Dish installation - max coax length?

Scola77

I miss my bootloader
Original poster
Feb 12, 2016
79
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Louisiana
Does anyone know what the max length of coax cable that would work without using a booster? It is a very long run from the tv to where the dish would be installed.

Thanks!
 
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Does anyone know what the max length of coax cable that would work without using a booster? It is a very long run from the tv to where the dish would be installed.

Thanks!
It might be easier to answer if you mentioned the distance instead of a very long run.....
 
The number that has been referenced several times around here is 200'.
 
Ouch. Ok assuming its too long of a run, what kind of booster would you guys recommend (if such a thing would even work)?
 
Ouch. Ok assuming its too long of a run, what kind of booster would you guys recommend (if such a thing would even work)?
I'd be tempted to try it. If 200' is the official number, I suspect that Dish has a bit of a safety factored into that. A 20% allowance, which doesn't sound unreasonable, would give you 240'.
 
According to a calculator I found, attenuation at 3 GHz for 200' of RG-6 is 23 dB. For RG-11, attenuation is 16 dB for the same length and 20 dB for 250'.

You also need to consider low frequency (DC) loss and RG-11's resistance is half that of RG-6.

So you should be fine with RG-11. You can find RG-11 F connectors and crimper but you might be better off ordering the cable with connectors attached or using another type of connector (UHF or N). In any case, use a length of RG-6 at each end to connect to receiver and LNB or switch to avoid the strain RG-11 would put on these devices.
 
As several others have posted, about 200 feet is correct. That could also depend on how many receivers (tuners) you're running also. If you're getting signal loss on the furherest receiver from the DISH, you'll need a DPP44
 
The band stacking will likely make it shaky without amplification. The band stacking is using higher frequencies and as frequency goes up, cable losses increase rapidly.
 
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This may not be entirely accurate, but I always felt that amps boosted "everything", that is, the good and the bad.
I hear you Hall. I have a preamp on my OTA antenna. It is supposed to be used for long wire runs between the antenna and the TV. I have found that I can get stations with it that I can't without it. But, with rain fade, there is no signal at all during the fade. I don't think an amp is going to assist that at all....
 
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