Introduction: On this page is information
on cable choice and tips for wiring the servo motor and actuator
and for wiring multiple LNBs to the receiver. Also included is
info on power passing splitters and in-line distribution amps
and discussion on waterproofing your system, the use of feedcovers
and installing ground rods and surge protectors.
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CABLING: Satellite cable
is typically called 'all-in-one' or 'direct burial (DBC)'. It
is comprised of 
two RG-6 coaxial cables,
a bundle of three color-coded 18, 20 or 22 gauge stranded wires
for the feedhorn servo motor, and a bundle of 
five color-coded stranded wires for the actuator -
two 12 or14 gauge for motor control and three 18, 20 or 22 gauge
for sensor control. DBC cable is designed to be buried directly
into the ground, without being run in conduit, though do not
bury the cable until your system is completely connected and
performing properly. Buy enough DBC to go up the pole of the
dish and out to the center; it is best to make the wire one long
piece as splices are a potential future trouble spot for corrosion
and entrance for moisture into the system and a splice will also
attentuate signal slightly.
Remember, in wire gauge, the smaller the number then the larger
the wire diameter.You will be able to run your system comfortably
with 250 feet of cable and should not have a problem at 300 feet.
Using a quality receiver receiving strong satellites the RG-6
coax will be 'ok' at 350 feet but it will be close to requiring
an upgrade of all stranded wiring. For cable runs (distances)
over 300 feet I would go for 12 gauge motor wires and then 20
or 18 gauge sensor wiring (whatever comes in the DBC bundle).
If the DBC bundle contains the thicker motor and sensor wires
and still contains RG-6 (which is 'ok') then use an in-line
signal amplifier on the RG-6 LNB runs if you are encountering
weak signals. Over distance, higher frequencies lose power/signal
strength/definition, i.e. attenuate,.quicker than lower frequencies
so it is conceivable the Ku line would need a line amp whereas
the C line would not, all other things being equal. If in doubt,
check with your cable supplier and equipment provider for their
exact recommendations on length of cable run and size cable/wire
to use.
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Coax cable consists of
an inner solid wire, conductor, which carries both the DC voltage
to power
the LNB and the signal from the LNB to the receiver,
and the conductor is surrounded by a plastic or foam insulator
(dielectric) and then covered with an outer 'grounding' foil
sheath and then covered by an extra braided sheath and then the
entire cable is coated by a durable outer plastic covering which
is typically black, or pink if plenum fire retardant cable. The
dielectric core establishes the impedance of the cable and serves
as an insulator between the centr conductor and grounding sheathes;
coaxial cable for satellite TV video is a 75 ohm impedance cable.
To use RG-6 coax cable, an 'F' end 
connector
(the same connector used for VCR connections) is attached to
each end of the coaxial cable; it is a rather simple procedure
which I have performed many times using a pair of pliers to crimp
the connector to the cable rather than purchase a speciality
coax 'F' connector crimp tool (of course 
no one recommends this). Be sure that the center conductor
does not short out, i.e. touch, to 
the
outer ground sheath as this will definitely kill signal passage
and possibly blow the receiver's fuse and could conceiveably
damage its internal power supply; just 'skin' back the sheath
and clip it so that it can not contact the center conductor -
a simple thing to do. If you are using RG-11 cabling be sure
to get the 'F' 
connector
for that size cable and even I recommend to use the proper coax
crimping tool to install end connectors on RG-11 rather than
use pliers. Also use a professional crimp tool when installing
for commercial accounts and especially for your customers where
plenum cable is employed. When end connectors are installed,
pull on them by hand to ensure they are crimped well.
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For a single LNB feed, only one coax cable is used from the
LNB to the receiver. For a dual LNB 
feed, i.e. no polarotor motor, a coax cable is run
from each LNB to the appropriate connection at the back of the
receiver - two coax cables are used. For a dual feed going to
a single receiver the LNB connections are easy to install as
the receiver will have two labeled LNB input coax ports - both
a horizontal C-band port and a vertical C-band port. If each
LNB output is to go to multiple receivers, i.e. a receiver by
the TV in the main room and a receiver by the TV in a bedroom,
then you will need to pass each LNB coax through a power passing
splitter (in other words, you will need a power passing splitter
for each LNB); be sure not to use a regular, in-house, 
low frequency
splitter but a special splitter rated for the range of output
frequencies of the LNB. A power passing splitter has dual purposes:
to pass DC power (from the receiver) to operate the LNB through
one port and to split the output received signal from the LNB
for use with multiple receivers. The coax port that passes DC
is to be connected to the receiver that controls movement of
the dish. Don't forget to place a terminator on any unused splitter
ports.
Two cables are also used for a corotor
feed. For a corotor feed going to a single receiver the LNB
connections are easy to install as the receiver will have two
labeled LNB input coax ports - both a C-band port and a Ku-band
port (sample receiver wiring for corotor
system). When a dual C/single 
Ku feed is used then three coax cables are required
- the two with the DBC bundle and an extra coax run alongside
the DBC bundle (sample receiver wiring
for dual C, single Ku system). Two extra coax cables are
required when a dual C/dual
Ku feed is used for a total of four cables. Because receivers
only have two input ports, if three or four coax inputs from
the LNB to the receiver are used then you will need an electronic
dual polarity satellite control switch for each LNB. It takes
in both polarities, i.e. two coaxes, from each LNB then outputs
a single coax to the back of the receiver with the polarity of
the channel requested by the receiver (as you change channels
you are in reality changing polarities and this switch coordinates
that information to the LNB). Each set of horizontal and vertical
LNBs will require this switch. The electronic switch is powered
from the back of the receiver in accordance with receiver manufacturers
instructions (see example combiner/control
box for C-band LNB in this example receiver wiring for dual C,
single Ku system). For receivers that do not have capability
to power the switch, the switch can be purchased with an external
DC power supply. NOTE: Control switch is placed in-line after
the power passing splitter if more than one receiver is used
- make a diagram of the coax paths from the LNBs to the receiver
if you are slightly confused on the configuration of power passing
splitters and control switches. Just remember, you will need
a splitter port for each receiver and a control switch per receiver
for each set of dual polarities brought down from the feed.
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One important thing to remember, no cable will forgive
you if you put a staple or nail thru it!!, Also coax cable is
not forgiving to being kinked so always loop roll coax and never
bend it; and nothing kinks easier than RG-59. Damaged coax cable
can detrimentally alter signal impedance and cause undue attenuation
at certain frequencies (remember that channels are really nothing
more than frequencies). I do not recommend using RG-59 cable
for anything; it is the 'skinniest' cable available for video
application and for some reason it is the favorite (because it
is cheapest, I guess) of architects and construction managers
to use to prewire a house. Besides kinking easiest and having
a flimsy center conductor, RG-59 is a waste of money as it attenuates
signal too quickly over any distance to be useful. Do not pay
any attention to people that say RG-59 can be used for distances
up to 100 feet - RG-59 is a waste of time to use;
it kinks easier, has a flimsy center conductor (yes, I know you
can purchase RG-59 with thicker center conductors but why bother
when RG-6 is available) and it looses signal too quickly. NOTE:
For all 'F' connectors - those for LNB connections, for insertions,
for VCR connections - use the solid one-piece crimp style and
not the two-piece style shown in the RG-59 photo above. A two
piece connection is a definite aggravation.
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In-line and distribution amps are sometimes required for
long or undersized cable lengths. If
you do have a problem with weak signal from the LNB to the receiver
due to long coax distances, i.e. you arrive on a site and find
it wired to the dish with
undersized coax, such as RG-59, you can put an in-line
UHF amplifier (900 -1750 MHz range) on the coax; it is powered
by the center conductor of the coax (like the LNB) and typically
comes in +10 and +20dB ratings and uses 'F' end connectors. If
you are at the limit of RG-6 length, from receiver to dish, and
should go to RG-11, you use an in-line amp. As a fact, if you
stay under 200 feet on your RG-6 DBC, you will be fine with LNB
signal and power to the sensor and actutor assemblies.
If distribution wiring within 
the house is prewired with RG-59 (heaven forbid) then
use the lower frequency (5-950 MHz) in-line amp on the coax -
options include amps powered with an external DC power supply
and by in-line DC
(check your application and talk with your supplier
to determine your need). If you are distributing signal to multiple
TVs around a large house, you can use, for instance, a simple
25dB gain distribution amplifier which takes one combined line
in and sends one 
combined
line out. For use around a small to medium hotel or apartment
complex, you can use an adjustable 60dB 
gain distribution amp which offers acceptance of combined
or individual inputs and offers separate attenuation control
for low band VHF, high band VHF and low band UHF. These type
units are typically adjustable in 10dB input attenuation units
and have individual output gain adjustments and offer front panel
feature selectivity and control. NOTE: All frequencies given
are for North American designations and products shown are typical
examples of market availablity.(Complete list of North
American TV Frequencies/Channel Assignments and International
TV Frequencies/Channel Assignments).
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In the DBC bundle, the three 22 gauge wires for the servo
motor provide 5V DC power, pulse,
and ground connections from the back of the receiver to the 
motor. For a
feed with a polarotor motor, servo control cable is connected
at the back of the receiver and to the servo motor. They connect
to corresponding terminals on the back of the receiver and usually
the red wire is for power (five volds DC), white for pulse (which
changes the polarity), and black for ground; these wires pass
five volts dc from the receiver to the servo. The receiver uses
pulses to keep track of the position of the feedhorn's polarity
probe in the feedhorn throat and these wires are the control.
Once the receiver is programmed, this control function is transparant
to the user and is automatically applied as you switch channels.
The servo motor will make a one second 'whirring' noise when
you change channels on your receiver - this noise is the motor
rotating the polarity 
probe inside
the feed throat; when you hear this
noise, the servo motor is wired correctly. If you do not hear
this noise either both polarities on the receiver are set for
the same value in which case use the manual polarity control
to activate the servo or the wiring is not correct. If the wiring
is not correct, switch the wires on the servo until they are
properly connected, i.e. until you hear the noise. When connecting
any wiring to the dish or receiver, turn off power to the receiver;
better yet, unplug the receiver. And do not forget, no cable
will forgive you if you put a staple or nail thru it!!
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(For actuator installation.)
The actuator cable bundle of wires consists of two large stranded wires and three smaller wires
similar to the three wires for the servo motor. Be
sure to connect actuator wires to the appropriate location at
the receiver and not confuse them with the connections for the
servor control wires. Like the feedhorn servo wires, the three
actuator motor sensor wires also provide power, pulse, and ground.
In modern systems, a Reed (most common) or Hall-Effect sensor
switch is used internally in the actuator motor circuitry (to
count rotations of the actuator motor, i.e. to know when to stop
the actuator on the satellites you program) and will only require
two of the sensor wires, one for pulse and the other for ground
- clip or fold back the unused wire. As the shaft rotates the
actuator arm, the magnet wheel rotates and the sensor is activated,
i.e. makes a 'count' and sends a pulse, every time a magnet passes
under the sensor. Actually, the reed switch is 'open' until a
magnet passes under it then it 'closes' when it detects a magnet
and thereby sends the pulse. The more magnets on the magnet wheel
the more counts per arm revolution and the greater accuracy the
receiver has in stopping the dish directly where you want it
- most important for Ku reception. If, after a lightening storm,
your dish is not counting properly, then the reed switch has
failed. The two large stranded wires connect to the large wire
terminals at the actuator motor and to the motor wire terminals
on the back of the receiver. The two large wires provide 24 to
36 volts dc to the antenna actuator's dc motor; do not connect
them to any other terminals on the receiver except where it says
motor control. Many modern receivers,
today, only power 24 volts output and this can be a problem when
using 
diameter dishes of 4.0m or greater.When you move the
dish to the east or west; if the dish moves in the opposite direction
of the direction intended, then simply reverse the two actuator
control wires either at the dish or at the receiver. When you
set (program) limits for the actuator, according to instructions
for your receiver, if the receiver will not let you move the
dish, switch motor sensor wires at either the dish or the back
of the receiver until the proper sensor wire configuration is
achieved - when the receiver will not let you move the dish it
is almost always a sensor wiring problem. When connecting
any wiring to the dish or receiver, turn off power to the receiver;
better yet, unplug the receiver. And do not forget, no cable
will forgive you if you put a staple or nail thru it!! And when
the job is finished, and the dish tracked, and all cables are
in properly functioning order, I use cable/wire tie wraps to
tidy up all cable runs along the pole, to the feed assembly and
around the actuator (leave a drain loop on cables going into
the LNB and wires going into the feed servo motor and actuator
- for the actuator allow a large enough loop to allow for actuator
movement of the motor as the arm extends and retracts).
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WATERPROOFING: I use silicon gel on any electrical connections exposed to the elements but for sure do not plug up the drain hole on the actuator motor housing cover. For LNB connections, many LNBs include a black, sticky waterproof compound called Coax-Seal (or whatever) to wrap around the connection, it is designed to breathe but not to pass moisture. If this is not available, or you get tired of fooling with it (it can be a mess), I have regularly squirted silicon gel into the end connector and immediately screwed the connector onto the LNB but remember that silicon gel does not pass moisture so be sure there is no trapped moisture in the connector before doing this - use a blow dryer on the end connector if you are concerned about moisture; you can also apply the gel around the outside of the connector if you wish. Note that if you use ScotchLok connectors for the smaller guage wire connections, such as servo motor lines, that internal to the ScotchLok is silicon gel which is immediately forced around the wires when the ScotchLok is squeezed to make the connection. If you use screw-on wire caps, bathe them in gel and wrap in electrical tape. For in-line insertions, also be sure to waterproof them very well or, better yet, place them in a waterproof plastic box. For all cable connections, whether to the actuator or into the house, leave a little 'sag' in the cable where it enters into the unit or wall so that water will run to the low point and drip off the cable rather than follow the cable into the connection - this is called a 'drip loop'. For instance, before connecting cabling to the feed assembly (servo motor and LNBs), I loosely wrap the cable once around the feed then make the connections as this servese two purposes - it automatically makes a drip loop and also takes the weight of the cable off the connections.
Regardless of measures taken for waterproofing, the elements
will eventually take their toll on your connections so make regular
inspections for corrosion and water incursion part of your routine.
Replace corroded 'F' connectors - just snip them off and put
on a new one; do not bother to clean as usually the corrosion
will extend back into the coax and maybe as much as an inch on
long neglected connections. Be especially aware that saltwater
(salt air) is very damaging to everthing involved with a satellite
system - if you live in a salty air environment, in addition
to outside electric connections, pay particular attention to
corrosion of actuator parts (especially the tube) and mount/cap
bolts (they will lock up with corrosion quicker than you think
so keep them covered in light oil/grease). Nothing is more aggravating
than twisting off a corroded nut/bolt; and remember to spray
the bolts that are used in holding the dish together as they
are not as high a quality.as mount bolts and they will definitely
seize. In regards to the actuator, always install 'this side
up' in accordance to manufacturer's instructions; and over time
the rubber wiper where the tube goes into the actuator sleeve
will loose its
shape (if it is in any kind of sun) and loose completely
its wiping capability. Also, in regards to the actuator, I have
never been fond of the actuator accordian boots that cover the
sliding tube - they always seemed more trouble than they were
worth and if you live in a humid environment the tube will become
lightly corroded anyway and the boot gives a false sense of security
and once you put it on you have a tendency never to check it;
I used to sell them to customers that wanted them (easy money)
but never put them on display nor promoted them nor installed
them - there is no shortcut to regular maintenance.
If you are worried about water incursion into your signal
cable then use 'flooded' coax - it contains a water resistent,
clear, sticky gel beneath the plastic jacket (a mess to make
connections with but will do the trick) and, in the worst case
scenario, put all outdoor cable in PVC conduit. To tell the truth,
though, in the ten years in Houston (high humidity, relatively
close to the coast, high rainfall amount, poor yard drainage)
when we would deinstall a system and dig up the DBC cable, it
was dirty but none the worse for wear so we never put anything
in conduit for below ground applications unless a client really
insisted on it. We would put outside cabling in conduit up a
wall, commerical installations, etc, but that was to protect
the cable from man and not from weather. Now, rusty bolts is
a different story - that was always a problem.
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FEEDCOVERS:This is a good
time to talk about feed assembly covers. I never use them because
I use a commercial CalAmp C-band LNB with the tiny power indicator
light on it and I like to look up at my dish and see that the
LNB is powered (as crazy as that sounds). However, I always install
covers for customers. Also, for my personal systems, I leave
off the elbow on the feed and connect the LNB straight into the
feed (for the extra gain lost by using the elbows) so that feed
covers will not fit over the finished assembly. I also live in
a temperate zone and feel it is better in the summer to leave
the cover off rather than bake the LNBs; when I worked in Saudi
Arabia we always left them off. Imagine it being a hot day and
in the car with the windows rolled up - that is what it is like
under the feedcover. Plus, the warmer is the LNB, the more ambient
noise it will have and the greater its noise temperature will
be thus reducing its effectiveness. Although LNBs are coated
(externally) with heat resistent material (enamels, paint, whatnot)
it is still not good to heat them up. These are just my personal
preferences as you can see just as many dishes with feed covers
than not and there seems not to be any pattern in service calls
from one arrangement to the other as far as LNB failure is concerned.
Another reason I leave the cover off is so that insects will
not make a home under them. When winter comes, and inclement
weather, ice and precipitation, is the norm, I do cover the feed
assembly with a plastic bag for whatever period I think is important
to avoid any water expansion due to freezing and the effects
it may have on connections though I like to think I have made
all connections impervious to water incursion. For regular spring
rains, even when I lived in the rain forest of Costa Rica, I
never bother with a feed cover as I want everything to dry as
quickly as possible and to avoid a humid condition under the
feed cover.
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GROUND ROD/SURGE PROTECTION:I
personally do not usually fool with ground rods though everyone
recommends it - homeowners insurance should cover your satellite
equipment - and
certainly the lightening strike map showed I was in
a high probablity area for lightening when I lived in Houston.
However, I always unplug all my electronics in the house, including
stereo, TV, microwave, satellite equipment, etc., during any
lightening storms or severe weather. That foolishness said (as
some would say), the theory of ground rods is to direct spurious
and anomalous electrical energy that may 'strike' your satellite
dish, or near it, into the ground and not into the cabling which
leads to indoor equipment. Grounding rod or not, a strike on
the dish will kill dish electronics, i.e. LNB, though I have
never heard of it affecting the servor motor except in direct
hits. If, after a lightening storm, your dish is not counting
properly, then the reed switch in
the actuator motor has failed. A strike between the dish and
the house (or nearby) can radiate electrical energy away from
the strike point (depending on soil conductivity) and can thus
enter buried cabling and will then travel both directions - into
the house and back toward the dish. So a ground rod is really
good for something at the dish and not between the house and
dish therefore try to put your dish in a shelter place where
it is not the greatest attraction to lightening. The ground rod
for your satellite dish should be of equal length as recommended
by the building code in your area 
for ground rods for electical circuit boxes (where elecrical
power enters your house from the service pole) - four to six
feet copper, 3/8" to 5/8" diameter should be sufficient
if you have no other guidelines to follow, you can buy them in
any good hardware or building supply store. For non conductive
soils (ex: sandy soils), you may need to use a ground rod up
to eight feet in length - check with your local power 
company. Use a combination grounding clamp/strap at
the pole and a clamp at the rod and connect the two grounding
clamps with 
heavy copper braid (strap). You must clean all paint
and corrosion from around the satellite pole where the ground
clamp/strap is to be attached. Because not all damaging electrical
energy enters satellite cabling through the dish, install coax/actuator/servo
wire surge protectors inside the house (they can be purchased
as a unit to 
connect all these wires through one box) and definitely
install surge protectors on the AC electrical outlets and use
a surge rated multi-outlet power strip to plug you electrical
items into. AC 
surge protectors offer protection from power company
transformer problems and line surges. In some countries, it is
adviseable to have a combo surge protection/line smoother box
to plug you AC cords into; the line smoother protects against
voltage falling below specificied values. In reference to commercial
installations, including headends and data units, always make
every effort to ground the equipment. Don't forget, lightening
can also enter a structure through TV antenna and cable company
cables as well through telephone lines. All lines where power/signal
enter a facility are potential sources of surges and static.
In regards to purchasing surge protectors, they never seem to
have the one product you really want and I end up installing
a combination of products. I always use a surge rated multi-outlet
wall plug and if using an extension cord put single outlet surge
unit (purchased at the hardware store) on the end of that then
have a floor multi-outlet, surge rated strip into which I plug
all AC lines of entertainment units (sat receiver, TV, VCRs,
etc.). I place great limits on AC surge protection as their power
protections are more needed; here in my city the transfomer or
power grid or something is always going out so I figure there
are spikes in the line all the time. For the computer, it is
plugged into a line smoother which boosts weak current and limits
high currents and also has phone line filter jacks
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