[TowerTalk] Grounding a metal roof/Direct TV

[Grant Saviers]

I know that the current generation HD DirectTV DVR communicates with the 
dish via some protocol.  I think the way it works is the 
LNA/downconverter/multi switch at the dish downconverts the desired 
station (satellite, transponder, polarization) to a band and RG6 so 
multiple DVRs can hook to one dish.  The two RG6's also permit 
simultaneous recording from two satellites.  The newest system does this 
all on one coax.  How that is done I know is incompatible with the prior 
generation of DirectTV and Tivo DVRs and some splitters.

The point is, a Polyphaser or ICE arrestor may interfere with the 
protocols.  A RG6 shield grounding block obviously won't.

Perhaps a TTian knows what works with the various DirectTV generations.

Grant KZ1W

On 12/27/2011 9:22 PM, K8RI wrote:
> On 12/27/2011 7:14 PM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
>> Wow, what bad luck.  I would also be interested in a satellite TV protection
>> device.  I imagine that lightning would hit the tower instead of the dish,
>> but it wouldn't hurt to have some added protection.
> If it's either Dish Network, or Direct TV they should have the devices
> available and might even install them. They should have installed one
> when they installed the dish.  Mine has a two coax grounding block which
> was right by the dish, but when I moved the dish to the 45G I put the
> grounding block about 5' off the ground on one tower leg.  That should
> suffice unless the TV set is very close to the dish. Then I'd add an ICE
> protector to each coax assuming you have two like my system.
>
> BTW my shop is similar to your roof. I do not have a metal roof, but the
> entire interior of the shop is bonded barn metal. It is grounded to the
> common ground where the cables come in the shop. I have NEMA metal boxes
> inside and outside at these entrances which are connected via 2 or 3"
> steel conduit.  They are bolted together with through bolts as well as
> the nuts on the conduit.  Those nuts are tack welded to the conduit and
> to the boxes on both sides. The ground able also attaches to both
> boxes...or did. I have one of the boxes off at present.
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>> John
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> To: TOWERTALK at contesting.com
>> Subject: [TowerTalk] Grounding a metal roof/Direct TV
>> From: Cqtestk4xs at aol.com
>> Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:47:42 -0500 (EST)
>> List-post: towertalk at contesting.com">mailto:towertalk at contesting.com
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>> Also before I even got any towers up last summer, we got nailed  with a
>> lightning hit that came through the Direct TV and took out our 60 inch
>> screen
>> which was two days old.  Any place to get a Polyphaser for this that  won't
>> break the bank?  I believe Direct uses around 1.2 gHz.
>>
>> As always thanks for the help.  I bet I get a usable answer in  an
>> hour...always happens!
>>
>> Bill K4XS
>>
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