I have an HDTV antenna (Mohu Leaf). It has a very thin coax cable. My house has thick coax cable that runs a circuitous route from the TV through the attic and back down to the cable company. Can I cut that thick cable in the attic, terminate an end onto it and hook it to this antenna, thus lifting my HDTV antenna higher into the sky to get better reception?

Bonus question: If I can, what tool would I need?

Thanks guys!

Coax Tools

No idea if you can though.

Size of the cable has nothing to do with impedance. Cable tv and on the air antenna cable are both 75 ohms, you will just need to find proper mating connectors for the cable sizes.

Cutter
Stripper
Crimper
Proper coax connectors (RG59, RG6)

Good to hear I won't need to worry about matching up. So I'll order up a tool and watch some YouTubes and report back. I get several stations at my TV, but have to move the antenna for each. Hopefully getting above the brick walls and 30 feet higher will help.

The thick is probably RG6 - you'll need to figure out if it's quad shield or not. non-quad compression connectors can work on quad, but they will be a pain in the ass to get on.
Thin is probably RG59, ok for short runs.
Compression type connectors & tool are better than crimp or screw-on.
the house wiring will probably be marked somewhere for what type it is. Repeats usually every 2-3'.

Perhaps you can find a connection joint in the existing cable in your attic, put in a splitter and connect the local antenna vs cutting the wire

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Perhaps you can find a connection joint in the existing cable in your attic, put in a splitter and connect the local antenna vs cutting the wire

^^^^ This all day long. Cutting and crimping your own coax, if not done right, will cause you a lot of headaches.

Better to just buy a female-to-female connector.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
I have an HDTV antenna (Mohu Leaf). It has a very thin coax cable. My house has thick coax cable that runs a circuitous route from the TV through the attic and back down to the cable company. Can I cut that thick cable in the attic, terminate an end onto it and hook it to this antenna, thus lifting my HDTV antenna higher into the sky to get better reception?

Well, you probably can, but whether the end result will work or not is questionable.

First of all: As others have pointed-out: You need the proper connectors for the coax. Look closely at it and there should be a manufacturer's name and part designation stamped or printed on the jacket.

If it's dual- or tri-shield, then a normal RG-6 compression connector kit, commonly available at Home Depot or Lowe's will work. They're easy to use. If it's quad-shield, then you need different compression connectors.

But, isn't the Mohu Leaf a powered antenna? If so: I'm not certain you'll get away with the power supply module down below and the antenna up top.

Secondly: I don't know about what you have, but the Mohu Leaf I tested several years ago was UHF-only. Therefor it was nearly worthless on VHF stations. Not such a problem several years ago, but, with the recent re-re-pack of TV stations: More stations are now on VHF-High, and some now even on VHF-Low. So if you had stations working before, and they mysteriously stopped working, or started working more poorly, w/in the last few months: It could be because they moved from UHF to VHF.

quote:

Originally posted by Shaql:
Cutting and crimping your own coax, if not done right, will cause you a lot of headaches.

True, but it's not hard to do with modern compression connector kits.

quote:

Originally posted by Shaql:
Better to just buy a female-to-female connector.

I think you're missing the part where the coax goes up into the attic, then back down to where the cable company service met the house.

quote:

I think you're missing the part where the coax goes up into the attic, then back down to where the cable company service met the house.

Our Coax comes into the house, up the wall in the garage and then splits off to several different runs, it's not a loop and there is a splitter there that could be tapped into, it's where the Sat company tied into the system

Having personally done coax connectors, I highly advise you to cut off an extra piece and practice practice practice before you try to do the run you need.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
Having personally done coax connectors, I highly advise you to cut off an extra piece and practice practice practice before you try to do the run you need.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ practice/ practice/ practice on making the splicing if that is what you do. And if you cut any coax and install any connector it will behove you to use a ohm meter to confirm a properly installed connector and not a dead short circuit. All it takes is one little fine wire out of place to make a dead short. .......................... .............. drill sgt.

Good advice guys, thanks! I'll order the tool this weekend.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

Secondly: I don't know about what you have, but the Mohu Leaf I tested several years ago was UHF-only. Therefor it was nearly worthless on VHF stations. Not such a problem several years ago, but, with the recent re-re-pack of TV stations: More stations are now on VHF-High, and some now even on VHF-Low. So if you had stations working before, and they mysteriously stopped working, or started working more poorly, w/in the last few months: It could be because they moved from UHF to VHF.

this question can easily be answered by going to TVfool.com (my favorite) or antennaweb.com

Its worthwhile to use these sites as a starting point for any installation to get a rough idea of what you should be getting in the first place, and whether your channels are on VHF, UHF or both.

This way you can buy the right antenna in the first place.

Again, use these sites as a starting point. no site like this is totally foolproof.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
this question can easily be answered by going to TVfool.com (my favorite) or antennaweb.com

Don't bother with TV Fool. Its database hasn't been updated in ages.

The last phase of the most recent channel repack was completed on July 3, 2020. The highest UHF real channel is now 37, yet TV Fool still shows stations is high as real channel 50 in my market.

I asked about this on AVS Forum. Several responses indicated the owner of TV Fool is MIA, and has been for some while.

TV Fool is about to become even more worthless, what with stations beginning to deploy ATSC 3.0.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
this question can easily be answered by going to TVfool.com (my favorite) or antennaweb.com

Don't bother with TV Fool. Its database hasn't been updated in ages.

The last phase of the most recent channel repack was completed on July 3, 2020. The highest UHF real channel is now 37, yet TV Fool still shows stations is high as real channel 50 in my market.

I asked about this on AVS Forum. Several responses indicated the owner of TV Fool is MIA, and has been for some while.

TV Fool is about to become even more worthless, what with stations beginning to deploy ATSC 3.0.

thanks for the info. This is new info to me. I'm sorry to hear this. I loved that site. I hope something else takes its place.

If you leave near me I’ll come over and do it, no charge.

I've got a compression-type crimper and I should have some f clips around here somewhere. If you don't want to buy a tool for one use I'm just over at The Castle!

Edit - Found the connectors

Thanks Mark! I'm going to take a journey back up into that hell hole attic this weekend to see if there are any joints up there already. Someone mentioned maybe there is, and I think that's a theory worth checking. I may be in touch though! Still have that bike lock around here somewhere for ya!

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
Thanks Mark! I'm going to take a journey back up into that hell hole attic this weekend to see if there are any joints up there already. Someone mentioned maybe there is, and I think that's a theory worth checking. I may be in touch though! Still have that bike lock around here somewhere for ya!

I'll be at the Sam's Club on Friday morning if you'd like me to drop anything off.