Tv Aerials

[Inamabilis]

Hi,
I have an aerial in my loft that was disconnected when I subscribed to sky TV. Now I am trying to install a freeview box and don't really know how to go about reconnecting the aerial. I have co-axial cable running from the freeview room to the loft but don't know what part of the co-axial to connect to the aerial (the outer mesh or the inner core).
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Not 100% sure that I'm posting in the right place so if this post gets 'trashed' could someone please suggest somewhere better?

Thanks

 

[stevez]

Coax usually describes a single conductor within a shielded outer sheath. Sometimes two conductors are within a shielded sheath - more or less a shielded twinlead. Here in the US the most likely cable would be coax with one center conductor that's 75 ohms or so impedance. You'd handle two shielded conductors differently which is why I mention it.

In US a commercially made antenna has a feedpoint impedance that is higher than 75 ohms and is often designed for connection to 300 ohm twinlead - or it has a built in transfomer (balun) that allows direct connection to 75 ohm coax. If there appear to be two connection points such as screws it's likely intended for twinlead - and is a 300 ohm connection. If it looks like it has a coaxial connector (F here in US) then it's probably got a built in transformer and is all set for connection directly to a coax - with the right fitting. If you have a connection for twinlead on the antenna you'd need a transformer or balun. They are fairly common here in the US - costing about $2 or so.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Aerials in the UK accept 75 ohm coaxial cable directly, and the other end for the TV uses a Belling Lee Coaxial Plug. Both the screen and the inner conductor require connecting, it should be obvious which goes where!.