Re: [A/S] Flat "Coax" Cable (was: Setting up a Sat. Dish

[Rick Kunath <k9ao@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yep...

Other than analog ghosting, one of the big issues with digital signals is the 
excessive bit-error rate that impedance bumps and the resultant standing-wave 
reflections on the feedline cause in the digital receiver.

Digital can be very forgiving when the signal level is high, and can tolerate 
a moderately high bit-error rate when the signal is strong due to 
forward-error-correction in the digital data stream, but let there be 
precipitation attenuation such has heavy rains or snows or foliage loss from 
trees, and the bit error rate climbs beyond the ability of the receiver to 
recover redundant digital data and artifacts are the result. When you start 
out with a high bit-error rate, you decrease the ability of the receiver to 
maintain a quality signal in adverse conditions. 

Lots of the issues with satellite drop outs and artifact issues in the 
recovered picture are due to improper installations, not any inherent 
limitation in the satellite service. Extremely heavy precipitation will 
degrade the signal, though this happens less often that most believe. Larger 
satellite dishes can alleviate this as well with their higher gain. These are 
typically sold as high-latitude dishes.

I agree with you completely that doing a proper installation, with a 
gas-discharge lightning surge-suppressor in-line, isn't difficult. 

The safety issue alone is worth the trouble (lightning induction of energy to 
coaxial cables lying on the ground and snaking into a vehicle can cause some 
serious safety risks), and as I tend to be picky about electronic device 
performance, doing a through fuselage installation is worth it to me. 

But, that's just me.

Pour a cocktail into me sometime and remind me to tell you the story about 
being inside of an aluminum vehicle working on a commercial transmitter while 
St. Elmo's fire danced across the skin sometime.

Rick Kunath
WBCCI #3060