuff. In my case, the towers were 2 edge and 56-60 miles away. I went through 4 antennas and 1 crappy preamp, now I have a great setup with a wineguard platinum and channel master medium gain :D very happy
I fixed my signal problems, first my Channel Master CM-7778 16db Preamp Power Inserter started working again and I removed the extra LTE filter at my Channel Master CM-3418 8 port Distribution Amplifier and put in a 6db signal attenuator. Some local channels were blinking in and out from being over-amplified. So from a total of 20db gain, I dropped it to 14db, that's why I didn't choose the CM-7777 30db as I was afraid of too much amplification. The local channels are still reading at Max or just below it and the further away stations are still coming in at an acceptable signal strength. I did notice that the SNR did improve as too much amplification can raise the amount of noise in the signal and the SNR goes down. Usually when this drops to 15db is when the picture starts breaking up. Most of my channels are at 24 to 31db and some are at 21db. SNR is more important than signal strength I found, so you can have not enough amplification or too much amplification. You have to find the correct balance between the two.
Thanks Tyler, I have one of those cheap "HD" antennas with amplifier mounted in my attic, I was getting over 40 channels but two network channels were weak and pixelating. The amp was installed at the TV end of the cable, so I moved it to the antenna end (on the antenna), where as you say it amplifies actual signal, it worked! The two network channels now lock in crystal clear, and I'm up to over 50 channels.
Glad it worked out for you. If you have problems in the future the best solution is a larger antenna or mounted outside
Thanks Tyler, you have encouraged me to pull out my homemade antenna from 09. At the time i lived in Aurora CO. I had found on UA-cam a video on how to make an antenna with a 2' 2x4 and hangers. of course everyone said - that wont work. I was able to pick up everything, i never went to cable. Then I moved to Evergreen CO, again everyone said you have to have a dish to get anything up here in the mountains, hmm I had to prove them wrong, again my 2x4 & hangers worked.
Left Colorado in .14 now I am in West Branch, Iowa 52358, tougher area cause the stations are in multiple directions. Surprisingly I can pick up about 28 channels, some are pretty weak with no pre-amplifier, although the channels are lets say not much to watch.
The tv I have is a Insignia 55" NS-RC03A-13, yes it is a bit old.
Which preamp or tuner would you recommend for an in door antenna zip code 52358
Thanks to you I have finally cut the cord. I went with GE indoor pro crystal HD amplified antenna. I live in Dallas Fort Worth and I am currently able to get 67 channels. One thing I found out was the coax supplied with the antenna is not good, I doubled the number of channels by changing to a better cable. This will save me almost $3000 a year. Thank you.
Thanks for the info. Bless you for helping the Elder. TV means so much to them as they become less mobile.
I live in the backwoods of Mississippi outside of Tupelo. I wasn't getting the stations that I wanted on my Channel Master antenna. I took your advice and tried the Onn powered amplifier. You're amazing dude. I can now get the channels that I actually put the antenna up for.
Edit: Just recently I lost my channels. Somehow, and I don't know how, water got into it and ruined it. When I pulled the boot seals off of the cables they were wet. I installed everything correctly and somehow water got inside the unit on the pole.
Your video is excellent - and useful. I really appreciate you producing this! As for Radio Shack, they fell victim not to a recession, but to their own poor marketing strategy. They were once an excellent source of electronic parts and, as you pointed out, for antennas, amps, etc. HOWEVER, they became primarily just another cell phone store in an already glutted market. Come on, you can wear a blindfold and find a cell phone store in 3 minutes or under in most areas. Antennas, etc? Not so much...Radio Shack was the source until they decided being the 743rd cell phone retailer on the block was the way to go.
The RCA preamp you showed is one I used for 9 years, before I had to move. I don't need it for full market Chicago stations, but needed it for most low power stations from Chicago. My last antenna setup was separate VHF and UHF antennas, Antennacraft CS600 (all VHF channel) for VHF and the Antennas Direct DB8 for UHF. I bought this preamp, simply because it allows me to hook up separate VHF and UHF antennas into one preamp. I dread the day when I have to replace my VHF antenna, because of Antennacraft being out of business, and they were the only manufacturer that made separate VHF and UHF antennas, and while I don't really need the Antennacraft CS600 antenna in Chicago, my eventual plan is to move to Milwaukee Wisconsin, and I need it there for WIWN 68 because they're on RF 5. In Chicago, WOCK-CD 13 on RF 4 change networks on their subchannels frequently, that I sometimes want that station. I need a preamp for this station, because I otherwise cannot pick it up, due to their signal only transmitting at either 300 watts, or 810 watts (under ATSC 3.0, they're supposedly going to 3kw). If it weren't for the LPTV UHF stations in Chicago being directional, with less signal going towards Indiana, I wouldn't need a preamp, because unlike VHF not being powerful enough in digital, the 15kw UHF signals are strong enough to reach my home,but the preamp gives it the boost it needs.i like the RCA model you showed, and hope it stays around indefinitely, as I want to continue with using separate VHF and UHF antennas.
Overall, very good and informative videos. One area of confusion though. This video advises against the RCA Preamp, but there is a link in your other video regarding preamps that shows the RCA Preamp as a recommended preamp. Please clarify. Thank you.
I have been working with TV Antennas since the 1950s and just came across your channel. I usually agree with your conclusions and reviews. For preamps noise figure is the most important specification since it determines how much the amplifier degrades the signal to noise ratio and the lower the noise figure the better. If we only look at that then the best three preamps would be the Kitz Technologies KT-200-COAX, which is what I use now (noise figure 0.4 dB), the Winegard Boost XT (noise figure 1 dB), which I have not used, and the Channel Master CM-7777 which I have used in the past (noise figure 2 dB). You indicate that the Winegard is not reliable which leaves the other two. I know I had a Channel Master preamp up from 1984 until 2004 without any problem so I would rate it as very reliable. I have only used the Kitz Technologies amplifier since 2012 but with no problem so far. It has been the best preamp I ever used in terms of pulling in weak signals.
I agree that the Kitztech pre-amp is the best one and I use it for my personal tv antennas. I did have one issue so the power supply went bad and leaked a bunch of noise effectively knocking out AM around the house but he sent me a new power supply for free and its been working perfectly since. But this pre-amp is a bit unknown and you have to look for it or hear about it on a forum for tv antennas.
The RCA preamp you showed is not defective with a 9.0VDC output. The Wall-wart is 12V and the inverter has. 7809 IC voltage regulator that keeps the voltage at 9.0 volts. Some have stated it would be at 18.0 volts. That would only be the case if the supply was unregulated and drops down to 9.0 volts with a load. The current design has a 9.0 voltage regulator. That means it will read 9.0vdc connected or not.
Tyler! You are the best! To the point, clear speaking voice, no bullshit! Keep it going; you're going to be the reason paid tv crashes!!!
Just wanted to say thanks for your information on walmart amplifier. I took your advise and you know what your talking about, it didn't give me any new stations but no more weak signals or lost stations Thanks again.
Whoa!!! I didn't know radio shack was still alive online!! That's huge. I used to buy from that store for all this kind of stuff, and was lost when they all closed. Thanks for the info . Keep em coming.
I've only had great results with the RCA pre-amps (TVPRAMP1Z) and have used them on a few installs. Over 4 yrs and still going strong!
WM had them for about $15 a couple yrs ago so I bought a few..
The Channel Master CM-7777 died after less than 2 yrs and the replacement unit failed less than 90 days.
I see CM came out with newer pre-amp models, but I'm still leary of their quality and reliability...
Got rid of the onn amplifier and got a better amplifier and helped my channel strong now cant complain now hopefully ill get more soon
I'm surprised you don't discuss using a signal strength meter & ideal signal levels into the house and into and out of distribution splitter amps. Love to hear your thoughts on subject
.I had a CM7777 fail after a couple days of use, and after reading the reviews I noticed others have seen early failure with this model.. The second one I installed has lasted for years, so I guess there are exceptions. I've also been pleased with the Radio Shack Two output amp. Great info. Thanks!
The Radio Shack Preamp I have works Good I would Recommend getting that one
That one doesn't seem like it still available.
I would argue one can achieve similar performance regardless of which end the preamp is installed at. In fact, I give preference to indoor models simply because it's not subject to weather beatings.
Another great video. I agree with your logic and recommendations. I personally do like the RCA pre-amp for one reason. It has a built in combiner to hook up a separate VHF antenna to a UHF antenna. So, far after 2 years, the power transformer is still working well. What is your plan when ATSC 3.0 comes to your area?
I got one of those Channel Master Amps the 777. Worked great for about a month then died. I called Channel Master and told them it stopped working. They told me it was hit by lighting, which it was not. At any rate they refused to warranty there product. Perhaps I just got a lemon, it happens. But the way I was treated when I called them I do not want to do business with them again.
One important point you didn't mention, especially for that Channel Master: too much gain is just as bad as and maybe worse than too little. I'd use the lower gain setting unless you've got a really long coax run (>> 100'). My 2 cents. I'm an EE. I have that Channel Master and an AntOp big boy antenna on a pole outside.
Yup. I have the Antop 400bv in my attic (I have the amp at the end of the cable in my media panel, not in the attic) and if I turn the amp from "Passive" 10db, to the "On" 33db I lose most of the channels. Their new one is better at is allows adjustment from 7 to 22db.
2:06 - I didn't know this site existed my dude. I love this video. Great information. Subscribed, and good luck!
I just want to say thank you, you are the best.
The critical factor is the signal to noise ratio. A weak signal will have a low signal to noise ratio at the antenna. The signal will then lose strength proportional to the length of the coax. Think of it like a partially filled water bucket with holes in the bottom, you won't be able to go very far before the bucket is empty. However, if you fill the bucket, the bucket still leaks, but since you start with more water, you can go farther before it is empty. An even better analogy is doing this during a dust storm. Adding amplifiers down the line is like adding water to the bucket. However, there is the problem of the mud buildup during the dust storm. The mud is noise and will eventually win. Better coax and low noise amplifiers can delay these effects and allow longer runs, but there is a limit beyond which these devices won't work any more.
Really informative. Channel Master is still ahead of the game.
The information you provide is awesome! I live in San Diego in the 92027 zip code. By Watching your videos I was able to install an antenna - now I am watching your videos to see which pre amp to buy. The uhf channels are clear - and the VHF channels (ABC 10 & CBS 8) are mildly pixelated.
This video is outdated and will be updated. This is the preamp I'm recommending now. If it doesn't fix your issues you may need a better antenna setup. I do offer custom antenna recommendations on my website as well: amzn.to/3lVW3LF
sorry tyler i forgot to include my info. im in canada l4l 7x3 is my postal code not sure if you can advise but any info would be appreciated
@John Gohde No need for your comment but what do you expect from a dumbass. You're Welcome Troll
Father has that Onn brand one, for one or more channels we sometimes have to unplug the pre-amp's power adapter from the power supply and re-plug it in to get the channel back.
I've seen that happen before.
I've had the CM preamp for years, but it has separate VHF & UHF inputs. It works great. I've been very happy with it.
I bought a Magnavox MG-ANT-104 and ran a channel scan through the power supply reciecver that rotates the ant. and I only got 3 channels and rotation only works sometimes. I removed it and connected ant. to TV without it and I get great reception on most loxal channels. Iwa shoping to get more channels that I sometimes got with old rabbit ears.
Just subscribed. Very knowledgeable presentation. Will be looking at all your videos to get better reception in central Florida!
I just uploaded one that gives ten tips to improve reception
Thx Tyler, I was looking for a way to cut the cord and your expertise hit the nail on the head. You are an excellent resource for the cable cutting community.
I absolutely have no issues with my cm 7777 preamp. Also have a deep fringe antenna running 100feet of coaxial cable and up high in Worcester Ma, altitude of 730feet. Can pull in 70 miles easy. Beyond that with good weather I can pull anything around 130 miles.
You are correct, the RCA preamp I had didn't last long. I just ordered the Radio Shack one that you recommend. I don't like the idea of leaving that variable gain pot and switch out in the weather though. I may cover them with a piece of foil tape just for insurance. Thanks for the tips.
Correction - Didn't realize the controls were on the inside unit. Nix the tape. Radio Shack unit just installed. So far so good.
Thank you for your knowledge and presentation.
Always use those boots, heck I even use cable ties around the end up the boots for extra protection, keeps them from accidentally sliding off. Just last week I had to make a few changes to my antenna set-up, and after 5 plus years, my connections were clean, zero rust or corrosion on the connections... boots did their job. Wonder how many people don't do this?... then later have equipment failure and blame it on faulty equipment?
Crap. I just bought the winegard preamp. Guess I’ll see how it does
How'd it go?
Been there, done that. Two RCAs, one Winegard. Winegard fared the worst,
crapping out within two months. I'd LOVE to return it, but I put silicone around
the lip of the halves to keep water out. Gotta go on the roof AGAIN.
I saw your review of my antenna after I installed it. You are 100% correct in it being crap. Big ravines and crows hop around on it and brake all the plastic parts holding it together.
Antenna web usually doesn't give me much of any TV stations from my location. We've had one of those antennas you hate so much on a 25-ft pole for the last few years and it's been okay but as you know it's going downhill. But I did see another antenna on Denny's website called a double stacker. I was hoping maybe you could compare it with the channel Master and the windgard long range antenna. Our house is located about 82 83 mi away from the main antennas in Dallas and fort Worth. I really enjoyed your unbiased opinion on antennas cables and amplifiers. Don't let the manufacturers suck you in. Keep it real
Hi Tyler - our problem is that we are by an everyday double track Commuter and commercial trains. Some days we get somewhat good reception then everything is pixies. We purchased the RCA outdoor antenna. Our zip code is 60073 - Illinois. Which amp do you recommend us. Thank you so much. Love your videos, very professional.
You likely need a larger antenna as the signal issues are caused by multipath interference. Consider a custom antenna recommendation at the following link:
www.antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
Antenna Man How about an amplifier? The one we have now is pretty big.
@@evelyndaye1135 You can certainly try a preamp if you think that's the issue. A lot of people go with small antennas which don't always work but if you have a large antenna you should be on the right track. Below is a preamp I recommend: www.channelmaster.com/Amplify_TV_Antenna_Preamplifier_p/cm-7777hd.htm?Click=116838&affid=201434
Yes we got an amp and it’s working beautifully! Thanks for the suggestion!!!
Thank you for all your videos im trying to set up tv with roof antenna. Is it weak needing a preamp or facing wrong way when you get the channels and pic has cracks through it then goes back then no signal, then back to clear channel. Its visous cycle nit sure what I need. Zip code 11717 Thanks
I have several power supplies for the pre-amps. I have had a few pre-amps go out on me, including the Channel Master.
Am I missing something? I didn't know you could buy anything Radio Shack anymore, yet here you are recommending one of their signal amplifiers.
I have 3 different indoor antennas, depending on the time of day, and seasons of the year, I can get a few more marginal channels in addition to the approximately 5-6 I get all the time. Oddly, I am almost 60 miles in each direction from a major tv market. 1 antenna gets most stations from the north, while another gets them from the south. I believe ALL my antennas would benefit from better amplifiers....just need to find THE best.
I compared the cheap APL-109e line amplifier with the Johansson 7455 mast amplifier and the Televes 561610 mast amplifier. I was hoping that the mast amplifiers will have smaller real noise figure. In the case of Johansson at 40 dB gain on UHF , the signal strength after passing through a small splitter (mast amplifiers have separate slots for UHF and VHF) with 3.5 dB attenuation, the signal strength was the same as when using an APL-109e amplifier with 28 dB gain on UHF without this splitter. I thought maybe it was because one power supply is not enough (the Johansson 7455 amplifier requires 24 V and 75 mA) but when joining the second power supply to the voltage separator of the first power supply, the power increased by only 1% (regardless of whether the power supplies were connected in series or in parallel), and the quality remained the same. The quality of the signal of the DVB-T multiplex received from a distance of 118 km (about 73 miles) was practically the same as for the APL 109e without a splitter. In the case of the Televes 561610 mast amplifier, which has a gain of up to 32 dB on UHF, the receive was even worse than in the case of the APL-109e.
Very timely video. Last night watching tv, the antenna feed went out. It has a channel master, for 15 years. Sucks, have to go up the roof, drop mast, and start figuring out what is going on...
I’ve been using the RadioShack preamp that showed in your video for 10 years now. No problems so far.
Hello my friend and thanks for the instruction and recommendations. I'm the typical "Jack of All Trades, Master of Some." I actually worked as a cable installer for about a year and a half after my retirement from the Army back in 2003, so I do kind of know my way around the block. I live in Bethel Park, PA which is a southwest suburb of Pittsburgh which is rolling hills, some small mountains with lots of trees and plenty of cell towers. For 5 years, I've been using a cheap, $20 RCA outdoor antenna since cutting the cord. I can usually get anywhere between 58-73 channels depending on the atmospherics, weather, time of day or price of tea in China. I can get channels (in some cases) from as far away as Cleveland or Morgantown, but usually no further than Youngstown. I've just purchased a Clearview 4 Max with a Clearview Juice Preamp. Unfortunately, I probably won't get to the opportunity to install the system until better weather arrives now. I have my set up for 5 TV's and am currently using an old cable inline dropamp in the basement. Yes, it is meant for Cable RF Power, but does give a good enough boost to make the TVs furthest away from the antenna recieve almost all of the channels the main set is receiving. I'll be replacing that old dropamp with an Antennas Direct 4 port inline amp when I'm ready to install everyting. My coax cables to reach all 5 sets are quite long so I'm 100% positive this will be necessary and it will probably be a bit more effective than that old cable amp. My biggest question is about the potential use of an LTE Filter. I do get plenty of pixelation from time to time, again depending on the same intangable items I mentioned above. If I do decide to purchase one of these little filters, based on what I've listed as equipment, where should I install this? Should it go into the 4 Max, at the pre-amp from the antenna befor it heads to the TV sets, or at the splitter when it first comes into the house and the first TV Set? Is it even necessary at all? Thanks so much and please keep on keeping us informed and away from the money grubbing "Cable/ Sat Pigs!"
I now offer antenna recommendations and a consultation service for a small fee at the link below. One from me can prevent you from spending hundreds of dollars and time wasted on setting up the wrong antenna for your area. antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
I use the CM-7777 amp in my area and for myself. It is a great Amp for my hilly area and I hope when the new broadcast format launches, my Fox 66 out of Erie improves. Satellite is getting way to pricey. My only bugaboo is getting new boxes for my older TVs when the switch happens!!!
I run the newer Channel Master CM777HD dual gain selectable pre amp which has a built in 700mhz LTE filter on my mast and RG6 down to a Commscope powered splitter.
For distribution the Commscope CSAPDU9VPI is sweet. Its a powered 8 way splitter with unity gain. So whatever the signal is comming into the splitter is the exact same leaving on all 8 ports.
Just another option, used mainly by CATV companies, just be sure to place a terminator on the -3.5db port and use the other 8.
The channel Master has a built-in FM trap.... !!!! That just answered my next ten questions! Thanks man 👍
And I just realized there's no link to the channel Master because it's been discontinued. 😭 What do I do now? This would have been perfect for my situation.
Hi Tyler, Thanks for these jam-packed information videos. I have been testing antennas and found your videos to be the most informative. I have a tip that I just came upon. One of those "duh" moments... but thought it might also help someone else. I started with indoor ( no channels) then tried an attic ( 3 channels- 1 was Spanish so for me only 2 usable) and have decided on outdoor to get the channels I wanted. Each time I got a product I followed the directions and some were very poorly translated to English. The last antenna had directions that said to change the setting on the tv to "Air" not "Cable" when I did that I went from 9 channels to 24!!! This gave me the 3 major stations plus Fox. So I tried another antenna that I was about to put back in the box because it got 9 stations and this time it got 32.
I am about to install everything so I have watched all of your videos and have these questions:
*Should buy a Pre-Amp and a regular Amp? When I tested everything I was testing with an amp going into the tv.
*Does it matter what order I hook everything to the tv? Should it be Co-Ax, Surge Protector, Amp, TV? or Co-Ax, Amp, Surge Protector, TV?
*Would I be better off with the shortest length of Co-Ax by cutting off the extra and put on a new Co-Ax end or not?
*Do airplanes cause a lot of interference with antenna signals? I live about 1 mile away from a small plane airport.
Thanks!
I use the Antennas Direct PA18 and it works very well for me. I'm in Eden, NC. I actually have two antennas on the roof, one pointed WNW to pick up the stations on Sauratown Mtn. This was necessary because the local PBS station is really weak and with a Clearstream 4 Max and the amplifier I can receive it consistently. The other is pointed north. It's an old Clearstream 2 and it does a great job pulling in the stations in the Roanoke, VA market plus a little bit from Lynchburg. I also get the stations to my south and southeast off the back of the antenna. I have a PA18 on each, separate coax runs, and an A/B switch near the TV. I had tried combining antennas and the separate lines work very much better.
Anyway, have you tried the PA18 and, if so, what do you think of it?
I haven't tried it but it looks good. There are dozens of preamps and it's not feasible for me to try everyone out when they all do pretty much the same thing. It's more important about how long they last and making sure to not get one that's too strong to overload your signals.
My ONA17 worked fine after running power to the antenna, pushing the signal down. For 3 days -- then nothing.
Used nothing but CM-7777 in all of the installs I've done for several family members. They work great!!
We still have a local radio shack! They had to add pack and print and Fed ex shipping and a picture framing section to stay open... But their still kicking, if you can't find a chord or cable or plug... They usually have it, just be ready to pay 250% of Walmart/Amazon price. :-)
Well I got the Radio Shack preamp. I am not getting anything now whereas before I got at least SOME channels. Too high of gain perhaps? Tomorrow I am going to try the Channel Master 7778.
Either that or you got a defective unit. Maybe try turning down the gain on it
@@AntennaMan Hi Antenna Man, glad to see you here! I tried turning the gain from minimum to maximum. I turned my antenna another way and it was still the same result. Should I send it back?
@@purpleturkey6633 double check and make sure you have it hooked up right. It's easy to get the parts mixed up. One parts should be on your antenna (maybe switch the cables in the ports to make sure you didn't mix them.up) and the other inside your home.
@@AntennaMan Yeah I put the preamp up there with the LTE filter on the input, then ran that out through the preamp down to the inside of the house, behind the TV. (I tried with and without the LTE filter, no difference) The TV can get a picture off the coax so I know it is hooked up correctly that way. It's just this amp that is giving me a fit. It also had a FM trap switch on the preamp itself. I switched that over and it didn't help. Also I tried turning the BOOST switch on and off. The antenna that I am using is the T002. I am trying to pull in stations about 65 miles away. I have the same antenna at my house and I have the Channel Master 7778 and I can get those channels. I am not too far from my dad's house where I am working on his antenna so distance between us is not a factor. If I turn down the gain switch, how much gain am I getting compared to what the 7778 has?
I have a LOCAL RADIO SHACK i just visited on 9/5/19 they closed ALL Corporation stores, they are still franchises. Around 370 something like that @salyersville kentucky
So many variables involved especially back in the NTSC days where an amp would have to have a bandwidth of 54 to 700 Mhz. The Tilt of signal loss on a long cable run is staggering. I played around with DXing far off stations even tried pointing a long antenna at the Moon an hitting Channel scan with the odd little glimpse of something far away. I found that for one receiver on one line my best success was no amplifier and either use RG6 or RG11 as they are a passive conductor that generates no noise and has relatively little loss. MATV systems such as for apartment buildings had some really bad rules to them that in my humble opinion made them not worth setting up. One rule was that if a company owned multiple buildings close together you could not network their signals each building could only use the signals from it's own antennas on it's own roof. When it was only the VHF band not a big problem but when UHF came along they had another useless rule that you could not heterodyne or change the stations carrier frequency and place it in an unused VHF SLOT that way you could make a nice neat little row of stations with minimum signal loss tilt. I found the challenge was the local station ghosting and I would put a frequency selective trap on it about 20db then combine it with the other stations, leveling them off was quite a trick.
If you are in fringe area's an antenna pre-amp is a must. The technical reason is a thing called noise figure. What it means is what is lost in the coax, can't be recovered, so boost the signal before the coax.
The TV is also important. When shopping, see if there is a weak channel, then find the TV, in your price range, that pulls that channel in the best. Even with a good antenna amp, I was able to convert a couple of unwatchable channels into good channels.
I wonder if retailers would let you bring in an antenna and plug it into a few sets of display to see which one picks up the most channels
Hi Tyler. I have a bit of a mystery for you. I live in the Boston 02128 zip code and have a roof antenna that runs through a splitter to 3 TVs on 3 floors (one on each floor) of my house. Everything has worked fine for years on all three sets but then I re-scanned channels for my first floor TV in August and lost a bunch of local stations ( the ABC and NBC Boston affiliates, Ch. 56, Fox25, WHDH and some PBS standard definition channels). However, I still get all those stations on my second and third floor TVs.
Oddly, instead of getting the Boston ABC and NBC affiliates, I'm picking up the Providence RI affiliates instead, the transmitters for which are much farther away than the local affiliate transmitters.
The coax connections are all tight. I've changed my antenna's direction but that didn't work. No matter how often I re-scan, I haven't been able to get back my missing stations. I only get 40 channels now, down from the 50+ channels I used to get on my first floor set.
So the question is: Does this sound like a job for an inline pre-amplifier and, if so, which one should I get? And what would explain the signal loss? Thanks.
You can try one but if you'd like me to look more into your situation (I don't have time to read everything you wrote and check your reception) you can sign up for a direct consultation at the following link: antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
I live 50 miles from the transmitter and have used both indoor amplifiers and antenna mount preamplifiers with no difference in signal loss. It's the same old antenna hype that I've been hearing for the past 34 years, much like the 150-250 mile range cheap antennas on eBay and Amazon.
Hi Tyler I am about 60 miles or less from most stations I was doing pretty good for the first year then it seems that every time I turn the TV off I have to rescan the channels every time or they just about all pixelate does that sound like it could be my TV I am in St Joe pulling channels from Kansas City MO thank you for all that you do
Sounds like you need a new tuner. Look into this model. You can connect it to your existing TV set and manually add missing channels without a rescan: amzn.to/2ZM9ZAC
Tyler has problem with the RCA preamp's power inserter failing. The solution is to use Channel Master CM-3400XPIPS power inserter with RCA preamp if it requires 12VDC. If the power inserter is bad but the preamp is a good product, maybe buying a good power inserter is the solution.
Great video! I'd like to take it a step further. I currently have 2 high gain fringe antenna's on different masts pointed 90 degrees apart with separate preamps going to the same TV. One preamp was an older Radio Shack with a gain control that finally kicked the bucket. Had 45 TV feeds coming in. My question is, could running 2 preamps on different antennas have caused the failure of the old Radio Shack preamp?
MY 12E rca power supply adapter rated at 12v dc output when measured, put out 22v dc at the supply itself direct no load. It must be unregulated. I replaced it with a switched power supply that put out 12.4v dc. I still got the same reading 9.1v dc on both power supplys coming out of the RCA coax device. I am not sure just because the power supply has a 12v dc out, that the voltage going up the coax ia suppose to also be 12v dc.? Not sure the power supply is the problem after all. It might be the device.
Thanks for all you help Tyler. It has been most helpful and a learning experience. My Winegard HD8200U ANTENNA and LNA-200 PREAMP is pulling in the the 4 networks and many other channels. My antenna set up and wiring was a fun project. No more cable! unfortunately I already owned these 2 preamps before I read this reveiw. The winegard still works.
Oddly, using a channel master 7777 I could not pull in my Watertown stations, but with a cheap ant 1005 they came in just fine. My Radio shack preamp also did not pull in the stations. Maybe this is frequency related. I'll see if I can find some more empirical data somewhere.
You might be overamplifying the stations. Preamps can sometimes make reception worse.
I wound 30 feet of wire, the same diameter of my AM loop antenna. Seems to improve the signal. Hung it on the antenna with bread twisty ties. Used a unique high resistive wire. Acts like an inductor. I used an indoor RCA rabbit ears from Walmart. Yes, indoor through a magnavox hdtv converter. My tv is old 1080p. No tuner.
I have a collection of Forrest Mims books.
So sad whem Radio Shack tanked.
Also made a 7 element Yagi with pvc pipe and brazing rod. 75ohm.
Do you have a recommendation for an antenna signal booster that works with an already amplified antenna?
You cannot add an amplifier on an antenna that has one built in or it won't power the internal preamp and you'll lose all reception. Most antennas with built in amplifiers are junk anyway. If you have signal problems the issue is likely caused by the junk antenna - not from a bad preamp.
@@AntennaMan Thank you. You've saved me lotsa time and money. Happy Holidays.
Radio shack manufactured an awesome FM antenna at one time. I loved it back in my DX'ing days.
Tyler: I'm trying to find an antenna to pick up the Andromeda Channel located in the Andromeda galaxy. I have oriented the antenna toward the galaxy but still getting a lot of pixelization. A radiotelescope is out of the question because I live in an urban area and the zoning issues for such an invasive structure are prohibitive. I am considering a move to the Atacama Desert in Chile but I'm having some complications with my visa application. Is there a cheaper alternative available at Wal Mart that would allow me to mot disrupt my life? Thank you. Enjoying your videos.
I bought an in-line amplifier once, and it caused me to lose stations (weak stations). It was an RCA from Menards.
Had the same thing happen to me. Bought that crappy thing from Menards and returned it later that day.
I'm running a antennas direct juice. With there clear stream 4max . The juice has been going strong for 4 years the antenna is a week old.
I have a mix of uhf and vhf in my area multiple fm raido stations and lte cell towers. I get 50 Channels from 15 to 60 miles away! In the mountains of North Carolina.
How much of a difference does the juice make?
@@AntennaMan I'm running 3 TV's on one standard 75ohm splitter with a total of about 60 feet of rg6 cable. Rooftop mounted at about 13 feet.
I'm getting a extra 10 channels with the booster and it made about 10 pixelated channels lock in at 50%
Im super pleased. Some of the credit goes to my new antenna though.
All 50 channels lock in 50-95 percent.
I live in twin lakes WI 53181, I've had great signal days and am presently having major signal issues
I now offer antenna recommendations for a small fee at the link below. One from me can prevent you from spending hundreds of dollars and time wasted on setting up the wrong antenna for your area. antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
any suggestions on finding which external cable lead goes to which internal lead? I have multiple cable wires on the outside and I'd like to connect my antenna to the one that comes into my room.
Does the coaxial cable hook to the outdoor antenna, the outdoor antenna I'm looking at doesn't have cables
Hey luv everything u do. I went to antenna web n they say no channels r available for me. I have a 30ft tower for now with a lava I got it for $5 n I get 26 channels my locals fade sometimes what pre shioyld I get the onn
Hello. Cutting the cord. I'm 18 miles line-of-site from Milwaukee TV towers. Have two existing RG58 lines running from my old DirecTV dish to two different televisions (#1 +/- 50', 2 +/- 75'). When I had DirectTV the signal was fine. My hope was to replace the dish with an antenna. Purchased RCA ANT751, and using the website you mentioned, aimed the antenna accordingly. I installed a splitter 6" off the antenna, brought a TV to the roof and connected to one of the splitter outputs. Scanned, and received 60 channels, 59 of which locked-in. (With Recoton amplified rabbit ears on the TV itself, receive 35 channels, 17 of which would lock in). Connected cables from roof antenna to the TV's: Nothing. Didn't think the loss through the cable would be that extensive. Do you feel the Channel Master amplifier you recommended would help; and if so, just minimally? Thank you!!
I do not think your issue is signal loss in the coaxial cable. There's obviously something more. I offer direct set up guidance on my website. If you send me some pictures I'm sure I would be able to help you. Visit the link below.
antennamanpa.com/antenna-recommendations.html
All of my stations are strong and I get them all except for 1 low powered station that's 8 miles away, and one other low powered one has a flaky connection which has Stadium on it, so I might get the onn amp to see if it works in stabilizing the signal on the low powered station.
I'm going to remake this video in a few months. I no longer recommend the Onn model. Try this one instead: amzn.to/2FmUHcd
That Channel Master looks a lot like the old Winegard AP-8700. I had an AP-8700 for about 12 years. It went out a couple of weeks ago, and it looks like it's not being made anymore. It worked well all those years, but since I couldn't find it I ended up buying one of the Winegard's in your video. I was a little skeptical, and still am in particular about the power supply. My old amp ran off of 24V while this one just uses 5V, and can be powered from a USB. I didn't even know they were putting USB connections in TV's these days. Anyway I imagine some people are trying to use their TV USB outputs to power the amp right at the TV. I've only had it connected since yesterday, but it is working excellent. I scanned in 72 channels yesterday. I think the most I had gotten in the past was 68. They may have actually added some channels since I did the original install though. I was still surprised because this was right after it rained, and it was nasty down here in SC all day. I thought surely a bunch of the channel were barely coming in, but no. For kicks, and giggles I went through all of them, and every one was clear. This is a different TV than I had connected to begin with so not sure if that has anything to do with it. The original was one of the first ones with a converter box installed. So far I'm totally pleased, but that's a bummer to hear they don't tend to last long. Oh well, fingers crossed. Also thank you for the vids.
I am curious if you have reviewed either of the AirTV models from Sling? The white one is for one TV and the black one is a network model like the Fire Recast. Both require you supply your own hard drive but merge your local channels with Sling channels.
I've been using the AirTV for about a month. I'll be reviewing them when I get the chance.
Great description! Question: I have an RCA pre amp and amp that I installed in approx 2003. Is something that dated due for an upgrade? I have outdoor antenna approx 30 ft tall with trees all around. Any thoughts on when to upgrade would be appreciated. THANKS
💥Tyler I watch many of your excellent video and I subscribe. Plus, I just bought the TIVO EDGE from your link on that unit. My question is, does the channel master require AC power? Do all of the outdoor boosters require it? If so, how am I supposed to get AC power to my roof? I have the exact antenna shown here in this video 7:35 and all channels are coming in strong except KTLA channel 9. Los Angeles.
I'm in that dilemma where antennaweb shows that I have 'no stations found' (with 30' mast) but I did get a station in my RV parked at my house. I have the Channel Master 3414 so I'm try it with my VHF/UHF antenna on the roof with a 20' mast. 88061
Great channel content!
Don't use antennaweb.org. See my video below: ua-cam.com/video/RC8VmyjSE-M/v-deo.html
Great video son, im starting a new phrase of my life to a more simple life. you have made these decisions much simplier. thanks.
I've seen many people speak positive of the RCA... Plus, I've been using 2 for yrs, and they both still work, and do a great job.
I've and still install the RCA preamp. Haven't had any issues with them at all. I like the fact it has separate VHF and UHF imputs
Thank you for the video. So preamp should be installed close to antenna. If I install the antenna on the roof and don't have a power outlet, I can't use it. right? I have to add a booster next to my tv. What is the best booster.
You can add a preamp up at the antenna without a power outlet up there because all preamps come with power inserters you connect to the long cable going from the preamp to somewhere inside your home. You can find an updated list of recommended preamps at the link below: www.amazon.com/shop/antennaman?listId=XLT94P404QUY
@@AntennaMan Thank you for the quick answer