Can I add a preamp to Channel Master Antenna?

[cocolafl]

Unable to view Violet High Definition Channels with antenna Channel Master CM3679. This is a large directional antenna but we are having difficulties viewing high definitions channels. Can I add an amplifier to this antenna? We live within 2 miles of airport. No tall structures around ouir location. Pelase advise.

[hdtvlabs]

Yes, you can add a Channelmaster 7777 pre-amp if you are sure that is what you need to solve the problem.
For better advice please read this and post more details.

[cocolafl]

We are having problems with digital stations on the violet zone using our current antenna, CM3679 (does not have an amplifier) Eventough sometimes we cannot view any digital station at all. House located in Florida, 33196. Planning to use the antenna for 2 or maybe 3 tv's. All tv's are HD TV's. As previously specified we live within 2 miles on an airport. No high structures but if big palms are considered to be an obstruction then our neighborhood is full of them.

We were thinking into switching to the Winegard HD 7084P with the Wineward PreAmplifier AP-8275.

My husband was told by an "antenna installer" something around this line. That the CM3679 rabbits bounces the signal, the elements creates a signal distortion and that is why we are having problems. That this antenna is to be used on a city location with tall building arounds. His recomendation was to change the antenna.

To change or to add an amplifier is our dilenma....

Thanks for the advise.

[tigerbangs]

Sorry, but your antenna installer is full of $#!+. The 3679 is about as directional as a Winegard HD7084P. If your antenna is very old, it may be corroded, or the coaxial cable or bauln transformer may be bad. If you are using twin-lead wire instead of coaxial cable, that can also be a big problem. Your antenna may also have blown off course. If you are running multiple TV sets off the one antenna without an amplifier, that can also be a cause of your issues. You have not mentioned anything about the quality of the analog signals that you receive: are they clear, or snowy or ghosty?

[cocolafl]

The antenna has been installed for about 2.5 yrs using RG6 cable to only one tv. The cable is not splitted so it goes from the antenna directly to the tv. The antenna is tied up to the roof since we live in South Florida and Hurricanes are a big thing here. It does not have an amplifier. Analog signals have never being clear nor UHF or VHF. They are snowy. The only clear channel is channel 6 which is on the yellow zone aprox 6.4 miles away from our location. We have problems with any channels on the blue and violet range, where the distance is greater than 27 miles from our location.

[tigerbangs]

You shuould be getting good reception from that antenna, and if snow is an issue on all channels that channel 6, you have a problem with either the quality of the coaxial cable or the matching bauln transformer that connects the coaxial cable to the antenna. Based on a scan of your zipcode on TVfool, you should have excellent reception on all your your local Miami Stations with that antenna. I think we can reduce the problem to bad cable, a bad matching transformer, a mis-aimed antenna or a bad tuner in your TV set. Have you tried replacing the TV set with another one to see if the signal improves? The next bet would be to aim the antenna properly, which in your case is to aim it North East of your location. Then replace the matching transformer and coaxial cable with new equipment. if that doesn't work, then I would suggest that you use a Winegard HDP-269 preamplifier rather than the Channel Master Titan 7777 because channel 6 is so strong in your area that it may well overload the input of the Titan 7777: the Winegard HDP-269 is designed to work in very strong signal areas: the CM 7777 is not.

[cocolafl]

Whenever the signal is good we can see the high definition channels fine. This indicates to me that the antenna is aimed corrrectly. Cable was bought new when we did the set up, maybe defaulty. TV is about 2.5 yrs new and HD channels looks great with the dish network satellite. No, we haven't try it with another tv set since the cable goes straight to the wall where the main tv is located. What is the matching bauln transformer? How can I test if this part is faulty? Can this be replace easily? Which model should I get? If everything works when we replace this component, How many TV's can be connected to this antenna?

[tigerbangs]

When you mentioned that the antenna is 'tied' to the roof, do you mean that it is physically tied to the roof, as in being strapped down and touching the roof? That is a sure recipie for disaster! The antenna needs to be mounted on a pole and positioned in such a way that it is clear of your roof. If you have the antenna physically touching the roof, then you aren't going to get much of anything! if you are afraid of hurricanes, then install it in such a way that it can be easily taken down in the face of a hurricane threat.

The bauln transformer mounts on the antenna terminals at the antenna itself: it is a small device that connects the antenna terminals at the antenna to the coaxial cable. They frequently go bad, and can be easily replaced if you have access to the antenna. I personally use the Channel Master 0089 or 00980 baulns, which are cheap enough and seem to be amoung the most reliable baulns I have found. If you decide to use a preamplifier, the preamplifier itself mounts right after the bauln transformer in the coaxial cable line. Until tou fix the problem with the antenna, I wouldn't suggest splitting the signal from the antenna at all, but after yuu fix it, and use a good preamplifier, you should be able to power up to 4 TV sets from the one antenna without a problem. I recommend the Winegard HDP-269 preamplifier in your situation because of it's high input capability: the Channel Master Titan 7777, while a great preamp, may well overload becasue you are so close to the channel 6 transmitter.

[cocolafl]

Bought a transmitter from Radio Shack yesterday. HD channels are coming strong. Analog channels looked better but some still showing snow .. Can see more analog channels now.. Next step might be to put the antenna on a pole or rewire again because the antenna is really tied down to the roof Thanks for your assistance. Will let you know the results.