CM15A Antenna mod...yeah, another one

[Brian H]

Thank you for your updated information.

It could have been possible. That high gain wide band RF amplifier was flooding the RF receiver in the CM5A.  It is not a highly selective one and probably can be swamped by other signals. Not on the 310MHz frequency.

[dhouston]

What's the purpose of the RF filter?

[bkenobi]

I think I misspoke.  My setup uses a Radioshack inline signal amplifier (powered) and a second inline amplifier that is passive but is behind the power injector.  It's not really a filter, it's just a amplifier over a given frequency range which I wrote as a filter (which it is not).

Radioshack amp:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11113014

There are several similar amplifiers like the one I purchased from ebay, but I don't see the exact model.  The one I bought had no documentation and was an off brand, so I wonder if it's intended to be powered (even though it doesn't say so).  Several of the ones available now indicate "Powered by your satellite receiver or LNB power injector".  Thus, if I place it prior to the power injector, it might degrade the signal rather than enhancing it.  I only added it because I had low signal in the office but acceptable signal in the basement so I was trying to increase signal strength half way through the run as well as at the antenna (via the RS amp).

[dhouston]

I think I misspoke.  My setup uses a Radioshack inline signal amplifier (powered) and a second inline amplifier that is passive but is behind the power injector.

I'm still confused - I've never heard of a passive inline amplifier.

[bkenobi]

Here's a similar amplifier that has a description (this is not the one I bought).  Perhaps what the original ad from ebay stated (or should have stated) was no power required for satellite systems.  I think the part was sold from China or domestically from a Chinese company/individual.  Either way, it certainly says "satellite" and "receiver" on the module's label, so it expects power to be on the line.

http://www.summitsource.com/summit-line-signal-amplifier-satellite-coaxial-type-antenna-digital-booster-coax-cable-dish-outdoor-video-channels-2050-passive-part-p-7065.html

[Brian H]

I picked up an RCA D903 DBS In-Line amplifier.
It also indicated it gets power through the coax.

[bkenobi]

I think the reviewers from Amazon found the same issue.  No power = no amplification!

http://www.amazon.com/RCA-In-Line-Satellite-Amplifier-Video/dp/B00005T3MR

If there's no mention of power injector, how would anyone know.  I suppose this one indicates it is a satellite amplifier which would inherently necessitate that power exists on the coax.

[Brian H]

Mine has a power supply rating on it 14-18 volts.
It also had a range of 950-2050 MHz. So mine would be useless for X10's 310MHz.

[dhouston]

I've never had Satellite TV so this is part of the reason for my confusion. I would expect any inline amp that expects power over the coax to state this as well as specify the DC voltage. Perhaps this is all standardized for Satellite TV systems.