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Here I go!
Steve,
Hal is RIGHT ON with his information here. I would like to add a few things to his comments.
I have worked with coax installations since the early 80's when 23 channels on CATV or 300mhz was about it. A lot has changed since then. But is seems some "Sparkies" still resort to substandard specifications.
The weakest link in a coax installation is its connectors/connections. With frequencies reaching the 1-Gig mark on Cable TV, and 2-Gig for Satellite, your connectors must be top-notch and terminated correctly.
Most coax has a center conductor that is made of steel that has a thin layer of copper plated on the outside (called "copperweld"). The steel is used for strength and the copper provides conductivity at RF frequencies because of the "skin effect". The skin effect says that the higher the frequency the more to the outside of a conductor the signal will travel. Therefore at CATV and higher RF frequencies the signal travels entirely on the outside of the center conductor through the copper plating.
This is why they make proper "Stripping" tools for all sizes of coax. If "Sparky" is still using a razor knife or even his pocketknife, he is probably "Scoring" the skin of the center conductor causing the signal to have to jump over the scratch. This can cause major signal problems. Also, use a good quality connector, and always tighten all outdoor connectors with a wrench.
Hal is also correct about a short causing the center conductor to melt. WHAT??? :rofl: There is no way. We install Commercial Direct TV here in Jacksonville, FL. and I have never seen or heard that one. Lightening, Yes could be, but we have dishes on the roofs up to 36 stories high, and never have service calls for lightning hits. Most of our grounds are done in the communications closet where our multi-switches are located, using ground blocks.
From your post, I am assuming there is only 1 TV off of this dish? You are testing the cable from the basement to the receiver? Did you disconnect the receiver before you tested? Could it be possible someone has come in behind you and thought they could spit off your cable to another TV? A splitter can cause or act like a short when doing a continuity test. Have you tested the voltage output of the receiver to make sure it’s not faulty? Are you using any Diplexers, and if so, are they connected properly?