All posts by Chris.SE
Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Donald Cave:
Depending on where you are in Crewkerne, you may have a choice of several (main) transmitters. You are obviously receiving signals from a main transmitter if you are receiving COM5 but we don't know which one without a full postcode to look at predicted reception and also which compass direction your aerial is pointing.
Additionally, there has been some quite variable weather related Tropospheric Ducting in recent days which can affect reception because of interference being received from more distant transmitters in Europe or the UK - not all multiplexes are necessarily affected, but this isn't normally sustained for any lengthy periods, but if present during automatic retunes it can cause the sort of problem you've seen.
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Rosita Sherrard:
There was a post immediately before yours although it wasn't the latest one which has since appeared. There's been some bugs in the site-owner's software and some of these updates haven't been appearing until a Friday instead of on a Monday, however you maybe shouldn't be seeing a continuous ongoing problem unless you live in a weaker signal area, or your aerial system has deteriorated a bit but additionally there has been some quite variable weather related Tropospheric Ducting in recent days which can affect reception because of interference being received from more distant transmitters in Europe or the UK - not all multiplexes are necessarily affected, but this isn't normally sustained for any lengthy periods, but if present especially during automatic retunes it can cause the sort of problem you've seen.
If you provide a full postcode and some details about your aerial installation, we can check your predicted reception.
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Ann James:
If you were previously correctly tuned you should never retune if you have no signal or badly pixellated pictures as this usually just clears your correct tuning. You then have to retune again when signals are normal and as you won't know when that is, you may have to try several times!
It doesn't matter whether the signal problem is due to transmitter maintenance, faults or weather conditions. It's very rare that such problems persist for lengthy periods. If you are without signal for any lengthy period, often a good idea to check with a near neighbour if they have the same problem, if not it could be a fault on your system.
I can't find any reported faults for the Fishguard transmitter but as it is a relay of Preseli and whilst it's not listed for Planned Engineering, Preseli was listed this week, it's possible there may have been service interruptions.
You are only 2km from the transmitter and shouldn't normally have any reception problems. If you still have a problem and your neighbours are receiving signal ok, then post back with a bit of detail about your aerial installation etc.
Do of course check you aerial looks intact, that your downlead isn't flapping around in the wind etc. and all your coax plugs are inserted correctly.
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Dave:
You don't say when you lost the HD channels.
I can't find any listing of current or recent faults.
As you can see from the post before yours, the transmitter was listed for Planned Engineering, although it is no longer, work may not have been completed and there may have been service interruptions.
There's also been some residual weather related Tropospheric Ducting in recent days which can affect reception because of interference being received from more distant transmitters in Europe or the UK - not all multiplexes are necessarily affected, but this isn't normally sustained for any lengthy periods,
If you retuned at all when you had no signal or badly pixellated pictures - this is never advised if you were correctly tuned initially, as it usually just clears the correct tuning, then you'd need to retune again when signals are normal. You may have to try several times as you won't known when that may be. I suggest you try a manual retune on UHF C36.
If you are still having problems, check with a near neighbour if they have the same issue. Check your aerial looks intact and your downlead isn't flapping in the wind, and all you coax plugs are inserted correctly. if the problem continues, post back with more detail about your aerial installation, amps/splitters etc and a full postcode so we can check predicted reception.
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Steve Donaldson:
Hmm, interesting! But the North Hessary Tor transmitter is in Devon, it is indeed a Light transmitter with only the PSBs. But that chap doesn't know his geography and unless he's very close to Princetown (Devon), he won't be getting that relay transmitter as it is very low power with very limited coverage.
That said, if what caused his disruption (which sounds slightly different) is carried by the PSBs I'm not sure if it's an identical problem.
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Anyone visiting this page may wish to note that the PSB multiplex powers went to 5W during 700MHz Clearance on 10th April 2019.
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Apologies, according to another document the changes took place on the 19th June 2019.
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B Booker :
You are right about the weather, there has been some quite variable weather related Tropospheric Ducting recently which can affect reception because of interference being received from more distant transmitters in Europe or the UK - not all multiplexes are necessarily affected, but this isn't normally sustained for any lengthy periods, but that should have now pretty much disappeared for the time being.
As far as transmitter maintenance goes, Arqiva never say how long such work will last or what it entails, some of which can be weather dependent. It looks as though it is still listed for next week. Typically we've noticed that such work on Main transmitters in recent time has taken around 4 weeks. But unless transmission is all being done from the reserve antenna at present you should not have continuous problems.
As you haven't given a full postcode we can''t advise how good a signal you'd normally get, if you are in a weaker signal area this won't help.
Obviously check all you coax plugs, connections, flyleads etc, unplug connectors check for corrosion or other problems and reconnect them. Flyleads can be a common problem, try swapping them.
See what signal strengths (if any) and quality you are getting for the multiplexes (groups of channels) shown in your TV's tuning section, this might indicate potential issues with your aerial or downlead.
If you have a distribution amp/splitter, check that it still has power and check the connections to it.
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Peter Cannon:
The situation has not changed (per se), whilst the reception predictor is only a guide, it is not normally that inaccurate. But no predictions can take account of very local obstructions etc. which may cause a problem, other than that, as you say, you are predicted to get a good (& generally reliable) signal.
The Craigkelly transmitter was listed for Planned Engineering during the last part of May and a couple of weeks into June last year, so this may have had an effect on reception depending on the work being done.
An aerial should be pointing at compass bearing 342 degrees (that's approx. NNW) with its rods (or squashed Xs) horizontal. Your are only 20km from the transmitter.
Having a look on street view, I don't see a single property that has an external TV aerial, never mind on a 20ft mast !! I did spot some that had a satellite dish.
What reception do your immediate neighbours get? Do they have loft aerials?
There are potential problems you have with loft aerials, I spotted that all properties seem to have solar panels. An aerial must have the clearest line-of-sight in the direction of the transmitter.
Any aerial pointing through a solar panel will likely get no reception. Likewise with thick solid walls signals can be severely reduced, any metal roof flashing may affect signals if nearby or on the line of sight, also water tanks etc. If you can otherwise get a clear line-of-sight, standard roof tiles will reduce the signal a bit but shouldn't be a major issue.
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Thursday 29 June 2023 2:12PM
Nick Lloyd:
This time you have posted on the DAB transmitter page rather than the TV one.
Whilst your suggestion sounds likea good idea, they can hardly broadcast anything when there's a fault.
I've posted the detail on the Clyro TV transmitter page.
Did you note the advice and carry out all the checks I mentioned in reply to your previous post in November last year.
See Clyro (County of Herefordshire, England) Freeview Light transmitter | free and easy