I am a college football junkie that has to work all day on Saturdays. I have a Dish Network 722 receiver that allows me to record two satellite broadcasts as well as one OTA broadcast when I have my OTA antenna connected. This way I can record up to 3 games simultaneously. I recently moved and discovered that I could run both signals (HD Sat & OTA) into the house on one cable with the use of two pairs of diplexers. It's an older home with just one coax cable run straight to the wall outlet. The total run is probably about 100 feet from dish/antenna to the receiver.

In my city, the Fox and NBC affiliates (both UHF) have towers that are about 7 miles away from me. CBS and ABC have separate towers located adjacent to each other on a butte about 42 miles away. The ABC affiliate is VHF, channel 8. If I point the antenna at the CBS tower, I can get all but ABC with signal strengths between 68 and 76. ABC, being VHF and 40+ miles away will sometimes show up with a signal strength of 58, but it is rare and inconsistent. Occasionally, Fox and CBS will get inconsistent with some bad weather. At my old home, I used the amplifier that my OTA antenna came with and I could maintain signal strengths of 92+ on Fox, CBS and NBC. I could easily maintain mid-70's with the ABC signal. It worked like a dream. I haven't hooked the amplifier back up because of the diplex situation.

I would like to buy and install a very good amplifier for the OTA antenna so that I get more consistent reception of all of these, especially the VHF channel 8. There are no splitters in the line, just diplexers.

Can the entire OTA/Sat combined signal be amplified or do I amplify only the OTA?

Can I amplify the OTA signal just before entry into the receiver, thus sending it back through the diplexed system or do I need to do something externally?

While I'm messing with the OTA, is it possible to amplify the satellite signal, too? I have lost satellite reception a couple of times over the years, but not really a concern. Just figured, "..while I'm at it".

I'm flexible on the remedy, ideally, I'd just like something that can be installed indoors near the receiver, but I could do something externally if it's worth my time. Thanks.

Let me start by complimenting you on your very high quality post. Usually, a person's first post is a complete mess or a question ridiculously vague. Thank you for putting the time into describing what your situation is.


I don't do Dish, but I might be able to help. I'm curious about two diplexers, because diplexers mix together different frequency ranges. If one of these is a mixer (splitter turned backwards) or you really do have three distinct frequency range, this makes sense. Otherwise I'm not sure.


Unfortunately, this doesn't help at all with your different receiving position, antenna, and cabling. Or did you bring the antenna with you? Even so, your reception conditions will be different.


But if you hook up the amplifier you have, and everything works beautifully, you're done with a budget of zero. I always go first for what I call "the zero budget option." Try it.


Why a very good one? Perhaps a $25 Radio Shack antenna amp, the little chrome or black jobbies, will totally solve your problem. And you can return it if it doesn't.


It CAN be combined and amplified, although you'd have to get some exotic product to do it. You don't mention a single problem with Dish, so why amplify it?


Yes, you can amplify the OTA signal just before the receiver. However, you will have better results if the amplifier is as close to the antenna as possible. This is why mast-mounted antennas were developed, but they are also for areas with really crummy signal. Try the amp you've already got. Try the cheap Radio Shack amp. Put these before the diplexers, on the OTA signal only.


Whoa. Huh? An amp takes a signal in, amplifies it, and sends it out the other end. You've asked about putting the amp right before the receiver, so the amplified signal would go to the receiver. What about this would send anything back through the diplexers?

By externally, do you mean outdoors? As I mentioned above.


It's possible. I've amplified a satellite signal in the past and it was worse, because it was already strong enough, got distorted, and the digital tuner had a harder time getting it. First, you should know why you've lost signal.


As I said, install what you've got, and if it works, you're done. If not, do the other stuff.

Great, that answers my basic questions. I tried the cheapest solutions, and I did get a slight signal boost (a couple of points) on all of the channels, but the VHF channel 8 is still touch and go. I think I want to go with a mast mounted pre-amplifier, which re-raises the question about running a power back through the diplexers. If I put the amplifier's power injector on the line inside the house, will it screw up the signal from the satellite?

The more probable answer is no , since the first diplexor will actually kill the DC power and will only allow the VHF/UHF band to go through. At least most do. But then there will be no DC power for the OTA pre-amplifier. Now, there are All ports DC power passive Diplexors that will allow DC power through all ports but then you will need a DC block just before the TV tuner otherwise you will blow it with the DC. LNB use 13/18 V combination so your pre-amplifier should be able to still work with both voltages.

I still recommend you to evaluate the suitability of your current antenna for the Hi-VHF band (ch 8) and then if needed get the proper antenna or run an extra cable for power to the pre-amp at the mast. Well I actually lost my post yesterday that is why I just said I still recommend you , lol .

For 100 feet of cable as Ernie said you do not need an amplifier and they are a different beast (I have not seen such a wideband amplifier that will cover from VHF/UHF to SHF's Ku Band).

I really don't need to amplify the Dish signal, just wondered if there was a way to do it "while I was there". The more research I've been doing, and the longer I think of my current situation, the more I think I'm going to follow the idea of re-evaluating my current antenna. The one I'm currently using came from Radio Shack. It looks almost exactly like a satellite dish, so I would have to think that something that is more traditional should give me better reception.  I don't need a miracle, just a little bit better reception on the VHF end. 

Size does matter, I've gone to great lengths to keep my dish and antenna relatively hidden, so I just can't bring myself to invest in a big antenna.  Does anyone know anything about the EZ HD antenna from www.dennysantennaservice.com?

I was checking out their antenna selections on their website this past weekend. In their ad they did not mention what bands the the "EZ antenna" works on. But after seeing your post I checked the reviews and it appears that little antenna will work on the VHF-Hi band as well as UHF. The reviews report that antenna working up to 50 miles without a preamp and 75 miles+ with one (over flat Texas terrain).

Keep in mind this antenna can only be pointed in 1 direction and if you use a preamp the power injector must be placed between the antenna and diplexor.

I believe you can return the antenna (please check website as I could be wrong) if it does not work in your area. Also, about "Denny".. .he sounds like the kind of guy that, if he wasn't designing/making antennas, would instead be posting on websites like these and helping us out. I'm sure that if you email your coordinates to him, he would in turn recommend a setup. He truly sounds like a decent guy. Give him a try.. . Bill