Combining multiple antenna signals

[makabe]

Hi,

What is the most effective way to combine signals from two different style antennas?

I'm trying to connect two antennas to my Voom box--one is a deep fringe yagi for one distant channel, and the other is a 4-bay for all of my closer in channels. Either works fine when connected alone, but when I run them through a splitter/combiner (2 inputs-1 output) the signal from the yagi drops out.

What is the most effective way to combine signals from two different antennas?

 

[Rick0725]

A-B switch...since the combiner failed.

 

[sksatellite]

Hi,

What is the most effective way to combine signals from two different style antennas?

I'm trying to connect two antennas to my Voom box--one is a deep fringe yagi for one distant channel, and the other is a 4-bay for all of my closer in channels. Either works fine when connected alone, but when I run them through a splitter/combiner (2 inputs-1 output) the signal from the yagi drops out.

What is the most effective way to combine signals from two different antennas?

There is a device called joiner/separator you can use.

 

[Jim5506]

Channel Master makes a device called a Jointenna (google it) allows injection of single channel into the signal stream of another antenna as long as there nare no channels in the main stream within +-3 of the injected channel.

 

[Rick0725]

what channels do you want to combine?

jointennas can be problematic with multiple channels.

they really work best with 1 antenna per channel per jointenna.

the reason why I mentioned a-b switch...simple combining works under some conditions. but not all conditions.

The combinations of channels there may not compatable for successful combining. your results using a simple combiner hints at this incompatability.

 

[lunkie]

The a-b switch would be best if both antenna leads come down into the house. Trying to combine 2 different antennas receiving the same channels won't work (phase cancellation, different sig strength) The only way it would work is that both signals from the antennas have to be equal strength and in phase. Even trying to combine 2 of the same antennas can cause problems if they don't receive the same signal level.

 

[makabe]

Thanks for the info on the Join-tenna. What I don't understand is which one to get. The long range yagi is pulling in channel 18 (which is then lost when I try to combine the antennas), and the 4-bay is getting channels ranging from 25-48. Warren electronics says when ordering the Jointenna you need to specify the channel you wish to receive, so does that mean that I need the 0585-1?

UHF Channels Model Number*
14-29 0585-1
30-49 0585-2

I guess I'm just a little fuzzy on how the join tenna works.

mark

 

[KE4EST]

I would still get an A-B switch just for a back up.

 

[Rick0725]

-Jointennas are channel specific devices used to insert a specific channel off another antenna or can be used as a trap to attenuate a specific channel by about 20 db. The uhf jointennas are ordered by channel and not by a range of channels

ex. ch 18 uhf = cm0585-1 for ch 18.


the uhf jointenna will attenuate 5 uhf channels either side of the channel you are trying to insert.

-multiple jointennas can be problematic with multiple channels and really work best with 1 antenna per channel per jointenna.

give a list of channels you would like to receive off of each antenna and we will help determine what is best!

 

[jamieh1]

Channel master makes UHF/VHF Combiner # 0549 this allows you to connect any UHF antenna to any VHF/UHF antenna then out to ine wire.

Also another device 0538 allows you to connect to lines out from one preamp.

It has input from the preamp (outside) to two out puts, one to the inside amp the other to the other tv, the 0538 will pass the amplified signal back thru the 0538 splitter powering the 2nd tv without and a 2nd indoor amp.

You can get the 0549 and 0538 for around $10.
I ordered these and will be installing them this weekend.

I currently have a Channel master 4228 and a Radio shack uhf antenna both lines combined into the preamp then out one wire.
Im going to put the 0549 in then out to the preamp.

The 4228 is a UHF only antenna but it works good on my one VHF digital channel WNCT-DT 9.1-9.2 (10) I get a perfect 100 signal on this.

My father in law has 2 lines off the antenna, one to a preamp, with the 0549 im going to beable to amplifi both lines.

 

[jamieh1]

Channel master makes UHF/VHF Combiner # 0549 this allows you to connect any UHF antenna to any VHF/UHF antenna then out to ine wire.

Also another device 0538 allows you to connect to lines out from one preamp.

It has input from the preamp (outside) to two out puts, one to the inside amp the other to the other tv, the 0538 will pass the amplified signal back thru the 0538 splitter powering the 2nd tv without and a 2nd indoor amp.

You can get the 0549 and 0538 for around $10.
I ordered these and will be installing them this weekend.

I currently have a Channel master 4228 and a Radio shack uhf antenna both lines combined into the preamp then out one wire.
Im going to put the 0549 in then out to the preamp.

The 4228 is a UHF only antenna but it works good on my one VHF digital channel WNCT-DT 9.1-9.2 (10) I get a perfect 100 signal on this.

My father in law has 2 lines off the antenna, one to a preamp, with the 0549 im going to beable to amplifi both lines.

 

[jamieh1]

Channel master makes UHF/VHF Combiner # 0549 this allows you to connect any UHF antenna to any VHF/UHF antenna then out to ine wire.

Also another device 0538 allows you to connect to lines out from one preamp.

It has input from the preamp (outside) to two out puts, one to the inside amp the other to the other tv, the 0538 will pass the amplified signal back thru the 0538 splitter powering the 2nd tv without and a 2nd indoor amp.

You can get the 0549 and 0538 for around $10.
I ordered these and will be installing them this weekend.

I currently have a Channel master 4228 and a Radio shack uhf antenna both lines combined into the preamp then out one wire.
Im going to put the 0549 in then out to the preamp.

The 4228 is a UHF only antenna but it works good on my one VHF digital channel WNCT-DT 9.1-9.2 (10) I get a perfect 100 signal on this.

My father in law has 2 lines off the antenna, one to a preamp, with the 0549 im going to beable to amplifi both lines.

 

[Rick0725]

the cm 0538 is just a combiner/ splitter. if the user above had issuss with a standard 2 way combiner there will also be issues with a cm0538.

much depends on the channels combined, the channels in relation to each other gepgraphically, and their signal strengths.

some folks are lucky and a combiner may work with combining 2 uhf antennas. this unfortunately is not an exact science.

combining antennas, vhf and uhf with a cm 0549 is a different issue altogether.

lets not make the issue for the original user even more confusing.

 

[jbcheshire]

I'd like more info on that 0549 setup as i am trying to combine signals from uhf and vhf antennas down to one line into my tv.

 

[makabe]

"give a list of channels you would like to receive off of each antenna and we will help determine what is best!"

Channel Master CM 3023 UHF Quantum Long YAGI Antenna for channel 18.

Channel Master CM 4221A 4-Bay Bowtie UHF Antenna for channels 25, 31, 36, 38, 39, 41, and 48.

Channel 18 signal is about 91, and the rest of the channels are between 95 and 99. Sounds like I'll order the Join Tenna for channel 18 and use it to combine the signal.

Thanks for all your help,
Mark

 

[Rick0725]

Channel Master CM 3023 UHF Quantum Long YAGI Antenna for channel 18

Channel Master CM 4221A 4-Bay Bowtie UHF Antenna for channels 25, 31, ect

order a cm 0585-1 for ch 18.

that was easy.

 

[Rick0725]

I'd like more info on that 0549 setup as i am trying to combine signals from uhf and vhf antennas down to one line into my tv.

connect coax from vhf antenna to vhf input of cm0549

connect coax from uhf antenna to uhf input of cm0549

the common output off the cm0549 can be amplified or just pass ed to the tuner.

the vhf antenna can be any vhf variety including a combo vhf/uhf antenna. i use a cm 0549 at my home combining a hd8200p for vhf and a 91 xg for uhf. see avitar.

I also got fancy and only amplified uhf and did not amplify vhf since amplifying both caused overload issues with a preamp and this allowed me to separate off fm unamplified.

you can also just amplify the uhf off a combo by separating then recombining using another cm0549. in that case you separate the common to separate vhf and uhf signals off the combo, bypass vhf,amplify uhf then recombine with a second cm0549. if you did not yet purchase a preamp... you would use a winegard ap4700 or ap 4800 to do the same thing.

 

[makabe]

What finally worked to combine two antennas

I tried the Channel master UHF/VHF Combiner # 0549 (because it was cheaper than the Jointenna) with no luck. Then I broke down and ordered the Jointenna--it took 6 weeks to get it. When I hooked it up, channel 18 which had been showing with signal strength of 91, was now 82ish--too weak to lock in on the Voom box. I got a Philips 12dB amplifier and hooked it up between the Long Yagi and the jointenna, and now channel 18 is back to a signal strength of 91 and easily locked on with the Voom.

Thank you everybody for your help.

A summary of what worked for me:

Channel Master CM 4221A 4-Bay Bowtie UHF Antenna (for close in clustered channels)
Channel Master CM 3023 UHF Quantum Long YAGI Antenna for one distant channel
Jointenna for channel 18
Line Amplifier for the distant channel signal.

By the way, both of my antennas, the Jointenna and line amplifier are inside my attic.

 

[red hazard]

Here's a great technical discussion w/recommendations

Hi,

What is the most effective way to combine signals from two different style antennas?

I'm trying to connect two antennas to my Voom box--one is a deep fringe yagi for one distant channel, and the other is a 4-bay for all of my closer in channels. Either works fine when connected alone, but when I run them through a splitter/combiner (2 inputs-1 output) the signal from the yagi drops out.

What is the most effective way to combine signals from two different antennas?

I realize this is an old thread but if you are still having problems go to here:
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/erecting_antenna.html
and then to:
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/merging.html