All posts by Chris.SE
Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Richard caywood:
The reason for Betamax_man's question is no doubt the same question I had at the back of my mind, but didn't want to comment on until we had more detail. Although you say "no damages, splits of any kind" I'm wondering if there is possibility of cable damage in a place where you can't see it.
The checks that you've done certainly imply there's no fault with either TV or the Booster. There is one other check you could do, as sometimes very strange things can happen, if you leave the downstairs coax unplugged at the booster, what are the signal and quality readings on the set in the bedroom - are they still 15% & 0%?
Also, things are bound to have been moved around when the rewiring was done. Do you have coax leads connecting each TV to some aerial "sockets coming from the booster" in the downstairs room and also in the bedroom, or are the cables from the booster plugged straight into each TV with no connectors or sockets in between?
If you have leads coming from a socket (called flyleads) have you tried swapping these?
Going back to Betamax_man's question, I'd guess that the coax from the aerial to the booster is probably not visible where it goes through the wall, but I think and fault between the aerial and booster is unlikely.
Are the cables from the booster to each room fully visible all the way, especially the one to the bedroom TV?
If they are visible, is there anywhere on their length where they look as though they could have been/be crushed/flattened slightly, or bent sharply?
One final question, related to reception generally, is your aerial pointing more or less due E, or is it pointing more towards the SE, or pointing more to the N of NE?
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Jennifer Edkins:
When did you last retune? If it was on the 17th, then as per the Barskeoch_Hill Freeview Transmitter page (this is the DAB radio page), it was off-air on that date for Essential engineering.
If it was at the beginning of this week upto about Thursday, the weather conditions had been causing some interference to TV signals.
The way you have worded you comment, suggests that you are using a set-top aerial which should be fine considering how close you are to the transmitter.
I suggest you unplug the aerial, and do a full automatic retune. This should clear the memory with the aerial being unplugged. Plug the aerial back in, make sure it is pointing correctly at the transmitter and carry out another retune. Hopefully all your channels should be restored.
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Jordan:
We need a full postcode to look at the predicted reception at your location and which transmitters and multiplexes you might reliably receive. Which transmitter do you think you are receiving?
Can you tell us exactly what aerial you installed? Did you replace the coax downlead?
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Ray E:
Hope you've now got your COM7 signal back. It seems to be back at the correct level. Don't know exactly when the fault was fixed.
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Brian Thomson :
The BBC have no reports of any problems with the BBCB HD multiplex in the last 5 days, nor this evening so far.
This certainly is odd if you are not noticing any loss of other channels. I take it you've not had loss of ITV/Ch.4 channels or any on the COM multiplexes at the same time?
You say "usually the signal reappears" - how long is it missing for?
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Richard caywood:
Thanks for confirming that. I'd got that (in round figures) from the Freeview Detailed Coverage Checker. However, if you have a Group A aerial, whilst it will be more sensitive on the low channels, it will struggle with COMs 4-6 which, from Bilsdale, they are already weak for some spots in your postcode, and you won't get COMs 7&8. The odd thing is that Freeview predict quite good reception from Emley Moor (with a Group T/Wideband aerial) except some spots will struggle with COMs 7&8. But if you particularly want the Tyne Tees region instead of Yorkshire, you have to go for Bilsdale.
Leaving that aside for now, can you try the Bedroom TV right next to the Booster using a short Flylead from the booster to the TV - if you haven't got one, can you borrow one, and see what the Strength and Quality % are ?
Do you normally get LCNs (channels) 11, 12, 13, 25, 29 for example?
Can you confirm the Group of aerial that you have?
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Richard caywood:
I'd deduced it was an awkward location! So if you could just try the bedroom TV next to the booster with a short Flylead.
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m clarke:
Is the problem still continuing? I can't find any reports from the BBC or Freeview of transmitter problems at this time.
There is no Planned Engineering listed either.
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Richard caywood:
Ok, that does seem to suggest no mysterious problems with the normal coax. Try connecting everything back as normal except this time, put your 6dB attenuator in circuit with the bedroom TV only and see what you are getting for signal % and quality % on the bedroom TV.
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Saturday 25 January 2020 10:15PM
Steve Robinson:
Bilsdale is still transmitting COMs 7&8 and at the last retune on Nov.13th when they moved to C55/C56 the power was also increased to 26 & 27kW. One problem could be because of the way Single Frequency Networks (SFNs) operate, which COMs 7&8 are, there can be Not spots. Are you getting the Local multiplex on UHF C30?
We are going to need a full postcode to look at the Freeview Detailed Coverage Checker to see what the predicted reception is at your location.
A Wideband aerial is really needed for all multiplexes from Bilsdale, some Group K aerials may get C55&56 if you aren't in a weak signal area. If however you've got a very old maybe group A aerial, you will be unlikely to get them even with a strong signal