I bought the medium gain 16db channel master, I'll try it out. Really hope it helps, if not I'll return it hopefully and try something else again.
Does a more respected, more expensive preamp make a difference?
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I just wanted to come back and post my experience. Sure enough, you get what you pay for. I cannot freaking believe how dramatic of a difference this preamp is. Struggling with 50-60% signal (2 out of 4 bars) to 4 bars 90-100% signal with the new preamp. You get what you pay for!!
Before or after? Before I had crappy china pingbingding preamp, bought the channel master medium gain as new one. Channels come in crystal clear now with no hiccups in any weather
before I was getting pixels on the screen some days during day time and the channel would rarely go completely out during bad fog. The 2 signals I had a problem with were UHF 2 edge 56 miles away.
I think this requires some clarification. The 560483 is a poor choice for your application. Please, allow me to elaborate. This dual broadband input preamp is intended to provide a solution to combine two broadband antennas on a budget, as such, it has an input broadband combiner, which inevitably increases the effective NF of the system. It is a great solution for many scenarios where a customer wants or needs to combine two antennas overlapping bands, but due to the nature of the combination, it is quite obviously not the ideal choice to be used for just one feed, be it coming from a broadband antenna or by diplexing several band-specific antennas, which seems to be your situation. This is particularly true in a fringe situation, as in that case the system is losing precious C/N by the broadband combination that it might need to meet the decode threshold. Not because the amplifier is "bad" by any means (it actually provides much better filtering, flatness, and gain regulation compared to most of the commercially available amps currently offered in the market) but because of the input RF combination needed for the intended application. The same thing would happen if you stuck a two way splitter in front of the single preamp you are using. This is actually mentioned in the amp's manual:
The actual NF of the active itself is pretty much in line with that of the unit you are using (which in reality is not .4dB). The right product for one feed would be the one input, P/N 560383, or in a fringe situation with two antennas, use two individual preamplifiers and combine after, once the aerial feeds have been preamped and the NF of the system established. I hope this clarifies a little better. These are really very good units when used as intended. If you have the opportunity I suggest you try the 560383, which provides the most accurate repack filtering in the industry nowadays and individually adjusts the VHF and UHF independently ensuring an optimal amount of gain is applied to each band over time avoiding overload.
In the last week, I was able to swap out the Televes 560483 dual-input preamp, for the Televes 560383 single inout preamp. I've been in the process of checking and realigning my antennas to peak them to the arc. I have access to an H30D3 cable meter to do this. I've changed things up a bit since posting some results in this thread:
Televes preamp synopsis
This post will be a bit long-winded, but I think it all needs to be given for background. My outdoor antenna system which is at about 25ft at present and installed with all PerfectVision 3Ghz swept RG-6 quad-shield & Thomas & Betts snap n seal connectors, consists of an AntennaCraft Y10-7-13...
www.satelliteguys.us
I now have BOTH my VHF High & UHF antennas going into the UVSJ, and the output of that going directly into the Televes 560383 preamp. The results so far, appear to be way superior to the Kitztech KT-200 preamp. From what I understand, the Televes has split-band amplification. Meaning the VHF & UHF preamp signal paths are adjusted independently.
I only have a single RF 12 VHF station, but even with the Y10-7-13 high gain antenna, was only getting a average signal level. I didn't want to amp it with the Kitztech, because that has no filtering, and VHF is especially sensitive to noise in the area. It's now up 10dB, and showing max signal on my Tivo diags screen (72/29, which is highest you can get for OTA on a Tivo Roamio, after it's internal AGC kicks in).
I'm only using a single UHF antenna for all the rest of my DMA's UHF station arc. 2 blow-torches on each end of that arc, some "not blow-torches" in the middle, and WFFC-LD low power station more or less in the dead middle. I'm about 5-6 miles beyond their furthest contour. I'm aimed directly at that station with the HDB91x. I now get a 55-57% signal strength and 23dB SNR. With the Kitztech, that was in the 40's for signal, and 16-17dB SNR.
My blowtorch stations aren't hurting that station, and the Televes preamps internal agc appears to be keeping those stations from overwhelming and swamping out WFFC-LD.
Once I'm positive that I have my antennas exactly where I want them for balance and stability, I will lock them down, take readings with the Televes for posting. I will them swap back to the Kitztech and its power inserter, and take readings to post that for comparison.
However, I now MUST retract what I said above in a previous post about the Televes 560483 dual-input preamp as "being bad". It simply was the wrong choice, for my system and needs.
As good of results as I am seeing now with the Televes 560383 single input preamp with stability and handling possible overload in my arc, yet pulling out that low power station, I'd have to say the dual input would be just as good, IF used under the proper situation it's designed for.
So, upshot from me is, after trying MANY preamps over many years, the present Televes is superior to everything out there. IF you feel you need a preamp in your antenna system, you shouldn't hesitate to buy the appropriate one from Televes, and try it for yourself. Just make sure you get the right version for your needs. Contact them and ask what would work best if you are unsure.
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Glad to hear that you're having a better experience. I have a 383 that has been really hard to beat. Really handles DX well too. Ever get a chance to compare it to the KT-200?In the last week, I was able to swap out the Televes 560483 dual-input preamp, for the Televes 560383 single inout preamp. I've been in the process of checking and realigning my antennas to peak them to the arc. I have access to an H30D3 cable meter to do this. I've changed things up a bit since posting some results in this thread:
Televes preamp synopsis
This post will be a bit long-winded, but I think it all needs to be given for background. My outdoor antenna system which is at about 25ft at present and installed with all PerfectVision 3Ghz swept RG-6 quad-shield & Thomas & Betts snap n seal connectors, consists of an AntennaCraft Y10-7-13...
I now have BOTH my VHF High & UHF antennas going into the UVSJ, and the output of that going directly into the Televes 560383 preamp. The results so far, appear to be way superior to the Kitztech KT-200 preamp. From what I understand, the Televes has split-band amplification. Meaning the VHF & UHF preamp signal paths are adjusted independently.
I only have a single RF 12 VHF station, but even with the Y10-7-13 high gain antenna, was only getting a average signal level. I didn't want to amp it with the Kitztech, because that has no filtering, and VHF is especially sensitive to noise in the area. It's now up 10dB, and showing max signal on my Tivo diags screen (72/29, which is highest you can get for OTA on a Tivo Roamio, after it's internal AGC kicks in).
I'm only using a single UHF antenna for all the rest of my DMA's UHF station arc. 2 blow-torches on each end of that arc, some "not blow-torches" in the middle, and WFFC-LD low power station more or less in the dead middle. I'm about 5-6 miles beyond their furthest contour. I'm aimed directly at that station with the HDB91x. I now get a 55-57% signal strength and 23dB SNR. With the Kitztech, that was in the 40's for signal, and 16-17dB SNR.
My blowtorch stations aren't hurting that station, and the Televes preamps internal agc appears to be keeping those stations from overwhelming and swamping out WFFC-LD.
Once I'm positive that I have my antennas exactly where I want them for balance and stability, I will lock them down, take readings with the Televes for posting. I will them swap back to the Kitztech and its power inserter, and take readings to post that for comparison.
However, I now MUST retract what I said above in a previous post about the Televes 560483 dual-input preamp as "being bad". It simply was the wrong choice, for my system and needs.
As good of results as I am seeing now with the Televes 560383 single input preamp with stability and handling possible overload in my arc, yet pulling out that low power station, I'd have to say the dual input would be just as good, IF used under the proper situation it's designed for.
So, upshot from me is, after trying MANY preamps over many years, the present Televes is superior to everything out there. IF you feel you need a preamp in your antenna system, you shouldn't hesitate to buy the appropriate one from Televes, and try it for yourself. Just make sure you get the right version for your needs. Contact them and ask what would work best if you are unsure.
Yes, it replaced a 2015 version of the Kitztech KT-200. The older one that has no filters. The Televes 560383 beats it, and keeps my system up and running better no matter what weather is doing, etc.
I'm glad that Televes is available for us OTA peeps now. I had been using older Winegards that had not let me down but definitely were designed for a different time. I even used HVAC foil tape to "shield" one Winegard AP-8700 preamp
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