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RE: [BULK] - Re: [TowerTalk] Ham radio vs. satellite dishes

To: 'Jim Lux' <jimlux@earthlink.net>, WW5L@gte.net,hcawthra@sbcglobal.net
Subject: RE: [BULK] - Re: [TowerTalk] Ham radio vs. satellite dishes
From: Steve Katz <stevek@jmr.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 11:41:38 -0800
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>


>Fellow Tower Talk members:
>
>I'm considering changing from cable tv to one of the dish systems.  Has 
>anyone had any problems with RFI, etc. to dish systems vs. cable and HF or 
>VHF transmissions?  I use a 10 element log periodic at 50 ft. with a 
>Collins 30-L-1 and a Kenwood TS 430S that I usually load to maybe 500
watts.
>
>Some of the dish systems, that "advertise" giving you four digital boxes, 
>actually give you only two and the other two sets are controlled via some 
>type of RF link.


Then, there is the issue of the phone line connection for the satellite 
receiver (needed to do authorizations, etc.).  Here is where the notorious 
PhoneX type RF links were often used, since the satellite receiver is often 
installed where there is no phone jack.

::I have all my satellite boxes (converters and TiVos, four of them) with
telephone lines run to them, which I duly unplugged two minutes after the
installer left.  The boxes remind me I haven't sent DirecTV any "updates" in
something like 644 days now, and other than that occasional message,
everything works fine.  (I unplug them just to avoid any "accidental" PPV
orders that I don't want my kids to create.)


To look towards your RFI question... I wouldn't expect much RFI from a DBS 
dish LNB. Everything is operating at frequencies much higher than 
HF.  There's probably some sort of crystal oscillator in the LNB to lock 
the DRO, but it's pretty low level, and probably around 40 MHz).

::I've had satellite TV for a long time and run kilowatts on lots of bands
with antennas that are directly above the sat dish, or in some cases wire
antennas that run right past it, and have never had one drop of RFI of any
sort coming or going.


>Also I notice most cable companies are going from the old RG59 to RG6 now 
>for home service as they "say" the RG6 gives them better specs on digital 
>signals.
>
>73 de Tom, WW5L

::I can't believe anyplace has used RG59/U for cable installations -- I've
never seen that done.  It's always quad-shield RG6, with every cable
installation I've ever had, going back to my homes in NJ back in 1980 or so.
Certainly here in L.A., I've never seen anything other than quad RG6 used.
They don't have to "say" anything -- the difference in performance should be
obvious, even with analog signals, due to the vastly superior shielding.
-WB2WIK/6


_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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