multiswitches are evil

[borghe]

So since my antenna was first installed, I've been running it through a 5x8 multiswitch. it seemed to make sense. fewer cable runs, great signal, and just overall ease of use.

until as some of you know my WVTV-DT signals dropped through the floor, WDJT dropped by around 15 points to fix WVTV, fox only came in around low 70's sometimes, mostly high 60's, etc. But my picture was stable for the most part so for the last few weeks (this is when it started) I just left it alone.

Finally yesterday I decided to just run to radio shack (I now understand how a store that virtually never has anyone in it stays in business) and pick up a good length of quad shielded RG6 for a separate run from the antenna..

Wow.. what a difference. I went from mid-60's on WVTV to high 80's low 90's.. high 60's on WITI to low-to-mid 80's, and from high 50's on WDJT to 71.. lol.. yes, 71. it doesn't move. I am assuming on my Tivo it is impossible for me to get it any better than 71.

Anyway, as you can tell, the difference between the multiswitch and diplexer setup is huge. I gained on average 15 points on all of the trouble channels. If you are using the same type of a setup I HIGHLY recommend weaning yourself off of it.

[Den Mayer]

It sounds like your antenna run with new

 RG-6 Quad shielded cable did wonders.....

  Was your old antenna cable:

   RG-6 dual shielded, RG-59, flat lead...

     or What??

   GBay TWC techs recommend RG-6 dual shielded cable...

[borghe]

my old antenna run was Quad RG6 to the attenuator to the multiswitch. Then from the multiswitch over Quad RG6 to the diplexer and then over like 6 inches of RG58 to the input.

My new run is Quad RG6 from the antenna to the attenuator, then out over Quad RG6 to the input of the Tivo. The cabling is virtually the same, the only real difference is removing the multiswitch and diplexer. I had to add another cable but it was the same type as the first cable. so I now have three cables coming up through to floor to my Tivo instead of two.

part of the problem is that I have so much gain coming in from the antenna (only about 6 miles from the transmitters) that I had to cut it before going to the multiswitch, otherwise the MS would amplify it to unuseable levels for my receiver. I was running a full 20dB pad perviously. Currently I am only running about a 3-5dB pad (variable attenuator). I could actually not cut the signal at all and get the same or better signals on WVTV and WCGV, except that I will drop down to the low 70's on WITI because of too much gain from WISN already tested).

Though I agree with everyone's sentiment on the board.. I can't wait until next July when the big four are required to raise their output.. I would very much love it if when I eventually move (two springs?) that I can just stick a small indoor on my Tivo and still get everything at at least 80%.

[John L]

Originally posted by borghe
Though I agree with everyone's sentiment on the board.. I can't wait until next July when the big four are required to raise their output..  

The Big 4???  I thought it applied to all the DTV stations in the Milwaukee area?  Besides 4, 6 increasing their DTV signal to 100 kW, while 10, and 12 goto 310 kW, that means ch. 18, 24, 30, 36, and 58 must increase heir DTV signal to 5,000 kW.

Course all the DTV signals are UHF except ch. 10 which is on ch. 8. Ch. 10 can only go 310 kW, the rest must go 5,000 kW or 5 MW.

-John L.

[Gregg Lengling]

Originally posted by John L
The Big 4???  I thought it applied to all the DTV stations in the Milwaukee area?  Besides 4, 6 increasing their DTV signal to 100 kW, while 10, and 12 goto 310 kW, that means ch. 18, 24, 30, 36, and 58 must increase heir DTV signal to 5,000 kW.

Course all the DTV signals are UHF except ch. 10 which is on ch. 8. Ch. 10 can only go 310 kW, the rest must go 5,000 kW or 5 MW.

-John L.

The rule only covers ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX at this time.