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Channel Master 4401G FM antenna

BeerLegs

BeerLegs

Super Member
So, I found one of these locally. Open box. Doesn't appear to have ever been assembled. The sack of bolts, nuts and hardware is still unopened and several of the elements haven't been assembled. I thought I'd grab it since good FM antennas are getting harder to find these days.

It's a 5 element yagi. I think it was their second largest FM antenna at the time. So far I've only found one mention of it on the Internet in a December 1961 Television Horizons magazine. That would seem to indicate that these were sold at or before the birth of FM Stereo that we know of today. I don't know how long these were made.

"CHANNEL MASTER-models 4403, 4400, 4401, 4402 FM antennas. Includes turn - style omni-directional (4403-list price: $9.03), same antenna with installation kit (list price: $13.75), model 4402 10 element FM yogi (list price: $27.65) and model 4401 5 element yogi (list price: $16.50)."

Does anybody have any insight on it. I sure would appreciate any knowledge shared about it.

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Cool find. In your last photo, is that a Bourns multi-turn pot, wired into the twin-lead? What does that do? Seems odd.
 
Should work well out to 60 miles or so, depending on local terrain. Unless you can dress 300 OHM twinlead away from your structure I would get a high quality 300 to 75 Ohm balm and run 75 Ohm coax into your tuner.
 
It's not a pot, it's a threaded terminal where you attach the twin lead to. I am not sure but I think this was built before 75 ohm coax was made? It came with a cloth sack full of hardware that I haven't opened yet probably full of wing nuts, washers and hopefully the instructions. I'm not quite sure yet which terminals to use, it has 3 sets. Here's a better picture below with the cloth sack visible. Click on it.

I do have plenty of some Belden twin lead cable, but I can't mount the antenna on the roof, only in my attic. Would twin lead work for that?

Along with that antenna came a Sony TA-2650 integrated amp, a Technics ST-9030 tuner and a Yamaha CT-810 tuner. I didn't know a thing about the Technics, but it looked well built. Turns out its a very well regarded 8 gang tuner and works fine.

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An attic installation will work well. Try the twin lead since you have it. The ST-9030 is an excellent tuner. Congrats!
 
Thank you. I've only played with it in my basement shop area so far just to confirm that it works. It seems to work very good and I'm anxious to hook it up to a good antenna.

When using 300 ohm twin lead, is it advisable to twist the lead? Seems I read that somewhere. I have 100' of NOS twin lead so length is not an issue.
 
The higher up you mount it, the better performance you will get from it. Twin lead is fine. It has less loss than coax but (theoretically) it's a bit more susceptible to noise than coax, but I wouldn't sweat this.
 
BeerLegs said:
Thank you. I've only played with it in my basement shop area so far just to confirm that it works. It seems to work very good and I'm anxious to hook it up to a good antenna.

When using 300 ohm twin lead, is it advisable to twist the lead? Seems I read that somewhere. I have 100' of NOS twin lead so length is not an issue.
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Twisting isn’t necessary. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. it is more important to keep the twin lead away from everything - especially anything metal.
 
If space allows, put that in attic on a rotator, then play with it on a rainy (or locked-down)day & be surprised with what you can pull in. I have this type set-up in my attic, along with a crossed dipole (& a couple other antennas for amateur radio & scanner). Almost nothing escapes the Sony HD tuner in kitchen stereo stack with the omni (crossed dipole) with 300 ohm twin lead. @skipper is right on the loss issue. Run what you have, you'll be good!
 
Anyone still needing 300 ohm twinlead can still find a suitable sub in 300 ohm window line that is used in amateur radio. Usually DXEngineering has this and it is generally better quality than twinlead.
 
Update on this antenna. I never did use it because I already have a Winegard 6055 8 element and a 9 element Channel Master Stereo Probe 9 antennas. I shipped it to my brother and he replaced his Stellar Labs 4 element antenna. He can't fit a huge antenna in his attic, not enough room. He's reporting a night and day difference. A big improvement. Glad he could put it to use.
 

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A bit OT, but using a GOOD balun and coax was suggested. Where are good, outdoor, 300/75 baluns found now? The one that came with my Winegard omni, last year, was absolute garbage, with so few conductor strands that it broke at the fork connector when tightening. I used a cheap spare that I had but it's nothing like the rugged Winegard baluns of the 1970's.

I did check on-line but am not sure what might be better that what I already have. Thanks for any help.
 
oldflame said:
A bit OT, but using a GOOD balun and coax was suggested. Where are good, outdoor, 300/75 baluns found now? The one that came with my Winegard omni, last year, was absolute garbage, with so few conductor strands that it broke at the fork connector when tightening. I used a cheap spare that I had but it's nothing like the rugged Winegard baluns of the 1970's.

I did check on-line but am not sure what might be better that what I already have. Thanks for any help.
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Cable companies dispense these by the shiiteload via their cable techs. Cheap & easy for most people to find.
 
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