All posts by Michael Perry
Below are all of Michael Perry's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
N. McArdle:
That is difficult to tell as you have not given a full post code so we have no way of checking what the reception conditions are like at your location. There can be many reasons for the problems you report, such as too much signal or atmospheric inversion effects (which are not freak weather conditions but more common that some think and are nothing to do with 'global warming').
I would suggest you make two checks. Firstly check all your aerial cables and connections are in good condition, unplugging any coaxial plugs.sockets and refitting (to clear any possible corrosion/oxidation from the contacts). Secondly check what the signal strength is as reported by your TV set, it is usually on the manual tuning page but DO NOT RETUNE. The strength should ideally be between 60% and 85%, too little will obviously give problems but so can too much signal as it can overload the tuner.
There is a third possibility that you can do nothing about, atmospheric conditions due to high pressure can cause unexpectedly long distance propogation of other signals that can interfere with your TV reception. As that is a natural and well known phenomenon there is no cure other than patience until the weather patterns change.
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Chris:
Thanks for the feedback. Glad the system is now working as you wanted all along. It also helps to confirm that my suggestions about signal strength requiremnets are correct and in accord with manufacturers technical guidance.
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Roy Milner:
At your location you should be getting good reception from either Sandy Heath (at 62km distance) or Tacolnston (at 58km distance). Both now require the use of a wideband aerial mopunted for horizontal polarisation. See Coverage Checker - Detailed View
Satellite would be another option but do not use a smaller type dish as that will give just as many reception problems (I use a 65cm dish in Wiltshire and never have an problems due to rain or snow absorption of the signals). Also make sure that a good quality Low Noise Block is fitted, preferably with at least 4 outputs for future flexibility. Most of the Freeview channels are available on Freesat, but not all.
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Jo:
Please provide a full post code so that we can check your expected reception conditions at your location. We may then be able to suggest why you are not able to view True Entertainment.
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Chris Duff:
You could have saved yourself a lot of work by using the Digital UK Coverage Checker, see Digital UK - Coverage checker and putting in your post code and house number. That would have shown you all the transmitters available at your location, given the channels used now and in the future, given the direction to aim your aerial and even what type is needed for each transmitter. It also gives the distance away and the expected reception conditions now and in the future.
This website channel usage information is known to be out-of-date as the owner, who is the only person allowed to update it, is not available and has not been for a few months.
The advice given above has been given on many occasions via these pages.
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Ian:
It is likely that the current weather patterns with high pressure areas affecting TV transmissions is the cause of your problems if you have checked through your aerial system and its connections. Several areas have been so affected over recent weeks. There is nothing you, nor anyone else, can do as it is a perfectly natural phenomenon that has affected our usage of UHF signals since the start of BBC2 in the sixties when it was first noticed.
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Chris:
We need a full post code so that we can see exactly where you are in relation to the transmitter and road. Is the road level above your house?
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Ken Woodcock:
There are no published plans to extend the services carried on the temporary multiplexes of COM7 and COM8. These are carried on 30 main transmitters only and are expected to cease at around 2022 when it is hoped that more multiplexes will be transmitted using DVB-T2 encoding that can carry more channels.
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Thursday 25 October 2018 11:23AM
Peter Toon and Hunter:
PLEASE DO NOT RETUNE your TVs. The current atmospheric conditions are giving rise to high pressure which is affecting signal propogation and there is nothing anyone can do about this natural phenomenon. In some cases it may affect just one multiplex but other may also be affected as well. Patince is needed until the weather patterns change.