All posts by KMJ, Derby
Below are all of KMJ, Derby's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Deryck Hughes: Checking your postcode with the BBC reception service reveals that officially you are out of coverage for FM radio services. However it does suggest that you could have reception of DAB from Mounteagle, which transmits the Inverness local DAB multiplex. This carries BBC Radio Scotland. If you are able to borrow a DAB radio it could be worth a try.You are,I assume needing to receive the opt-outs for Highlands and Islands for the news bulletins that you require. These would not be carried on Freeview or satellite, which only carry the basic BBC Radio Scotland national service.
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Sid: There is no such thing as a "Digital" antenna. This is a term used by traders to describe an antenna suitable for digital reception and may sometimes be deliberately used to hoodwink the unwary into replacing their old aerial when they do not need to do so. Usually the same aerial which gave good analogue reception will do likewise for the digital services, including HD, after switchover when connected to a suitable receiver. What makes you think your antenna has stopped working? Were you receiving digital services which now no longer work, or was your analogue receiver not fitted with a set top box for the switchover? Could you give more information about the TV and the area in which you wish to use it, possibly with a postcode? - so that predicted reception can be checked and further advice given.
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Joseph K: Whilst it has been known for small relay stations to go off the air without the broadcasters being aware of it it is safe to assume that, with a transmitter the size of Emley Moor, the engineers would be made aware immediately if any problem occurred, not to mention complaints from a sizable number of viewers. The BBC status reports no problems, so it is reasonable to start checking the receiver, the communal antenna and associated cabling etc. Have the neighbours also lost their tv signals?
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andy: What is your location/ postcode? - so a check on predicted reception can be made.
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Sally: The frequencies for the COM muxes at Rowridge will change on 18th April 2012, so you will need to re-tune, but after doing so, as the same frequency will be used for both horizontal and vertical polarisation, you won't need to re-tune when changing the polarisation of the aerial.
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David Prior: Is this on every mux, or just certain ones? Check that the correct set of frequencies have been stored for Tacolneston, as it is possible that Aldeburgh could have been found when scanning, and those channels stored for one or more PSB muxes. Otherwise does the problem coincide with street lighting or a central heating boiler coming on? If it occurs at the same time every day it points to faulty equipment connected to a timer or automatic sensor. Routine work at transmitter sites normally takes place in the daytime and on weekdays only.
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Paul Quinn: There are three main causes of this happening. (1) Weak signal caused by receiver tuned to the wrong transmitter, or the aerial is inadequate,faulty, or is in the wrong position for the best reception. (2) Interference from electrical equipment, engines or other transmitters. (3) Signal too strong, especially after a high power transmitter enters service and a high gain aerial or booster is in use. If you supply your postcode a check can be made of the predicted reception at your location, then further advice can be given.
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rickh: The predicted reception at your location currently shows Mux1, Mux2 and MuxB to have variable reception from Crystal Palace, after switchover there is good reception on all muxes. Reigate is shown as good reception now and after switchover. If you do decide to change to Reigate , a wideband aerial would be required, a standard yagi or log periodic should be fine, subject to there being no local reception problems which are not included in the data used by the predictor. You might as well wait for switchover before deciding if any work is necessary.
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Keith Wright: There is no prediction whatsoever for tropospheric ducting over the UK at the present time,so I would be looking for other possible causes if your reception is breaking up at the present time. Check that the channels that are tuned in are in fact from Winter Hill, rather than Moel-y-Parc or Sutton Coldfield. Also, if your aerial plus booster was installed before switchover you could now have a signal which is too strong. This looks on the TV screen like a weak signal, but would improve reception when holding the aerial plug just outside the socket, rather than losing the signal altogether. If this is the problem, turning down the gain, if this is possible would restore reception, otherwise try using an attenuator in the aerial feed.
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Saturday 31 March 2012 1:59PM
Bob: There was a planning application for the retention of two masts pending a decision on whether additional antennas were required for the transmission of the proposed Muxes7/8/9. If the old mast does cause any disturbance to the radiation pattern I would have thought that it is more likely that the effect would be seen closer to the transmitter site given the difference in height between the masts.