All posts by Chris.SE
Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Nicholas Anderson:
I expect most with non-smart TVs know that. Even many with Smart TVs won't be upgrading until their current one breaks.
But apart from which you can always add "smart" with a box with quite a small cost.
By 2025 assuming the program manages to hit the deadlines, VoIP means most may have a router, so adding broadband may be quite cheap by then.
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Tom Thornhill :
You are right on a fringe for any reception from Beacon Hill, I need to look at this in more detail.
When did this problem start? Is it intermittent or continuous?
Are your signals normal in the daytime?
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Brian:
A|s you may have seen from the post before yours, last week the transmitter was subject to Planned Engineering.
You say tonight the problem has returned, what exactly is the problem you are having?
What time approx. did it start? Is it now back to normal?
The BBC have logged a fault with the BBCB HD multiplex which would have affected all HD channels only, but that fault should have been cleared at 9.03pm
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Tom Thornhill :
This is a tricky one. Nether the BBC nor Freeview predict any useful reception from Beacon Hill, whereas they do from Stockland Hill (roughly to the NE, compass bearing 35 degrees) which is closer (17km) and has a higher power, however there are major very high ground obstructions on that line of sight and the BBCA predicted reception is (very) poor, I'm not even going to go there with assessments.
If you are far enough south in your postcode with a good aerial height, then although Beacon Hill is 37km away, you will have line-of-sight. With unfavourable aerial sighting the likely local obstructions will come from Peak Hill, I think it's called, then further afield - high ground between Ladram Bay and Budleigh Salterton.
I assume we can confirm your aerial points at compass bearing 226 degrees, that's ~SW with its rods (or squashed Xs) horizontal. Check that it's still pointing correctly and that the coax downlead isn't degraded (sheath brittle and damaged) and it's not flapping about in the wind. Check all your coax plugs are correctly plugged in and corrosion free.
An issue you may have as you have a masthead amp and amp/splitter is reception from the Sidmouth relay 1km away but it is only 12W (very very low power) to the back of your aerial - compass bearing 72 degrees. Although it's vertically polarised you could still probably pick it up on your aerial with a poor signal.
Beacon Hill transmitter was listed for Planned Engineering last week (but isn't this week) and if you retuned at any time during that if you had no signal or badly pixellated pictures (never recommended) you may have become incorrectly tuned perhaps picking up Sidmouth.
So check in your TV Tuning Section that you are correctly tuned to Beacon Hill's UHF channels.
These are C44, C41, C47, C42, C45, C40 that's in multiplex order -
BBCA/PSB1, D3&4/PSB2, BBCB HD/PSB3, SDN/COM4, ArqA/COM5, ArqB/COM6
As your aerial is 10 years old, there's a chance it will be a Group T/Wideband whereas ideally it ought to be a Group K (rather than a Group B) although they'll all work, you ideally don't want to be receiving any signals above C48 since the 700MHz Clearance as this is where new/updated mobile signals may appear and could give interference. If that happens you can get free filters from https://restoretv.uk (put your postcode into their checker if this problem arises).
I can't find any current faults listed for the Beacon Hill transmitter, but there is some weather related Tropospheric Ducting about, which might cause occasion temporary interference from distant transmitters (do Not retune).
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John Sinclair:
Galashiels is vertically polarised. and whilst the channels for the Galashiels transmitter are indeed group B, you'd be better off using a Group K aerial.
This is because Group B will receive any signals above UHF C48 which are no longer used by TV but are now for Mobile phone use. A Group K is designed to significantly reduce reception of channels above C48 and so reduce the possibility of interference from any mobile signals if there are any new/updated mobile phone mast near you in the future that could result in such interference. There are already 2 mobile phone masts near you but not currently predicted to be a problem by http://restoretv.uk who should send you a postcard if that situation changes. They can supply free filters if that arises.
The other advantage of the Group K is that it's effectively the "new wideband" so covering Group A which would allow you to "experiment" with aerial position for Selkirk if you wished as it's channels are Group A. Additionally many decent Group K aerials will give slightly better reception of Group A.
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paul :
Just to add, Arqiva & Freeview never provide details of what the work entails or how long it will last (some of which may be weather dependant).
It looks as though Sandy heath will still be listed next week as well.
(PS. I tend to agree with about the lack of some further detail).
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David Nicholls:
Firstly, generally retunes will not help if you already have the multiplexes tuned in. If the signals are bad (or no signal) sometimes it can clear your correct tuning - can be set dependant.
The only times retuning is really of any advantage is if a commercial station has been added or removed from a multiplex (removed often being obvious as you don't receive it, whereas all other stations on the multiplex are ok) OR if one of the commercial stations has changed transmission mode (to DAB+). A lot of the commercial stations are now doing this and if your radio is not DAB+ capable, you won't get those stations.
In your area, signals can come from 3 or 4 different transmitters (at least).
The BBC National multiplex 12B is transmitted from Daventry and Northampton.
The Northampton transmitter also has a Local (commercial) multiplex 10C which carries BBC Radio Northampton and Capital UK, Gold Northampton, Greatest Hits UK, Heart Northants, HITS RADIO UK, & Radio Up. None of them are DAB+ and you shouldn't have any problem receiving them and there's no reported faults on any of those transmitters.
Commercial only transmitters are another matter, it's almost impossible to find out if any faults are reported or engineering work taking place.
There are two transmitters I'm aware of carrying the D1 National multiplex 11D, Daventry and one on the east side Wellingborough just to the south of the railway station.
Amongst many other stations it has Gold UK (DAB+), LBC (mono) & LBC News (DAB+).
Most stations on the mutliplex are now DAB+, the following are not according to current listings -
Absolute Radio, Classic FM, Kiss, Kisstory, Magic, and Talksport.
Smooth Radio appears on one listing but that may be an error.
You may get variable reception of the SDL commercial multiplex 11A.
There's a transmitter at Daventry, not sure if you'll get any reception from one at Waltham. I don't know if there any others that may be receivable/nearer as ukdigitalradio's mapping and listing doesn't seem to be working (in 4 different browsers!).
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Tuesday 8 August 2023 4:48PM
steve tames:
You don't say how often "sometimes" is or what sort of time of day, or how long "several" minutes may be.
It sounds more like electrical interference if starting with a click - something switching on or starting up and it runs for a while then stops. Is this a new problem?
Has it coincided with any new electrical devices or any being moved?
Also check all your coax connections are plugged in properly and corrosion free.
This could be the ignition on an older oil fired boiler or maybe some other appliance.
Yes a microwave running for a few minutes could do it.
All these things suggest either the appliance is faulty or needs suppression and also possibly your aerial feeds (coax etc) are not high quality double screened cable. BUT the sort of interference we are talking about can travel up the mains so it might not be being picked up by the coax etc.