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(I had originally posted this question at the end of the LONG thread "Okay to not ground coax feed from dish...", but decided to move to a new thread instead -- I posted a follow-up to that effect in the other thread. Sorry for the confusion!)
Sad to report that my two DP301s were apparently "zapped" a couple of days ago by a severe electrical storm. The receivers power on, menus look okay, etc., but neither sees the satellites now -- AND Check Switch on both receivers now reports "no switch found". I tested with a borrowed DP301 and check switch runs fine on it, so it must be receiver(s) problem -- not a problem with dish/LNBs, or cabling. I removed covers to take a look inside, but don't see anything obviously "wrong" (charred or bubbled!). Obviously, that still doesn't mean that some component didn't get zapped -- which must be the case here.
This is a relatively new house, and yes I originally purchased the grounding blocks (etc.) for my dish install, but just HAD to go ahead and wire everything up (to watch TV) until I could find the "few hours" for my "proper grounding" project. One week led to one month -- one month led to a few months -- you get the picture. Time passed, and I never grounded my dish(es). Now, I'll pay the price (two DP301 receivers, two wireless routers, HDMI input on my 4-week old 42" plasma TV, power supply on my Media Center computer, and probably some yet-to-be-discovered things).
Lesson Learned. Now I must ground, and ground CORRECTLY!
Both of my dishes (Dish 500s) are 200-300' from point-of-entry at my house (I am surrounded by tall trees). One dish (single cable) enters the house thru same access "hole" as phone line (which is right beside my electrical main/meter). FWIW, I also have an outdoor wireless (802.11b/g) antenna that must be grounded (I have an arrestor block for this also) -- it also enters the house at this location. So I have 2 cables here that must be grounded. Can I simply attach these ground blocks (using #10 solid copper wire & a bolt clamp/connector) to the thick (#6?) copper wire (visible -- partially in a conduit) that runs down the outside wall from my electric meter/box into the ground (the phone box ground wire is already connected to this -- at topsoil level)?
The other side of the equation is that my other Dish 500 (2 cables - dual LNB) is on the other end of the house. Those 2 cables currently enter my crawlspace/basement on THAT end of the house. I had originally intended on driving a grounding rod (at least 4' -- this is very rocky red clay...I've read that clay is very conductive and shorter rods will work okay) on that end and using a dual grounding block -- then just let it run on thru the crawlspace/basement to my cabling "hub" (where the other cables enter the basement). But now I'm reading all of this about "you must connect all earth grounds", so I'm thinking I'm about to do something wrong? Must I connect my grounding rod to the other end of the house? If so, can I just run a long piece of #10 copper wire along with my 2 coax runs and connect it to the ground on the other end of the house (basically, go in the basement and come out the other end of the house)? Or should I just run the 2 coax cables straight under the house (no grounding block at point of entry) THEN out the other end of the house, ground them (along the 2 mentioned above), and then BACK into the basement (for connection to various TVs etc.)? On the surface, that approach sounds a bit dangerous ("inviting" the lightning charge to run thru the length of the basement and hope that it will exit nicely!).
My questions may sound a bit confused -- if so, it's because I'm NOT an electricity/lightning expert!!
Basically, it boils down to two questions -- (1) can I connect to the electric meter/box copper ground wire (using the wire clamps) and accomplish proper grounding? (2) how is the best way to ground the 2 coax cables coming into the opposite end of the house?
THANKS MUCH!!!
Kevin T.
Sad to report that my two DP301s were apparently "zapped" a couple of days ago by a severe electrical storm. The receivers power on, menus look okay, etc., but neither sees the satellites now -- AND Check Switch on both receivers now reports "no switch found". I tested with a borrowed DP301 and check switch runs fine on it, so it must be receiver(s) problem -- not a problem with dish/LNBs, or cabling. I removed covers to take a look inside, but don't see anything obviously "wrong" (charred or bubbled!). Obviously, that still doesn't mean that some component didn't get zapped -- which must be the case here.
This is a relatively new house, and yes I originally purchased the grounding blocks (etc.) for my dish install, but just HAD to go ahead and wire everything up (to watch TV) until I could find the "few hours" for my "proper grounding" project. One week led to one month -- one month led to a few months -- you get the picture. Time passed, and I never grounded my dish(es). Now, I'll pay the price (two DP301 receivers, two wireless routers, HDMI input on my 4-week old 42" plasma TV, power supply on my Media Center computer, and probably some yet-to-be-discovered things).
Lesson Learned. Now I must ground, and ground CORRECTLY!
Both of my dishes (Dish 500s) are 200-300' from point-of-entry at my house (I am surrounded by tall trees). One dish (single cable) enters the house thru same access "hole" as phone line (which is right beside my electrical main/meter). FWIW, I also have an outdoor wireless (802.11b/g) antenna that must be grounded (I have an arrestor block for this also) -- it also enters the house at this location. So I have 2 cables here that must be grounded. Can I simply attach these ground blocks (using #10 solid copper wire & a bolt clamp/connector) to the thick (#6?) copper wire (visible -- partially in a conduit) that runs down the outside wall from my electric meter/box into the ground (the phone box ground wire is already connected to this -- at topsoil level)?
The other side of the equation is that my other Dish 500 (2 cables - dual LNB) is on the other end of the house. Those 2 cables currently enter my crawlspace/basement on THAT end of the house. I had originally intended on driving a grounding rod (at least 4' -- this is very rocky red clay...I've read that clay is very conductive and shorter rods will work okay) on that end and using a dual grounding block -- then just let it run on thru the crawlspace/basement to my cabling "hub" (where the other cables enter the basement). But now I'm reading all of this about "you must connect all earth grounds", so I'm thinking I'm about to do something wrong? Must I connect my grounding rod to the other end of the house? If so, can I just run a long piece of #10 copper wire along with my 2 coax runs and connect it to the ground on the other end of the house (basically, go in the basement and come out the other end of the house)? Or should I just run the 2 coax cables straight under the house (no grounding block at point of entry) THEN out the other end of the house, ground them (along the 2 mentioned above), and then BACK into the basement (for connection to various TVs etc.)? On the surface, that approach sounds a bit dangerous ("inviting" the lightning charge to run thru the length of the basement and hope that it will exit nicely!).
My questions may sound a bit confused -- if so, it's because I'm NOT an electricity/lightning expert!!
Basically, it boils down to two questions -- (1) can I connect to the electric meter/box copper ground wire (using the wire clamps) and accomplish proper grounding? (2) how is the best way to ground the 2 coax cables coming into the opposite end of the house?
THANKS MUCH!!!
Kevin T.
25 Replies
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4299 views
Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Apple Fall Hardware Event takes place today, September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. It marks the debut of new CEO John Ternus and the expected reveal of Apple's first foldable phone.
147 Replies
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2699 views
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
I was reading this article
thehill.com
That said this-
Last summer, for the first time, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime claimed the largest share of the television viewing audience, surpassing both cable and broadcast TV. Streaming captured 34.8 percent of July viewers, according to Nielsen data, compared to 34.4 percent for cable and 21.6 percent for broadcast.
And then, sometime in the second half of 2022, cord-cutters became the majority. The share of cable and satellite television subscribers dipped to 48 percent, according to a report from Samba TV, a television technology company.
Now I do not consider those with YTTV and the likes, Cord Cutters, but they still do not have Traditional Cable/Satellite delivered Live TV, so I decided to do the math.
There are, now, 129 Million Households in the United States.
In 2015, there were 100 Million Cable/Sat Subscribers , no streaming Live TV Service.
Today, there are 66 Million Live TV subscribers, including Cable, Satellite and Streaming.
Roughly, Streaming Live TV has 14 Million subs including all of them.
So that means, Cable/Satellite now has, roughly, 51 Million Households
So in just 8 years, lost 49% of their subscribers and by the end of this year, expected sub count to be, roughly, 45 million households.
That means a total loss of 55% since 2015 at the end of 2023.
But out of 129 Million households, 45 million will mean only 35% will get Cable/Satellite Delivered Live TV by the end of 2023.
Imagine what 2024 will be like.
Cable TV ‘cord-cutters’ became the majority in 2022
The steady decline of cable and broadcast television, and the rise of streaming services, reached a sort of inflection point over the past year. Last summer, for the first time, streaming ser…
thehill.com
That said this-
Last summer, for the first time, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime claimed the largest share of the television viewing audience, surpassing both cable and broadcast TV. Streaming captured 34.8 percent of July viewers, according to Nielsen data, compared to 34.4 percent for cable and 21.6 percent for broadcast.
And then, sometime in the second half of 2022, cord-cutters became the majority. The share of cable and satellite television subscribers dipped to 48 percent, according to a report from Samba TV, a television technology company.
Now I do not consider those with YTTV and the likes, Cord Cutters, but they still do not have Traditional Cable/Satellite delivered Live TV, so I decided to do the math.
There are, now, 129 Million Households in the United States.
In 2015, there were 100 Million Cable/Sat Subscribers , no streaming Live TV Service.
Today, there are 66 Million Live TV subscribers, including Cable, Satellite and Streaming.
Roughly, Streaming Live TV has 14 Million subs including all of them.
So that means, Cable/Satellite now has, roughly, 51 Million Households
So in just 8 years, lost 49% of their subscribers and by the end of this year, expected sub count to be, roughly, 45 million households.
That means a total loss of 55% since 2015 at the end of 2023.
But out of 129 Million households, 45 million will mean only 35% will get Cable/Satellite Delivered Live TV by the end of 2023.
Imagine what 2024 will be like.
911 Replies
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73123 views
Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
194 Replies
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3696 views
With Streaming, they should all be able to be on at night, no issue with TV slots
(Everybody can be on Peacock ...
) 
Could. Yes.With Streaming, they should all be able to be on at night, no issue with TV slots
(Everybody can be on Peacock ...
But you know as well as I that they are not going A: put all of their prime matchups on at the same time. And B: take their main games off of the main channels.
You had bama vs lsu, and Georgia vs Ole Miss to choose from.
Considering Georgia had beaten Bama and Ole Miss had beaten LSU, I can see that why they chose that game for the night matchup (without the benefit of hindsight as to how the game's Saturday would play out).
You also had Tennessee vs Kentucky to fit in the mix.
Someone had to be at 2:30. Which imo is honestly my preferred slot for bama games no matter who they are playing or where.
None of them was going to be a streaming only game, and none where going on an "alternate" channel.
College Football Playoff, ESPN agree to 5-year, $1.7 billion deal expanding field to 24 teams starting in 2027
The CFP field will have 12 teams this year, before doubling in 2027.
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBXzrXAN9A4
Direct YouTube Link - Why the Tesla Cybertruck Was Killed Off
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBXzrXAN9A4
Direct YouTube Link - Why the Tesla Cybertruck Was Killed Off
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
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11 views
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
Comcast is the first to report, with a massive 274,000 loss in video subscribers.
In the 3Q of 2016, Comcast had 21.42 million video subscribers and was the #1 provider, now at 10.39 million and is the #3 Provider, YTTV is #2 ( who also surpassed DirecTV-8 Million and Dish-under 5 Million), Charter/Spectrum is #1.
cordcuttersnews.com
In the 3Q of 2016, Comcast had 21.42 million video subscribers and was the #1 provider, now at 10.39 million and is the #3 Provider, YTTV is #2 ( who also surpassed DirecTV-8 Million and Dish-under 5 Million), Charter/Spectrum is #1.
Comcast Just Lost 274,000 TV Customers & 144,000 Internet Customers In Just Three Months | Cord Cutters News
Comcast Corporation reported its third-quarter 2026 results on October 22, showing continued erosion in its domestic residential broadband internet and video customer bases as competitive pressures intensified across the connectivity market. The company recorded a net loss of 144,000 domestic...
cordcuttersnews.com
31 Replies
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1230 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Cheap, just the battery. Working or not.
Anybody got anything they'd just as soon get rid of? They look like this:
Anybody got anything they'd just as soon get rid of? They look like this:
3 Replies
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298 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68790 Replies
·
2688655 views
Ham Radio 2.0
Time for another AWESOME video from Ham Radio 2.0!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiNPl9CbO0M
Direct YouTube Link - RAK 1W LoRa Board vs the FCC: What Changes for You?
Ham Radio 2.0 Website
Ham Radio 2.0 on Facebook
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiNPl9CbO0M
Direct YouTube Link - RAK 1W LoRa Board vs the FCC: What Changes for You?
Ham Radio 2.0 Website
Ham Radio 2.0 on Facebook
0 Replies
·
14 views
I have a DX100 American Electrola Radio, AM FM SW. It is a receiver only, which quit working many years ago. Several years ago the seller had stated that capacitors would need replaced because they go bad.
In this particular xxx://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zUbXgNT8Oo they mentioned the backup battery being the problem.
Several years back when asking about having the capacitors replaced one former repairman said send it back to the factory, well there is not any. Another response several years ago from a person who repaired circuit boards for industry said they could repair it if they had a schematic, again I do not have.
This radio was built in Pittsburgh, PA out of as many American parts as they could find. Your thoughts on getting the radio to work?
In this particular xxx://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zUbXgNT8Oo they mentioned the backup battery being the problem.
Several years back when asking about having the capacitors replaced one former repairman said send it back to the factory, well there is not any. Another response several years ago from a person who repaired circuit boards for industry said they could repair it if they had a schematic, again I do not have.
This radio was built in Pittsburgh, PA out of as many American parts as they could find. Your thoughts on getting the radio to work?
25 Replies
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8323 views
First, thank you for replying to this old thread! Attached are photos.
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Stumbled across this ... http://www.gaspricewatch.com/USGas_ZipSearch.asp
I found no local prices, although it did show stations at my location...
Added these to this post...
USA National Gas Temperature Map
State By State Gasoline Taxes
Gas Buddy
Ethanol Free Stations
I found no local prices, although it did show stations at my location...
Added these to this post...
USA National Gas Temperature Map
State By State Gasoline Taxes
Gas Buddy
Ethanol Free Stations
5570 Replies
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463050 views
