erobinson1
Bainbridge,Ga.
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I have a new Radio Shack antenna on the roof. My house was built prewired with co-ax. I'm installing a TV and new D/A converter in a room that is prewired but has never had a tv in it before. The co-ax from the antenna comes into the attic and into a junction. The co-ax then goes from the junction to the wall where the tv is. I have no digital signal at all. It seems as if there is no antenna even hooked up. What I'm wondering is this- Should the co-ax in the house coming from the roof mount have any ohm reading? How can I verify that I do have a solid connection to the antenna without climbing on the roof? Can I tell with an ohm meter? SHouldn't the antenna have some resistance? Thanks.
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Jim&Peg
Central Ohio
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Joined: 07/14/2004
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No, you should not get any resistance reading from the center wire to the shield. About the only way to test is to go up to the antenna and put a temp jumper to short it out. Then you should get a very low ohms reading at the other end.
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wintek
Shreveport, Louisiana
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You say you cannot get a digital signal. Can you get an analog signal and if so how is the picture quality?
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Tenn Stud
Northeast, TN
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Joined: 11/16/2004
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In order to measure the resistance of the coax you will have to have a ohm meter lead on each end of the center wire of the coax, Like an RG58. If you are reading nothing on the coax, Try reading the center wire to ground (shield)there should be nothing. Your coax should go straight from your antenna to your converter box, Nothing in between
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erobinson1
Bainbridge,Ga.
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No analog signal either. It's like the connection to the antenna is not complete, but it is!
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erobinson1
Bainbridge,Ga.
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I'll pick up some bullet connectors tomorrow and bypass the junction and see what happens. Thanks
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John&Cathy
Climax, NY
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Joined: 09/03/2006
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Hi Ed,
I used to repair electronics and install TV antennas a few years ago.
There is an adaptor on the antenna that the cable is hooked to, some
of them will give a reading others will not. So the meter won't help
in this case.
Make sure that the cable from the antenna and the one from the TV do not
have a bent center pin and that the center pin comes out to about the
end of the screw part. Although you could still have a bad connection at
the antenna.
Another thing to try is to see if you get a regular analog signals at the TV.
If you do, but they are a little snowy, you may need an antenna amplifier or
an amplified splitter.
If you still do not get any regular stations, then get a some cable and hook up
the TV directly to the wire that comes from the antenna and see what you get.
(A lot of signal is lost in that splitter) If running the cable direct gets
a fair signal, you may just need an amplified splitter and not have to go up on
the roof.
To get Digital you will need a good strong signal or you will get nothing.
(Most of the Digital stations are on UHF)
I hope this helps you and that I didn't make it too confusing.
Good Luck, John
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John&Cathy
Climax, NY
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I am so slow. When I started to write, there were no replies.
John
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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What John Said Some antennas will show near short (or shorted) some open.
I wonder about that "Junction" in the attic. Pictures or a very detailed description please.
I have two TV antennas on this house. One runs straight to a Replay TV in the basement, from there it's split and goes to a computer (TV-tuner card) and VCR, through the VCR to a splitter (Actually I don't recall which side of the VCR the splitter is on.. The VCR gathers much dust) to a 2nd Replay TV and a Digital converter.. The A/V out from the converter also feeds Replay #2.
Replays are Digital Video Recorders.. Think TiVo Series 3 on steroids
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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joshjack
Alabama
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Joined: 11/01/2007
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I'm concerned about the "Junction" too. Some junctions are directional, and other junctions are meant to split off satellite, cable, and even cable internet from the same coax. You could be connected to the wrong ports, etc.
Also, I have personally found that both the screw-on type coax ends and the radioshack-collar type ends are very finicky and your best bet is to get a real compression type crimper and ends at lowes. I have rewired my house coax to a central distribution box, and I have also done commercial installations. In both instances only the compression type ends have been trouble free and lasted very long.
J
03 Ram 1500 Quad Cab with Hemi 5.7, HD tow package, K&N Cold Air, B&W Companion + Ball, Prodigy,
1987 Prowler 27.5',
Macbook Pro 17" (Fastest Vista Laptop  , iPhone)
Me and the DW and our
2 Dogs: Jackson (golden), Pumba (min-pin)
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