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Old 26-Sep-2020, 2:47 AM   #141
Tim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blackstone View Post

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.
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Old 26-Sep-2020, 10:27 AM   #142
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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
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Old 26-Sep-2020, 9:35 PM   #143
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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
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Old 26-Sep-2020, 11:51 PM   #144
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Originally Posted by blackstone View Post
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.
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Old 26-Sep-2020, 11:59 PM   #145
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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.

Attached Images
File Type: jpg My UHF Sept-3-2020_2.jpg (94.0 KB, 2542 views)
File Type: jpg Mediasonic HW130-150 Manual Search2.jpg (113.6 KB, 2554 views)
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Last edited by rabbit73; 27-Sep-2020 at 1:10 AM.
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Old 27-Sep-2020, 1:11 AM   #146
blackstone
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Thanks, Rabbit 73 for your info.
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Old 27-Sep-2020, 3:53 AM   #147
Tim
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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.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Capture.JPG (90.9 KB, 823 views)
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Old 27-Sep-2020, 10:56 PM   #148
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Quote:
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it looks like the balun assembly is an integral part of the antenna.
Yes, it is.



Quote:
Originally Posted by blackstone View Post
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
Attached Images
File Type: jpg CM-5020 Balun.jpg (94.9 KB, 2485 views)
File Type: jpg 3Baluns2rev.jpg (154.0 KB, 2483 views)
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Last edited by rabbit73; 28-Sep-2020 at 12:39 AM.
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Old 28-Sep-2020, 3:00 PM   #149
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Thanks for that info

I just remembered I had a coax tester

Wonder if that will tell me anything useful?
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Old 28-Sep-2020, 8:09 PM   #150
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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.
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Old 28-Sep-2020, 10:55 PM   #151
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I think mine just tests for continuity
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Old 10-Oct-2020, 8:11 PM   #152
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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
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Old 10-Oct-2020, 8:11 PM   #153
blackstone
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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
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Old 11-Oct-2020, 12:01 PM   #154
blackstone
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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
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