All posts by Michael Perry
Below are all of Michael Perry's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Mike Richards :
Various engineering work is carried out at all transmitters from time to time. Sometimes, it is routing maintenance but other times is is for correcting a suspected fault. In addition, work is done to prepare for future changes. Some work is required on a regular basis to check and replace the navigation warning lights ofn the mast and that requires either turning off the transmitter temporarily or reducing its power output for a short period, usually less than an hour so the engineers can climb the mast, do their work and get back down again. So there is not a single answer relevant to all of the over 1000 transmitters.
The work is carried out by engineers working for or on behalf of the transmitter operator, Arqiva.
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Freddie:
If you are indeed tuned to the Nottingham transmitter then you will not get COM7 channels as it does not appear to transmit that nor COM8. I assume you get BBC1 HD, etc?
The Waltham transmitter does provide both COM7 and COM8 channels, so maybe you need to see if it is possible to receive signals from there. I expect you should being just off Vernon Road.
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PaulB:
Please check what signal strengths are being shown on your TV set. For reliable SD services you need between 50% and 85% and for HD you need between 60% and 85%. It is important to have at least the lower figure else signal break up can occur. Likewise, you do not want more than 85% on any channel as that will overload the tuner so the TV will report either no signal or just display garbled images.
It is possible that by fitting the booster you now have too much signal, hence fewer channels than before. So try removing that from the aerial system and check what you get as well as the strengths.
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Freddie:
First, check that you are tuned to the Waltham transmitter, see Which Freeview channels does the Waltham transmitter broadcast? for the channel numbers/frequencies required.
Then check what the signal strengths are. If they are as you indicate, at 92 to 100% then you have far too much signal and need top fit an attenuator in series with your aerial cable. I suggest you get the, a 3dB one, a 6dB one and a 12dB one. Then try fitting the 6dB into your aerial feed and check the signal strengths again. If they are still too high 60% to 85% is the required range. then replace that with the 12dB one. If that is too strong then rplace it with a 6dB in series with a 3dB. One reason you may not be getting HD channels is that you have too much signal! Reduce it with the attenuators mentioned. They are quite cheap to buy.
Are you getting any of the HD services at all? Such as BBC1 HD on channel 101, BBC2 HD on 102, etc. If you are not, is your TV set a true Freeview HD set or is it just an HD Ready type? TRhe latter cannot get HD programmes and needs an external Freeview HD Set Top Box to get the HD services, but it can display HD from either the STB or a Blue Ray DVD, etc.
Noye thay East Midlands services are radiated from several transmitters, not just Nottingham and Waltham.
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Mr Wilson:
Please give a full post code so that we can examine what the reception conditions are like at your location. Secondly, please give the signal strength readings, the quality does not help at this stage.
Note that there is no reported problem at the transmitter.
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S Dawkins:
It is also worth contacting your immediate neighbours to check if their Freeview reception is also being affected.
I once had a customer whose colour TV suffered terrible reception between 7 and 8.30 PM every day. It was due to a piece of medical equipment used at that time.
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Freddy:
You can get signals from Waltham at your location just off Vernon Road. However, the Nottingham Transmitter uses a Group A aerial whereas Waltham uses a Group C/D aerial.
The reason you can't get Com7 is that Nottingham does not transmit it! Waltham does though, so consider investing in a new log-periodic aerial mounted as high as possible over your roof and aimed at Waltham. You have clear line of sight to Waltham despite the hill at Mapperley. Sutton Coldfield transmits West Midlands programmes so probably of little interest.
By the way, your TV set will tell you what channels/frequencies it is receiving, so check what it is currently tuned to, your TV User Manual will tell you how to show those using the Manual Tune option - but do not perform any retuning. Nottingham will be on channels 21, 24, 27, 48, 51 and 52. There is no Com7 nor Com8 from Nottingham. Waltham will be on channels 49, 54, 58, 29, 56, 51, 31 and 37. Note that 31 is Com7 and 37 is Com8.
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Ashley Woods:
Your TV should have a manual tuning system that will display the channel number (note that that is not the same as the programme number) being received as well as the signal strength and quality - it is the strength that is important. Your User Manual for the TV will tell you how to access that feature but make sure you do *not* perform any tuning at this stage. If you can't find the User Manual, you can usually find one on line by doing a search by make and model and usimng 'user manual' as a search criteria.
The 'H' aerial of that age is very likely to be a VHF type for either BBC on Band 1, ITV on Band 3 or else FM Radio on Band 2. Thus it is of little real value to you for TV reception. You should have a good local aerial contractor fit an aerial of the log-periodic type (it is important to ask for that type to be fitted) and do not fall for the 'con' of a 'digital' aerial as there is no such thing.
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Festus:
No, it stands for proper use of the English language.
Being accurate is not the same as being pedantic and in the technical world accuracy is vital, as is correct understanding of the subject so accuracy is equally important.
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Saturday 25 November 2017 5:36PM
M Roberts:
Freeview is being transmitted perfectly from the Crystal Palace transmitter, if it weren't them over a millions people would be complaining! So the problem lies either with your Father's aerial, the cables or the TV set.
If you provide his full post code, we can check whether he is actually using the Crystal Palace transmitter or wether he should be using another of the over 1000 transmitters around the country.