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This is a common enough inquiry that I wrote a tech tip a while back to send to folks who contact us directly. It reads:

Replacing satellite service with an antenna


A common question we receive usually reads as follows: “I am dropping my satellite service and would like to switch over to an antenna. Can I use the existing mount and cables from the satellite system with an antenna for digital TV?”

Our answer is “usually, but”.

There are several things to consider:

1) The satellite dish was mounted in a location that gave it an unobstructed view of a certain arc of the southern sky. Usually, this location was selected by the installer so that it would work while allowing him to use the shortest ladder on his truck. Consequently, the physical mounting location of the dish may or may not be in a suitable location for the reception of your local broadcasts. You will need to use a broadcast tower locating tool such as www.antennapoint.com to determine the direction from your location to the local broadcast towers. If the current location of your dish happens to also allow a good, unobstructed view in the directions of those towers, then the mounting location has a chance of being successful with your antenna. On the other hand, if the dish location results in your antenna pointing into trees, your roof, or your neighbor’s house, be prepared to relocate it to a more appropriate location that offers a better path to your broadcast towers.
2) There may be anywhere from one to four (or more!) coaxial cables running from the dish to various locations within your home. The coaxial cable required by the satellite companies is completely compatible with an antenna system, so it can usually be re-used if it is in good condition. You, however, must look through the cables to determine where each goes and to remove any special equipment that the satellite installer may have used such as multi-switches, amplifiers, splitters, and the like.

If you have multiple cables at the dish and you intend to use all of them with your antenna, you may wish to install a 2-, 3, or 4-way splitter at the antenna. If you wish to use a pre-amplifier, select a splitter that offers a port with DC pass-through.