UHF/VHF aerial through TV point?

[Banquet]

Hi all,

Apologies for this really newbie(daft) question!

I've had an Icom PCR-2500 for a few months and, living in a flat, just used the telescopic aerial that came with it, plus a UHF/VHF aerial with an HF wire, that I hung up inside my flat. Needless to say reception wasn't that great.

Now I've moved into a house and was keen to at least get the aerial into the loft while I look into the possibility of mounting a proper aerial on the roof later.

I'm absolutely terrible at DIY and so I was trying to figure out if I could drill a hole through the celing to feed the cable from the aerial in the loft to the room where the Icom will be. Then I noticed there is a TV aerial point in the room already. Up in the loft, the TV aerial cables come in through the roof, and there is an adapter with 3 separate TV aerial points, and each of these cables feeds down to 3 rooms where there is a TV aerial point.

My question is, to save me drilling, and possibily falling through the ceiling while crawling along the edge of the loft, could I just plug my UHF/VHF aerial into the TV aerial cable that comes up from the TV point to the loft? I can unplug it from the TV aerial adapter in the loft and plug it into my aerial instead, then I would simply plug the Icom into the TV aerial point in the bedroom and - bingo - the connection is made!

However, it seems to me that life is never that simple.. is that cable meant for TV signals and will it be rubbish for transporting the signal from my VHF/UHF aerial into the Icom? I did try it, and it sounded ok.. I was picking stuff up but, living in a new area, I'm not sure if I should be getting stronger signals.

One further question.. the UHF/VHF aerial has a connector for grounding it. I'm not sure what I should attach this to in a loft - any suggestions?

I'd really appreciate any help on this. I know it's a daft question, but it would be so handy to just use this existing cabling.

Thanks!

 

[davidmc36]

If the coax is RG6 I have had decent luck with it for recieve only, not perfect, but acceptable. The 75ohm impedance is not AS critical on receive only.

 

[gmclam]

If you are monitoring VHF, then I'd expect the "TV connection" to work fairly well. If you are monitoring UHF, then it might work OK or it might not be as good as you'd like. It depends on the cable being used, length of it, etc. 800 Mhz monitoring will be even less likely to work than UHF, but might.

 

[k9rzz]

Try it. One thing though, TV antennas are horizontal - VHF/UHF radios are vertical - that's a big disadvantage right off the bat, but try it and compare.

 

[W6KRU]

Try it. One thing though, TV antennas are horizontal - VHF/UHF radios are vertical - that's a big disadvantage right off the bat, but try it and compare.

That's easy to fix. You rotate the TV antenna 90 degrees.

 

[davidmc36]

Try it. One thing though, TV antennas are horizontal - VHF/UHF radios are vertical - that's a big disadvantage right off the bat, but try it and compare.

That is a good point. The first time I made a Yagi for UHF I did not know the difference and put it horizontal. Got nothing. Moved it vertical and booming signal. I didn't think to mention that cause I thought I gathered form the OP that he just wanted to use the coax/splitter and the like to attach his antenna upstairs and the radio down stairs.

 

[kb2vxa]

'Scuse me guys but his terminology says he's British so American coax numbers for one thing don't apply. Getting right to the point, a TV antenna does not a scanner antenna make. You're better off using standard equipment and dropping the coax down through the same hole although you may have to enlarge it a bit. Alternately you can bring the coax down in another location if the one where the TV lead does proves unsuitable.

Now please don't hold me to this but if in the UK cable TV signals are on the same frequencies as those on the air you're listening to as they are in the US cable TV coax is perfect for the job. We use it all the time, quality vs. price it gives the best bang for the buck. (Loudest explosion for the Pound.)

Don't concern yourself with grounding the antenna, it doesn't need one to operate properly. In the loft it's not likely to be hit by lightning, the only reason to ground one.

Don't worry about daft, this guy makes a living of it.

 

[Banquet]

Thanks for the replies guys, really appreciate it

Just to make one point clear.. I'm not actually using the TV aerial.. I've got a UHF/VHF aerial with an HF loop in the loft.. I'm just plugging it into the cabling that ends up as a TV aerial point in the room where the radio is. This cable was previously plugged into the TV aerial, but I want to plug it into my aerial instead.

Also, yes.. I'm British.

 

[blueangel-eric]

Is point the same thing as connector? why do you call it that?

Thanks for the replies guys, really appreciate it

Just to make one point clear.. I'm not actually using the TV aerial.. I've got a UHF/VHF aerial with an HF loop in the loft.. I'm just plugging it into the cabling that ends up as a TV aerial point in the room where the radio is. This cable was previously plugged into the TV aerial, but I want to plug it into my aerial instead.

Also, yes.. I'm British.

 

[Banquet]

Is point the same thing as connector? why do you call it that?

Sorry for my terminology, it's my lack of knowledge. Here's a picture of what the the TV point/connector looks like in the room where I have the radio. The other end, in the loft, normally connects to the TV aerial on the roof.. I want to plug the Icom into the connector pictured, and plug the UHF aerial into the other end in the loft.

 

[davidmc36]

Loos like a winner to me. I lived in a company residence, while at work, for about three years . Drilling extra holes in the house was really not an option. But there were two cable TV feed lines into the house and only one was used. I put a four foot broomstick with a piece of aluminum tube attached to the top of it on top of the roof and used the extra cable tv coax, right through to my bedroom attach point similar to your picture. Various antenna attemptd inside the house were utter failures, but just a crappy piece of aluminum tubing on the roof attached through the tv coax worked amazingly well. I just wonder how well it may have been had I taken the time to construct a decent antenna.

All babbling aside, if you have some decent coax in your wall you should get a decent result. Any extra height you can give your antenna will pay off so long as the feed line to get it there does not have tooo much loss.

Just out of curiosity, can you see any of the coax to see what spec is printed on it, if any?

 

[Banquet]

Thanks David, sounds hopeful.

I'm not at the house at the moment, but will be going there tomorrow for Xmas. Unfortunately I don't have internet there yet, but will check the cabling and post the results in the next few days

 

[kb2vxa]

I don't know what sort of connectors are used in the UK so there you're on your own. The point is as long as you use proper connectors and avoid The Sticky Tape Monster you'll be OK. Er, maybe while you're at it you can have a go at giving these Yanks a few tips on how to speak English, oy mate? (;->)

 

[Banquet]

Jolly good old boy, delightful standard of English from the chaps here already, though

 

[kb2vxa]

Yeah, we speak American. (;->) Trouble with you is your spelling, there is no U in color. Trouble with us is our spelling, we lost the I in aluminium. Aaaow, funny ol' wuld iddnit?

 

[davidmc36]

Trouble with you is your spelling, there is no U in color.

There is in Canada Eh!

 

[kb2vxa]

C A N A D A So where are U?

 

[davidmc36]

C A N A D A So where are U?

Just out-side Ottawa, Ontario. Up here we like the colours of the leaves in the fall and there is water vapour in the air and there is no honour among thieves. lol

 

[majoco]

Why is the TV aerial on the roof disconnected? And where? If its disconnected right up on the roof I would be inclined to buy a discone antenna (an antenna specifically designed for scanners) and mount it on the TV aerial mast. Keep the coaxial cable to the TV point/socket/connector and any TV shop worth a dime/5p will fit a TV plug onto a bit of cable to go to your radio. If you feel a headache coming on when you stand on the second rung of a ladder I'm sure a handyman would be pleased to help. Sorry, I'm a Pom in NZ so can't get there!

 

[kb2vxa]

Dave, you missed my double entendre but still you crack me up! Go ahead, put a U in everything but in Quebec the U is in amour where it belongs. Meanwhile I'm waiting for Banquet to come down out of the attic (loft to you) and tell us how he made out, this should be interesting.