Radio Shack amp & Winegard: Update w/ HDTV

Here is your OP from 5/12

"Subject came up since I just noticed an ad for Winegard Roadstar 3000, omidirectional TV antenna, in latest issue (June 2012) of Motor-home on page 15. The interesting point of the article is that Winegard claimed a 35 mile radius for the antenna.

As most people know by now since the government decided to switch television transmission of signals from analog to digital is that we are back to the good old days (1940's to 1950's) on how to build and aim antennas for best reception.

Since having delt with shortwave radio since 1950's and having purchased a Hammarlund HQ180 receiver back in 1963 I have constructed different antenna over the years. Anyone having done this understands how some of us keep tinkering with systems to get the most stations with our current HD televisions using OTA antennas.

Basicly there are two types of antennas; "Omnidirection" and "Directional". The worst is omnidirectional since it gets signals from any direction (no aiming). This is bad because to get a good signal from a long distance away you need to aim an antenna at the transmitter (or find the strongest bounce) and amplify the incoming signal to make it work in your current TV.

Current ranges for RV amplified antennas are:

Omnidirectional antenna: 35 miles (less for older models)
Directional Antenna (Winegard): 50 miles
D.A. with (Winegard Wingman): 65 miles

My Winegard Antenna with Wingman and an additional Radio Shack RF anplifier added in line just before TV input no gets about 105 miles this year (roughly level elevation).

Getting many stations means running the first auto search aimed at the nearest major city/town. Then aiming at alternate towns with transmitters using the Add search. This takes time.

For those who like to cheat the normal system and camp most the the year somwhere near home there is a way. This will work if your television also has a ADD stations Manualy function. My Insignia TV does.

I ran my Auto search (clears memory and starts fresh) at the storage yard close to home. Then keep all these stations in memory and add additional stations found using the "Add" search. Next camping location in state I do the same. The manual function then allows me to block (show or hide) stations not receiving signal at current location and keep the others in memory. Deleting them would remove the needed link.

The reason this works is that the television still holds links to all stations found in past searchs. It is possible to still get stations a long distance away if you keep that link in the TV. If the Television cannot find the link in Auto search you cannot get the station. This due to the fact that the antenna may not be pointed close enough to pick up the link."


I just discovered today that the Happauge is storing all channels it has captured like you described in the post. That is very handy, since we mostly go to the same 10 or so places each year.

Miracast is another name for Wi-Fi Display

Though I would prefer an Hdmi cable instead.

Thanks, Mark. I called a nearby RS and they have one in stock, so we may take the dogs on a long walk (and maybe some subway foot-longs).

So I leave both amps on, right? I guess I don't have that switch box, since I use the Happauge 950 USB tuner for now. If this amp seems to work in a few SPs we go to, I think we'll get a real TV. New smartphones we are looking at have Wi-Fi Display, and w/ 2Gb data/mo going mostly unused, we could put the phone to use streaming a movie or two on a monthly RV outing.

Any recommends on a small TV with Wi-Fi Display built-in?

Burl:

You are referring to my original post:
"Over the Air TV revisited". Search the title in the archives ( over 1 year)

The Radio Shack amplifier was: #15-2505, Bi-directional Cable TV Amplifier.

You disconnect the cable going from Winegard (inside plate) to switch-box (in TV), at the box (or TV input if no switch-box). This coaxial now attaches to the RS (TV input). Another coaxial cable now attaches to RS (TV output) and then to the (TV input) on the TV.

For long distance signals skipping the box is best. I have never camped in your state, and wooded sites can sometime be tricky for finding right direction to aim. Read my past post for more information.

I have used this system for more than two years now and have yet to find anyone camping doing better. Radio Shack still has the 30-day return policy so be neat opening the box and save the paperwork.

Amp is SV-A15PRS 15db gain in attic

I hooked a power amp between the Winegard and TV and got less channels

The thread I am recalling noted that you run BOTH the Winegard and the RS amps together to get a 100 mi range. Is this the same amp?

Cox uses a powered amp for the cable system in our attic and a friend has an extra...is this also workable?

Are the campers next to you getting reception? Does your antenna already have a booster. If so disconnect it before you install another booster. RS has a simple booster that works well. It installs to the back of the TV antenna input. Plug it in and turn it on.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=28451546