All posts by Chris.SE
Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Robert Wsthall:
Is you aerial pointing at the Ashbourne relay - rods vertical & pointing NE - where you will only get the 3 main PSB multiplexes OR is it pointing S with the rods horizontal at the Sutton Coldfield transmitter where all multiplexes are available?
If it's pointing at Sutton Coldfield there is Planned Engineering work this week with "Possible weak signal". This is probably in advance of a power increase to one of the Local multiplexes on 30th October (UHF channel 48).
No other multiplexes are changing and I doubt you'll be able to get that local multiplex even with the increase in power from 10kW to 15kW.
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Rod Thomas:
Without a full postcode to see what the DigitalUK checker About us | Freeview is giving for predicted reception at your location, we can't give any constructive advice on reception other than to check all you coax plugs, connections, flyleads etc, unplug connectors check for corrosion or other problems and reconnect them. See what signal strengths and quality you are getting for the multiplexes shown in your TV's tuning section. Also check that your downlead looks undamaged and that your aerial seems intact and pointing in the correct direction.
Problematic connections, water ingress etc. can seem to affect reception of just an individual or several multiplexes.
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Denis:
I was wondering why you think part of your noise might be primarily due to LED lamps - rather than fluorescent - compact or otherwise?
Whilst the "classic" LED lamps have SMPS, they do generate less noise than compact fluorescents. However, "Filamentary" LEDs are pretty well noise free as they have no SMPS. The most common types are "clear" lamps, but there is an increasing number of "frosted" ones available from different suppliers. You also get better all round illumination from such lamps (similar to a standard A shape bulb) as they don't have a large plastic covered body at the rear of the lamp, just a normal size BC or ES cap.
It's just a shame that the prices of these haven't come down as much as the noisy classic ones.
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Richard Simmonds:
If you mean the Winter Hill transmitter which is located NW of Bolton, then the changes there today were only to the UHF channels for Local Multiplexes of which you might (if you have the correct aerial) get maybe one.
Those multiplexes will be located on UHF 21, 24 & 40. There's still GIM on UHF57.
All the main multiplexes are unchanged but further changes are due in Q1 & Q2 in 2020 when you will definitely need a Group T / Wideband aerial to receive all multiplexes satisfactorily. At present according to the DigitalUK checker About us | Freeview you should receive all the main multiplexes satisfactorily.
If you already have a Group T /Wideband aerial and can/(could) get the ArqB (UHF37) and COM8 HD (UHF31) multiplexes ok, then you should have no problem with further changes. See Channel listings | Freeview for a list of channels on those multiplexes.
If you didn't/don't get those two multiplexes then you may have an old C/D group aerial which will need replacing and you should be able to get free help from Freeview next year when the main changes take place providing you don't have satellite or cable.
As for the current problem, the best approach would be to unplug the aerial and then do a full automatic tune which should clear all existing tuning. Then plug the aerial back in and do an automatic tune again and hopefully all the channels will be restored.
You'll be best making future posts on the Winter Hill transmitter page.
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MikeP:
If you read one of Denis's other posts you can see that he's the one doing the distribution to 6 flats.
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Glyn:
In light of what you've said, did you "lose" some channels last year in March 2018? That in addition to losing the ITV ones on would it have been the 16th October retune? Do you have an HD set and have you lost the HD channels as well?
If so, I'm fairly sure it's because you have an old aerial. I also assume that the only channels you might now be getting are the BBC ones.
As has been said by the others, a full postcode is needed to confirm the transmitter and reception conditions at your location.
All that said, providing you don't have Satellite or Cable TV you can get free help by contacting the Freeview Advice line on 0808-100-0288 where they should be offering to send an engineer to replace your aerial with a Group T / Wideband or Group K (depending on your transmitter) which is what you'll need to have satisfactory reception of all multiplexes.
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MikeP:
Try Divis (Northern Ireland) Full Freeview transmitter | free and easy At least that's the interpretation I put on "I presently have an 8-element log periodic ..........."
Anyway your suggestion is a lot of extra cabling, which may be (very) difficult to install and to be frank not very convenient for a user having to switch between them. I think most users just want to use their remotes :)
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Darren:
The amount of tropospheric propagation last night was generally quite low although one can get isolated unstable pockets but I think it was unlikely to have been the cause of your problems which may remain a bit of a mystery. In normal circumstances your reception of all multiplexes should be 100%.
Trees in the line of sight can affect reception but then you'd expect problems at other times not just last night especially as it wasn't pouring with rain and blowing a gale (AFAIK!).
Although you said your aerial was replaced in the summer I'd still check that your aerial seems intact and is still pointing in the correct direction also check that your downlead looks undamaged. Check all you coax plugs, connections, flyleads etc, unplug connectors check for corrosion or other problems and reconnect them. See what signal strengths and quality you are getting for the multiplexes shown in your TV's tuning section.
Problematic connections, water ingress etc. can seem to affect reception of just an individual or several multiplexes.
I assume that the problem has "gone away", if not then maybe we'd have to consider the possibility of some form of local interference. Have you (or near neighbours) got any new electrical/electronic items or changed anything? Is there any pattern to the occurrences? No new mobile phone masts very near?
Other than all that I can't think of anything else to suggest without more detail if it's a continuing problem.
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Helena Mountford:
LCN61 is on the Manchester multiplex, whereas LCN48 should be on one (or all) of the other local multiplexes. Check your TV tuning section to see if you can manual tune on UHF channels 21, 24 & 40 for the local multiplexes. The Manchester multiplex is supposedly still on UHF57 at this time.
See also Channel listings | Freeview which will indicate which programme channels are on which multiplexes.
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Wednesday 23 October 2019 12:59AM
Glyn:
Or you may need an aerial change because yours may be an old group aerial that won't receive all the multiplexes since they went to the new UHF channels, but as has been said we need a full postcode to confirm that.
If that's the case, then providing you don't have Satellite or Cable TV you can get free help by contacting the Freeview Advice line on 0808-100-0288 where they should be offering to send an engineer to replace your aerial with a Group T / Wideband or Group K (depending on your transmitter) which is what you'll need to have satisfactory reception of all multiplexes.