Warm weather= 57 channels, Cold Weather= 2 Channels!?

[50AmpFuse]

Installed an antenna for a friend... all was well during the summer but now that it's getting colder it stops working at night.
I guess I just need to install a better antenna... looking for advice as to which one would help specifically with the Cold Temperatures in PA.

Current set-up:
Antennacraft U4000 (35' High)
CM7777 Pre-Amp
26.6 Miles West of Philly
When the weather is warm, she gets 57 channels, When it's cold (Below 40) it goes down to 2-5 Channels

Thanks in advance!

Dave

 

[Fringe Reception]

Dave,

If I was you I would drop the antenna a few inches and rescan, again a few inches lower and so on. There may be a 'sweet-spot' for its height. That's what I discovered (via testing) here.

Jim

 

[Jim5506]

Check the stinger length (center wire) on the cable at all couplings, if it is too short, it will lose connection in cold weather when the copper core contracts, could be the problem.

 

[Fringe Reception]

Check the stinger length (center wire) on the cable at all couplings, if it is too short, it will lose connection in cold weather when the copper core contracts, could be the problem.

That concept is new to me. A center wire in a coaxial cable might shrink or grow 0.002" to 0.010" between 0 C and 40 C.

(Sorry - that is nonsense)

Jim

 

[dkreichen1968]

Is this in West Chester? The company I work for has a location in Downingtown. Anyway, would you please post the URL for your friend's TV Fool report. Also, did this happen before or after the hurricane? Water may have gotten into the cabling, or something may have happened to the amp. Rolling hills covered with hardwood trees. Am I right? Also, the local ABC (WPVI) is on real channel 6, which may not come in on a U4000.

 

[nbound-au]

Unless you are in a sweet spot in an ultra-fringe area its unlikely the weather has had too much of an effect. I would suspect that there is an unrelated fault. I dont know if any of the stations are running off backup power (due to the hurricane) there but if they are, they may be transmitting at a reduced power. Also check the antenna hasnt been blown off aim.

 

[Tim58hsv]

I'm almost certain you're using an indoor balun outdoors at the antenna and moister has entered inside the balun. I had the same problem with rain getting in the balun this past summer and it's a real signal killer.


Here's a pic of a typical indoor balun (note how it's flat at each end)
http://www.pacificcable.com/photos/200-505.jpg

Here's a pic of a typical outdoor balun (note how it's tapered at one end)
http://www.summitsource.com/images/products/CO109T.jpg

If the balun at the antenna is flat on both ends, that's the problem. If not, we're back to square one.

 

[50AmpFuse]

Thanks for the ideas...
I'll try lowering it a few inches & I'll check the copper wire length at all (3) F-Connectors that are outside.

So, no one thinks this could simply be happening because of the type of antenna?

To answer a few questions...
No, it's not West Chester, it's in Red Hill,PA.
No rolling hills and hard woods either!
Channel 6 (ABC) does come in with a great signal normally, but it is the first to drop out when the temp drops.
The problem was happening Before the Hurricane and doesn't seem to be moisture related, just temperature.

Dave

 

[50AmpFuse]

I'm almost certain you're using an indoor balun outdoors at the antenna and moister has entered inside the balun. I had the same problem with rain getting in the balun this past summer and it's a real signal killer.


Here's a pic of a typical indoor balun (note how it's flat at each end)
http://www.pacificcable.com/photos/200-505.jpg



Here's a pic of a typical outdoor balun (note how it's tapered at one end)
http://www.summitsource.com/images/products/CO109T.jpg

If the balun at the antenna is flat on both ends, that's the problem. If not, we're back to square one.

Hmmm...I couldn't tell you. I just used the one that came with the antenna! Certainly a easy thing to try though.

 

[50AmpFuse]

Here is the TV Fool report.

 

[Rickideemus]

So, no one thinks this could simply be happening because of the type of antenna?

Naaaaaaah, got to be water somewhere. Back to basics: check your cables and the balun.

R.

 

[50AmpFuse]

Naaaaaaah, got to be water somewhere. Back to basics: check your cables and the balun.

R.

I just bought a new outdoor balun. But if it is a water issue, why would it start working again in the morning when it's warmer?

 

[Rickideemus]

I just bought a new outdoor balun. But if it is a water issue, why would it start working again in the morning when it's warmer?

??? You said it was working when it's warmer. Warm weather = 57 channels, remember? Did you think an outdoor balun would make it stop working in warm weather?

???

edit: OK, maybe I understand your question now. You mean before, with the old setup. My guess is the water (along with whatever gunk was mixed in) was freezing. When water freezes it expands dramatically, and can cause loose connections to pull apart.

 

[Tim58hsv]

I just bought a new outdoor balun. But if it is a water issue, why would it start working again in the morning when it's warmer?

Probably from dew or frost getting into it at night time. I know mine was fine during a couple of heavy down pours but then we had two or three days of light misting rain and it screwed up. We lost all of the Cincinnati channels which are 42 miles away but the Dayton channels at 3.5 miles away came in fine. I took down the antenna and there was water dripping out of the balun.

Would be odd if your antenna came with an indoor balun but if not it could be a bad outdoor balun too.

BTW: I also use a U4000 antenna and a CM7777 pre-amp. Good stuff, good stuff.

 

[50AmpFuse]

??? You said it was working when it's warmer. Warm weather = 57 channels, remember? Did you think an outdoor balun would make it stop working in warm weather?

???

edit: OK, maybe I understand your question now. You mean before, with the old setup. My guess is the water (along with whatever gunk was mixed in) was freezing. When water freezes it expands dramatically, and can cause loose connections to pull apart.

Ok, sorry...to clarify:

During the summer months it worked fine day & night. Now in fall, it works during the day (when it's warm) but at night (Only when it's cold. Say 40 degrees or less) it loses almost all channels. Then in the morning (as temps increase) it slowly starts picking up channels again... by around 10:00AM it picks up all 57 channels again! This repeats every night but only on cool nights.. Warm summer nights had no effect on it.

Does That make any sense?

 

[Rickideemus]

During the summer months it worked fine day & night. Now in fall, it works during the day (when it's warm) but at night (Only when it's cold. Say 40 degrees or less) it loses almost all channels. Then in the morning (as temps increase) it slowly starts picking up channels again... by around 10:00AM it picks up all 57 channels again! This repeats every night but only on cool nights.. Warm summer nights had no effect on it.

Does That make any sense?

Makes perfect sense to me! Water. I can't see how the antenna could cause anything like that -- unless there's water trapped in the antenna somehow.

But look, just TRY it. You always want to check your connections first. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong.

 

[50AmpFuse]

Makes perfect sense to me! Water. I can't see how the antenna could cause anything like that -- unless there's water trapped in the antenna somehow.

But look, just TRY it. You always want to check your connections first. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong.

If it were on my house I would have already done it! I'll try to get there next week...I'll let you know!
Thanks!

 

[Guest]

I live in Ar. & we have the same problems when the temp drops bellow about 38 degrees we lose all but two of our stations, moisture is not the problem, as all coax has a copper center as well as I used a third wire coax with a built on ground wire, my question is the digital signal of the satellites to the antenea when the temp falls & moisture forms on antenea itself causing the problem, would also add we have multiple anteneas connected within and also prior to getting a hdtv we used a converter box & never had the problem we have now. I have done a signal strength & all the stations are pulling excellent reception, again it is only when the temp falls off do we have the problems, as soon as the sun comes up or about sunrise nbc then abc return as though the power output had been increased, cbs & pbs stay on thus far, the reason for more than one antenea was so we could recieve all networks that are available in our area which when the weather is above 38 degrees all is great, will add neither rain, or high winds bother the signal strength or the reception any other suggestions would be welcomed

 

[Rickideemus]

I live in Ar. & we have the same problems when the temp drops bellow about 38 degrees we lose all but two of our stations, moisture is not the problem, as all coax has a copper center as well as I used a third wire coax with a built on ground wire, my question is the digital signal of the satellites to the antenea when the temp falls & moisture forms on antenea itself causing the problem, would also add we have multiple anteneas connected within and also prior to getting a hdtv we used a converter box & never had the problem we have now. I have done a signal strength & all the stations are pulling excellent reception, again it is only when the temp falls off do we have the problems, as soon as the sun comes up or about sunrise nbc then abc return as though the power output had been increased, cbs & pbs stay on thus far, the reason for more than one antenea was so we could recieve all networks that are available in our area which when the weather is above 38 degrees all is great, will add neither rain, or high winds bother the signal strength or the reception any other suggestions would be welcomed

I'm sorry, but your writing is virtually incoherent to me.

How can you possibly know the problem isn't moisture? You would have to personally blow dry every connection and the inside of every inch of coax. It wouldn't be related to the timing of rainstorms.

You say you did a "signal strength." Where? If you did it at the antenna when you were experiencing the problem, that proves the problem is with the connections between antenna and TV. If you don't believe it, hook a TV directly to the antenna with short, new RG-6 cable, and see if it doesn't come in just fine.

If you did the "signal strength" from the TV menu, and you did it when you were experiencing the problem, that shows there's a problem with the TV. (TV's menu says good signal, and you get nothin = probably time for a new TV.)

If you really think the converter was immune to the problem, connect it up to the HDTV just for a test. If that fixes it, again you have a bad TV. Hard to see how the TV could cause temp sensitivity, though. You don't have it sitting outside, do you?

Can't go any further into your question, cause I honestly can't read it. Maybe some periods would help at the ends of sentences ... ?

Rick

 

[Fringe Reception]

... my question is the digital signal of the satellites to the antenea when the temp falls & moisture forms on antenea itself causing the problem, would also add we have multiple anteneas connected within

Guest,

I think there is a wordage problem: what kind of antennas (plural) are you using to receive satellite broadcasts?

If you are referring to Terrestrial (free) TV reception, the signals are being sent from antenna towers. Assuming this is what you meant, two or more antennas cannot be combined unless they are absolutely identical or they serve different television bands and are combined using a UVSJ or similar signal isolator/joiner.

We need to know a lot more about your existing antenna system and an antenna survey would help us as well.

Please go to TV Fool and run a free survey and include your antennas' height above ground level: then post the resulting URL here for us to study.

Jim