Best digital amplifier for existing antenna
We have a Windgard Sensar III Antenna on our 2015 Montana. We want to upgrade it to a digital amplifier but be able to mount the new amplifier on the existing antenna pole. So what would be the best...
Forum Discussion
theoldwizard1 wrote:kerrlakeRoo wrote:
Your just receiving a signal, and you're boosting it already, ...
100% correct The little protrusions or other parts of an antenna are cut to a specific length to "resonate" with frequency in a given range. This resonation is the "boost" that kerrlakeRoo is referring to.
That might be your belief, but my is completely different. While the various element lengths are designed based the best compromise for the expected wavelengths of the frequency of interested they don't really resonate. What these "antenna elements" determine is the beam pattern which in essence rejects off frequency signals. This is extremely important since this gives the antenna the ability to have a much higher signal to noise ratio that a omni or non directional antenna. the "boost" kerrlakeRoo is referring to I believe is the amplifier found in most all of the Wineguard antennas. One thing that is something I think one needs to keep in mind is that any amplifier except for the very, very high end ($100s of not $1000) is they amplify both the signal of interest along with any noise and most generate additional noise within their electronics. This "noise" with CW signals results in "snow", but depending of many factors can actually make or break the detection of a digital signal and you can also over drive many TV receivers with too much digital signal which can cause problems.
Larry
