[TowerTalk] Cable-TV and TVI

[Lee Buller]

I have been fighting poor cable reception at my QTH for years.  I've
replaced a lot of f-connectors over the year trying to remedy the problem.
The picture would be perfect, but over a period of hours the picture would
"fuzz."

I swallowed my pride and called MultiMedia.  They sent a guy out who looked
around and flat told me I didn't know how to put on an f-connector.  Also,
he told me that the coaxial cable in the house was worthless because it was
not good enough for the higher cable frequencies.  

He also wanted to know what all those low pass filters were hanging off the
TVs.  I explained what they were and he just shook his head.  He unscrewed
the cable from the low pass filter and held it up in the air.  The filter
itself was receiving Channel 12 which is 35 miles away.

For $30.00 he said he would rewire the house with new connectors and new
cable.  I asked him what was special about the cable and he said it was 90
percent steel braid and a steel foil.  He said that the steel braid works
better on higher frequencies and has less leakage.  OK...I shelled out the
$30.00 and they began.  They spent two hours and about 500 foot of cable.  I
got my $30.00 worth.  They home-ran all the cables to the TVs with just one
splitter.  

He then went out on the pole and measure the amount of signal with a
"WavTek" meter and said it was a little low.  He left for a period of time
and came back and said he had rebalanced the signal for the area.  Measured
the signal at the house this time and got a +4 db signal.  Ok...S1+
(HHHHHARRRRRRR!  Whoops, maybe we shouldn't start that thread again)

We fired up on the TVs and things looked great.  He left.  I fired up the
amp and there was not one iota of TVI anywhere.  Tight cable.  No filters.

I am still not convinced that it is all fixed, because we experienced a
little noise later in the evening.  I think the buried drop from the pole to
the house might be a little flaky.  But, time will tell.  At least, I can
tell the neighbors my story and have then call the Cable Guy!

Just thought I would pass along the story....

Lee  aka Leroy
k0wa@southwind.net
"Light the fires and kick the tires...we're gonna work some multipliers!"

PS;  I also learned how to put on a f-connector correctly.  But the Cable
Guy didn't like the connectors Radio Shack has (surprise?).  He said they
would work for a time, but would eventually fail.

I betcha this Cable Guy was glad to get out of there....being followed
around all afternoon by a techno-geek




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