Lost all VHF stations

[Tim]

Originally Posted by blackstone

Regarding my VHF, is there a possibility of a bad balun?
I don't know what they do

Also, since the Channel Master is both VHF and UHF, could it pick up some UHF stations?

You most certainly could have a bad balun. A balun matches the impedence of the antenna to the impedence of the coaxial cable. You could also have a bad connection at the balun. Or at the coaxial connectors. Or the coaxial cable itself if it got water inside. Maybe even loose connections on some of the antenna hardware such as the phasing rods. Maybe someone who has this antenna could comment further.

Your CM antenna should pick up both VHF and UHF stations.

[blackstone]

Last night was nice and crisp.
Clear skies.
But, the last week to 10 days have been like this all the time

I wouldn't care too much about WTAE if I could start getting WWCP again

[blackstone]

Tim, thank you for your patience

Are all baluns created equal?
could have one for when we work on the antennas, just in case.

Every thing I know about anything I learned on YouTube.

Tyler the Antenna Man said that an LTE filter may help and , also, a digital converter box.

Any thoughts on this?
I'm going to work on your suggestions first

[rabbit73]

Originally Posted by blackstone

Also, since the Channel Master is both VHF and UHF, could it pick up some UHF stations?

The CM 5020 antenna will pick up UHF channels, but if you are combining your CM antenna with your UHF antenna using a UVSJ, the UVSJ will block any UHF channels coming from the CM antenna.

[rabbit73]

Originally Posted by blackstone

Tyler the Antenna Man said that an LTE filter may help and , also, a digital converter box.

You would only need an LTE filter if you had strong local cellular signals that are causing interference.

I have cellular/LTE signals where TV channels 39 and 40 used to be, but they are not strong enough to cause interference.



Video to show cellular activity at right end of scan:

downloads and then will play
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i1nt5l3wqs...34-50.mp4?dl=0

downloads but you have to open
I use VLC player
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i1nt5l3wqs...34-50.mp4?dl=1

Tyler has a lot of good ideas. One of the converter boxes that he uses is the Mediasonic HW-150PVR. It has a signal quality indicator that is very useful.

Signal dropout is at about 39 to 40%:



It also is able to add a channel after scan so that you don't have to rescan if you change antennas or antenna direction. A lot of TVs can't do that.

[blackstone]

Thanks, Rabbit 73 for your info.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by blackstone

Tim, thank you for your patience

Are all baluns created equal?
could have one for when we work on the antennas, just in case.

Couldn't say for sure since I've never seen that antenna up close, but looking at the YouTube video for assembly of your antenna, it looks like the balun assembly is an integral part of the antenna.

[rabbit73]

Originally Posted by Tim

it looks like the balun assembly is an integral part of the antenna.

Yes, it is.

Originally Posted by blackstone

Are all baluns created equal?
could have one for when we work on the antennas, just in case.

Did you see this thread by BigHenry? He has a CM5020 and had balun problems.
https://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=16704







He replaced the PCB balun with a CM94444 balun. It didn't work too well until he shortened the leads to 2-1/2" as I had suggested in my balun tests.



New Channel Master Balun
https://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=16297

[blackstone]

Thanks for that info

I just remembered I had a coax tester

Wonder if that will tell me anything useful?

[Tim]

Originally Posted by blackstone

Thanks for that info

I just remembered I had a coax tester

Wonder if that will tell me anything useful?

Depends on what particular coax tester you have. Some test just for continuity and others measure the dB loss of the cable.

[blackstone]

I think mine just tests for continuity

[blackstone]

Finally got a chance to get back to this
I only messed with the DB8E, so far.

Did a continuity test on all the cables and all read "Open"
Broke all outside connections and applied dielectric grease.
Found one connection was a little loose.
Checked all connections for tightness.

Had a Mediasonic tuner to see if that might help.
Didn't, so I removed it and am sending back.

Was able to get WTAE RF 27 Virtual 4 badly pixelated.

I haven't had any luck getting WWCP 8 even though I moved the CM for that.
Both my preamps are in the basement.
Could they be bad?

The splitter amplifier is brand new

Any suggestions are appreciated

Thanks for your patience

[blackstone]

Finally got a chance to get back to this
I only messed with the DB8E, so far.

Did a continuity test on all the cables and all read "Open"
Broke all outside connections and applied dielectric grease.
Found one connection was a little loose.
Checked all connections for tightness.

Had a Mediasonic tuner to see if that might help.
Didn't, so I removed it and am sending back.

Was able to get WTAE RF 27 Virtual 4 badly pixelated.

I haven't had any luck getting WWCP 8 even though I moved the CM for that.
Both my preamps are in the basement.
Could they be bad?

The splitter amplifier is brand new

Any suggestions are appreciated

Thanks for your patience

[blackstone]

Correction to the above.
The pre amps are outside on the antennas.
Must be the power for them in the basement

They are antennas direct Pa 18 pre amps