2 antenna system works great

[lowatt]

I get all the HD channels from Milwaukee and Madison. 30 miles to Milw., 55 miles to Madison. I used the smaller Zenith antenna for the 30 distance, and the 8 bay antenna for the 55 mile distance. I do run separate cables from each antenna, though.

I did have a problem when I added a A-B switch to switch between antennas, it seems this switch takes away 3 or 4 bars of signal strength from all channels. It is a new switch, sold under the Magnavox name. Is there a better quality switch which will not sap the signal strength? For now I disconnect and reconnect the cable when switching antennas.

[digdugm]

have you tried just taking one side of the screen off on the eight bay. thats what i do here in racine, and it works great for milwaukee and chicago.

[Gregg Lengling]

I get all the HD channels from Milwaukee and Madison. 30 miles to Milw., 55 miles to Madison. I used the smaller Zenith antenna for the 30 distance, and the 8 bay antenna for the 55 mile distance. I do run separate cables from each antenna, though.

I did have a problem when I added a A-B switch to switch between antennas, it seems this switch takes away 3 or 4 bars of signal strength from all channels. It is a new switch, sold under the Magnavox name. Is there a better quality switch which will not sap the signal strength? For now I disconnect and reconnect the cable when switching antennas.

If you are seeing that much loss in the switch...it definitely is a piece of junk....you really shouldn't see any difference with the switch in the circuit unless you are using test equipment to measure the loss (typically less that 0.5dB) which is nothing.  Have you tried using a good quality splitter in reverse, in other words using it as a combiner....it should introduce less loss than what you are seeing right now with the switch and allow you to have both antennas hooked up at the same time.  However the 2 or 3 db of loss may be too much for you, so if that doesn't work....find a good switch...to replace the junky one you have now.

[lowatt]

I tried using a splitter in reverse to join the 2 antennas and it worked great.  I didn't see any loss of signal strength from any channel in Milwaukee or Madison.

I would advise anybody not to use a switching device like this one in their antenna connection. I am attaching a picture of this offending device.
These may have been made only for use with cable, not antennas.

That was an interesting idea also, to use the 8 bay to recieve signals from both front and back. I think it is made so the screen could be removed  or reattached without too much trouble.  Since the joiner works good, I think I will stay with that for now.

[dj1111]

I have had the same experience with A/B switches.  They will drive you to recheck your cables and connections until you're pulling your hair out.  I guess I always thought something as simple as a switch wouldn't have such a failure rate.  But  in my case I got what I paid for.  They were cheap ones.  I purchased many years ago a remote controlled A/B switch from MCM Electronics.  The unique feature was it worked with any remote.  Aim a remote at the switch and push any button for 3 seconds and it would switch.  It always worked great with no loss.  But it's retired now that my new TV's have more inputs than Carter has pills.