finding break in coax cable???

[dmorlow]

Ok, we have a directv satellite that has two receivers. One receiver is in the house and one is in our barn. (It's a pretty dang nice barn. Big screen TV and the whole shebang.) But our satellite went out in the barn (only) a few days ago. It says that it has no signal strength. The coax is running to the back of the receiver and we haven't moved that. We tried to disconnect and reconnect it but didn't help. The coax cable runs out the back of our house and through the woods then runs under the driveway and into the barn. Anywhere in the woods, under the barn, and under ground, it could be broke. Is there an easy way to find the break in the wire? Does anyone have any suggestions on where to get a tool that we could put on the end that it could give an approximation of how many feet it is to the break? I learned about these tools in a networking class but I don't have a clue on where to get one. Or does someone have a better idea on how to find the break?

Thanks,

David

 

[Stargazer]

How far beneath the driveway is the wire running? If not very far then that is where I would look first. I heard that there is a device that tells you how long your wire is when it is sold by length so they do not have to measure it (unless it has the footage on the wire). You may also want to look where there may be connections.

 

[boba]

Check where you have exposed connections for corrosion. Swap the receivers just to be sure the problem isn't in the receivers. The last thing is the one you are hoping against replace the cable from dish to barn if the problem isn't any place else. This time bury it in conduit large enough so that you can pull another line through it if you have a problem again.

 

[belawrence]

the device

The measurement device in question is called a Time-Distance Reflectometer, or TDM for short.

 

[Neutron]

It sounds very similar to the cat-5 cable tester I have used in the past. It will tell you not only if your cable is good or faulty, but also the length.

 

[SkyOnion]

Leave the cable connected to the reciever, make sure the reciever is plugged in, go to the LNB on the dish, disconnect the RG6 from the LNB. One at a time stick the RG6 connector on your tongue. It'll be about the equivalent of a 9v battery. If one side does not have that voltage coming back you either have a break in the line or the reciever is bad.

As mentioned swap the boxes to be sure.

If you have a break you could splice it back but I'd advise against it. For best reliability you need a home run.

 

[boba]

Leave the cable connected to the reciever, make sure the reciever is plugged in, go to the LNB on the dish, disconnect the RG6 from the LNB. One at a time stick the RG6 connector on your tongue. It'll be about the equivalent of a 9v battery. If one side does not have that voltage coming back you either have a break in the line or the reciever is bad.

As mentioned swap the boxes to be sure.

If you have a break you could splice it back but I'd advise against it. For best reliability you need a home run.

Because there is voltage on the line, if you splice and then bury the cable it will probably corrode in the first 30 days due to moisture in the soil. That is why I said in an earlier post to replace it and future proof it by using conduit.

 

[Tom Cahill]

Why not just mount a second dish at the barn and be done with the long run of wire???

 

[Skip Towne]

Finding a cable break

Why not just mount a second dish at the barn and be done with the long run of wire???

That's the best idea I've heard yet.

 

[Stargazer]

That is what I generally do if the wire run is too long because it is easier and in some cases cheaper than running a long wire run. Some people just use the small 18" dish for their garage/barn/room/etc. that is close to their house.