My high gain aerial can't get all the Freeview channels I expected
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV You need a "wideband" aerial rather than a high gain one (see all about aerials). Also, if you use a signal booster in the setup, this can cause problems with digital signals.
Can I suggest that you try the following:
1. Check that all the connectors are OK, in particular that there are no stray wires and that both the outer shield and inner wire are connected;
2. If you are using any signal boosters, turn them off;
3. Check to see if you have anything like a VCR connected via a UHF fly lead - sometimes these can changed to use channels such as 68.
4. If you have a wideband aerial, if you can try raising it up an additional metre;
See also all about aerials.
All questions
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Saturday, 3 October 2020
S
Skye11:53 AM
Hi briantist I want to get local transmitter from Northamptonshire or Lincolnshire or even Loughborough but I'm aiming fir Northampton freeview transmitter will it pick up from 52 element widwband aerial from Chesterfield??? If not which will be the best aerial to buy for that I be very great-uncle for your help ...
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Skye11:54 AM
I mean greatful not great uncle sorry spelling error
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Chris.SE1:22 PM
Skye:
Could you be clearer as to exactly which TV REGION you want to receive? I'm guessing from what you are saying you don't want Yorkshire.
Then we'll need a full postcode to see what TV Transmitter(s) and Multiplexes you might receive for that region.
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Friday, 8 January 2021
D
David5:51 PM
Bristol
I live in a high part of north Bristol and receive transmissions from Mendip. I've being checking reception of Services prior to switching from a Yagi aerial to a Log Periodic. I have two queries:
1. After a recent rescan I've lost COM7 services on Channel 55. Information re Mendip on the Freeview channel list | website says "We are operating on reduced power and some sections are currently offline. We are working to restore access to these pages and thank you for your patience." I know COM7 is doomed in the long term but can I expect it to be restored in the interim? If not, how will services like BBC Four HD be provided?
2. I've tabulated Services against Channels and have found that I receive six Services (including Made in Bristol) on Channel 31 (MUX LBS?). The information I have for Mendip doesn't mention Channel 31 so from where is this channel being transmitted?
Thanks for any information
David
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David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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StevensOnln17:20 PM
David: The page you have linked to is an another unofficial website (like this one) which has no connection with any broadcaster or transmitter company. The message you quoted about reduced power appears to be referring to their own website/operations and is nothing to do with any transmitter. COM7 is still broadcasting from Mendip on UHF channel 55 and no date has been set for it to close, nor has any announcement been made regarding what will happen with any of the channels (i.e. BBC Four HD, Quest HD, etc).
If you put your postcode into the official Freeview coverage checker at the link below, it will show you a frequency table for each transmitter that is predicted to be receivable at your postcode.
Platform management | Freeview
Do you have any signal strength any quality readings for UHF C55?
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Saturday, 9 January 2021
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Chris.SE9:06 AM
David:
At time of posting this, COM7 from Mendip is transmitting normally.
IIRC (will have to check my notes, not to hand at present), Mendip was listed for Planned Engineering in the recent past (not this week), IF you retuned during that time it might have just cleared the correct tuning for C55, so you may need to do a manual tune on C55.
If you still have no signal on C55, then your aerial system with the log periodic has less gain than it did with the Yagi.
Mendip's correct UHF channels are C32, C34, C35, C48, C33, C36, C55, C30. That's is the order PSBs1-3, COMs 4-7, Local mux.
As you are on high ground in North Bristol you are probably picking up the LBS mux from Kingsweston which is on C31 there (albeit V polarisation).
C31 from other transmitters are far far more distant so unlikely and wouldn't in any event have the LBS mux!
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Monday, 11 January 2021
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David8:46 PM
Bristol
StevensOnln1 & Chris.SE: Thanks for your responses. It's good to know that C55 has a long future, even though I still can't get it via a manual tune at the moment. That's a little mysterious as I'm still using the Yagi that was receiving C55 in December. I hope to receive and install a Log Period soon and I hope that will restore C55 services.
The FreeView prediction shows that Kings Weston is the only possible source of C31 even though the channel is transmitted in V polarity and my aerial is H.
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David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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Chris.SE11:43 PM
David:
To be clear, COM7 does not have that "long" a future. It is and always was a temporary multiplex and will close by the end of June 2022 if in the meantime when the 700MHz is auctioned, no MNO has either bought the centre frequencies where COM7 resides (allocated for SDL usage) and given the 3 months notice required by the current licence having had equipment designed and commissioned to enable their use. (Suitable handsets also need to be available).
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Chris.SE11:52 PM
David:
Should have added that Kingsweston is quite strong on high ground in North Bristol, you can almost get it on a bit of wet string!
As far as Mendip C55 is concerned it might be worth you doing a check that your aerial seems intact and is pointing in the correct direction (not moved in recent high winds) and that your downlead looks undamaged (especially if it is old). Also check all your coax plugs, connections, flyleads etc, unplug connectors check for corrosion or other problems and reconnect them. Flyleads are a common problem, try swapping/changing them. See what signal strengths and quality you are getting for the multiplexes (groups of channels) shown in your TV's tuning section.
Problematic connections, water ingress etc. can seem to affect reception of just an individual or several multiplexes.
If you've changed/moved anything in your installation recently, HDMI leads near unscreened/poorly screened flyleads/aerial leads can cause interference especially to C55.
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