I bought this preamp to boost the signal of my long range VHF/UHF television antenna (64 miles over flat terrain). I installed the Winegard XT preamp on the tower at the antenna and the power injector in the house where my main amp is located.
To be most effective you should install the preamp as close to the antenna as possible. The signal degrades progressively the further from the antenna you get, so your goal is to amplifly the strongest, best quality signal you can receive--and that's right at the antenna, not at the TV.
At one time I installed cabling professionally and I'm fortunate to have a Sadelco CATV signal meter on hand (older meters like mine that measure in OTA signal levels can ve purchased on auction sites for well under $100). I measured the gain of this Winegard XT preamp between 9.8 and 14.2 dBmv over the bare antenna signal depending on the channel. That's exactly as advertised for this product.
If you need to boost your antenna's signal and want to install the preamp where it will be most effective (at the antenna) then the Boost XT will give you an honest 9-14 dBmv gain over your unamplified broadcast signal. The amount of amplification will vary by source channel (which is normal).
That amount of boost may or may not be adequate for your installation or fix your signal issues. You really need to actually measure the signal at your TV to be sure. Some TV's or OTA receivers have a signal meter function but without that information you are taking a shot in the dark.
Ignore the television's published specs. I've seen advertised miniumum signal levels for TV's as low as -68 dbMv. In the real world you may see a grainy analog signal at that level, but for digital signals you need more in the range of -20 to 20 dBmv at the TV to get a stable digital picture without dropouts or pixelation.
Also be aware that some smaller broadcasters turn down their transmitter power at night to save costs. Measure both daytime and late at night if you have reception problems late at night. Weather also affects signal strength so check it over multiple days.
Having saif that, if you know for a fact you need a signal booster for your antenna, I do recommend tbe Wineguard preamps. There are three similar models depending on how much signal amplification you need. Be warned, too much signal is just as bad as too little, so do your homework or hire a pro.
| Brand Name | Winegard |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 8 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 4.38 x 1.5 x 2.75 inches |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| Item model number | LNA-200 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color Name | Black |
| Impedance | 140 Ohm |
