?...... Diplexer Problem .......?

[Stoopalini]

About 2 weeks ago, I bought a roof mount off-air ant and mounted it right next to my satalite. I ran 2 cables, one from the sat and one from the ant, to a diplexer I mounted on the roof. Then I ran a single cable from the outdoor diplexer to an indoor diplexer. Hooked the Sat cable from the diplexer to the sat receiver; ant cable from the diplexer to an amplifier, then to my VCR for a tuner.

Well, everything was working great until just the other day. I lost reception of locals and the satalite starting getting very choppy in the video and audio. I suspected the long cable run, so I replace it. Now the satalite works fine, but I still do not get locals.

Is it possible that a bad cable could have damaged one of the diplexers? and if so, would I see the problem in just the analogue signal?

Maybe there is a way to test a diplexer -- with a multimeter or something? I'm no EE, but I know a few of you guys are and was hoping someone could lend some advice before I go home and pull the whole setup down.

The Antenae is not that old, and both diplexers came included in the package, so I know I could just bring the whole seup back. But if I could determine which component is causing my problem, it will save me a ton of time uninstalling and reinstalling the whole setup.

Thanks,

Thomas.

[Digital Bob]

Thomas,

You probably already thought of this, but...

A simple way to isolate the problem to the diplexer(s) is to bypass them temporarily. Simply buy 2 Rad Shak double female F connectors. Then connect the cable from the OTA antenae directly to the cable run going inside using one double female. Inside, do the same thing. Connect the cable leading to the vcr/amp directly to the incoming cable with the other double female (bypassing the 2nd diplexer). If the OTA channels work you are probably right, one (or both) of the diplexors is bad. The double females will cost you just 2 or 3 bucks and it's an easy test.

Hope this helps,




dB

[Lexman]

Stoopalini, the other thing you could do is just purchase a diplexer from Rat Shack, use it, and if it doesn't help your problem, simply return it. Just keep the packaging in good shape and it shouldn't be a problem.

However, if you just purchase 1 diplexer, remember , if you replace one and it doesn't work right? Take the old one you replaced, and go swap it with the other one before removing Rat Shack's diplexer out of the loop. The odds of you having two bad diplexers is low, unless you have had a lightning hit. In which case they could both be toast.

Anyway, maybe that will help.

Lex





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[Stoopalini]

Great Idea's guys! Thanks.

I know I need to get up on the roof and try just the Ant like Bob said, but I don't have a way to get up there right now.
When I put the thing up, I borrowed my brother's ladder and he has since reclaimed it. I need to get myself down to home depot and pick one up.

Man, I just moved into this new house about a month ago and I always seem to forget something when I go to that place. Maybe I should just get one of everything LOL!

For now, I have a small indoor Ant connected to the amplifier and it works *ok*. I'll let you know what happens,

Thomas.

Hey Bob, I was reviewing this post and realized you're from Providence ---- so how is good 'ole RI these days? I moved here to TX from RI about 6 years ago. Graduated High School from Burrillville and Attended PC for a while !

[Lexman]

Sure thing man! Lex





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[Digital Bob]

Thomas,

I know what you mean about Home Depot; it's the only place my wife absolutley WILL NOT let me get a credit card from! I think she's more afraid of what I'll spend there than what I could on Home Theater stuff :B

As for RI... I actually live on the edge of the "Northwest Hills" myself. I put Providenc because NO ONE else knows where Foster/Western Coventry is. Besides, is anyone in RI really that far from Providence? But as you know, if you ask someone from the Greater Prov area, they think they need to pack a lunch and make hotel reservations to drive to Burriville I've never seen anything like it anywhere else I've lived.

The Del's frozen lemonade is still cold, the coffee-milk is still sweet, George's clamcakes are still hot, the politician's are still being arrested, the roads are still torn up, and the people are still a trip. Same Ole' Rhodey!




dB

[Stoopalini]

Oh man, thats great stuff!

Del's lemonade --- I do miss it!
Coffee Milk -- They don't even know what thst is down here :roll:
and how about Ice Coffee? I ordered that down here and they looked at me like I was crazy!
Nothing like a good bowl of Chowder and Clam Cakes over at Rocky Point :B
As far as the politicians, well, lets just say that Federal Hill was always one of my favorite places to be
It seems as long as there's road construction, there's RI politicians in jail -- LOL

Thanks Bob, you brought back a few good memories

Thomas.

[Lexman]

Hell, I think we should make an infomercial about RI from that! That is good stuff.

Lex