Recabling.

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I have just obtained some very high quality Webro HD100 coaxial cable from a fellow fringe reception enthusiast.

The idea was to test the effect of brand new, copper shielded cable against (at least a decade old and supposedly ageing) aluminium shielded cable of roughly the same overall length.

Originally, I was using two long lengths of the old, white, coax cable. With a straight connector joining them in the middle to reach the Kathrein dish behind the house.

Only half the length is usually required at the usual dish site in front of the house. No DiSEqC switch was involved in either test case. 

I am (almost) afraid to report that swapping the old, series connected pair for a single run of 33 metres copper shielded HD100, with freshly fitted plugs on bright metal, had absolutely no effect whatsoever. None at all.

NO discernible change in measured signal level, quality or reception. 

Why does this remind me of HiFi cables and snake oil? :-))

The Webro is black and much stiffer than the old, white, aluminium-screened coax.

 I borrowed this spec list and image for the HD100 from an eBay vendor:

- CLASS A+ COMPLIANT
- TRI SCREENED
- SOLID FOAM DIELECTRIC
- SOLID COPPER CONDUCTOR
- CAI APPROVED
- ROHS COMPLIANT
- LSNH TO: IEC 61034-1, IEC 60332-1, IEC 60332-3 CAT C, IEC 754-1

Physical Characterises:-

Conductor: CU 1.0 +/- 0.02mm
Dialectic Thickness: 1.81mm
Dialectic Material: Gas injected physical foam
Dialectic Diameter: 4.65 +/- 0.15MM
Dialectic Colour: Natural
1st Foil: CU 115%
Braid: CU 0.12+/-0.008x 16x5
Braid coverage: 55%
2nd Foil: AL-PET 115%
Sheath thickness: 0.66mm
Sheath: LSNH
Overall Diameter: 6.70 +/- 0.15
CAI Approval number: CAI 0068 A

Electrical Characteristics:-

Rated Voltage: 30V
Capacitance: 75
470 – 1000 MHz: >75
1000 – 2150 MHz: >65

Next day testing had BBC channels dying by 3.30pm with most ITV, Channels 4, 5, etc. hiccuping and unwatchable beyond 15.45pm.  I checked the length of my pair of series white coax cables and they were about 20 meters (max) altogether. So the HD100 has a 13 metre disadvantage but no straight connector in the middle. It probably balances out. I was careful to unravel the coils of the HD100 where they had come off the drum. I didn't want to undermine its performance by having too many tight bends.  

Today I fixed some cords to the top, bottom left and right  to the skeleton frame of the dish. I could then sit comfortably at my tiny TV and make small adjustment to the dish pointing like a puppet master. Sadly this had no beneficial effect at all. The dish was at its best with the ropes relaxed.

The only changes I haven't tried  yet (while monitoring the signal Quality) are skew and focus adjustments. On the tiny CRT TV the figures are simply too small and fuzzy to read easily in bright light with any accuracy. So ideally I need a better monitor for testing these parameters. It's a shame one can't use redundant computer monitors but they only work on serial cables.

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