How do you make a home made powered digital antenna

[dh]

I saw a power inserter (not a signal amplifier) for a powered Wineguard antenna at the camper place. But all the powered antennas cost more than I wanted to pay. How does one go about making one?

[madjack]

...easy...build BobHenry's redneck digital antennae, goto a truckstop or Radio Shak and buy a 12vdc antennae amplifier...there ya go!!!!
madjack

[dh]

So an amplifier does the same thing as a power inserter? The inserter was built into a nice receptical with a power switch for the inserter, cable jack, and 12v jack for the TV to plug into.

[madjack]

...not exactly sure what a power inserter is or does BUT, I don't think it is the same as an amplifier.....
madjack
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc ... fiers&sku=

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=3506953

p.s. I couldn't find perzactly what I wuz lookin' for...back in my truckin' daze, any well equipped truckstop would have 12vdc TV antenna amplifiers............mj

[vreihen]

...not exactly sure what a power inserter is or does BUT, I don't think it is the same as an amplifier.....

I believe that it is used to send power up the coax cable to an antenna with a built-in amplifier. If you don't have that antenna, it's useless.....

[dh]

So a powered antenna with a power inserter just has an amplifier in the antenna, and does the same thing as a non powered antenna and an external amplifier?

[M B Hamilton]

The idea is to have any amplifier as close to the antenna as possible to maximize the likelihood of amplifying an actual tv signal rather than interference. Some compact antenna (don't know about ALL) have a built in amplifier. To save the owner from having to run a power cord up to their antenna the antenna maker may use a special cable coupler that incorporates a power port. That's the "power injector". You'd plug their wall-wart into that power port and its low-voltage would be transmitted to the built-in amplifier via the coax. So, unless you have the model antenna the power injector was made for, and the wall-wart, it would be useless to you.

Yes, a non-amplified antenna with an external power amplifier will do the same thing. Maybe even better if it is a better antenna than the one that the power injector came with... just no way to tell for certain as we don't know what that antenna is/was.

Yes, you could easily use an external amplifier with one of Bob Henry's redneck antennas. But, if you have an non-amplified antenna first check to see if you need an amplifier. If you do mount it as close to the antenna as possible.