RCA Satellite TV Antenna manual Cable Estimate Procedure, Preparing for Installation

Estimating Cable Requirements

Cable Estimate Procedure

1.Locate the central building ground. You will ground the dish (via the cable grounding block) to a single point in the central building ground. The following is a list of acceptable building ground points:

•Grounded interior metal cold water pipe within five feet of the point where it enters the building.

•Grounded metallic service raceway.

•Grounded electrical service equipment enclosure.

•Eight-foot grounding rod driven into the ground (only if bonded to the central building ground by #6 or heavier bonding wire).

•Other acceptable grounding electrodes that comply with sections 250 and 810 of the National Electrical Code (NEC).

2.Choose a location to mount the grounding block. The block should be as close as possible to the point where the cable will enter the house.

3.Decide where inside the house you plan to put the satellite receiver.

4.Estimate the amount of cable you will need for each of the following:

•One (1) RG-6 coaxial cable with messenger (ground) wire to run from the dish to a grounding block for each LNB output. The grounding block should be located near the cable’s point of entry into the house.

Write that distance here: .

•One (1) RG-6 coaxial cable (per LNB output) to run from the grounding block to each satellite receiver.

Write that distance here: .

Tip

If you have a dual-output LNB and plan to connect your dish to two separate receivers, don’t forget to double the RG-6 cable estimate to the grounding block, and include a separate estimate from the grounding block to the second receiver.

Note

You must use RG-6 coaxial cable from the satellite dish to the SATELLITE IN jack on the receiver. Other types of coaxial cable, such as those used for cable television (RG-59) do not work for the digital satellite system.

•Grounding wire (#10 copper or #8 aluminum) to run from the grounding block to the central building ground.

Write that distance here: .

Note

If your total RG-6 coaxial cable length from the dish to the receiver is more than 112 feet, you may need additional installation component, such as a line amplifier, to compensate for the longer cable length.

12 Preparing for Installation