MAST MOUNTED TV SIGNAL BOOSTER - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: MrsR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2016, 08:46:35 am
content: Hi! Guys.I have a signal booster Mast mounted 35ft up the mast.The problem is: As the outside temp. drops below 4 Degrees C. the picture and audio starts to break up until below 2 Degrees the picture is totally broken up.I have had heat effected circuits but never run across a cold effected circuit.Any HELP appreciated.ThanksRachaelP.S. No I haven't pulled it down as I will need to hire a ladder and would like to have some idea before going a head.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 03, 2016, 09:46:30 am
content: There is a good chance that the masthead amplifier is ok but the input signal being amplified is low or borderline and quite possibly being affected by the dampening of trees either in close proximity or even miles away, you will need to get a local antenna technician to measure the input signal and check the BER and MER. It could also be moisture getting inside the masthead but again you would need to drop the tower to check that all was sealed properly when first installed.Hopefully the mast is a standard 3 or 4 stage telescopic mast and you will only need a ladder to gain access to the top of the first stage to drop the whole thing and then conduct both an inspection and also bypass the masthead then shoot the tower back up and measure the input signal, a local technician would be your best option otherwise you could be mucking about for days.I did this stuff for many years and then went completely mental and switched to electronics…..

author: uncle_bob
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 03, 2016, 11:53:33 am
content: HiRight around freezing you tend to get a lot of moisture inside an enclosure. What you see is:At +5 or +10 all is well.At (say) +4 things start to go bad.They stay bad down to -5 or soBelow -5 they clear up. (water has turned to ice).What makes this really hard to track: The sun comes up and warms the box ahead of the air ...Bob

author: BurningTantalum
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2016, 12:26:49 pm
content: Is the mast-head amp one of the many commercially available models such as Johannson, Hill, or Kingray etc?I find that the Kingray units seem to fare better with moisture possibly because they are not in a screened tin-plate can.However, all of the units are not sealed at all well against rain, moisture and small insects and neither are the terminal boxes on the antennae.I usually melt Vaseline into the units with a hot air gun.35 feet up is a bit of an issue...!BT

author: MrsR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2016, 02:48:02 am
content: Thanks for the reply-s Muttly bob and BT.I had a feeling it might have been the the Antenna not the booster yes it isn't sealed the whole thing was put up in a morning so we could watch the BATHURST 1000. It has lasted 10 odd years may pay to put a in a later setup and yes we are in a bad reception area. Trees power wires are a problem.We put it up higher than the near obstructions but we are in a low area and survey calculations showed we needed to go 100 ft our neighbour is on a rise and he put a Yagi at 150 ft and he is higher than us.Thanks againRachael

author: uncle_bob
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 04, 2016, 12:36:27 pm
content: Quote from: MrsR on June 04, 2016, 02:48:02 amHiIf you are headed anywhere near the 100 foot mark, don't bother with "retail" parts. The tower will cost you enough that adding commercial amps and antenna(s) is a modest added cost. The same is true of the feed lines, connectors, and grounding. I'm not suggesting going crazy, just spending a bit more on the components.Bob