Lna4all vs catv amp

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dave3825

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Has anyone seen any review of one vs the other? Thinking of getting one but don't want to find it will give the same results of the tv amp I am using. Antronix MRA1-15. I don't fully understand what all the specs mean exactly.

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prcguy

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The only specs in the advertising is a 3dB noise figure, which is not very good compared to preamps made for communications use. Everything else in the advertisement are industry buzz words that mean nothing.

Bottom line is this amp is designed for use in a closed cable TV system and not necessarily for connecting to an antenna. A CATV system has a finite number of carriers, all at a fairly low level compared to off air signals. If you live in an area with lots of strong radio signals, paging systems, cell phone towers, etc, amps like this can easily overload and cause more problems than your trying to fix.
prcguy
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

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Cable amps are going to be optimized for lowest intermodulation distortion, the noise figure, which the ability to hear very weak signals will be a lower consideration in a cable TV system.. Also in a cable TV system, all of the signals are at the same relative level which controls intermodulation effects. However, when you monitor off the air the strong signals from paging transmitters, NOAA weather , FM and TV broadcast, will overwhelm a wideband amplifier and the preamplifier of your scanner receiver. Intermodulation will ensue.


If I were trying to receive satellite signals or moon bounce I would want 0.5 dB noise figure or less, and I would have a filter to prevent out of band signals from reaching the preamplifier.
 
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