All posts by Mike Dimmick
Below are all of Mike Dimmick's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Drallim: Assuming that the communal dish points to the Astra 2A/2B/2D satellite cluster at 28.2°E, then it should be possible, if it's large enough to pick up the signals from 2D. 2D's footprint is deliberately designed to only cover the UK with normal-sized dishes, but as Brian says, a large enough dish can pick up enough signal from it to be usable.
Still, I would expect that ex-pats would be interested in picking up BBC, ITV and C4 channels which are only on the 2D satellite.
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Gordon: Note that the allocation for ArqB has now changed from the original C62 to C52, which is still in group.
The 'normal' change is for uses of C61 to move to C49, but that's not possible here because Wenvoe uses that frequency for ArqB. C62 would normally move to C50, but a number of Mendip's relays already broadcast on that frequency and it's hard to avoid picking up the broadcast signal.
There may have to be a chain of changes, with Wenvoe ArqB moving to C39 to allow Mendip BBC A to move to C49. A couple of Mendip relays (Bristol Warmley, Coleford and Redbrook) also broadcast on C49, so again there would have to be a change at these sites or a different channel. Bristol Ilchester Crescent uses C49 for ArqB as well, but this is fed independently as it was a pre-switchover Freeview transmitter. These are all Group B transmitters so a move to C39 is possible.
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Jo Allen: If you're in the south-west of Scotland, your local transmitter could be Caldbeck, which provides both English and Scottish versions of all three PSB multiplexes. Most viewers won't be able to receive from a transmitter that provides both.
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Paul: Oxford is a BBC National Radio DAB transmitter, and also carries the Digital One multiplex (national commercial services).
DAB is not like FM or even digital TV, where each transmitter uses a different frequency. Instead each transmitter uses the same frequency, the power level of each transmitter and its timing adjusted so that each additional transmitter looks like an echo of the first, and the stronger echoes timed so that they are within the period that the receiver can handle. Therefore, it's really meaningless to speak of signal levels for one transmitter. The important part is that coverage is continuous across the region. Increases in power from one transmitter might lead to decreases from this one to ensure that it doesn't interfere with that distant coverage area.
The licence for the Oxfordshire regional service has been granted to NOW Digital, but has not yet launched. See http://www.localdigitalradio.co.uk/oxford.php for the little information that is available. They are required to carry BBC Radio Oxford, if and when they do launch.
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Briantist: That Redruth map is utterly wrong. It should be fairly smooth from 0° round to 130°, with some ripple from 1.5 to 2.5 dB, then another lobe pointing to 250°.
Check that your angles are actually being treated as degrees by the maths functions, not as radians?
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- http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/craigkellyrelaytimes for the actual time that your relay is expected to be completed. That page will be updated as the work is completed.
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If we had to have a replacement from the UKTV stable, I would have preferred Alibi, which has actual programmes on it, instead of this 'reality TV' trash.
Time for the BBC Trust to get Worldwide by the scruff of the neck, and extend the Reithian motto of 'educate, inform and entertain' to UKTV.
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Nav: Usually, for best results, you should use whatever aerial you were using for analogue reception before switchover.
Generally you need a reasonable amount of gain and good directional properties from whatever aerial you're using, and the aerial oriented correctly for the strongest transmitter. A simple quarter-wave monopole such as you linked to is unlikely to give good results. Frankly I don't believe the 3.5 dBi claimed, a plain dipole offers 2.15 dBi and other aerials should be measured against that (shown as dBd rather than dBi).
For best results, the rooftop Yagi aerial is always king, but check with a local installer. If you provide a full postcode we can tell you whether an indoor aerial would have any chance of success.
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AJ: For that postcode, Digital UK gives a very good chance of reliable reception from Bilsdale both now and after switchover, while the predictions from Emley Moor are good on muxes 1, B, C, D and the early HD service, and variable on Mux 2 and A. After switchover in September, all muxes are very good to excellent.
Bilsdale switches some time in Autumn 2012 - we don't know exactly when yet.
Get the aerial system checked out. If there's an amplifier or booster in there, try taking it out.
If you're using an indoor aerial, it may be that the construction of the house blocks radio signals. You will almost always get best results with a rooftop aerial.
Phone signals - while the main transmitter masts do often carry mobile phone signals as well, generally the power levels are far lower and only cover locations very close to the transmitter. There will be other mobile phone base stations much closer to your house.
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Monday 13 June 2011 3:04PM
Peter Making: You're currently predicted to get variable reception on some multiplexes - this is expected to improve to good reception on all multiplexes after switchover completes.
The official 'step 2' is on 21 March 2012, but the commercial multiplexes have to stay on their current channels and power levels until 18 April 2012 as the new channels clash with transmissions from Crystal Palace.