How Do I Get the Old Channel Master 4228?

bschulte · 10-26-2009, 01:05 PM

I've seen nothing but good things about the old Channel Master 4228 (not the inferior 4228HD sold today). I know these are disappearing quickly, but does anyone have any recommendations about where I can find the old 4228? I'd like to find one to try to get some of the out of St. Louis, MO market stations to the south and southeast. My TVFool report is attached.

Note: I do have a separate post out about getting the STL area stations, but I consider these two separate issues. I'll be getting an antenna for the STL stations first and then, IF I can find an old 4228, I'll see what I can pick up to the south and southeast.

Tower Guy · 10-26-2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bschulte

I'd like to find one to try to get some of the out of St. Louis, MO market stations to the south and southeast. My TVFool report is attached.

I wouldn't obsess about a 4228.

The St. Louis stations are reasonably strong. You don't need a 4228 to get St. Louis. There are also two VHF stations in separate directs to consider. A UHF antenna is ill suited for VHF reception.

Even the older 4228 is probably too weak to pick up Paducah.

bschulte · 10-26-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tower Guy

I wouldn't obsess about a 4228.

The St. Louis stations are reasonably strong. You don't need a 4228 to get St. Louis. There are also two VHF stations in separate directs to consider. A UHF antenna is ill suited for VHF reception.

Even the older 4228 is probably too weak to pick up Paducah.

Tower Guy,

Thanks. Do you have any recommendations on other antennas which might be able to get Paducah and some of the others if mounted high enough? I basically thought about getting the most powerful antenna I could find (within reason $-wise), mounting it on a rotor as high as safely possible, and just seeing what I could get on a given day. I realize that other than Ch8, Ch21, and the STL stations, I'm going to have to go to extremes in order to get anything.

IDRick · 10-26-2009, 03:24 PM

bschulte,

The XG-91 is one of the best long range UHF antennas and would be good choice for you. If you want to check out modeling results, see this page: http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html Scroll down to the net gain chart for UHF antennas and you'll be able to compare gain between various antennas at the channels of interest.

HTH,

Rick

EscapeVelocity · 10-26-2009, 03:43 PM

The Kosmic Antennas Tune-A-Tenna is similar to the old American Made Channel Master 4228. It also outperforms it on UHF and VHF High. Google it, or search on eBay. If nothing else it will about the best you can do on UHF...better than all the commercially available 8 bays.

Couple it with a Channel Master 7777 amplifier, FM Trap activated....

...and an Alliance U-100 rotor from Norms Rotor Service....

plus a Winegard 1713 VHF High antenna added in with a UVSJ before the preamp on the mast...

and DX away!

My 2 cents...

Loves2Watch · 10-26-2009, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity

The Kosmic Antennas Tune-A-Tenna is similar to the old American Made Channel Master 4228. It also outperforms it on UHF and VHF High. Google it, or search on eBay. If nothing else it will about the best you can do on UHF...better than all the commercially available 8 bays.

Couple it with a Channel Master 7777 amplifier, FM Trap activated....

...and an Alliance U-100 rotor from Norms Rotor Service....

plus a Winegard 1713 VHF High antenna added in with a UVSJ before the preamp on the mast...

and DX away!

My 2 cents...

Quit attempting to sell your products here!

EscapeVelocity · 10-26-2009, 04:25 PM

Just trying to help a fellow out.

The AntennaCraft Vertical Stacked Double Hoverman G1483 is also a good option.

pmr · 10-26-2009, 06:19 PM

EscapeVelocity:

Is there some advantage to combining the two antennas using a UVSJ as opposed to using the separate uhf and vhf connections on the CM 7777 ? Will the CM 7777 accept vhf signals through a single cable screwed into the uhf input (or vice versa?)

EscapeVelocity · 10-26-2009, 06:26 PM

Good catch. No, you can use the CM 7777 as a UHF/VHF signal combiner.

Tower Guy · 10-26-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscapeVelocity

Couple it with a Channel Master 7777 amplifier, added in with a UVSJ before the preamp on the mast...

A 7777 has the equivalent of a UVSJ built-in.

The 7777 is likely to overload with WPXS at -24.7 dbm.

EscapeVelocity · 10-26-2009, 07:57 PM

Yeah, pmr already caught that one.

Missed the high power station. Maybe a Winegard 269 and an off board FM Trap, plus UVSJ. (I think its got only one 75 ohm input though its both UHF and VHF).

EscapeVelocity · 10-26-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Will the CM 7777 accept vhf signals through a single cable screwed into the uhf input (or vice versa?)

Yes. You can have seperate inputs of UHF and VHF via 75 ohm F screw connectors. And you can have just UHF or just VHF. Or you can have one VHF/UHF input via one coax line for a combo antenna input.

Tower Guy · 10-26-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bschulte

Do you have any recommendations on other antennas which might be able to get Paducah and some of the others if mounted high enough? I basically thought about getting the most powerful antenna I could find (within reason $-wise), mounting it on a rotor as high as safely possible, and just seeing what I could get on a given day.

My first choice for Paducah would be a Winegard HD-8800. It has the most gain on the low UHF channel 17. Channel 22 will be covered up by your strong 21. The other UHF channels are too weak unless you get the antenna much higher.

You'll want a 10 element high band VHF antenna to get channel 12.

bschulte · 10-26-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tower Guy

My first choice for Paducah would be a Winegard HD-8800. It has the most gain on the low UHF channel 17. Channel 22 will be covered up by your strong 21. The other UHF channels are too weak unless you get the antenna much higher.

You'll want a 10 element high band VHF antenna to get channel 12.

Thanks for the suggestions! I wanted to get an antenna at first just to get my STL stations in OTA HD for my DISH 722k DVRHD receiver, but I think this could become a bit of a hobby over time.

JB Antennaman · 10-26-2009, 08:31 PM

The U 100 was a piece of crap rotor 40 years ago and i do not think that it has improved much since then.

I will admit that you should use some type of thrust bearing and a mast pipe robust enough to take the wind sheer of any antenna stuck up high in the air.

I would suggest the XG 91 and some type of high gain antenna or just using the Winegard 8200 U and not the 8800 antenna.

Channel 21 at 10 miles is a tough one, but I would bet that a 16 db amplifier would work well enough that it would not over power the tuner and would still give enough boost to overcome long runs of wire.

A splitter after the pre amplifier would also scrub off some of the signal gain.

I would just point the antenna away from the signal as far as possible. KFVS (246 Kw) is going to be almost impossible to receive at 77 miles.

10-26-2009, 03:43 PM	#5
EscapeVelocity High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 104	The Kosmic Antennas Tune-A-Tenna is similar to the old American Made Channel Master 4228. It also outperforms it on UHF and VHF High. Google it, or search on eBay. If nothing else it will about the best you can do on UHF...better than all the commercially available 8 bays. Couple it with a Channel Master 7777 amplifier, FM Trap activated.... ...and an Alliance U-100 rotor from Norms Rotor Service.... plus a Winegard 1713 VHF High antenna added in with a UVSJ before the preamp on the mast... and DX away! My 2 cents... Last edited by EscapeVelocity; 10-26-2009 at 03:46 PM.

10-26-2009, 08:31 PM	#15
JB Antennaman High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,391	The U 100 was a piece of crap rotor 40 years ago and i do not think that it has improved much since then. I will admit that you should use some type of thrust bearing and a mast pipe robust enough to take the wind sheer of any antenna stuck up high in the air. I would suggest the XG 91 and some type of high gain antenna or just using the Winegard 8200 U and not the 8800 antenna. Channel 21 at 10 miles is a tough one, but I would bet that a 16 db amplifier would work well enough that it would not over power the tuner and would still give enough boost to overcome long runs of wire. A splitter after the pre amplifier would also scrub off some of the signal gain. I would just point the antenna away from the signal as far as possible. KFVS (246 Kw) is going to be almost impossible to receive at 77 miles. __________________ Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction.

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10-26-2009, 03:24 PM	#4
IDRick High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Eastern Idaho Posts: 2,715	bschulte, The XG-91 is one of the best long range UHF antennas and would be good choice for you. If you want to check out modeling results, see this page: http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html Scroll down to the net gain chart for UHF antennas and you'll be able to compare gain between various antennas at the channels of interest. HTH, Rick

10-26-2009, 04:25 PM	#7
EscapeVelocity High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 104	Just trying to help a fellow out. The AntennaCraft Vertical Stacked Double Hoverman G1483 is also a good option.

10-26-2009, 06:19 PM	#8
pmr How can anyone watch standard def? Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 27	EscapeVelocity: Is there some advantage to combining the two antennas using a UVSJ as opposed to using the separate uhf and vhf connections on the CM 7777 ? Will the CM 7777 accept vhf signals through a single cable screwed into the uhf input (or vice versa?)

10-26-2009, 06:26 PM	#9
EscapeVelocity High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 104	Good catch. No, you can use the CM 7777 as a UHF/VHF signal combiner.

10-26-2009, 07:57 PM	#11
EscapeVelocity High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 104	Yeah, pmr already caught that one. Missed the high power station. Maybe a Winegard 269 and an off board FM Trap, plus UVSJ. (I think its got only one 75 ohm input though its both UHF and VHF).