Radio Shack TV • FM High Gain Mast-Mount Antenna UHF/VHF/FM Amplifier with Switchable FM Trap, 15-1109 User Manual

CAUTION

15-110 9.fm Page 1 Thursday, July 15, 1999 10:41 AM

Cat. No.

15-1109

TV • FM High Gain Mast-Mount Antenna UHF/VHF/FM
Amplifier with Switchable FM Trap

This amplifier with Switchable FM Trap
provides up to 30 dB amplification of
signals from outdoor VHF, UHF, FM,
or combination antennas. This high
degree of amplification is necessary
when your antenna is pulling in signals
from weak or distant stations, when it
is positioned 100 feet or more from the
TV, or when a single antenna supplies
signals to several units — TVs, VCRs,
or FM receivers.

Note:

This unit only amplifies signals;
it does not enhance distorted o r noisy
signals.

FEATURES

Special Automatic Protection Cir­cuit

— guards against cable shorts
and prevents damage to connected re­ceivers.

Surface-Mounted Components

—

assure long-term reliability.
Please read and keep all of the in-

structions and warnings contained in
this Owner’s Manual, in the supplied
“Safety Instructions” sheet, and on the
product.

Warning:

To prevent fire or shock
hazard, do not expose this power
supply to rain or moisture.

Separate Amplifier and Power Sup­ply Units

— maximize operational effi-

ciency.

Built-In Adjustable Gain Control

—
reduces signals by up to 10 dB to pre­vent overload and allow custom
matching of amplification to signal
strength.

Switchable FM Trap

— reduces or
eliminates FM interf erence, which ap­pears as a herringbone p attern on the
TV screen.

Power Indicator

— lights when the
amplifier is operating, and goes out if
power fails or the connecting cable
shorts.

© 1997 Tandy Corporation.

RadioShack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.

All Rights Reserved.

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.

DO NOT OPEN.

CAUTION

ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SERVICE­ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVIC­ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

!

: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF

This sy mbo l is in tend ed t o al ert yo u
to the prese nce of un insula ted dan­gerous voltage within the product’s
enclos ure t hat migh t be of su ffi cien t
magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock. Do not open the prod­uct’s case.

This symbol is intended to inform
you that important operating and
maintenance instructions are includ­ed in the literature accompanying
this product.

!

15-110 9.fm Page 2 Thursday, July 15, 1999 10:41 AM

INSTALLATION

Cautions:

• For outdoor antennas, install an
antenna grounding system, as
shown in the supplied sheet.

• The power supply has a protection
circuit that shuts down the ampli­fier if there are stray wires
between the power supply and the
amplifier. If the amplifier does not
operate, check for stray wires.
Proper operation should resume
when the problem is corrected.

Installing the Amplifier

Antenna Terminals

Matching

Transformer

Amplifier

Weather
Boots

Standoff

Drip
Loop

Attach the other end o f this cable
to the antenna’s terminals, using
the supplied 300-to-75 ohm
matching transformer if necessary.

Notes:

• Be sure to fully seat the weather
boots provided on the coaxial
cable over their corresponding
F-connectors.

• Leave a slight amount of slack
(called a drip loop) where the
cable attaches to the amplifier.

3. Choose a length of cable long
enough to reach f rom the antenna
to your TV or receiver. Ra­dioShack stores have v arious pre­cut lengths of cable with boots and
connectors in place. If you c hoose
to assemble your own coaxial
cable, use the supplied weather­boot at the amplifier’s connections.

1. Mount the amplifier on the
antenna mast, about 12 inches
below the antenna. Position the U­bolt and mounting bracket as
shown. Then install washers and
tighten the nuts securely.

2. Attach one end of the provided
coaxial cable to the amplifier’s F­connector labeled

Standoff

TO ANTENNA

.

2

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Attach one end of a 75-ohm coax­ial cable to the amplifier’s F-con­nector labeled

Do not splice the cable or

Note:

TO POWER SUPPL Y

install any in-line dev ices such as
splitters or filters. You can install a
grounding block (Cat. No. 15-909),
which dissipates DC current and
provides a connection point for a
static discharge ground rod.

4. Use either standoffs or weather­resistant electrical tape to secure
the cable to the antenna mast.
Use standoffs to secure the cable
to the building as you route the
cable to your TV.

Notes:

• If you use a power rotator for

your antenna, leave enough
cable slack for unrestrained
rotation of the upper section.

Installing the Power Supply

.

Notes:

• The power supply is designed for
indoor use only.

• Do not moun t the unit t o any elec­trical equipment or your TV set.
Choose a location for the power
supply near the TV or FM receiver,
and close to a standard AC outlet.

1. Drill a h ole at the desired lo cation
and thread the supplied sc rew into
the hole until its head extends

1

about

/8 inch from the wall.

2. Align the power supply’s keyhole
slot with the screw head and slide
the power supply down.

• Leave a slight amount of slack
(called a drip loop) where the
cable enters your house.

• Be sure to weatherproof all con­nections, using plastic electrical
tape or a coaxial sealant.

3. Connect the coaxial cable from the
amplifier to the power supply’s

FROM A MP LIF IER

terminal. Do not

overtighten the connector.

4. Connect one end of a short length
of cable to the power supply’s

terminal.

TV

3

TO

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Drip Loop

15-1140

VHF

TV

FM Receiver

UHF

5. Connect the other e nd o f the s hort
cable to the TV or FM receiver.

• To connect to one TV or FM

receiver with a 75-ohm input,
connect the cable directly to the
input.

• To connect to one TV or FM

receiver with a 300-ohm input,
use a 75-to-300 ohm trans­former (Cat. No. 15-1140).

• To connect to UHF/VHF TV ter-

minals and an FM receiver, use
a VHF/UHF/FM splitter (Cat.
No. 15-1252).

15-1252

Caution:

and

Do not reverse the

FROM AMPLIFIER

TO TV

connec-

tions. Voltage is present at the

FROM AMPLIFIER

terminal, which
might damage an improperly con­nected receiver.

6. When all connections are made
and double-checked, plug the
power supply into a standard AC
outlet.

Caution:

To prevent electric
shock, match the wide blade of the
amplifier’s AC plug to the wide slot
of a standard AC outlet and insert
the plug fully.

4

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Multiple TV Connections

The power supply’s output, labeled
TV. Connect a Four-Set Hybrid Splitter (Cat. No. 15-1142) to

, can supply a signal to more than one

TO TV

and follow the

TO TV

splitter’s owner’s manual to make the conn ections to more t han one audio/video
device.

Drip Loop

To TV

To Splitter

To TV

Amplified

To TV

To A/V Devices

Coupler

5

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OPERATION

Using the FM Trap

If the TV picture contains wa vy or her­ringbone-patterned dark lines, slide

TRAP

to IN to reduce or eliminate this

interference.
If you have the amplifier connect ed to

an FM receiver and a TV, set

OUT

to

Note:

when you listen to the radio.

FM TRAP

If

has no effect on the
picture, the interference mig ht be from
a source other than FM. You might
need additional traps.

Using the Gain Control

If your TV receives too strong a signal,
the picture tears an d becomes unsta­ble, and FM sound can become dis­torted. To prevent this, use a small
flathead screwdriver to rotate
provide the m aximu m signal amplifica­tion without overload.

FM

FM TRAP

GAIN

to

• Rotate

GAIN

towa rd

MAX

for weak

or distant stations.

• Rotate

GAIN

toward

MIN

for strong

or nearby stations.

Automatic Protection Circuit

The amplifier contains circuitry to
guard against damage caused by a
short anywhere in the cable from the
amplifier to the receiving unit. A short
between the amplifier and the power
supply causes the power supply to
shut down automatically, turning off
the power indicator and amplifier. If
you suspect a short, follow these steps
to correct it.

1. Unplug the power cord and dis­connect the coaxial cable you sus­pect is shorted.

2. Wait 10 minutes f or the power sup­ply to reset. During this time,
repair or replace the cable.

3. With the cable disconnec ted, plug
in the power cord.

4. If the power indicator lights,
unplug the power supply, recon­nect the cable, and plug in the
power cord again. The power indi­cator should light again. If the
power indicator still does not light,
take the unit to your local Ra­dioShack store for assistance.

6

15-110 9.fm Page 7 Thursday, July 15, 1999 10:41 AM

TROUBLESHOOTING

If you have poor FM radio reception,

be sure

If the reception is poor on all units
connected to the amplifier:

If you have poor, or no, reception
on only one unit of a multiple re­ceiver system:

FM TRAP

• Be sure the power supply is
plugged into an AC outlet which
has power.

• Check all connections between
the antenna, the ampl ifier, and the
power supply.

• Check all F-connectors for dam­age. In particular, examine the
center pins.

• Be sure the F-connectors are
properly attached.

is set to

OUT

.

SPECIFICATIONS

Frequency Response

(FM Trap)..............Greater than 25 dB

Attenuation at 95 MHz Typical

Gain .................... 3 0 dB (VHF or UHF)

Gain Control ................ 0 to 10 dB Cut

Specifications are typical; individual
units might vary. Specifications are
subject to change and improvement
without notice.

• Verify that the TV or FM receiver
operates properly when used with
other signal sources.

7

15-110 9.fm Page 8 Thursday, July 15, 1999 10:41 AM

Limited Ninety-Day Warranty

This product is warran ted by RadioShac k against man ufacturing defects in materia l and workman ­ship under norma l use for n inety (90) day s from the date of purc hase from Rad ioShack comp any­owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED
HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRE SS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
INCLUDING THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES
CONTAINED HEREIN. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack SHALL HAVE NO LIABIL­ITY OR RESPONSIBILITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY OTHE R PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RE­SPECT TO ANY LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY USE
OR PERFORMANCE OF THE PRODUCT OR ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF THIS WAR­RANTY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY DAMA GES RESULTING FROM INCONVE­NIENCE, LOSS OF TIME, DATA, PROPERTY, REVENUE, OR PROFIT OR ANY INDIRECT,
SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF RadioShack HAS BEEN AD­VISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Some states do not allow the limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusion of in­cidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
In the event of a product defect during the war ranty period, take the product and the RadioShack
sales receipt as proof of purcha se da te to any RadioS hack s tore. Radi oSh ack will, at it s option, un ­less otherwise provided by law: (a) correct the defe ct by prod uct repair without char ge for parts and
labor; (b) replace the produ ct with one of the same or similar design; or (c) refund the purchase
price. All replaced parts and pr oducts, and pr oducts on which a refun d is made, become the prop­erty of RadioShack. New or reconditioned parts and prod ucts may be used in the performan ce of
warranty service. Repa ired or replaced parts and prod ucts are warranted for the remainder of the
original warranty period. You will be charged for repair or replacement of the product made after the
expiration of the warranty period.
This warranty does not cover: (a) damage or failure caused by or attributable to acts of God, abuse,
accident, misuse, impr oper or abnormal usa ge, failure to fol low i nstruct ions, imprope r insta llation or
maintenance, alterati on, lightning or other incidence of exc ess voltage or current; (b) any repairs
other than those provided by a RadioShack Autho rized Service Facility; ( c) consumables such as
fuses or batteries; (d) cos metic dam age; ( e) trans por tation, sh ipping or insuranc e cost s; or ( f) costs
of product removal, installation, set-up service adjustment or reinstallation.
This warranty gives you specifi c legal rights, and you may also have oth er rights which vary from
state to state.

RadioShack Customer Relations, Dept. W, 100 Throckmorton St., Suite 600, Fort Worth, TX 76102

We Service What We Sell

3/97

9/97 Printed in the USA

RadioShack

A Division of Tandy Corporation

Fort Worth, Texas 76102