Winegard HD8200A Long Range Outdoor HDTV Antenna - 65+ Mile Range, High-VHF/UHF, 4K Ultra-HD Ready, Free Local Channels, Amplify with Boost XT LNA-200

Disclosure: I’m the Chief Engineer for a group of television station and have worked in broadcasting for 53 years. I work on the transmission side but have also helped many viewers with reception issues over the past 37 years where I work.I've never been a fan of Winegard, but I thought I would try their model HD7698A "Long Range Outdoor" antenna. There are a couple quirks to it.It's not designed for channels 2 – 6, but most TV markets don’t have low band stations. It also does not favor the higher UHF channels, but channels 38 on up are not used by television broadcasters.It shines in the channel 7 – 13 (high band), and 14 -36 (UHF). Note: when receiving a TV station keep in mind there is an “RF” channel, and a “Virtual” channel. You design your antenna system for the “RF” channel only!The HD7698A has a rather large profile, 169 inches long, and 54 inches wide, and you need to get the antenna up over top the tower "neck" by at least 2 feet. Keep in mind the rotation radius, that when the antenna is rotated, it does not hit trees or other structures.The antenna was mounted on a 40’ Rohn 25 tower, and I used a Yaesu G-450ADC Medium-Duty Rotor.It HD7698A comes with its own balun, so you connect right to the antenna with a 75-ohm coax. Always use the rubber boot, and with a 7/16 wrench, make sure the fitting is attached to the balun snug but NOT overtightened.I used RG6 coaxial cable from the antenna to TV, 80’ long.Be sure to use a Channel Master CM-3201, or SiliconDust LPF-608M 5G/LTE filter. If you have any close by FM stations, install a CM-3202 FM Trap. These devices go just before an indoor splitter, indoor amp, or TV.On first scan I received a UHF station which was 74.42 miles on a vector of 14 degrees, but the antenna was pointed 0 degrees north. After readjusting the position of the antenna to 14 degrees, more stations were picked up on a scan. In total 28 stations were received from various communities for a total of 64 different stream choices.The antenna beamwidth is fairly sharp. Viewing a station on channel 19, 35.4 miles away, when I had the antenna at the station my signal reading was 98% on the TV, Turning the antenna 15-degrees either way and signal dropped to 68%. Turning it more, and I lost the station.I would NOT recommend using a preamp on this antenna unless you're more than 30 miles from any TV or FM RF!! The gain on this antenna is not specified as it changes with each channel. But I would grade it in the 12 - 14 dB range based on results.When either a Winegard LNA-200, or Channel Master CM7777/CM7778 were put on the antenna, the result was overload and intermodulation, and NO SIGNALS were received. Not even locals.The biggest mistake viewers have when installing TV antennas is thinking more is better. In many cases a preamp is unnecessary, and causes more problems. Also, this antenna is unnecessary if all you wish to receive is in town, local stations.As with any antenna installation, the results you get will depend on the proficiency and knowledge you have in correctly designing and building the system. In the picture the wires you see on the right are the guy wires to a 360' broadcast tower 90' away. For perspective, the fellow doing the installation is 6' 1" and he is 40' off the ground.I would give this antenna a very high rating. If you are in an area where you want out of town stations, or out in the country where there are no local signals, it does the job!

I am located in a very wooded, rural setting, and surrounded by tall trees. I've tried your basic $19.95 antenna, which would get me 3 or 4 channels (if I was lucky on a good, clear day), up to the $89.95 antennas, and got around 14 channels. With this antenna, I get no less than 30 channels, and with a little rotating of this antenna, I get over 80 channels. It was relatively easy to assemble and I was able to install it by myself. (After 3 years of trying different antennas, I have found my "forever" antenna). This thing works fantastic for me, and if you are in a rural setting, this one seems to do the best job pulling in from longer distances, even with tall tree obstructions.

This antenna was delivered without the piece necessary to connect the coax. Obviously a critical part of the antenna. The antenna arrived without any packaging other than the delivery box - no instructions or accessory parts kit.Contacted Winegard via email and customer support responded within 24 hours. After sending a copy of my Amazon invoice - they shipped the missing part. Part arrived 4 days later and the antenna is working great (just like my previous Winegard antennas). Deducting 1 star for poor quality control in the shipping department and the fact that I wasn't able to get my antenna working for a big sports weekend.

For over the air TV, this is high quality antenna. Works as designed and noticed an sharper picture when installed. It's large, best for two men to install. Works well with preamp. Durable. Held up to a rough winter. Very little signal fade. Needs to be aimed at the stations you want. With the high gain it has, aiming Needs to be pretty much dead on, for I'm 50 miles away. Of course, it does not pick up stations on the back side. Worth the cost, still cheaper than cable. Good buy.

I should have cut my cable long ago and replaced with this roof antenna. I get all the major networks and quite a few of the ones in between with excellent reception despite 2 mountain ranges between my house and the tv tower.

I purchased the HD7698 thinking Winegard was a US company with a good reputation. I had purchased a HD8200 over 15 years ago for a different location and it has held up well.The HD7698 arrived in a severely damaged box. The black cartridge housing had come out of its flimsy white box and was free to bounce around in the shipping box. It had bent terminals that I straightened with pliers. I reviewed that parts pictured in the 4 page instruction sheet were there. I stored the antenna indoors until I had a chance to assemble the antenna and put it on the roof.I live in North Carolina in the area that was damaged by hurricane Helene. We were without power for quite a while. After dealing with all the storm damage, I decided to get the antenna put together and installed. The front assembly was very difficult to attach to the rear assembly - one square tube is supposed to slide into another. I had to use a hammer to drive the tubes together.The top boom brace is supposed to attach to the front corner reflector. However, the bracket at the front of the boom was missing.I called Winegard customer support, thinking I could get that bracket. I was told since I was a few days outside the 90 day warranty, they couldn't help me. I asked if I could purchase the part. No - it was not available separately. I was directly told from customer support that my $205.99 antenna, purchased 100 days earlier could not be fixed with replacement parts from Winegard. I will have to make my own bracket if I want to use this antenna.Since I have not finished assembly, I cannot comment on its performance.