InLine Amp

[digitalanalog]

Is anyone using one of these?
Example:

If so could you please say if they work and at what level.

Also, if you know, what is the main component of an inline amp that allows it to provide up to (from what i have seen) +20db gain?

Thinking about buying one and cutting it in half to see what is inside.

 

[fineshot1]

That's just the inline bullet amp. The description does not say if it comes with the cable power injector that sends the power to the amp. Plus 20dbm of gain is a lot of gain - could be too much depending on the conditions at the point which you wish to use it.

 

[digitalanalog]

Agreed, but i suppose for about $10.00 i am willing to see what it does and then cut it in half.

 

[N_Jay]

Thinking about buying one and cutting it in half to see what is inside.

One MMIC probably.

 

[digitalanalog]

Update:

I got this in the mail today and hooked it up.
It KILLED all reception all together, could not even get any weather channels to work .


So heed this warning, if your thinking it MIGHT actually work on a scanner, It Does Not, Don't waste your money, get a Scanner pre-amp.

Now as mentioned in the OP, i am taking this to work tomorrow and cutting it down so i can see what is inside, I will let you know what i find.

 

[Jafo_the_Kid]

and the results are............... what did ya find? whats inside Doc? am I gonna see tomorrow? whats the news?

 

[rmosier]

I have had the GRE "Super Amplifier" for about 8 or so years now. It runs on either a 9 volt batt, or AC. It has variable amplification, and when not operational is passive. Regardless of signal strength (from the antenna TO the amp) It's never done anything for me but attenuate the signal. I've concidered that it could be overloading the scanner. But even on very weak signals, with the amp turned all the way up, or down, it just prevented me from hearing anything at all. In my opinion, it's a a $60 paper weight.

GRE Super Amplifier

 

[Fast1eddie]

I am using GRE's portable amplifier at home on my AOR's and discone antenna. Definitely provides me reception of a VHF system I monitor from another county. I set the adjustment just to where I notice a stronger signal. I've had a 9 volt lithium battery installed for over a year still going strong.

 

[bgkoe]

Super Amplifier

I too have had the super amp for about 8 years, I use it on my marine antenna as the fishing boats usually are farther out than the land transmissions.
My experience with it plugged into the DC transformer is that it does little unless it's turned full on and it does amplify transmissions and static and any other noise that's out there, so I can make out what is said but for normal use I leave it off but plugged in just in case something comes on weakly. When a rescue is in progress, the Coast Guard booms in great but the sailboat or fishing boat is usually weak, so that's when the amp pays it's keep.

Bill K

 

[gewecke]

Re; preamps...

Tried various preamps in the past,but the only really worthwhile one's are gasfet preamps which are very low noise-high gain. (gassillium fetride) note that my spelling is off a bit,but you get the idea.
Hardly any of them are as good as a good quality gain antenna at 60' or better.
Too many strong transmitters in my area!
N9ZAS.

 

[N_Jay]

gassillium fetride??

You mean Gallium Arsenide Field Effect Transistor

 

[W4KRR]

Update:

I got this in the mail today and hooked it up.
It KILLED all reception all together, could not even get any weather channels to work .

So heed this warning, if your thinking it MIGHT actually work on a scanner, It Does Not, Don't waste your money, get a Scanner pre-amp.

The likely reason it didn't work is because it provided so much gain that it overloaded the front end of your scanner. In this case, a scanner pre amp will just do the same thing. Pre amps are often worse than no antenna, especially when used in a city environment. Out in the country, away from nearby strong transmitters, it might be a different story. Maybe!

 

[gewecke]

Re; gasfet's...

Yeah, what you said n jay! lol
Long day,but yeah those are some of the best preamps I've worked with.
Down side of them is they are very easy to blow up with too much near field r.f.
Usually a good efficient antenna beats a preamp from my experiences.
N9ZAS.

 

[zz0468]

Tried various preamps in the past,but the only really worthwhile one's are gasfet preamps which are very low noise-high gain. (gassillium fetride) note that my spelling is off a bit,but you get the idea.

Gassillium Fetride: Gallium Arsenide, with a heavy doping of Polyurinated Unobtanium.

 

[zz0468]

Yeah, what you said n jay! lol
Long day,but yeah those are some of the best preamps I've worked with.
Down side of them is they are very easy to blow up with too much near field r.f.
Usually a good efficient antenna beats a preamp from my experiences.
N9ZAS.

Newer GASFET devices are MUCH more tolerant to RF overload then they used to be. Throw that obsolete notion out the window.

 

[W6KRU]

Gassillium Fetride: Gallium Arsenide, with a heavy doping of Polyurinated Unobtanium.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[gewecke]

Newer GASFET devices are MUCH more tolerant to RF overload then they used to be. Throw that obsolete notion out the window.

Well that goes to show how long it's been since I've had the need for any preamps,but yeah you might be right. In the early days,gasfets were pretty touchy around 50watts or more on uhf.
N9ZAS.

 

[zz0468]

Well that goes to show how long it's been since I've had the need for any preamps,but yeah you might be right. In the early days,gasfets were pretty touchy around 50watts or more on uhf.
N9ZAS.

Well, you still don't want to nail them with 50 watts, but there are devices out that have a NF better than .5 db, and IP3 of better than 41 dbm. Put one behind a window filter, and you'd have a nearly uncrunchable front end, even on a busy mountain top. And they'll survive sharing a TR relay with a kilowatt.

 

[digitalanalog]

I know it's a bit late, but here is the in-line amp i bought that did not work.
and i cut the back off of.
(the second image is very large so you can see in full detail)

 

[zz0468]

Well, how about that. A single MMIC stage. N_Jay was right... again.

I'm sure that ruined someone's day. :lol:

It's an NEC UPC2709T 2.5 GHz mmic.

Edit: The published noise figure spec on this device is 5 to 6.5 db. Add maybe an additional .5 to 1 db for loss in the packaging of the preamp and you have a device that will "add bars" to the s meter on strong signals, but will do nothing - and may actually impair - weak signal reception on the typical scanner. This is clearly a "line amplifier" NOT a preampifier.