Severe OTA loss with Diplexer?

[mecro]

I live in an apartment, with a fairly simple 18" single LNB DirecTV setup on a tripod, and a DB8 in an orange bucket of cement (my landlord loves me)...

I live in Lafayette, IN and try so hard like everyone else to pull in Indianapolis locals (~60-70 miles). If I run a coax directly to the antenna, and to my panasonic TV, I am good and can receive most of the channels I want. However, if I stick a pair of diplexers in the mix, my signal strength on the antenna drops to an unusable level.

Is it possible for diplexers to go bad? I have a few laying around the house, and I've switched them in and out (all different brands, no two alike) and I can't get it to work worth a hoot. The satellite signal comes through fine.

Any ideas?? Thanks guys

 

[elder]

I think each diplexer has about a 3db loss. You may have to use an amplified antenna, but that complicates the diplexer issue as DC has to get to the amplifier.

 

[Don_M]

This is a common problem with DBS diplexers. You'd be better off forgetting about them and running a second coax cable, from the DB8 to the receiver. If it's a recent model, the back panel of your D* box has a spare F-connector for a direct antenna connection, labeled "ANT IN," "OFF AIR," "RF IN" or some such. That should do the trick.