Losing signal on long cable runs

[Pache777]

My dish is nearly 350 feet from my reciever. I keep losing the even transponders. I have RG6 cable. Will RG6 quad help? I have in line boosters in place but they don't seem to make a big difference. Would pure copper core cable be better than mine (which is copper clad steel)? Also how important is it to have the braid on the cable in contact with the barrel of the terminal? In installation I used some screw on terminals and they tend to shred all of the braid away?
Also some of my cable is buried bare in the ground--though no terminals are underground--could this be part of my problem?
Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[grydlok]

RG11 cable no need to play around if you are running cable that long.

 

[harshness]

My dish is nearly 350 feet from my reciever.

You must live on a big lot to have your dish installed that far away.

I keep losing the even transponders.

This suggests that you've got too much DC voltage loss to control the LNB.

Will RG6 quad help?

No! Quad shielding gives better noise isolation. What you need is better DC conductivity.

I have in line boosters in place but they don't seem to make a big difference.

If anything, these "boosters" are part of the problem (voltage loss).

Would pure copper core cable be better than mine (which is copper clad steel)?

It is what is recommended, but it probably won't help at that distance. There's a reason that DIRECTV puts the limit at 200' for legacy equipment.

Also how important is it to have the braid on the cable in contact with the barrel of the terminal?

It is imperative. You need to be able to get 18VDC all the way to the dish and if you're connected with a couple of hairs, it is going to get real hot and go nowhere. Screw-on connectors are not an option for satellite cabling (their really not an option for any kind of cabling).

Also some of my cable is buried bare in the ground--though no terminals are underground--could this be part of my problem?

Probably not, but given your track record, it probably isn't rated for direct burial and won't last long.

I would try these things, in this order:

1. Move the receiver closer to the dish (I'm assuming the dish can't get any closer and still see the satellite(s)).
2. Install a self powered multiswitch mid-way.
3. Use RG11 (this is big, big money; maybe more than a remote repeater). RG6 is about 6 cents/ft and RG11 is around 36 cents/foot.
4. Move.

 

[Pache777]

Thanks for the input--any suggestions as to where to get a self-powered Multi-switch?

 

[Ace68]

Did you have a good signal before this, or never?

try replacing the f connectors with all steel compression fittings (crimper, stripper, and 10 connectors for $30 in a kit at Home Depot)

Move rcvr closer to dish and check tp levels, if still none, maybe bad LNB

All of this only if it used to work

 

[harshness]

Putting fancy connectors on is a little like putting a bow on a skinny piglet. Compression connectors aren't necessarily as good for conductivity as you might think. Some brands have a rather small contact patch because of plastic ferrules.

It is possible that good connectors will fix the problem, just not likely.

 

[dgordo]

Thanks for the input--any suggestions as to where to get a self-powered Multi-switch?

What type of dish so you have?

 

[texasbrit]

My dish is nearly 350 feet from my reciever. I keep losing the even transponders. I have RG6 cable. Will RG6 quad help? I have in line boosters in place but they don't seem to make a big difference. Would pure copper core cable be better than mine (which is copper clad steel)? Also how important is it to have the braid on the cable in contact with the barrel of the terminal? In installation I used some screw on terminals and they tend to shred all of the braid away?
Also some of my cable is buried bare in the ground--though no terminals are underground--could this be part of my problem?
Thanks for any help you can give.

Yes you are getting too much voltage drop on the 18v signal that selects the even transponders. And yes the inline amplifiers will make that particular problem worse rather than better since they take their power from the cables.
First, try either a WB616 powered multiswitch, or use a Sonora power locker which essentially has the same effect. Either will creat their own signalling voltages to the LNBs instead of you having to rely on the power coming from the receivers.

If that does not solve the problem, you will need to do something about the cables. Copper-clad steel RG6 is not recommended for DirecTV installations - yes, it's a lot better than RG59 but even in normal installations you should not use it. And in your case you should be using RG11 not RG6. Using RG11 you might even be able to get rid of the in-line amplifiers.