What price for an aerial installation?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV In responses to the guideline I posted about how much having a new aerial fitted should cost, Ian Grice posted: "£40-£50? Every aerial fitter I contacted wants at least £150+VAT considering you can get a class 3 aerial for under £10 and a class 2 for under £15 and cable is 40p a metre why are they charging so much for 30 minutes work?"
OK, for some places putting up a TV aerial is hard work, such as multi-story properties. As many people will simply be exchanging a Group A, B, C/D, E or K aerial for a wideband type, often without changing the supporting pole or cable, a high price cannot be justified.
I am concerned that some companies will exploit vulnerable groups (such as the elderly).
So, I what prices have you been quoted for aerial installations? What price have you paid for installation?
Do you know of any companies to avoid? Do you know of any companies that are good value for money?
Or do you work for a great aerial installation company?
Help with TV/radio stations?
Friday, 27 January 2012
J
jb389:09 PM
Mick: If the post code provided reflects your actual position then reception is not shown as being possible from any station until March 7th of this year, and even then with only a limited number of channels from the Winterborne Stickland PSB relay station.
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Saturday, 28 January 2012
Mick: You are best advised to use a standard "yagi" aerial mounted on the roof.
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C
c/s GBXZ4:35 PM
Hi all, 1st post for me here.
I'm possibly looking to build my own antenna, probably Log Periodic to keep it simple) for a loft install (unavoidable I'm afraid) in the Chatton service area.
Looking at the "after switchover" section the 3 future/proposed multiplexes are at/below the bottom of the group. Not being "in the TV trade" (though with 25 years of RF engineering) - MY QUESTION IS:
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Q: Will the proposed Com7/8/9 Multiplexes ever materialise?
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Reason - If I can concentrate the antenna design on a higher group of channels I can get more gain and a tighter pattern on my (maximum) 2 metre boom length.
My location is down below a huge masonry building from the TX site and there's a very strong Tetra base 60-70 metres away at 10 degrees off my badly-obstructed LOS. The obstructing building is so close and has a sharp enough roof that diffraction of the wanted UHF TV signal may (hopefully) occur.
The Tetra is unfortunately unobstructed, and I'm right in it's vertical beamwidth at loft-level.
Analogue reception from Chatton is not possible at the moment due to the Tetra patterning on the snowy picture (even with some mass-produced Tetra notch filters and AKD/Garex HPFs on the front end) so I'm clutching at straws and not sure exactly how much signal I (don't) have.
It's all commercial properties either side of me so no nearby recent installs to compare to. Most are 60's-era 405line or old beams on Pontop .Not a sausage from there, badly obstructed that way nowadays, picked up nothing before Tetra came to town a few years ago. (I've been on-site here for 15 years but now need TV rx here)
No satellite LOS here for Freesat either :(
I've cadged quite a few few assembled ants from TV trade mates over the last year or two and none have given any joy on any multiplex so far, though it's hard to tell as the front-end of any box is getting so hammered by the Tetra intermod. I fear I may have to fabricate some cavity filters, silver them myself, use an amplifier.
Thoughts anyone?
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S
Steve P6:58 PM
GBXZ (are you REALLY that?) - In your situation, Freesat sounds a better option?
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C
c/s GBXZ8:10 PM
Alnwick
@Steve P
that was one I'd respond to in years gone by ;)
Can't see the bird/s from any walls or windows :(
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c/s's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
c/s GBXZ8:20 PM
Alnwick
Further my last: "living in a hut in an enclosed yard" - would sum it up nicely.
I'm in a terrace with a deep dark yard to the south, surrounded by taller buildings all round as neighbours,
Across the road is the huge building between the Chatton TX and me.
I've tried a variety of "class 1 benchmark" ants with no joy other than Tetra overload in any direction.
No external antennas, wires, brackets or anything by order of the landlord. The other tennants of the building would grass me up anyways - 'tis fun here.
I love a challenge but this is turning out silly.
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c/s's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Sunday, 29 January 2012
c/s GBXZ: Yes, COM7/8/9 are in the process of regulatory approval, but as no other services can work in the small band of frequencies, the provision of COM7/8/9 is almost a certainty.
Arqiva, have, for example, been asking for planning permission for services for some time now - see EXCLUSIVE More Freeview capacity coming 2012-2016 | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
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Steve P11:39 AM
British Warship - what do you have for analogue TV?
Surely landlord must provide and other tenants must want it?
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C
c/s GBXZ6:01 PM
Steve P:
Current analogue is nothing at all, it's an old apartment over commercial below, with commercial either side. This building has no ants at all, probably been unused since the 50's.
They neighbouring commercial tenants are all a bit eccentric - far worse than me!
Briantist: Thanks for that.
OK, looks like I'll have to look into making amps and heavy filtering, I just can't get the gain from the wide bandwidth I need in the space I have in the loft.
Part of the loft was planned to be for HF tx kit but isn't useful for UHF on Chatton due to an internal brick wall separating it.
I've already tried all the kit on the market up to the size of the unix-52 and similar with nojoy. Other than phasing a 4 or 8-square array of them (bandwidth far too wide for that if the com7/8/9 are needed) I'm at a loss down the commercial route.
The local riggers (all a friendly bunch) have given up long ago but wishing me the best.
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S
Steve P11:37 PM
Warship - do you get decent broadband speed?
Internet TV is good for you?
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