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All posts by Chris.SE

Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Chris:

If you provide a full postcode we could have a look at your predicted reception for C48. Unfortunately some locales may be vulnerable to poorer reception of some multiplexes. BA14 is a large area and terrain can also have a big effect.

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Horror Channel +1
Friday 29 September 2023 4:37PM

Bill:

Personally, I doubt it'll speed anything up. Most of these "swaps" & changes are usually pretty minor channels.
As far as the broadcaster is concerned it's all about economics!

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Chris:

You should not need a "booster" in your location, signals on all multiplexes are predicted to be very good UNLESS you are splitting the signal using a passive splitter to supply more than one set, OR your aerial is in the loft where the signal will be weaker than an external aerial.

What make/model is this booster?
Where have you got it located?
The filter in it needs to be the B700 type, if it's B800 it won't filter the latest mobile signals.

As Steve has mentioned, check in your TV Tuning section for Signal strength and Quality figures. Anything less than 100% Quality indicates a problem, which could be too much signal which can have similar effects to a weak signal or interference.

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Chris:

I know the amp, I have one, it's quite a good amp and it's an SV9604. The 23dB gain is overall it's less than that per output. But no matter.
It sounds like the aerial is a bit off beam, as Steve mentioned it should be 254 degrees but no matter for the moment.

You mention the Signal strength figures, but haven't given the Quality figures. I'm afraid the strength figures in isolation as not very meaningful. Can you please give the Quality figures for each multiplex ideally both with the amp in circuit and without it.

Sources of interference (mobile signals perhaps) will usually affect the frequency of the nearest TV channel to them, in this case C48.
You haven't mentioned where the aerial is, which could be helpful. How old is it roughly? Has it been changed in the last 10 years?

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Horror Channel +1
Friday 29 September 2023 9:31PM

Bill:

Well if they had a larger audience for RaelirtExtra it makes commercial sense. Carriage on the Local mux will be cheaper than SDN.
The former HD multiplexes COMs7&8 were only ever temporary multiplexes, until the frequencies were ready to be sold to mobile operators. They did stimulate and interest in HD. I think we are all disappointed that none of the other commercial multiplexes have converted to HD.

If you have a Smart TV then a number of HorrorXtra programmes are available on the CBSCatchUp/Legend apps.

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Horror Channel +1
Friday 29 September 2023 9:33PM

I did of course mean RealityXtra, sorry for the typo.

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Chris:

One might have thought mobile signal interference might be constant, but some cases I've heard about are all unexpectedly different.

Do you have any older equipment that may have an RF output that gets switched on periodically such a Games consoles, a Video recorder, an old Sky box & etc.?
Do you have any neighbours who might be radio amateurs?

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Michael :

Yes all such future switching is/can be/will be confusing for some. HOWEVER if you want to receive all of Carmel's muxes as they are at present, your really need a Group K. They do do both Group K and Group A Log-periodics these days (well Blake certainly do, there are one or two others).
Personally I doubt there'll be much of a DTT switch off in the next decade, whilst mux licences run until 2034 even though some could be terminated at shorter notice, I doubt the wider public will tolerate it. The type of change to "broadcast" TV is by no means certain, some think 5G may still be the choice. Streamed content will obviously be still an option anyway as it is at present although not for all and the "complexities of smart TVs" makes it all far to clunky at present for a lot of users. But as for VoIP phone don't start me on that topic :o

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nick :

The area isn't "fully" served by other transmitters, there are a number of blackspots, hence the In-fill with Rouncefall, which also covers parts of the north Kent coast that are poorly served by other transmitters.
It was originally a "Light" transmitter. The COM muxes were added during the 700MHz Clearance programme. Note my comments about coverage maps Rouncefall (new) (Essex, England) Freeview Light transmitter | free and easy for 21 years
Rouncefall is fully SFN with Sudbury across all multiplexes.

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nick :

Most aerials have "side-lobes". Although the "gain" is significantly lower than the main beam, 70degrees sounds about right for a typical side-lobe, so under strong tropo who knows what is possible, it's not uncommon!

Is the Quality on 37 always a good 70/80% in the evenings?

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