"Radio Shack HDX1000 Amplified HDTV Antenna - User Review"
By Ron Stultz
15 August 2011
Updated: 26 August 2024
Summary: Have tested where high definition (HD) television stations within 50 miles and absolutely works great. Antenna does want to be mounted on pipe provided with antenna or at the top of existing antenna pipe. As HDX1000 has a built-in amplifier there is a power injector device that requires an alternating current (AC) outlet that must be protected from the weather. Does not come with coax cable and must have RG6 cable.
Background:
Daughter lives in metropolitan Richmond, Virginia and does not have community access television (CATV). Had no antenna at all other than indoor rabbit ears.
Friend's widow lives in Manassas, Virginia or about 40 miles from HD TV stations, no CATV and existing very high frequency (VHF)/ultra high frequency (UHF) antenna mounted on roof or about 20 feet off the ground was getting only 18 of 40+ TV stations within 50 miles of her home.
Tools required:
- Perhaps, 5/16 inch, 2 inch long, lag shields.
- Perhaps, 3 inch long 5/16 lag screws.
- Ratchet.
- 5/16inch socket. Think that is 11 or 12 millimeter (mm).
- 10 mm open ended wrench.
- Wire cutters.
- XX feet of RG6 indoor/outdoor coax cable. XX depends on coax run from antenna to where power injector to be located.
- Box cutter or Exacto knife.
- RG6 connectors.
- Perhaps hammer.
- Cable straps.
Installation experiences:
Antenna comes with mounting hardware.
Antenna mounting hardware includes lag screws, which are fine for wood installation but which need lag shields for mortar or brick.
Antenna can be mounted to existing antenna pipe but wants to sit on very end of pipe as antenna plastic case is molded with a pipe stop.
In both cases, I used the mounting plate provided with the antenna.
In both cases, I bolted antenna mounting plate via lag shields and lag screws into brick mortar.
Don't think I have ever had an easy time working with lag shields and mortar.
If you going to use lag shields and lag screws into brick or stone mortar, going to need brick/mortar bit for an electric drill.
I used lead lag shields that required a 1/2 inch drill bit and 3 inch, 5/16inch, lag screws.
To make sure mounting plate was secure, had to use 4 lag screws.
With mounting plate secure, mounting pipe and actual antenna is easy enough.
I used a new run of coax from antenna into house to location of major TV. Always best to not have any breaks or connectors in coax from antenna to antenna power injector.
With RG6 coax cable connected to antenna, I cable strapped cable to pipe.
Because new coax cable was too long, cut off excess, installed RG6 connector and connected antenna to power injector.
Output of power injector was then connected to HDTV.
Finally power adapter was plugged into AC outlet and connected to power injector.
Now a channel rescan was done.
In both cases, the output of the power injector was actually tied to a 3-way cable splitter that then connected 3 TV sets to the amplified antenna.
Performance:
The HDX1000 installed in Richmond, Va was installed only 10 feet off the ground but provides 15 solid channels.
The HDX1000 installed in Manassas, Va was installed about 15 feet off the ground and now provides 40 HD and analog channels with excellent signal strength.
Updated: 26 August 2024
Antenna still in use and performing well.