On 8 Feb 2006 21:53:31 -0800, "jg" wrote:

I have done some reading about balun transformers and how I can connect
my existing flat antena cable to 75 ohm cable.

However, my questions is this... what if I replace the 30 year old flat
cable all the way to the antenna. Will this yield better reception?

Maybe.

(It is pretty good as it is.) The exiting flat cable is starting to
fall apart at some places. Currently I just have it directly wired to
my coax cable (just before it enters the house) with out any type of
transformer.

How did you do that? Soldered one wire to the center and the other to
the braid? I'm curious, but as others have said, you should redo it,
and run straightaway to a tv or a signal splitter, if you want to go
to more than one tv. They still sell them for flat lead.

I would also pay attention to the way the wire is run now. Flat lead
should have stand-offs to keep it away from the pole and the siding,
and as someone pointed out, it should be twisted I can imagine that
some prior amateur or neat-freak kept the wire untwisted because he
thought it looked better. So if they didn't do a good job the last
time, your job can be better. (The interference will still try to
interfere, but its effect on one part of the flat-lead will be exactly
the opposit of its effect on the other part of the wire, so the two
effects will cancel each other out. Hence, no interference. This is
similar to the reason that wires from burglar alarm sensors use
twisted pairs of wires, so that lightening won't generate a voltage
spike in the wires that will damage the control panel (or set off the
alarm?).

The coax is properly grounded (to the circuit breaker
box.)

So my questions are these:

1. How do I connect the coax directly to the antenna? Or should I?
Do I still need a balun transformer?

Yes.

2. If I need a balun transformer, does anyone know of a heavy duty
outdoor one? (Or should I build my own.)

They're not so much heavy duty as they are designed to keep the
insides dry, with the rubber cover and all.

3. Will reception improve?
Thanx to all who reply.

jg


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

How did I connect the twinlead to the coax? I used two cones and
twisted them. Center to one lead, outside to the other lead. This was
meant to be a temporary solution (two years ago.)

At any rate I have one more question, if I go twinlead all the way from
the antenna to the TV (almost to the TV, I'll have to switch over just
before cable runs up the wall behind my tv) should I be concerned with
grounding? As I explained before, coax is well grounded just before
entering crawlspace. Will I need to do the same for twinlead?