The in-line amplifier will increase your signal strength for 'Long Runs' of RG-6 from the dish to the receiver. It will give a gain in your signal strength, but will also put added current draw from you receiver's power supply. The in-line amplifier (or most of them), is powered from your receiver's power supply with anywhere from 12Vdc - 18Vdc.
If you tweak the dish for the best elevation/azimuth alignment first, addition of the amplifier could improve both the signal strength and quality of your signal. Because the two go hand-hand! Don't trust what the receiver says on 'Quality' of the signal. The software in the receiver will lie about that! A little cheap Sat meter will not!My summation get RG11 wire good signal finder or a larger dish to improve your signal. I have had similar experiences with In-line Amplifiers. I don't use them and don't recommend them. They are basically useless and a waste of money Good luck!
im running a dish 500 and 2 single 18 in dishes, using rg-6 cable level 80% and above quality 90%. my buddy has the same his picture looks great. also im using a toshiba hd big screen
Cartman Your coaxial cable should be RG-6/U make sure that the "F" fittings are good & solid and grounded, not shorted to the center wire of the cable.
Do not ask (most) Viewsats and/or Pansat 3500 to give out more power - They are usually stretched to their limits. It would be a good idea to add an amplifier with its own separate power supply, where you feel it might be of benefit.