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Default Need help - no signal from TV antenna in the attic - Continuity Test?


"buffalobill" wrote in message
...
On Dec 4, 12:49 pm, wrote:
Hi,
I just moved in to the new house. There is a 4-way coax splitter in
the attic, which has one input and four outputs (to different rooms).
I know that previous owners had a cable (from the cable company). It
looks like the cable was going into the same splitter in the attic,
and then routed to rooms downstairs.
I want to use the TV antenna in the attic.
I tried connecting the TV antenna to splitter's input  absolutely no
signal is getting to TVs downstairs. I also connected the antenna to
each of splitters outputs (which go to TVs)  exactly the same
outcome - not even a change in a static when I plug in the antenna.
I bought a TV signal inline amplifier from RadioShack  absolutely no
difference.
However, if I drop a 100' coax cable directly from the antenna in the
attic to the TV downstairs (bypassing the splitter and all of the home
cable wiring), the picture is crisp and perfect.
Can I run some tests to ensure cable continuation (from the attic to
rooms downstairs).
Does anybody know how I can get the signal from the antenna in the
attic to TVs downstairs?
Thank you.


multimeter ohmmeter, small pocket or portable tv with rf to coax
adapters, some barrel connectors, some spare splitters. there's no way
to say where the open circuit or short might be without disconnecting
the branches of the octopus and one bad cable end or a terminating
screw-on resistor cap. if this is cable company wiring it may actually
belong to them. if the cable service is terminated, maybe it is cut at
the outside service box with a device, a ground, or a separation.
these may be on the wiring where you haven't looked yet.

Who knows if it's OK to measure the resistance (using a standard multimeter)
of a coax line connected to an amplified antenna after disconnecting the
amplifier power supply, but not the antenna. I'm concerned about damaging
the amplifier inside the antenna, but suspect an open line going from the
lightning arrestor up the roof to the antenna.

TKM