Aerial & Masthead Amplifier Recomendations?

npresto

My mobile home in Clogherhead, Co Louth has a wideband aerial like this one:

There is a red square box on the aerial with a coax connected from the aerial and another out down the pole into the van. I 'm assuming it's a masthead pre-amplifier. I also have a booster beside the TV which I'm also assuming powers the masthead pre-amp.

I had to take the aerial down to install a new mobile home but after re-installation the reception is terrible. I opened the "red square box" and there was a corrosion on the circuitboard and coax terminals. I also opened a box on the aerial where the initial coax is connected to the aerial and there was corrosion there too.

The aerial was on a pole about 15ft high, pointing approx north and I could pick up BBC1, BBC2, UTV, CH4, RTE1, RTE2, TV3 & TG4.

My questions:

1. Should I replace the masthead pre-amp? If so, has anyone got any recomendations?
2. Should I change the aerial? If so, should I stick with the same type or change to a different one? Again, recomendations?

TheDriver

I am not from your area but to be honest, if things have started to corrode, just get new stuff, not sure where local installers get their stuff but keep away from maplins etc as they are extortionate. Same aerial you have should be 18-20, amp would be 15 maybe and powersupply would be about 15 as well. Remember your amp should be group w to pick up everything (open to correction) I use televes but triax are also great stuff.

npresto

TheDriver wrote: »

I am not from your area but to be honest, if things have started to corrode, just get new stuff, not sure where local installers get their stuff but keep away from maplins etc as they are extortionate. Same aerial you have should be 18-20, amp would be 15 maybe and powersupply would be about 15 as well. Remember your amp should be group w to pick up everything (open to correction) I use televes but triax are also great stuff.

Cheers mate.

Just popped into a supplier in Swords, Dublin and he was looking for €50 for a new "W" type aerial and €29 for a masthead amp without a power supply.

Does this sound a bit steep?

maxg

Check first if you can clean the corroded parts and replace the cable.

TheDriver

npresto wrote: »

Cheers mate.

Just popped into a supplier in Swords, Dublin and he was looking for €50 for a new "W" type aerial and €29 for a masthead amp without a power supply.

Does this sound a bit steep?

To me, that sounds maplin type of prices. You can even get the simple uhf aerials (the bar with all the little bars on it) as a group w for about 6 quid and I get my amps etc in the place trade shop so thats what you should be paying.
Can anyone tell npresto where he can get supplies?

npresto

I got an aerial in the end for Stg£15 and a masthead amp for Stg£9 from from www.vanjak.com.

Thanks for the advise everyone.

Rippy

You did well. Which aerial and amp did you buy?
Another 'trade only' supplier selling to the general public. There go my profit margins:eek:

lucernarian

Even with a somewhat dodgy aerial, reception should be no problem in Clogherhead with a grid aerial. There's line of sight to the irish and uk transmitter from much of that area.

It's likely that replacing the amp and cable alone would have fixed it up but the aerial corrosion would only get worse, especially in the sea air.

TheDriver

Rippy wrote: »

You did well. Which aerial and amp did you buy?
Another 'trade only' supplier selling to the general public. There go my profit margins:eek:

The site would do my head in, not giving prices until they accepted your registration!
I would have thought you wouldn't really make much money on selling stuff directly and only on equipment coupled with installation? I find popping into Dwyers is dirt cheap to pick up on supplies.