Channel Master Model 3610 Crossfire VHF TV-FM Antenna

Many years ago, I purchased a Channel Master Model 3610 Crossfire VHF/FM Yagi-Uda antenna. This antenna has served me well for over 31 years and the picture above shows its new installation at my new house I moved into in Fubruary 2009. This antenna is the lower and larger one shown in the picuture above.

According to page 5 of the Channel Master 1978 catalog shown below, this antenna is "world famous" and set the original standard for superior broadband performance. It uses the Channel Master "Energy Absorbtion" principle that puts more elements to work for greater gain, directivity, and flatter respoonse across the entire band.

The Model 3610 was advertised as a deep fringe antenna with a boom length of 147 in. Note the model 3610 sold for $81.47 in 1978, the year I purchased the antenna.

Page 4 of the catalog, shown below, describes the design of the Channel Master Crossfire antenna.

The antenna above the crosfire antenna (the antenna that looks like a long arrow) is a UHF TV corner reflector Yagi-Uda antenna. I believe I purchased it from Radio Shack in 1978.

Both antennas are installed on a telescoping mast made by Rohn. The picture below shows the antenna installation at my new house. The mast was purchased in 1978 and this exact installation was erected there before I installed these antennas on my tower. This picture shows the installation at my present house. The mast is anchored to a wooden deck at two places. The mast is stabilized by 12 guy wires (4 each at 3 levels). The mast is pushed up about 33 feet.

Both antennas are mounted on a short mast attached to a Channel Master Model 9515 Heavy Duty rotor (3-wire). The rotor control box is shown below.

The picture below from page 19 of the 1978 catalog describes the rotor. Note the rotor sold for $75 in 1978, the year I purchased it.

The rotor uses synchronized motors in both the rotor and control box to provide the antenna pointing. The rotor itself is geared and has a thrust bearing to handle large antenna loads such as my installation.

In 1978, I also purchased two Channel Master Spartan preamplifiers (1 VHF and 1 UHF) and installed them beneath the antennas. These amplifiers were made for 300-ohm twin-lead antenna lead-in, but in my new installation, I have installed a Winegard Model AP-2870 Chromstar 2000 dual-band (VHV/UHF) low noise, high output preamplifier made for 72-ohm coaxial cable. Each antenna has a Channel Master CM 3075 balun transformer to convert the 300-ohm antenna impedance to 72 ohms. The figure below shows the Winegard amplifier installed on the mast near the ground.

The picture below shows the complete antenna installation.

I have a Sony Model KDL32XBR9 32-inch LCD HDTV I use with this antenna arrangement. I can regularly receive digital stations (VHF and UHF) in Birmingham as well as those in Huntsville. When conditions are good, I can receive stations in Nashville, Memphis, Columbus, MS, and even Atlanta, GA.

The Channel Master antenna works well for broadcast FM, too. I can regularly receive stations in Birmingham and Nashville.

This installation works well.