Get the double shielded coax that Radio Shack sells for installing
dishes. I think its called RG6A or RG6Q or something like that. I
installed it for the external portion of my downlead and was amazed at
the improvement in clarity of the picture just by changing cables. I
can't wait until I get a job so I can afford to buy enough to complete
the internal run.
Keep the cable as straight as possible and the bend radii as large as
possible. Every sharp bend causes signal loss. I shoot for at least a
foot radius in all my bends.
Don't use amplifiers! They introduce their own noise to the picture,
plus they amplify any noise that is already in the signal. Amplifiers
should be your last resort in extremely difficult reception situations.
Try getting the best of everything else first. You can always cut in an
amplifier later.
Don't use splitters. With every split you lose about a third of your
signal strength.
Use an absolute minimum of connectors. Each one is a potential signal
loss.
Coat every outdoor connection liberally with dielectric grease, not
OxGuard. Use the best quality weather boots you can find and coat their
interior with dielectric grease too. Even tiny amounts of corrosion in
the connector cause signal loss. Remember we are dealing with currents
so small that your typical volt meter can't even measure them. A little
grease in the indoor connections wouldn't hurt, but it is probably
overkill.
Make sure the phasing lines on the antenna don't touch each other. These
are the wires or rods that connect some of the elements. They usually
run close together, and a little rough handling in transport or
installation can bend them.
If you don't have a rotor, spend time on the roof or ladder aiming the
antenna for best compromise of reception. I use walky talkies to talk to
someone watching the TV while I adjust it. A rotor is strongly
recommended if your stations of interest are separated by more than 30
degrees or so.
I recommend you roll your own coax instead of buying premade. It allows
you to install the best quality connectors and boots. Plus it minimizes
sharp turns and excess cable coiled in the wall somewhere, which may
cause signal loss as well. If you are rolling your own, be very
deliberate about installing the connector in the end of the cable. That
little bit of shielding you are rolling back is not just a nuisance, it
is part of the circuit. If you screw it up even a little, snip it off
and start again. The double shielded coax requires that you remove the
outer shield and make contact only with the inner shield. Work
carefully. A top quality crimper like the big, red-handled one that
Radio Shack sells is a must too.
Ground you downlead! It probably won't protect your TV from a direct
lighting strike to the antenna, but the odds of a direct strike are
pretty slim for most people. More commonly, a nearby strike can induce
voltage in the antenna that can still cause damage. A long copper rod in
the ground and strong mechanical connections at both ends of the
grounding lead will go a long way to tilting the odds in your favor.
Again Radio Shack has everything you need ground your coax. Grounding
potentially reduces your signal quality, but I consider it a small price
to pay to protect the AV equipment and possible your house.
If this sounds like an ad for Radio Shack, it might be, because I found
an employee at my local store who is enthusiastic about getting great
over-the-air reception and he taught me a bunch. Plus, they have just
about everything you need to get great reception. But I also learned a
lot from some books that are no longer in print and by experimenting. My
neighbors probably think I'm nuts for how much time I spend on the roof
with that antenna.
Jon
Tom and Sharon Shirley wrote:
>
> Help guys!
>
> I've got my antennas already. They are a separate UHF and VHF set up. Does
> anyone know where I can find some good instructions on wiring them in for
> max performance. I'm looking for tips on what type of coax, what type of
> amplifier (mast mounted or in the house, or both), etc.
>
> I've lived with marginal reception due to improper wiring and would like to
> do it right, once and for all.
>
> Tom and Sharon Shirley
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