At the end of my rope with HD8200U

[privatepilot]

I bought a HD8200U antenna and a signal booster (forget the number, but I think it's a Chromstar) around the digital switchover timeframe. I have had the antenna dialed with signal strengths on most channels in the 90s. The problem is that out of the blue, I'll get no signal on many channels. Tonight is one of those nights. I adjusted the antenna after work and got 90% of the channels I receive in the 80+ range with the worst channel measuring 57 on my digital receiver. There's no wind, no clouds or anything like that tonight and as I'm typing this, I have poor signal strength on most channels and zero reception on many.

100% of the coax was brand new at the time of install just a few months ago.

What the heck am I doing wrong?

I'm ready to belly up and go back to paying for satellite after spending close to $200 on all this antenna stuff.

Regards.

[ANTENNA VISION]

r

[privatepilot]

53081 is my zip, sorry I forgot that.

Antenna is on a 10 foot pole on the roof of a 2 story house. I'd guess it's 30-35 feet up.

When I said 80+ I was referencing signal strength out of 100. Milwaukee stations are 50-60 miles south of me.

[ANTENNA VISION]

[winegard]

From your zip code you should be having absolutely no problems pulling in a great signal with the HD8200U. Perhaps private message me your exact address so I can check that as well.

Few questions so I can help narrow this down...

Are their any large obstructions, buildings or a tree line you are shooting through?
Have you tried taking the "signal booster" out of the loop?
How long of a cable run do you have and how many splitters/televisions?

[privatepilot]

From your zip code you should be having absolutely no problems pulling in a great signal with the HD8200U. Perhaps private message me your exact address so I can check that as well.

Few questions so I can help narrow this down...

Are their any large obstructions, buildings or a tree line you are shooting through?
Have you tried taking the "signal booster" out of the loop?
How long of a cable run do you have and how many splitters/televisions?

I have a clear line of sight as far as I know. there is a large tree off to one side of my property that is in the direction I have the antenna pointed, but it's not 100% direct. I do in fact get great signal when it's working (upper 90s out of a possible 100 on the strength meter on the converter boxes/TVs). Just certain times of the day it drops channels. I have about 6 feet of coax from the antenna to the preamp and then about 50 feet of coax from the antenna to the splitter. I have 3 TVs hooked up currently with 1 additional splitter running to 1 of the 3. Signal is excellent on all 3 when everything working. When channels drop, I lose them on all 3. I have tried removing the preamp but it was worse w/o it hooked up.

Also sent a PM.

Regards

[winegard]

Checked it out using the address from your PM and it looks even better than when you just go by zipcode.

Our main off-air guy Hans is returning tomorrow from vacation. If you don't mind I'd like him to look over your situation and I'll get you an answer back tomorrow.

[winegard]

Privatepilot -

I received replies back from technical service and engineering on your issue. Please see below.

The customer describes what I believe is a mechanical issue with a cable connection. I recently had a very troubled customer with an identical problem and after five visits to his home, I discovered the cause of the problem to be a power-passing splitter in line with the preamplifier. During the day, the antenna system worked fine and on clear nights or on various cluody days, suddenly fail without warning. The splitter was good but the center connectors were sprung too wide.

Some newer splitters, lightning arrestors and cable splices are constructed of a multi-leaf center conductor contact that can be sprung too wide for reliable contact of smaller center conductors. For most RG-6 cable of #18 center conductors, this is not a problem but for some non-name RG-6 cable and especially RG-59 cable using #20 center conductors and smaller, this can lead to a very elusive intermittent contact, later in time. In other cases, the center conductor contact of the "F" jack is rather far into the connector body and a short center conductor length may also make intermittent contact.

Ask the customer to check each cable connection for at least 1/8" center conductor length beyond the top of the connector body. More importantly, make sure there is some resistance as the cable connector is inserted into the "F" jack. This will confirm that the center conductor is making reliable contact. Look at the interior of each "F" jack and make sure the center conductor contacts are closed. Check everything, including wall plates, cable splices and lighting ground blocks.

[privatepilot]

I'll check all the connections again and report back.

Thanks