Antenna preamp

[Rawkee1]

I am in the market for a good quality preamp. The frequencies range I want to put the preamp on is around 160mhz. I would like to know if anybody has had luck with the Moonraker M100? It seems kind of a flimsy unit. I am installing a VHF antenna to feed a 966p2. I’d like to know a few sites to shop around or just get info on a rock solid preamp and where it can be purchased. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[iMONITOR]

That's not a good quality preamp. They don't even give the meaningful specifications on it.

 

[ka3jjz]

The Golden Rule; improve your coax and antenna before adding a preamp.

'nuff said

Mike

 

[Rawkee1]

I am changing from rg59 to LMR400. That may be enough in itself to make the world of difference. I was just figuring if it’s not, I would have the stuff to do the job while I’ve got everything outside to do the job. I had, and still do have the Moonraker. No specs on it and didn’t make a difference at all, however I in all fairness, I installed it before the scanner, and not up by the antenna.

 

[Rawkee1]

I recently was advised to install any preamp close to the antenna so you don’t amplify the garb and mainly the signal only.

 

[GTR8000]

RG59 is junk, and should only be used for extremely short runs like jumpers (or for extremely low frequencies). Anything over a few feet is going to result in significant signal loss. You likely won't need an amp after upgrading from RG59 to LMR400, unless you're really trying to pull weak signals out of the air. Just make sure that all of your N or UHF connectors and associated adapters and other hardware are installed correctly and of good quality. It only takes one weak link in the whole chain to cripple everything.

And yes, generally speaking the closer you can get an amp to the antenna, the better off you are.

 

[Rawkee1]

Thanks, it makes total sense to change to the quality cable first. I’ll give that a shot and hopefully that will be the end of it. I’m just trying to reach out to some weaker signals I need to hear. Other than that, I receive everything else pretty good. I have a coaxial run of about 60-65’. The antenna is outside on the roof up on a 15’ mast.

 

[Rawkee1]

I need to split the signal to two scanners inside. What splitter/diplexer is thes to use to minimize the loss?

 

[tkenny53]

One thing about pre-amps and amps in general, what ever it gets, it puts out the same what only with more push behind it.
So crap signal in, crap signal out

 

[Ubbe]

One important thing about amplifiers are their internal noise figure. A scanner usually have bad figures like 3-6dB NF and if you then have a low noise amp with 1dB NF and have a gain that are more than the scanners noise figure, then the total sensitivity are increased by the difference in noise figures, 2-5dB from the fact that you amplify the signal above the scanners noise floor.. That's like having 2-stacked or 3-stacked antennas just by paying $35 for the low noise amp and installing it by the scanner, not to mention if it's installed at the foot of the antenna where you gain both what the coax loss are and any SWR imperfections. I see improvement with Uniden scanners even from a cheap $10 line amp for sat dishes connected at he scanners location. But remember to keep the gain at a moderate 3-6dB to the scanners antenna port by using an external attenuator.

/Ubbe