First impressions: It works exactly the same as when I mast mounted the original model.

Its really hard to tell though today with the tropo. (I was getting ION at 100% this afternoon :D)

Hi peano, did you always mast mount your original Kitztech or did you have it inside at some point, and if you had it inside,was there any real difference with your signal,outside at the antenna vs. inside your home?

I just ordered one today(the original) to try out.

Cheers

Bob

I also received a couple of the new coax KitzTech preamps.

Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to test them out but I did notice that one station which was unwatchable (0-5% signal strength) is now 45% with the preamp. It looks like all of my digital stations are solid, although as mentioned, I'll have to test them more thoroughly as two of them frequently dropped out before. This is with a separate pre-amp for each of two antennas and one antenna signal diplexed with a satellite signal as per Stampeder's suggestion in the Splitters thread.

As a comparison, about a month ago I borrowed a winegard amplifier from mlord and placed it before a splitter (the splitter combined the signals from two different antennas). That amplified the same channel tested earlier (SunTV) and I received results of 32%. With the pre-amp last night, I was receiving around 70% but I still had some noise so there were occasional dropouts (that is due to the 70 feet of cable remaining after the splitter before the coax reached the antenna). (The 45% result above is with the pre-amp next to the antenna).

So, at first glance, I'm fairly happy with the pre-amp but I will need to do further testing to maximize my signal strength. I also need to buy an outdoor housing from Home Depot as I don't trust leaving the pre-amp as is in the snow or rain.

You will definitely require a weather-proof enclosure for the Kitztech pre-amp.

Another point to consider is that's it's difficult to reliably compare amp performance at this time of year. Conditions can change from minute to minute during tropo periods...

Yes, this weekend I hope to head to Home Depot. For now, I've covered both pre-amps with milk bags and closed the bags using twist ties. It isn't the most elegant solution but it should protect them from the rain for now. ;)

BLT, I always had it mast mounted. I used a weatherproof enclosure from Home Depot - about $6 I think.

I wonder what the insertion loss is for the power inserter? It looks like a standard splitter....

Although it looks like one, a standard splitter wouldn't inject power. Doing some quick research, it seems as though it is a 1GHZ Power Inserter manufactured by Steren Electronics. It will likely have a DC block between the TV and AMP ports and an AC block between the DC IN and AMP ports.

http://www.pacificcable.com/photos/201-600.jpg

Make sure there's a small drip/condensation hole at the lowest point of the weatherproof case's bottom. If you have to seal the case put some dessicant like silica gel in there first.

These weatherproof enclosures - how do they get attached to the mast?

You could drill holes in one to put a u-bolt through.

kkoceski,


Hooray !!! But since I'm in an attic, I'm looking forward to the Low(er) Noise version. Does anybody have an idea about its availability ???

heres from Kitztech,

It will be several months down the road. We will not have any spec until it is completed.


doesnt sound to advanced yet!

These weatherproof enclosures - how do they get attached to the mast?

This is what I did with a u-bolt as Stampeder mentions on a Home Depot enclosure:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/album.php?albumid=211&pictureid=1120

I have since replaced the round u-bolt with one that is square.

Hey all.

I have the Kitztech coax powered amp on order and I’m wondering If it maters how close to the TV / Receiver I install the power inserter.

I’m guessing it doesn’t matter, but I’ve guessed wrong before.

balm - thanx for the update. I can wait - I'm actually in a pretty good position at this time.

I'm getting all my expected signals pretty much all of the time. I'm just in the mode of squeezing out all I can to avoid as much of that annoying "glitch" activity as I can. I'm going to re-attempt the "coax-pair_1/4-wavelength_current-balun some time soon (that magic wire-in-a-tube concoction from mlord). I've also tossed my big VHF antenna over the trusses to make more room for "planarizing" 2 UHF antennas. This is all going to break things for a while, so the wife and kids are going to squawk, but I'm compelled, and it's no use trying to stop me. I already have the standard KitzTech, and am VERY happy with it, but when the lowER KitzTech becomes available, I'm sure I won't be able to resist ( ~ $190.00 for the ResearchComms one I just can't justify - although I do salivate ).

Once I have all this done, I think I'm going to have to move to Bithlo - closer to the antenna farm (and out of my attic), so I can experience all of that saturating and clipping activity I keep hearing about. Maybe build myself a 100-foot tower ???

You could drill holes in one to put a u-bolt through.

Rather than drill extra holes in the box, another option would be to attach a piece of angle iron to the cap using the existing mounting screw holes. You could also use some super glue as a belt and braces thing. This would also help keep it together when opening up the box.

Hey all.

I have the Kitztech coax powered amp on order and I’m wondering If it maters how close to the TV / Receiver I install the power inserter.

I’m guessing it doesn’t matter, but I’ve guessed wrong before.

It doesn't matter how close to the TV it is. The most important thing is that there is nothing between the amp and the power inserter that will block the DC power. Couplers are fine, but most splitters will block the power (though you can get some that will pass the power).

Thanks Roger1818.

I purchased the coax powered model so I could install it in the attic without splicing into the power up there. I do plan to splice the coax line eventually, and from what you just explained I think I would have been better off to buy the standard non coax powered model and found or got power up there.

Thanks again for your help.

I do plan to splice the coax line eventually, and from what you just explained I think I would have been better off to buy the standard non coax powered model and found or got power up there.

You will be fine. Just make sure that when you buy the splitter, you get one that will pass power on one side and connect that side to the coax leading to the power inserter.

Thanks Roger 1818.

I found a post by Stampeder on page 87 # 1302, that explains how to do it.

I was at Home Depot at lunch time today looking for a weather proof enclosure for the coax powered KitzTech but was unable to find one. Both people working in the electrical section tried to help me but even after trying all of the enclosures, I couldn't find one that fit. The problem is that the coax powered KitzTech is a bit too long for most enclosures (1 cm or so) and it is too wide if you try to put it in sideways (about 0.5 cm).

It is possible to remove the PCB and place it naked within an enclosure but I'd prefer not to do that, mostly because I like the metal enclosure.

Therefore, I was wondering what people are using for weatherproof enclosures and where you bought them. Please PM with any suggestions.