OLD antenna

[wlohe]

Since I bought my house 20 years ago, I've been receiving broadcast TV with the largish rooftop antenna that was already there. It must be at least 30 years old--maybe more. Obviously, I'll switch to broadcast digital in a couple of months. A week ago, a windstorm snapped the old twin-lead transmission line. I've been reading a lot about this, and plan to switch to RG-6 coaxial cable (a run of between 30 and 40 feet). But is there any magic about how I make the connection of the new cable to the old antenna? How I attach the core and the shield? Any polarity issues? Other do's and don't's?

[eliwhitney]

Hello wlohe -

A - f.y.i. - All TV Stations have long-since started their digital broadcasting ... doing - Both - now & only have to cease the analog in Feb.. You don't need to wait !

There's a "transformer" approximately the bulk & size of your middle finger specifically for the connection to that antenna block w/ a very short piece of twin lead .... on the opposite end, there is the threaded male end for coax. Some call it 75 ohm to 300 ohm transformer ... others just say it is a "balun unit." At the peg boads of Lowe's, H.D., Wal-Mart SuperCenters & - last resort - R.S..

http://www.solidsignal.tv/prod_display. ... d=WMXFMRPT

Do go to www.antennaweb.org ... put in Just your ZIP Code , check off 'digital' - ignore all those others!

Listed will be your channels, what Compass heading ( it may be new or different) how far, which band both today as well as after Feb & by a color-coding, the suggested "gain" or strength needed.

Some 400 Stations will be changing from their temporary UHF channels back to the Hi VHF, so rescan the morning after!

Now, just view some of these at www.solidsignal.com to compare it's picture with yours, to be sure it IS the needed type.

Do buy a 50 feet coil with weather-proof ends or terminals already applied - here is a sample -

http://www.solidsignal.tv/prod_display. ... =DGCBL050Q

P.S. .... After 20 years, do check and / or replace that antenna assembly ground wire! Supposed to be a solid #6 copper wire running to a copper-clad rod driven into the earth.

[akirby]

Get quad shield RG6 (rated for outdoor connections - typically comes with a rubber boot) and a balun/transformer. If your antenna is uhf/vhf then you may be ok or you may have to upgrade the antenna depending on the strength, channel and location of the digital stations. As Eli pointed out you can start receiving the digital stations today although their channel assignment may change in February.

[TomMac]

Quad shield is over kill for the average city dweller and more expensive.

[eliwhitney]

Hi TomMac & welcome -

In a city setting, one will be far better satisfied w/ local basic cable service & use the "QAM" internal tuner anyway ... multipathing, lack of line-of-sight from all the nearby other buildings, etc. makes any UHF digital project a daunting task for just those 4 -5 networks.

Not at all prohibitive - as long as one buys from the various quality web house & not locally ! In this reference .... under $4 difference.

And, after one has 'fiddled about' a very brief time with antennas / rotors / amplifiers in the attempts to receive the new UHF digital signals consistently, that Quad RG-6 will be worth every penny !

Successful , reliable, consistent-in-all-weather or Seasons is very often a frustrating project . Nearly the "opposite experiences / success" as with our analog VHF over these past 30 -40 years.

eli

[akirby]

Quad shield is over kill for the average city dweller and more expensive.

Can't be more than $10 difference for 40 feet for a cable that should last at least 20 years. You're telling me that 50 cents per year is too expensive?

[wlohe]

Thank you all -- especially Eli -- for the detailed explanation. After reading your suggestions, I was able to do a lot more research online, and now I think I really understand it, and can handle it. This obviously would be piece of cake for someone experienced, but I've never dealt with a TV antenna before. Without your hints, I' would have been up and down off my roof a half dozen times before I got it right. Maybe now I can do it in one (or--realistically--two?

One last quick question

[akirby]

Coiling a few extra feet of coax won't hurt, but I'd coil it closer to the antenna if possible so you have more flexibility in case you need to replace or relocate the antenna down the road. One thing you do lose is signal strength so if you only need 30 or 40 feet get a 50 foot pre-made cable, not a 100 foot cable. But there's no need to shorten the 50 foot cable.