All posts by Chris.SE
Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
carol:
That is at the age where problems could be expected, however how long an aerial system survives depends on exposure and the original quality of the aerial plastic connector box and the coax cable. The cable sheath can get brittle and crack as can the connector box and water can enter and get into the coax. If it were a transmission problem I would have expected to see several posts about reception problems especially on the Sutton Coldfield page and there's still no fault reports listed.
If your downlead terminates in a wall plate, have a look at the back of it to check for corrosion or water. If it goes straight to a coax plug into the back of the set, check the plug especially after it's been laying on the floor for a while, water tends not to go up hill when it up plugged into the set !!
The thing about these sorts of problems is that it doesn't always (visibly) affect all multiplexes. The behaviour of the cable can become frequency dependant depending on where the fault is due to what's called "standing waves". Sometimes looking at the Signal Strength and Quality figures in the TV Tuning section can give a clue.
If the signals return after a few days of dry weather, water in the system is the most likely cause.
If you are able to find the Signal Strength and Quality figures in your TV Tuning section, post them for each multiplex, it could confirm what we suspect.
Don't forget, if you get the aerial replaced, a Group K and double screened coax for the downlead.
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Paul Robinson:
Apparently not!
Are you having reception problems again? If so, how is it manifesting itself?
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Paul Dursley: `
Hi Pau. Glad to hear it's all ok at present. Keep us updated if things change.
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Margaret Wrein:
You can't really. There maybe some channels that broadcast or stream in the UK where you may find an App that may provide them for you to stream, some will require a subscription. I doubt you'd be able to watch/stream any of the main UK PSB broadcasters.
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Paul Robinson:
Hi Paul. That's major degradation. I'm thinking that this can't be due to transmission & engineering otherwise there would be posts all over the place moaning, and there isn't.
I decided to have a look back through all your posts etc. You been having issues like this for about 3 years, even with Brierley Hill. This has to be something to do with your installation.
There's a couple of things I've mentioned/asked a while back, but got no direct response to some, so I think the best bet is to go through everything thoroughly, one thing at a time, so here are a few questions for starters.
You/ve got the Restore TV 700MHz filter, which I assume is still fitted, where is it fitted?
How old is your aerial (roughly)? Do you know what type it is? Where is the aerial mounted?
I did ask if you had any amp/splitter to feed more that one TV/Box/Device, you didn't comment on that.
Do you have a masthead amp?
Does the downlead from the aerial terminate in a wall-plate?
Or does it go to a coax plug and straight into the TV?
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Graham Prosser :
As you probably know, Times Radio is carried on the SDL Commercial National 2 multiplex which isn't currently transmitted from Huntshaw Cross. The only Devon transmitters that have it are Beacon Hill and Exeter St.Thomas.
As this isn't Times Radio's website or Arqiva's (see https://www.arqiva.com/me…-dab ) neither are likely to see your post here.
Whether they consider it commercially viable to further expand the SDL coverage at this time, we can't say.
You'd be better writing to Times Radio and Arqiva.
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Carol:
Can you not find the Signal strength and Quality (or error) figures in your TV Tuning section? This may give us a clue as to what is going on!
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Norman Lewis :
This isn't ITV's website. Do you have a Smart TV and Internet connection? If so you can use ITVX.
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Mark:
This isn't the broadcaster's website so we can't do "anything", but neither can the broadcasters.
(Note - your reception might be affected by the Planned Engineering, see the post before yours).
This is an independent technical help-site and we may be able to help check if your reception could be improved, whether you may be subject to any interference, or even possibly give some comment about broadband.
HOWEVER, we need a full postcode. Reception predictors do not work on partial postcodes, and in your part of NN12 there can be an odd patch where reception might be poorer due to the terrain, but many parts should be good reception from Sandy Heath despite your distance from it.
Apart from the full postcode, the following information would be helpful -
Where is your aerial located, on a roof/chimney, in a loft etc.?
Considering your general location, is it pointing roughly due E with its rods (or squashed Xs) horizontal and does it look intact?
How old is it roughly? Do you know what type it is?
Do you have a masthead amp, or any other pre-amp/splitter to feed more than one TV/box?
Are there any tall trees on the line-of-sight to the transmitter?
Not sure what you mean by "since Com 2 went". All 6 main multiplexes are still being transmitted from all main transmitters. There isn't a COM2, there's a PSB2/D3&4 carrying ITV, Ch4 & Ch5 and some of their sister channels.
Which specific TV channels are you especially having problems with?
Can you check in your TV Tuning section for Signal Strength and Quality figures for each of the multiplexes and post those.
Sandy Heath's UHF channels are C27, C24, C21, C33, C36, & C48 that's in multiplex order -
BBCA/PSB1, D3&4/PSB2, BBCB HD/PSB3, SDN/COM4, ArqA/COM5, ArqB/COM6
If you can normally get the Local multiplex from Madingley, it's on C35 but I would think that highly unlikely.
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Sunday 26 May 2024 4:48PM
carol:
If the channel LCNs 101-107 are not appearing in your channel list (as opposed to being there but with "No Signal") then you may as well do that MANUAL retune of C40.
If it's still no signal it could be a transmission issue but there's still no fault reports that I can find!
How old is your aerial? Do you know what type it is by any chance?
Should you need to go down the path of a replacement you should have a Group K aerial (not a Group B as some might advise). Group K cuts off above C48 to help protect you from possible mobile mast interference from any new/upgraded phone masts. Group B does not cut off like that.