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View Full Version : My Directv dish is receiving OTA dtv channels

WestPat
11-04-2009, 02:03 AM
Hello,
I searched the net but found nothing about this peculiar instance I encountered earlier. I was setting up a HDTV OTA antenna on my back porch and I decided to use the same coax cable from my 4LNB Directv dish, just to test and fine tune the antenna direction.

I changed the cable to the antenna and to the back of the tv in the house. I test, fine tuned, and then auto scanned getting almost all of the channels I expected to get.

I left the antenna in place and put the cable back on my Directv dish with the intention of running a new cable in the morning. When I went back to the tv there was still a digital transmission showing. It was still picking up all the channels that had been picked up on auto tune.

Has anyone ever tried to use a dish as an OTA antenna? I live on top of a ridge at a higher elevation than the nearest city. Still it is over 40 miles away. Should this even work? Is there any reason why it should not?
Thanks for your help, I am glad i found this forum!
DW
Terryl
11-04-2009, 06:41 PM
You must be quite close to the transmitters, they are normally not located downtown in the city, if there are hills or mountains then they are more than likely on top of them, being high up as you are you don’t have all the terrestrial clutter that you see down in the flatlands.

As I say anything can work as an antenna for TV if your close enough to the transmitters.
WestPat
11-05-2009, 01:31 AM
Well I followed up on the situation today. It did not work during the day today, only after the sun went down like last night. I guess I will just stick with the antenna I bought.
Thanks so much,
David
foxtail
12-12-2009, 02:56 PM
It aslo might be the cable run picking up the signal as it would act as a long ant.
ridgestar
12-22-2009, 02:44 AM
I am very close to a couple of transmitters and i only use a small cable loop to grab enough of a signal for television in the bedroom. Nothing fancy, just catching the news or sometimes late movies etc. but it does work, and works consitently because of my location (elevated above town and close to transmitters).