When I reviewed one of our most popular amplifiers

Wow has it really been six years? Winegard’s LNA-200 has been one of our most popular amplifiers. It’s a simple wideband amp, meaning it will amplify anything you connect to it. It sits on your antenna’s mast, increasing signal power at the antenna site. That increase in signal power makes it possible to get longer runs from antenna to inside the house.

I wrote a full review of it back in 2013 and I was impressed. It’s just a good, general purpose amplifier for antennas. If you live in a remote area, you might want to put it in your antenna installation.

Should you amplify your TV antenna?

This is a surprisingly controversial subject. I’ve written about it several times, most recently in 2017.  Amplified antennas are very popular because any amplified antenna tends to be smaller and easier to put up. However, an amplifier without auto gain control may make things worse. While our LNA-200 is inexpensive and easy to put up, it won’t limit signal levels if they become too strong.

The bottom line is that you should not put in an amplifer unless you are sure you need one. However, if you do need one, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Will the upcoming FCC repack change your need for an amplifier?

As you might know, the FCC has been in the process of reassigning channels. Channels 37-51 are going away (channels 52-83 already went away a long time ago). Those frequencies are going to be used for cellular data services from now on. Stations in every market are changing frequencies, and at the very least you’ll have to scan for channels a few times in the coming year. If you want to know more, here’s a tutorial that should give you all the information you need.

People ask me if they’ll need an amplifier after the FCC is done, or if they won’t need the one they have. It’s very hard to know for sure, but remember that the stations are changing frequency. They aren’t changing location. This probably means that if you need an amplifier now, you’ll need one later. If you don’t need one now, you won’t need one later. There are a couple of “fringe cases” where you might need one after this is all over, because different frequencies react differently. But I would say, don’t let any of this stop you from getting an amplifier now if you need one.

Shop for stuff like this at Solid Signal

You’ll find the best selection of outdoor antenna amplifiers at Solid Signal. You’ll also find distribution amplifiers as well, at fantastic prices. What’s more important… you’ll find answers to all your questions by leaving a comment below or by calling our support experts at 888-233-7563 during business hours. It’s never been easier to cut the cord and our staff is here to help!

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.