Dual ChannelMaster 4221?

[audiopile]

4228 is a great antenna for everything except low band VHF - which should take care of your needs. There is Federal law that allows you to ignore any rules your condo association may have in terms of antenna location. ALL antennas work MUCH better high and outside.

[psubill78]

4228 is a great antenna for everything except low band VHF - which should take care of your needs. There is Federal law that allows you to ignore any rules your condo association may have in terms of antenna location. ALL antennas work MUCH better high and outside.

I'm very familiar with the law, and know that legally I can get around it.... I'd like to try the attic first to see how it works, if it doesn't - then on the roof it goes.

I'm a fan of keeping the peace in the 'hood we have some uptight neighbors  

So, I'll try the attic first, and then mount it outside (which I'm 99.999% sure would work)

[psubill78]

I'm very familiar with the law, and know that legally I can get around it.... I'd like to try the attic first to see how it works, if it doesn't - then on the roof it goes.

I'm a fan of keeping the peace in the 'hood we have some uptight neighbors  

So, I'll try the attic first, and then mount it outside (which I'm 99.999% sure would work)

Well, my 4228 came today, and just for grins I sat it on a dining room chair, faced it towards the south (towards Chicago, I'm in Kenosha), and I'm getting every Chicago station except for CBS2 at 60-70%, and WGN bouncing all over and all MKE stations in the 70-80% range.  

Not bad for being ground level.  Assuming it should get alot better in the attic (2nd floor).  If I can get good signals on all the channels there, it's staying in the attic!

[AndrewP]

I told you it will work! :guitar:

Well, my 4228 came today, and just for grins I sat it on a dining room chair, faced it towards the south (towards Chicago, I'm in Kenosha), and I'm getting every Chicago station except for CBS2 at 60-70%, and WGN bouncing all over and all MKE stations in the 70-80% range.  

Not bad for being ground level.  Assuming it should get alot better in the attic (2nd floor).  If I can get good signals on all the channels there, it's staying in the attic!

[psubill78]

I told you it will work! :guitar:

She's not in the attic yet. We'll see  :rofl:

[psubill78]

She's not in the attic yet. We'll see  :rofl:

OK - got the bugger (Channelmaster 4228) in the attic. And I'm bummed.

If I face Chicago, I get ABC, FOX, NBC, WB at 90-100%, 14% for CBS

If I face Milwaukee, I get CBS, FOX, NBC at 95-100%, and 41% for ABC and WB.

I can't get ABC at anything higher than 40% - no matter which way I face.

This sucks.... I've got one antenna and really want to get the major networks from one spot any idea why ABC out of milwaukee signal is so low for kenosha?

[digdugm]

Are you using a pre-amp? If not I suggest doing so. I use the 4228 and CM 7778 pre-amp, and from the lakeshore of racine get both mil. and chi. (except cbsfrom chi.) very well, with one position.

[psubill78]

Are you using a pre-amp? If not I suggest doing so. I use the 4228 and CM 7778 pre-amp, and from the lakeshore of racine get both mil. and chi. (except cbsfrom chi.) very well, with one position.

No pre-amp.  Ugh, another $50 to $100 tossed into this - my wife is going to shoot me.  I just called a local store, and they have the Winegard AP8275 - almost equivalent for $79, Ace Hardware has one that is a 24 db gain for $40.

Out of curiousity - which way are you pointing?

Real stupid question - if I use this signal on a non-HD tv, will it get any stations? Or is this only an HD antenna (the 4228)

[Gregg Lengling]

No pre-amp.  Ugh, another $50 to $100 tossed into this - my wife is going to shoot me.  I just called a local store, and they have the Winegard AP8275 - almost equivalent for $79, Ace Hardware has one that is a 24 db gain for $40.

Out of curiousity - which way are you pointing?

Real stupid question - if I use this signal on a non-HD tv, will it get any stations? Or is this only an HD antenna (the 4228)

There is no such thing as an HD antenna...an antenna is an antenna is an antenna.  The frequency range of an antenna is what you worry about.....this is a UHF antenna, so it will do great on all UHF channels and poorer on VHF channels.

I always love all these ads by dealers/manufacturers HYPING THEIR DIGITAL TV ANTENNAS....what a crock....

[psubill78]

Today just isn't my day.  I went to Chester Electronics and picked up a Winegard Ap-8275, which from what I glanced on the internet, was an equivalent to the Channelmaster 7777/7778 in db gain.

When I added the amp - it made no difference at all.  The signal stregnths were exactly the same a with no pre-amp. And yes, I double checked the connections, it should have worked.

I'm loosing faith in my abilities to make this work right.

One odd thing - this pre-amp says "82 channel antenna preamp" - it says it's for UHF - is this going to accomplish what I'm after?

[bradsmainsite]

Please read some of my previous posts concerning antenna theory and why
certain things work the way they do.

If you still have questions call me at 1-877-564-2271 and will see if we can get
this working for you.

Brad

P.S.  Save your receipts you can probably recover some of your money!

[AndrewP]

I don't know your situaition with line of sight, but I get Titan 7777 preamp from solidsignal.com (about $50). And it helps a lot. Don't know about Wineguard preamp. But al least you can return it. Also if you still has 4221 then try to combine them with splitter. Aim 4228 to Chicago, 4221 to Milwaukee. If you will not get a signal from first try, change the polarity on one of the antennas. Also read about removing mesh screen to improve backward signal.
Do not give it up. If I get Chicago and Milwaukee in Muskego, it should work for you too.

[digdugm]

"No pre-amp. Ugh, another $50 to $100 tossed into this - my wife is going to shoot me. I just called a local store, and they have the Winegard AP8275 - almost equivalent for $79, Ace Hardware has one that is a 24 db gain for $40.

Out of curiousity - which way are you pointing?

Real stupid question - if I use this signal on a non-HD tv, will it get any stations? Or is this only an HD antenna (the 4228)"

I have it pointed toward mil. with one side of the screen off.

[AndrewP]

Real stupid question - if I use this signal on a non-HD tv, will it get any stations? Or is this only an HD antenna (the 4228)"

So called HD OTA antenna termin is just sort of ad on a box. All antennas pick up all signals - analog and digital to the extent they can pick up. If your TV or settop box has a digital tuner then any antenna (even 50 year old in working condition) will pick up digital signals within it's reach.  If your TV or settop box has an analog tuner then any antenna will pick up available analog signals.

[bradsmainsite]

AndrewP
Do not give it up. If I get Chicago and Milwaukee in Muskego, it should work for you too.[/QUOTE]


Just because it works in a certain area DOES NOT mean it will work everywhere.
This is a BIG misconception.  Thats like saying well its raining at my house it should
be raining by you.

RF  can act rather strangely at times :bang:  and you could be in a sucked out, or dead spot for a certain frequency.  When this happens you better have done everything
perfectly and keep your fingers crossed.

Sometimes trying just a different style antenna can help, so keep expirementing it
is worth the effort  Don't spend any money on an amp until you have taken a short(30 feet or less)if you can of coax to your tuner and tried several locations
(sometimes moving it just a few feet can make a huge difference).  Once you find
the sweet spot if you have a long run of coax then you can get your amp, but an amp will not make up for what is not there to begin with!

Good luck and happy hunting!