GRE Super Amplifier

[digitalanalog]

Select a freq that has
1) long dispatch times (PD running license check,or even a weak distant weather channel)
2) weak signal(maybe only 1-2 bars normally)

Turn the amp on with the gain turned fully counter clockwise (0db gain)

Sometimes just turning the amp on will make the signal higher without even turning up the gain, if the signal does not get any better turn the gain up and see if the S meter goes up, if the audio drops clear out, then you have overloaded the signal and that more then likely means your to close to the sending signal.

Every situation is different, you just have to find the point of how much gain is needed and you will probably find some bands are going to work better then others, depends on distance and antenna location along with other things.....

This is also a great tool for freq' searching, it may find stuff with the gain turned fully clockwise that you never new you could receive, yes full db gain with pull in a ton of noise, but if your a scanner user, Noise is part of the hobby.

This subject has probably a dozen or so locations on the forum as a topic, search it and you will see...

I have personally found it works much much better running on a power supply then on a 9volt battery,i can tell a big difference in how well it boost, plus your not replacing the battery all the time if you forget to turn it off (like i do most of the time).

Every situation is different and you will never know how well it is going to work for you until you try it out,tuning it (as you put it) is different for ever user, so there is no "hard facts" on how to tune it.

 

[N1SQB]

So I just picked up one of theses things and I have been playing around with it attached to my BC346XT. Does anyone have any tips or tricks on how to tune this thing or how to get the most of it? Does increased gain always result in an increased signal?

Thanks!

Yes and no! Ideally, you want to start with a good clear and clean signal even if it is low or not that strong! THEN the signal amp will make a difference. It should have an adjustable trim pot (0-20DB) so you can bring up the signal slowly so you don't overload your front end! Keep in mind that if your signal is noisy to begin with, the amp will only make things worse as it amplifies everything your original signal contains! Furthermore, the signal should be used with indoor antennas only! If you use it with an outdoor antenna, unless you live in the back woods somewhere way out in the sticks, it WILL overload your radios' front end causing desensitization. Hope this helps!

Manny

 

[jackj]

Signal to noise ratio, that is the secret. Preamps will always contribute noise, noise generated by the transistor(s). I doubt that they will do anything that would enable an unreadable signal to be readable. But they will make your S-meter read higher. Now all kinds of folks will tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about so let the screaming and gnashing of teeth begin.

 

[digitalanalog]

disagree, why would you need any improvement over an already existing "Good Clear and Clean Signal"
amp is not designed to improve something that Does Not need improved on,it's designed to help with Weak signal reception as I stated in my reply you need to start with a Weak signal to see if the amp is going to work for you.

The thinking of improving a S5 is crazy....., but improving a S1-2 into a S3-5 now that's worth the time and money and also, what a Amp is for.

also, Most people that use outside antennas are normally becasue they are not situated in a location that a back of set antenna is any good (such as myself), so an amp is the saving grace.

If you have great signals you do not need an amp, unless you want to pull in those long distance signals that you may not even know your capable of receiving.

Yes and no! Ideally, you want to start with a good clear and clean signal even if it is low or not that strong! THEN the signal amp will make a difference. It should have an adjustable trim pot (0-20DB) so you can bring up the signal slowly so you don't overload your front end! Keep in mind that if your signal is noisy to begin with, the amp will only make things worse as it amplifies everything your original signal contains! Furthermore, the signal should be used with indoor antennas only! If you use it with an outdoor antenna, unless you live in the back woods somewhere way out in the sticks, it WILL overload your radios' front end causing desensitization. Hope this helps!

Manny

 

[N1SQB]

Nobody is talking about improving a signal over S-5! Where did you come up with that? A signal can be good, clear and clean and still be low! I experience that all the time. Some DX signals I get are clean but just a bit low, say an S1 or S2. I use my amp and most times get a pretty good "boost" if you will of the already good but low signal. THAT is what I am refering to!

Manny

 

[jackj]

If you have a good, clean, noise free signal then why do you care if the S-meter reads S-1 or S-9? A preamp's main purpose is to make up for the loss in the transmission line and/or splitter. They do this at the cost of adding 2 or 3 db to the noise floor. It is possible that a preamp could boost a signal that is under the receiver's noise floor enough to make it readable when used to compensate for transmission line or splitter loss. However in most cases they won't really do much except make the receiver's S-meter read higher.