Long cable run from dish

[chris prack]

Hello all,

I can no longer receive most of my HD channels since the move to the 99 sat.

DirectTV is either unwilling or incapable of moving my dish to get a proper signal. It has been over two years since I have been able to see local channels in HD. They want me to cut down a 70+ foot Oak tree to "maybe" get a signal. Obviously I am not going to do that.

I have a large open field backing up to the fence at the back of my property. It's approx 50 ft. from where my dish is now. I want to pole mount my dish at my fence but they tell me the run is too long and I will have a signal problem. Now they have about 15 feet of wound up cable near my dish and another 10 feet or so wound at the dish.

Does anyone have any experience with ampilfiers? Either this one or another that has good results??

Thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[Stargazer]

50 feet should be absolutely no problem. I know on Dish Network you can run the cable up to 200-300 feet without issues. Using RG-11 is supposed to allow you additional length in wire runs.

 

[MikeinBaja]

You can run 100' of RG6 with no problem on Direc, if over 100' use RG11. My experience with boosters is they aren't worth the material they are made of and always cause problems.

Make sure that at least 2' (preferably at least 3') of the pole is burried in concrete and that a few rods or long bolts are put through the in the hole end of the pole. Otherwise, it will twist in the concrete over time.

 

[chris prack]

Do you know what cable DirecTv uses? I assume it is on the jacketing of the cable?

Thanks for the info.

 

[boba]

No it is not the jacketing of the cable it is the center conducter and voltage switching that is used. The higher the frequency used to carry the signal the faster the signal weakens so cable like RG59 that has a very small diameter is not used. RG6 has a larger center conducter and RG11 is larger still so there is less loss per foot of signal. DISH network now uses a single voltage nominally 18 volts so it can pass through more cable and still power the LNBs on DISH Pro systems. Directv uses voltage switching either 12 volt or 18 volts depending on polarity needed so Directv requires solid copper center conducter in their cables. Solid copper looses less voltage per foot than copper coated steel cable does and also costs more.

 

[MikeinBaja]

If you buy the bulk cable at Home Depot (or similar) it's just fine. Buy the stuff off the roll by the foot (it's usually on the same spool rack where they sell bulk electrical wire). Make sure you use good quality connectors with the little "O" ring seal in the business end. Avoid any barrel connectors as these cause line resistance.

Make 100% sure that your pole is absolutely plumb in every direction and make sure you use a heavy guage pole. I wouldn't mount the dish any higher than I had to - but make sure that you allow for the little weeds in the line of sight to grow into good size bushes in a year or so - otherwise - you will be doing it over again!

 

[chris prack]

I have a spool in my basement but don't remeber what it is. I wired my house with it when I had an addition done three years ago.

If I can buy a better cable then I will. There will be approx. 200-225 feet from dish to switch and then it has to go to the receivers. I was looking at what is described as a commerical grade amp but I have never used one to know the pros and cons. Since I cannot post pics or links this is what it says about the amp:

The CT5516-LA is a 5 input 5 output commercial grade DBS amplifier. It is unmatched in performance, features, and design. Features include the rugged die-cast housing, high frequency nickel plated F connectors, and LEDs on each input to indicate powering. This amplifier is designed to work with the DirecTV 5 LNB antennas and optional International satellite.

The CT5516-LA frequency response has been optimized in the range of 250MHz to 2150MHz, to insure optimal performance on Ka/Ku satellites 99, 101, 103, 110, 95 and 119.


Features:
· High Isolation
· LED indicators
· High frequency F connects
· Rugged Die-Cast Zinc housing
· Compensates 150' RG-6 in slope in gain.
· 5 Year Warranty
· Made in the USA
· Optional Power supply
· Power Passing
· RoHS Compliant

Specifications:
· Frequency: 250MHz 2150MHz
· Noise Figure: 4dB
· Input Power Range: -75dBm2 -28dBm
· Slope: 8 dB
· Gain at 250MHz: 6dB
· Gain at 2150MHz: 14B
· Input Return Loss 250MHz-2150MHz: 15dB
· Output Return Loss 250MHz-2150MHz: 18dB
· Port to Port Isolation 250MHz-2150MHz: 50dB
· DC Current (each stage): 50mA
· Size(L,W,H): 6.25 x 3.25 x .75

What kind of problems could I expect?

 

[iwc5893]

How did it grow from 50 feet to your house to a 200+ foot run to the switch?

You may want to consider relocating your switch if that's the case but the total distance is probably why Direct won't do the relocating.

 

[chris prack]

The open field with direct line of sight is 50ft. from where the dish is now. Do many of you have your dish at your receiver?

50 out and back is an extra 100 feet. Plus the distance it is now gives the total.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

Why out and back?

 

[chris prack]

Why out and back?

Good question. I am being stupid. That's what I get for posting on more than one forum at a time!

I feel it will still be roughly 200 feet. FWIW.

Thanks for catching my goof.

 

[iwc5893]

The open field with direct line of sight is 50ft. from where the dish is now. Do many of you have your dish at your receiver?

50 out and back is an extra 100 feet. Plus the distance it is now gives the total.

You never posted how far it was from your switch to your current dish, that's why I was wondering. So what your saying is that your switch is currently 150 feet from your dish?

 

[chris prack]

The switch is about 100 feet or so. The closest receiver is about 50 from the switch.

 

[chris prack]

I am going to try to pole mount it and make the run without the amp. DirecTV's sub contractors keep finding excuses why they cannot do it and not one has offered to try to do anything. Now they want to charge me $80 for a service call to tell me they can't make it work.

Has anyone used an amp? I am willing to do whatever I need to do with the exception of cutting down large trees from my property. I am pretty certain I can make it work, I am looking for some opinions about my situation.

Thanks to all who have replied.

 

[grydlok]

I am going to try to pole mount it and make the run without the amp. DirecTV's sub contractors keep finding excuses why they cannot do it and not one has offered to try to do anything. Now they want to charge me $80 for a service call to tell me they can't make it work.

Has anyone used an amp? I am willing to do whatever I need to do with the exception of cutting down large trees from my property. I am pretty certain I can make it work, I am looking for some opinions about my situation.

Thanks to all who have replied.

Tech are not required to run pass 125 ft. You're on your own. It's a 100% DIY.

 

[vining]

RG-6 has approximtely 6db of loss per 100' but that loss gets higher as the frequency gets higher so RG-11 woul dbe much better but you then need RG-11 connectors and a crimper to make your terminations.

The amplifier you listed prior sounds pretty good and compensates for tilt (higher frequency increased losses) so it's worth a shot. It would be nice to put the amp at the dish since you always want to amplify before losses or the introduction of noises but that would require power at the dish or running a wire capable of carrying the required 5volts DC.

The amp has a rated gain of 16db so at 200' should be 16db - 12db plus whatever you got before amplification which shoud be fine. With out amplification you would -12db from what is coming out of the dish.

You should do a test run with the wires running atop the lawn first and then if it works worry about trenching. The cables should be sleeved in conduit and if you can find direct burial RG-6 which is flooded (injected with silicone grease) that would be the best for long term reliability. Even in conduit wire has to be direct burial rated since it has a potential of being submerged in water 24/7 depending on the yards drainage and pitch and dips of the conduit.

 

[iwc5893]

But does the amplifier amplify the signal in BOTH directions? After all, you need to get the signal from the dish to the receiver and from the receiver to the dish.

 

[paulman182]

If there is a problem, it will probably be that there will be too much voltage drop from the receiver to the dish for the switching voltages to work properly.

 

[darryl27]

same issue here sorta

i have the same issue, but not the exact issue. The pole Mount would be 50 feet from pole to Switch, but my HD Reciver is right on the other side of the wall, you cannot get it any closer without putting it inside the house..

If it is a bit out, what wiring and stuff would i need to make the signal work?? i was told by a different installer it would not be a issue to place the hd dish in this area.....

 

[chris prack]

I was going to connect the amp about halfway, right where the dish is now and then finish the run. This weekend I am going to measure it all out and see exactly how far it is.

As far as burying the cable, I have fenceline that I can attach the cable to. If it all works then I will consider trenching and burying the cable. My father in law has a trencher so I am good there.

Thanks for the input.