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- From: schmidt@auvax1.adelphi.edu
- Subject: Re: RF leakage from TV cable system
- Message-ID: <1992Nov8.014749.1@auvax1.adelphi.edu>
- Lines: 68
- Sender: news@adx.adelphi.edu (USENET News System)
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- Organization: Adelphi University, Garden City NY
- References: <1992Nov7.213033.163@gems.vcu.edu>
- Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 06:47:49 GMT
-
- In article <1992Nov7.213033.163@gems.vcu.edu>, hleaves@gems.vcu.edu writes:
- > I have some questions about RF leakage from a cable TV source:
- >
- > 1. Why does the cable company check for RF leakage? Is it merely to see who
- > is tapping their signal and not paying for it? Is it a health hazard? Or does
- > it cause interference to other TV's?
-
- The reason they check is that the FCC REQUIRES them to, and will shut them down
- if they leak too much.
-
- The reason the FCC is concerned is that the "cable" channels above 13 are in
- spectrum used for other services in "over the air" radio. The most critical
- problem is aviation frequencies. A plane flying over a leaky cable system can
- receive serious interference to its communications and navagation radios, which
- are mostly in the vhf "high" band. This has been a significant problem, and
- the FAA has been very concerned, and has brought real pressure on the FCC to
- clean up cable systems. Several real leaky ones have been temporarily shut
- down.
- >
- > 2. How do they detect leakage? I'm suprised there is enough leakage from
- > a leaky system to be detectable. How much stray RF actually comes out of
- > the leaks?]
- >
-
- They use a field strength meter, which is essentially a calibrated
- receiver/antenna set tuneable through the frequencies in question, with a meter
- to indicate the received signal strength.
-
- Leaks come from many sources. Shields pull out of F connector crimps, or the
- connectors (particularly the "push-on" unthreaded ones) may not be properly
- mated, with only the center conductor making contact. This makes for a big
- leak. Customers sometimes connect the cable to their cable ready TV in
- parallel with their outside antenna, particularly if all local channels aren't
- on the cable, without the benefit of an A-B switch. This makes for a REAL BIG
- leak ;-). Trunk cables sometimes get damaged by tree branches, animals,
- automobiles hitting poles, etc, either pulling out the shield, or slitting the
- cable open (remember how "radiax" leaky coax works in tunnels). Since the
- signal levels on the trunks are pretty high, a small (physical) damaged area
- can leak a lot of RF.
-
- > 3. What is the best way to reduce RF leaks in a home cable system.
-
- Use good CAC6 cable, with good, properly crimped, screw-on F connectors, use
- FCC certified A-B switches, amplifiers, etc.
-
- It is interesting to note, that when we recently installed cable in this
- building, the cable company said we had to pull the cable in the building
- ourselves, but they provided the cable, and they came back and put all the F
- connectors on themselves. They are obviously concerned about leaks.
-
- John
-
- >
- > Thanks,
- > Hugh
- > --
- > *******************************************************************************
- > ** Hugh L. Eaves ** Internet: hleaves@ruby.vcu.edu **
- > ** Medical College of Virginia ** Bitnet: hleaves@vcuruby **
- > ** Department of Human Genetics ** Voice: (804) 371-8754 **
- > ***************** All non-incendiary communication welcome! *******************
- --
- *******************************************************************************
- John H. Schmidt, P.E. |Internet: schmidt@auvax1.adelphi.edu
- Technical Director, WBAU |Phone--Days (212)456-4218
- Adelphi University | Evenings (516)877-6400
- Garden City, New York 11530 |Fax-------------(212)456-2424
- *******************************************************************************
-