Hello Guys

With over 30 years rf experience in paging, mobile, cellular, microwave,etc.,
lets get this amplifier issue straight. An amplifier can only improve the performance of a system if:

1) The input signal is above the noise threshold of the amplifier
2) There is an incoming rf signal (passive antenna gain)
3) The frontend of a receiver does not have pre-amplification or poor sensitivity
4) The amplifier does not get overloaded to distortion

If all of these conditions are met, the amplifier AT the antenna output will help the system performance and also overcome losses in the co-axial cable. Under certain conditions an amplifier further down the chain may help, only if the receiver has poor sensitivity.

The old saying one cannot amplify an RF signal that does not exist or is in the noise floor. ( Zero times 28 dB gain is still zero)