Picture's perfect 1 minute;gone the next.What to do?

[AnitaB]

Hello, I just had a Terk HDTVo antenna mounted about 14 feet up on an outside wall. It brings in a perfect picture one minute and then, sometime later, the picture breaks up, freezes, or looks like scrambled cable signals. At times, there is no signal at all.

The Terk HDTVo came with an amplifier. I wonder whether buying a stronger one would help with the signal. I'm in zip code 34234 and there are tall trees around the house -- much taller than the roof line. It would be impossible to place the antenna above the tree line, unfortunately. It's now about as high as it will get.

I've seen "pre-amplifiers" mentioned in several comments. What are these? Are they different from amplifiers? And, might installing one help with the above problem? Thanks so much for your help.

Anita

[tigerbangs]

An additional amplifier will not do you any good: you are experiencing multipath interference, whcih comes from reflected signals. I don't know who sugested a Terk HDTVo, but I never would! you need to have an antenna mounted on top of your roof and specifically aimed at the Tampa-St Pete transmitters. The antenna should be as high as is possible. You didn't mention how many TV sets you are trying to run, but running more than 2 TV sets would call for a distribution amplifier. My suggestion would have been for a Winegard HD-7694P mounted on a tripod at the peak of your roof, aimed at 35 degrees from your location.

[AnitaB]

Hi,

Buying and installing another antenna is financially out of the question at the moment. The antenna is pointed directed at the Tampa-St. Pete stations.

Also, I'm not sure it's interference as I tried using the antenna without the amplifier, as was suggested elsewhere, and the break-up of the picture was more pronounced which is why I thought a stronger amplifier or pre amp might help.

Does everyone agree that it's multipath interference or might there be an alternate explanation?

Thanks.

[tigerbangs]

if you can't afford aanother antenna, then at least mount it on the highest part of the roof and aim it at the transmitters. It IS multipath!