Tv aerial playing up

[Gazza81]

Ive just moved in, always just one of those aerials that just sit on top of tv or window seel but cant pick up any signal with that.

New house has aerial on roof with cable running down side of house and indoors.

Ive had to add a 5m extention to reach but the signal is hit and miss.
It improves or worsens when i wiggle the lead by socket on tv? Could it be faulty cable or do i need something else.

The extension was £3.20 from Amazon its a gold one if that makes any difference

 

[winston1]

If wiggling the cable changes the signal there is a mismatch or poor connection somewhere. Check the aerial plug on the existing cable. Many are not fitted correctly and not soldered.

http://www.megalithia.com/elect/bellinglee/index.html

Gold plating makes no difference as the aerial socket on your TV won't be gold plated.

 

[Lucid]

Ive just moved in, always just one of those aerials that just sit on top of tv or window seel but cant pick up any signal with that.

New house has aerial on roof with cable running down side of house and indoors.

Ive had to add a 5m extention to reach but the signal is hit and miss.
It improves or worsens when i wiggle the lead by socket on tv? Could it be faulty cable or do i need something else.

The extension was £3.20 from Amazon its a gold one if that makes any difference

That aerial cable with its moulded-on plugs is crap. They're a thin coax, poorly shielded against interference, and relatively high resistance compared to decent coax cable such as WF100/TX100/CT100.

You could also have some loose connection in the aerial plug from the house aerial.

 

[Gazza81]

Thanks for the replies guys this is what i have, so ill try one of the cables listed above and one thats comes apart

 

[Gazza81]

Is this what i need?

 

[DaveHerns]

Go to a TV aerial suppliers and get a proper lead, not Amazon basics crap. Check the wall socket is properly wired up.

 

[Gazza81]

Having trouble finding one near me, tried the usual currys etc but all moulded ones

 

[Lucid]

Go online. Buy a length of WF100 or TX100 or CT100. DO NOT buy RG6*. Most RG6* is cheap rubbish. You want 100% solid copper centre core with shielding made from copper foil + copper braid, so buy one of the three specific '100' products listed above.

Next, buy some aerial plugs. Get brass body construction if you can, but if not the ordinary aluminium widely available will do.

Coax plugs come in male and female versions. The type that fits in to the aerial socket on the TV is a MALE. The type that you might use to attach on an extension to an existing lead is a FEMALE.

If you can't find a female plug easily then by two males and a back-to-back 'joiner' adapter. This will be the same arrangement as your gold plated lead.

Finish off by watching a few tutorials on YouTube about how to fit aerial plugs. None get it 100% correct, but most are good enough to do the job.

The final result will be a cable that will last decades and stand up to all but the worst domestic interference.


* RG6 is really a designation for the dimensions of a coax cable rather than a type or brand. However, idiot sellers have latched on to it and are using it as a common name for what might have been termed "low loss" coax in the past. That term became synonymous for 'crap coax' just as RG6 is in danger of doing today.

 

[cwhaley]

View attachment 144674

Is this what i need?

No that looks the same as the connection used for Virgin services.

If you're trying to receive standard terrestrial TV, then Lucid has it perfect above.

 

[Gazza81]

Ok thanks guys, my mrs went to homebase and picked up something.

Then i reas this thead and noticed its the rg60 stuff so asked her to return it ans ordered the bits separately from ebay!

 

[Gazza81]

Job done, wf100 and some cheap connectors and it works a treat