All posts by Malcolm Dixon
Below are all of Malcolm Dixon's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
StevensOnln1: No, I haven't contacted the helpline myself, because I don't currently have a problem, although I thought I did earlier today. But I am glad to hear that the helpline does have the resources to provide new aerials where needed. I hope that this may be of assistance to Michael and Roger.
Anyone thinking of installing a wideband aerial at their own expense would be well advised to check beforehand with neighbours or the installer that this would make reception possible. Channels 35, 55 and 56 are broadcast at significantly lower levels than the main channels, so receiving them will always be more difficult.
| link to this comment |
R Thompson: If you read through earlier posts on this blog, you will find a full explanation of why you have lost these channels, and some possible ways of regaining them. But to anyone thinking of spending much of their own money replacing their aerials in order to receive muxes Com 7 and Com 8 on uhf channels 55 and 56, I would point out that the move of these multiplexes to these channels is only a temporary reprieve, to allow those stations currently using them to make alternative arrangements, and that the intention is to switch off these multiplexes permanently in 2020, leaving the 700 Mhz band entirely free for mobile telephony.
That's all very well for some of the minor stations, but what about BBC News HD and BBC4 HD, funded by the state broadcaster? Does anyone know how the BBC is intending to make these important stations available in HD after 2020?
| link to this comment |
Wednesday 21 March 2018 2:47PM
Michael: I had some missing channels when I first tried before 9am this morning, but a rescan at lunchtime has restored them, so perhaps the alterations had not been completed when you tried?
But the basic problem is that multiplexes Com7 and Com8 have been moved into the upper reaches of band 5, which is way outside the design range of Group A aerials, which most people receiving from CP will probably have. I don't know what they were thinking of! I don't suppose the helpline has been resourced to provide new wideband aerials for all those customers affected, but that is what is probably needed.