Test cable TV input signal strength?

I just made 3 16ft coax cable extensions that will run to 3 TVs (1
each) off of a cable that previously had only 2 TVs on it.
I bought rg6 wire with crimp on connectors and 3 5-900MHz 2-way
splittes for the connections.
I noticed a little snow in the reception of the 2 TVs i ran off of the
first 2-way splitter I installed.
Could I use my analog multimeter to test the signal strength coming
from the cable?
If so then what should the signal stength be?
The first splitter leads to 1 TV one way, and then the 4 other TVs.
The second split will be to 1 TV, and 2 TVs
Should I use better splitters?
Do I need a signal amp?
If so what do you recommend?
This is the first time that I have run cable so I'm not totaly certain
of what is best.

 

Get a 5 way splitter and use that. Use a Radio Shack amp if needs be - some
have a built in splitter.

N

 

The 3 legs that I am running are far apart.
I could use 3 lenghts of 16 ft wire with 3 splitters or well over 150
ft of wire with a 5-way.

 

Multiple splitters is a bad idea. The only other way is to run one cable and
use taps and not splitters.

N

 

psistormyam:
There is NO free lunch here. If you split the signal two ways, each
television will get 1/2 of the original signal strength.... actually
a little less than that due to losses. If you split it 3 ways then
each television will get a little less than 1/3 of the original signal
strength.
Radio Shack sells a 4 way amplified splitter that compensates for the
split and the losses. Each of the 4 outputs produces a slightly
greater signal strength than the input.
electricitym
..
...

 

That's the correct way to do it. With the series connection
you have now, each TV down the line will get a progressively
worse signal. The star distribution configuration should give
you an adequate signal for each TV despite the longer coax length.

 

and no you cannot use a vom multimeter to measure the catv signal.

Mark