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Yellowboat_'s avatar
Yellowboat_
Explorer
Oct 21, 2015

Finding DirecTV Coax Cable

In our new coach Winnebago directed one line out from our satellite antenna to the front of our coach and the other line out to the rear bedroom.

I would like to identify the coax running from the antenna to the rear bedroom so that I can redirect it to the front to connect to my DirecTV satellite box.

I have access to a bundle of coax wires and I'm trying to identify the wire running from the antenna to the bedroom outlet. I tried using ohms to check continuity on the outer shield wire. I find that all cables show continuity even when I have disconnected both ends of the coax. There must be a connection and a ground somewhere in the coax wire system.

Does anyone have a method of identifying coax cables in the middle of a run?
  • You don't care about your over-air-air cables or the associated booster as the satellite antenna has separate dedicated runs. Assuming that you actually do see 2 separate coax cables (plus a power cable) leaving the antenna on the roof, you can disconnect one coax on the roof and jam a piece of aluminum foil into the gap which will span the center conductor and the outside collar. Now, go inside with your multi-meter and look for a coax with a dead short. Once you have that coax, repeat the process on the 2nd roof antenna output. You now have both cables and you can do with them as you please. There are, of course, tools available to do the same thing (power at 1 end and signal at the other) but this is the "less than $1" solution.
  • Your non-satellite wires are all connected through the over-the-air antenna power booster. You may not be able to separate them out, unless you disconnect everything inside the booster.
  • donn0128 wrote:
    Simplest? Signal generator and tracer.


    Can I use a signal generator and tracer to find the middle of a line. I have both ends but I need to find the wire in a bundle.

    I have disconnected all of the lines from the switch box and I get continuity on only two cables. I have a 50/50 chance of splicing the correct cable.

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