The $3 all-metal slide switches I use here have zero impact on reception, including really weak/distant stuff. Dunno about the RCA branded ones, though.

Cheers

i took the switch out of the equation and just plugged my ota cable straight into the tv set. I had a noticeable (yet small) gain in signalLikely the culprit is Inadequate shielding, so you could try wrapping the A/B switch in aluminum foil after all the cables are connected, making sure there is solid contact between all the outer coax plug surfaces. Then just poke a hole for the slider switch lever to move back and forth. Hopefully that should fix things because as mlord said, there should be zero impact on signal strength by an A/B switch.

Unfortunately the cheapie slide-lever A/B switches are not sealed units, so if the switch contacts get dirty you might get some momentary data stream glitches when the lever is slid. That should not result in an apparent loss of signal strength, but can you check the A and B sides with a multimeter for continuity anyways?

One other thing, I hope you've trimmed down all your coax cabling to its minimum amounts (with a bit of flex length).

Thanks guys. I'm going over my cable run from the roof and trying to eliminate any unnessary stops in the cable.

I would think there would be at least some small loss in gain in any slide switch. I mean, doesn't an in-line coupler give 0.5 DB loss? And that is a solid connection at both ends to a piece of cable. God knows what the inside of one of thease cheapo slide switches looks like. I thought any time your cable is broken at any point down the line there is at least some, if even small amount of signal loss.

I unfortunately have 5 spots the cable is broken down the line from my antenna to the tv set. 2 of those are because of the pre-amp, so that is to be expected.

Unfortunately when i built the house i wired 4 pieces of RG6 coax to my sat dish. When i later mounted my antenna at the top of the roof i needed to extened one of those cables so there is an in-line coupler on the roof. I also have one break when the cable meets a wall plate, then comes out of the wall plate into this slide switch. I'm trying to eliminate as many of these breaks in the line as possible.. I may even run a new line to the roof and make sure the only stops the cable makes are the 2 for the pre-amp.

From an electronics viewpoint, an A/B switch does not change the signal because it does not alter the voltage or current; it merely redirects the current from one circuit branch to another. A splitter directly alters the signal because it splits the current to 2 or more circuit branches.I may even run a new line to the roof and make sure the only stops the cable makes are the 2 for the pre-amp.Hopefully it doesn't come to having to do all that work, but it sure would eliminate some questions and likely all the problems too.

Courtesy of a DHC member (thank you sir!), I scored a couple of UVSJ splitters to test.

I'm running stacked/hacked 4221HDs and a hacked 4228HD joined into a combiner, and NO PRE-AMP.


CHCH analog (11.0) is the flamethrower for me, so maybe the UVSJ will cool it. I put the splitter after a combiner (of two antennas) and before another splitter (for two TVs). Results: On a couple channels I tested- 13.0 (CKCO) went down a great deal, 14.1 (FOX 29) increased in signal strength a little, and another difficult channel I checked- WNYO - 49 (RF 49.1) seemed to also increase in strength. The most difficult channel - ION 51 (RF 23.1) did not come in- but maybe the signal did increase but not enough for a lock.

Anyways, I'll leave the UVSJ splitter in and see how things go over the next couple weeks or so. I know tropo has been acting up recently, so will see how things go.

I might try putting in a pre-amp or drop amp with the UVSJ splitter in-line.

The tweaking never ends...

:cool:

goforit, which way did you install the UVSJ? I have said this before, but my recommendation is to have it connected as a band separator (i.e. with the "Line" end towards the antenna and the "UHF" end towards the TV).

It would also be a good idea to connect a terminator to the "VHF" connection, though that may not be as important as it is with a normal splitter.

pt. 1: I thought of that too and when I tried it both ways it didn't seem to make a difference, although my analysis was very crude.

pt.2: I need to pick up some terminator caps- maybe I'll order them from the States- can't seem to find them locally.

I want to try a drop amp into the mix.

I need to pick up some terminator caps- maybe I'll order them from the States- can't seem to find them locally.
Not exactly local for you, but the Supremetronic store just West of Spadina on College St. (Toronto) has them

Or you could email me and I'll post you a couple for $3 (for recovery of my cost+postage).

Or make your own -- they generally just consist of a 75-ohm resistor to ground, shielded.

Cheers

pt. 1: I thought of that too and when I tried it both ways it didn't seem to make a difference, although my analysis was very crude.

The main reason is to reduce the risk of VHF signals being picked up by the other connector and being transmitted through.

pt.2: I need to pick up some terminator caps- maybe I'll order them from the States- can't seem to find them locally.

I picked some up from Home Hardware recently and someone else said you can get them at Home Depot.

Tried H-D- no go, I'll try H-H, thanks.

pt.2: I need to pick up some terminator caps- maybe I'll order them from the States- can't seem to find them locally.


I saw some in Burlington at The Source store in Maple View Mall last weekend.

Is a RF terminator cap the same as a 75 ohm terminator cap?

Is a RF terminator cap the same as a 75 ohm terminator cap?
Yes, they are the same thing.

Goforit, I've got a some spares around (5 or 6) If you need some send me a PM and I can either post them to you or something..

Mogwai

thanks- mlord has sent me some.

It has been pointed out in the following thread that the EaglestarPro 6308 antenna's joiner suffers from unusually high loss:

Clones of CM4228 That Fold / Bifurcate (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=114608) (Post #35 and 36)

So if you're running one of those joiners you might want to swap it out for a conventional reversed splitter for testing.

Hello! I'm doing the 4228hd hack and I'm not sure which splitter is the better of the 2.

1) Eagle star 53-3021 Freq-5-2300 MHZ and Insertion loss <2.8dB

2) Antronix CMC2002H - 5-1000MHz and the outs are labelled as -3.5dB

Any idea which one would be best for combining the 2 Baluns (RCA outdoor baluns from the Chimney mount kit)

The Antronix feels heavier and appears to be higher quality. I'm also using a CM 7778 pre amp. Thanks!!

Well, of those two, the Antronix at least is truthfully labelled. The other isn't.

Figured as much! Thanks mlord.

Home Depot is carrying a brand of splitter that is in the $5-7 range, and uses SMT (surface mount technology) on a PCB (printed circuit board) internally. I forget the brand name, but the noteworthy thing about SMT/PCB construction is consistency.

Not necessarily the best, but pretty much the same from unit to unit. That would be my choice for a critical junction like this (combining two antennas).