Satellite RF cables

[davmoo]

I'm having a few minor issues with my satellite TV that boil down to that's what I get for using cheap RG6 (because I had, and still have, several thousand foot spools of the stuff laying around left over from a job for a client a few years back). So in preparation for going HD on the Dish Network I'm looking at running new cable from the dish to the house. Its about a 75 to 90 foot or so run.

After Googling around for a bit, the bee's knees in RG6 seems to be Belden 1694A. And if one wants to go really low loss and doesn't mind a larger RG11 cable that is not very flexible, and a larger price tag, Belden 7731A.

Anybody have any other suggestions I should be looking at?

Edit: And no, moving the dish closer to the house is not an option. Where the dish is now is the closest I can get it to the house without cutting down trees. And in any argument of Trees versus Dish, trees will win. I like my trees.

[revision3fan]

At the 75 - 90 ft. length, signal attenuation could become a problem. The signal at the antenna end may have to be amplified, if possible.

[davmoo]

Even with an amp I'm losing a good 9 db or more by the time it gets in the house. I know all the dish hardware is good, and I'm getting the best signal possible at the dish. That's why I'm going with the bad coax theory.

[revision3fan]

Is a wireless solution possible from the antenna to to the house? One that works with video or 802.11n perhaps? I've heard 20 Mbps is necessary for mp4 which is what I think Dish Network HD is.

If staying wired, try to put your house tuner as close to the cable entrance as possible. Move your TV there.

[davmoo]

Already done that. The satellite enters the house at the closest point possible, and I rearranged the house 10 years ago just so I could have the TV next to where the satellite enters.

As for wireless, there aren't a lot of options there. From the satellite receiver to a TV, yeah, that's easy...Slingbox or something like that. But to my knowledge there really isn't anything available to go wireless from the dish itself to the receiver. The only way really to do that would be to put a receiver out at the dish and operate it remotely somehow. And by the time all the hardware for that is added up, going with super-duper high-end 7731a coax at $2 a foot (Bluejeans Cable price) is cheaper.

A larger dish is also an option. I could go to 30" dishes instead of the current 18" dishes.

Now that its finally quit raining for a few days I'm going to look around the yard tomorrow and see if I can move the dish to a better location. But I think I'm probably already there unless I cut trees, and as stated before I ain't doing that.

[mic]

Well, there's always Andrew HJ5-75 Heliax.



"Finally, for you connoisseurs out there who want nothing less than the Heliax... a 100 foot section, pre-assembled with "N" connectors, runs just over $25,000. You'll also need special adapters, special hanger clamps, and a system to pressurize the line with nitrogen (you'll have to change tanks periodically) or a dehydrator system. Figure closer to $30,000 for the complete installation... and don't forget to budget for the armed guard to fend off copper thieves.

RG11 looks better already, doesn't it?"



Click here for complete source article regarding cable loss.

[davmoo]

Actually there is hardline that will perform better than RG11 but without the cost of HJ5-75 and its support, although it still would be $400 or so. And don't think I haven't though about using it. What stops me is the conversion from n-connectors to f-connectors that would be needed at each end. The losses from that eat up a lot of the gain from using hardline in the first place, at least for a 100-foot run.

[revision3fan]

What about erecting a mast and placing the Dish Network antenna on top of the mast. If your antenna has to face the southern sky, try placing the mast on the north side of your house so it gives the antenna more room for an unobstructed signal.

[davmoo]

The trees are significantly taller than the house...and its a two story house plus an attic that is basically a third story. I'd have to put at least a 30-foot mast on the roof of the house to clear the trees. And not only would the coax feeding the satellite receiver be just as long as it is now, it would make for one hell of a lightning target (the tallest tree has been struck 4 times since I've lived here...how it survives that is beyond me).

I'm not trying to be a negative nay-sayer regardless of what anyone suggests, and I feel bad that that is probably how I appear. But I've done a *lot* of work over the years installing and maintaining commercial radio systems, from DC to daylight. And I've had my Dish Network for over 10 years now. Over that 10+ years, I've thought about all of this. Going to an improved RG6 or RG11, or a larger dish, is simply the only workable idea that's left that does not involve a chain saw.

[mic]

I don't see how you could do much more than increase the dish size and use RG-11 or better, to improve signal strength. Our cable internet service runs to the house with RG-11 because it would not work right with RG-6 due to the distance.

If you only need to feed one TV from multiple dishes, do you think placing the DPP-44 in the middle of the run would have any benefit?

BTW, you have nothing to feel bad about, don't worry.