Winegard Batwing Schematic?

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Leroy - 22 May 2008 19:39 GMT

My 1976 batwing antenna signal is fine with the wall plate power
switch off. With it on, I get a scrambled signal. I understand that
the antenna's preamp is in the antenna 'head' and the wall plate
is a power supply which supplies 12 volts up the coax for the
preamp. I'd like to troubleshoot and repair this since the preamp
should give me a noticeable boost in RF signal.

With the Power Supply off, I get 24 digital channels from the 'antenna
farm' 20 miles away. This is using a Channel Master CM-7000
Digital/Analog converter box. The added gain from the preamp
should pull in even more channels.

Does anyone have access to the circuit diagram for the wall
plate PS and the antenna head preamplifier? I have an electronic
background and should be able to replace bad components. Has anyone
experienced and resolved this sort of problem without replacing the PS
and/or antenna?

Thanks,
Leroy

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Lone Haranguer - 22 May 2008 20:32 GMT

> My 1976 batwing antenna signal is fine with the wall plate power
> switch off. With it on, I get a scrambled signal. I understand that
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Thanks,
> Leroy

Check here.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=winegard+12v+antenna+amplifier&btnG=Google+
Search

LZ

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Gerald Starnes - 23 May 2008 00:01 GMT

> My 1976 batwing antenna signal is fine with the wall plate power
> switch off. With it on, I get a scrambled signal. I understand that
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Thanks,
> Leroy

The Winegard products of today do not resemble those of 1976. It's a fairly
simple through-hole circuit using one or two discreet transistors(2N918) and
a directional coupler on the input. You should be able to trace out the
circuit and come up with a schematic.

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Leroy - 23 May 2008 21:03 GMT

> My 1976 batwing antenna signal is fine with the wall plate power
> switch off. With it on, I get a scrambled signal.

thanks for the Google links, LZ, but they all seem to involve spending
money which is against my nature. <g>

thanks for the feedback, Gerald. Armed with an old Simpson VOM, started
checking it out today. Figured to service the house battery first, hydrometer
and clean connections. WTF? There is *NO Battery*! This trailer's
been in an rv park for several years, so I guess the previous occupant
figured AC was good enough and removed it.

No battery meant all the 12 volt circuits, including the TV antenna
preamp were running on very *dirty* DC. Fine for lights but
terrible for the TV preamp.

The Winegard tV wall plate was on a dedicated 12V circuit. So,
until I shop for a RV battery, I supplied that Winegard 12 volt circuit with
a small AC/DC wall puck.

Now, the Winegard tv amp works as it should. Digital channels that
were showing 30-40% signal on the dtv converter now show 100%.
Did an 'update' scan on the dtvc, and gained 9 more channels.
Because of the large number of broadcasters using the Houston
(Missouri City) antenna farm, I get 30+ channels in one antenna
position. Better picture than cable and the price is right. ($0).

BTW, I'm quite pleased with the Channel Master CM-7000 DTV
converter. It's evidently one of the 'latest generation' converters
and has a very good front end. It has RF, Composite,
and S-video outputs, all of which are active at the same time
for driving multiple sets. Excellent picture quality on a Sony flat crt TV
and on a 24" Sony flat crt monitor.

Thanks for the help, folks.

Leroy

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Lone Haranguer - 23 May 2008 22:28 GMT

>> My 1976 batwing antenna signal is fine with the wall plate power
>> switch off. With it on, I get a scrambled signal.
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
>
> Leroy

Happy endings are so rare these days.....
LZ

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