On Sat, 9 Apr 2011 20:54:50 +0000 (UTC), Charles Bryant
wrote:

In article ,
MM wrote:
} There is about a metre of
}loose cable where it connects to the amplifier and I had already
}unpluged then re-plugged the cable into the amp, trying differing
}output sockets on the amp. But all the while the cable was routed the
}way it was originally (along the joists, turned a right-angle, beneath
}the eaves across to the outside wall, then into the conduit),
}reception was grainy; "un-routed" the cable and simply laid it flat
}across the insulation, good reception!

I expect this is co-axial cable with a solid copper central conductor.
Probably that has broken somewhere internally and by moving it you
have put it into a position where the ends of the break are now being
pushed against each other. The most likely place for such a break is
where it was turned too sharply in a bend. It may be ok now, or
heating and cooling may make the join fail again. If so, since the
fault is obviously somewhere in the section you disturbed, you can
just replace that bit.

Ah, good to know, thanks!

MM