Repair guy (handyman) is going to be dealing with a small problem with a ridge vent.

While he's up on the roof I'm going to have him mount a TV antenna.

Question: What type coax do I need? Is there an impedance consideration? RG-6? RG-59? Or . . . ???

Not much difference in the two except RG6 is heavier and better for real long runs.
Most are all RG6 now days.
YMMV

I would get RG6 quad-shielded

Too many factors and not enough information to know if you will get the reception you desire.

Distance to TV towers, obstructions, antenna type, coax distance, the quality of your TV receiver, and other factors.

Even way up at channel 69, the difference in loss between RG59 and RG6 is very minimal and not noticeable for OTA, so usually not worth worrying about. I assume your run is 100' or so???

That said, I'd MUCH rather have quality RG59 (like Belden) than shitty RG6 like they sell at Fred Meyers (Krogers) or Walmart.

Get good connectors too, and use the right crimping tool, and weatherproof it the right way using this stuff: https://www.amazon.com/6403387...strip/dp/B004FVMALW/

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
Too many factors and not enough information to know if you will get the reception you desire.

Distance to TV towers, obstructions, antenna type, coax distance, the quality of your TV receiver, and other factors.

Even way up at channel 69, the difference in loss between RG59 and RG6 is very minimal and not noticeable for OTA, so usually not worth worrying about. I assume your run is 100' or so???

That said, I'd MUCH rather have quality RG59 (like Belden) than shitty RG6 like they sell at Fred Meyers (Krogers) or Walmart.

Get good connectors too, and use the right crimping tool, and weatherproof it the right way using this stuff: https://www.amazon.com/6403387...strip/dp/B004FVMALW/

A bit more information: using an indoor antenna, in a room where it has to "see" through several walls between the antenna and the broadcast towers that are maybe 30 miles east of us in flat Florida terrain, reception is almost acceptable. Not good enough to fire the cable company, as the picture breaks up at irregular intervals. I'm thinking that mounting an outdoor antenna to the chimney should give enough improvement to do the job.

As far as buying the coax, crimping connectors, etc., my thought was to take the easy route and just order a 50' cable (plenty long enough to do the job) from Monoprice.com. They offer both RG-6 and RG-59, I just did not know which to order, nor what the difference is between the two types.

Get one of the antennas from Micro Center which has a preamp:

https://www.microcenter.com/pr...c-digital-television

I have installed these in an attic but not sure how long it would last outside.
It comes with 100 feet of cable.

quote:

Originally posted by DonDraper:
I would get RG6 quad-shielded

Having installed well over 250,000 feet of coax, this^^^^.

Make sure you get a good quality coax (no Chinese import crap); I use Commscope (copper core/braided copper shield).

I wouldn't touch RG-59 in this application.

Also, the terminations will be as critical as the cable itself (maybe moreso). I'd be looking at quality compression ends, Like Klein, Thomas & Betts, etc.

I've long lost track of how many miles of coax I've pulled.
For pretty much all applications these days, RG6 is the way to go. We generally didn't bother with quad shield, more expensive and only needed in certain situations.
Heck, V... if you were local I'd give ya a roll of the damn stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by Rover88:

quote:

Originally posted by DonDraper:
I would get RG6 quad-shielded

Having installed well over 250,000 feet of coax, this^^^^.

Make sure you get a good quality coax (no Chinese import crap); I use Commscope (copper core/braided copper shield).

I wouldn't touch RG-59 in this application.

Also, the terminations will be as critical as the cable itself (maybe moreso). I'd be looking at quality compression ends, Like Klein, Thomas & Betts, etc.

Calling upon your experience, I use the DataShark compression ends...are they decent?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hambony:

Calling upon your experience, I use the DataShark compression ends...are they decent?[/QUOTE

Those should be fine. I just like to avoid junk.

Compression are probably the easiest for the DIYer to work with. A good radial crimp tool cam be pretty pricey. The ones you want to avoid are the ones that just screw on tothe end of the cable, and anything that uses a star crimp.

You want RG6. Depending upon the distance, quad shield is overkill. I like Beldin 7915A Tri-Shield. Has better specs than QS in nearly every respect and can be terminated with the same connectors as plain jane RG-6.

I use a Data Shark compression connector kit. Belden makes connectors that are compatible with it. (I've used them.)

A small-footprint rooftop antenna that may work well for you, btw, is the RCA ANT751. Really need to do a TV Fool lookup to know for sure, though.

quote:

Originally posted by zoom6zoom:
Compression are probably the easiest for the DIYer to work with. A good radial crimp tool cam be pretty pricey. The ones you want to avoid are the ones that just screw on tothe end of the cable, and anything that uses a star crimp.

My compression tool is $60, I don't think many would spend that much on a single use tool. I would stay way from any screw on or crimp styles.

This is what I've been using: Paladin DataShark Cable Television/Satellite Compression Crimp Kit. Works like a champ. (Though it may take one or two trial runs to get the hang of the stripper.)

Meh, the RG-59 vs RG-6 discussion is pretty meaningless for OTA and 50' of coax. Choose either and don't look back. I bet nobody else entered the data into a loss calculator like I did to see, using numbers, what the real difference is. You'll be fine with either for 50'. RG-59 is a slightly easier to handle, but no big deal really.

Using TV fool or antenna web is a good idea if you have not already done so, but 30 miles and no obstructions it pretty straightforward. Hopefully you chose the right antenna which is another discussion altogether.

But I have another concern, being how you're in Florida. Lightning protection. If you haven't thought about it, then it's worth spending the time to do it right.

I forget if NEC requires OTA TV antennas to be grounded for residential like they do for satellite dishes. Maybe Skins has a better idea on this since it's been far too long for me.

You'd be bummed if you went ungrounded and got a nearby strike. Ruins your whole day.

Several years ago, I bought an Ideal tools coax stripper and compression connector tool. Have used it many times around multiple houses for various runs and new/adusted cables. It has been perfect on both RG6 and RG59 cables. I did get a cable tester as well to find signal and confirm proper connections later. I used it in the current house for both my data lines and OTA signal that I have run from the attic mounted antenna to the rest of the house and the cable modem (no longer used as I’m currently on fiber to the house, but easy to switch back if the price changes...). Just read the instructions!

As the poster above noted, consider lightening protection. I have an OTA antenna routed to my previous cable distribution box, a lightning arrestor grounded in the box in line, and then the splitter going to the tv’s. Works very well with a proper antenna (my location has the major networks almost 90 degrees from each other, and thus a two panel antenna to capture signals from both directions.)

quote:

I forget if NEC requires OTA TV antennas to be grounded for residential like they do for satellite dishes. Maybe Skins has a better idea on this since it's been far too long for me.

Yes they do need to be bonded (grounded). There also needs to be a lightning arrestor installed as well. Bonding if done at construction is as simple as running a 10awg from your intersystem bonding terminal to your suppressor then to your antenna. Can be slightly more complicated for installing into an existing structure.

I would seriously doubt that a handyman has the skills and knowledge to do it properly.

For your reading pleasure, a Comprehensive guide to bonding antennas. I went with a less technical picture filled guide vs cutting and pasting hard to understand codes.

My guess is the vast majority of antenna setups are dangerous lightning rods that would make the Doc and Marty McFly get hard on.

Any reason it can't be installed inside of the attic?

In lots of cases, there is a chimney near by so it would attract the lightning bolt first.

Then there are the tall trees that a lot of people have shading their house.

I have seen lightning strikes on trees close by and the fire ball is unbelievable.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
My guess is the vast majority of antenna setups are dangerous lightning rods that would make the Doc and Marty McFly get hard on.

Knowing what I do of lightning: My guess is nearly all antenna setups are dangerous lightning rods

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
In lots of cases, there is a chimney near by so it would attract the lightning bolt first.

Than the taller antenna that's presumably nearby?

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
Then there are the tall trees that a lot of people have shading their house.

Inconsequential.

In either case: Even if there's not a direct stroke, the proximity may result in an indirect stroke nearly equally as devastating.

Lightning is capricious and pernicious. Best you can do is construct your antenna system safely (as per the doc Skins referenced) and cross your fingers and/or pray.

You have to remember that lightning takes the least resistance as it ionizes the air.

If the antenna is mounted outside, it would be best to put lightning protection across the roof of the house and tied into the antenna as well.

With only the antenna grounded, some of the power can branch out to the chimney and other objects close by.