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All posts by jb38

Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Andrew: Although only tests would prove the point either way, in cases where a signal is strong to the point of causing instability in a tuner (swamping) the system used for measuring the signal strength gets completely upset, whereby anything indicated doesn't really bear any resemblance to the true signal strength, with only a proper (professional) signal meter being able to reveal this.

The aspect of this type of situation that can mislead the unwary is, that the indications seen via a TV's signal check menu whilst equipment is operating under these conditions is "exactly" the same as observed when a genuinely weak signal is in evidence, so yes! it is possible for the strength to indicate low.

Remote faulting is notoriously difficult at the best of times as a person has to use their knowledge to assess the possible cause of a problem purely from what's being reported, but the symptoms you report of the BBC working OK on your indoor aerial but not when on the outdoor one, coupled to the knowledge of the distance you are from the high powered (175kW) transmitter, strongly suggests that you are experiencing the classic symptoms of and over powerful signal.

This being said though based on you singling out the BBC as not working on the outdoor aerial, as if had been everything then that could then have indicated a faulty connection on the aerial, or that the signal was really over the top in power, something which can completely block reception of everything.


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Kevin Allen: Well, now you have mentioned details about your aerial system I would recommend that you try a test by-passing the amplifier, albeit this just as a temporary measure as you obviously feed the signal to other rooms.

I suggest this test as although you are only 12 miles away from the massively powerful S/C transmitter I appreciate that there might be some obstruction between you and the station which could seriously restrict the signal you receive from it, but should this not be the case then you certainly do not want any form of amplification on the aerial or you stand the danger of severely overloading the tuners input circuitry, and which can cause you to experience a variety of problems that are usually only associated with weak signals.

If you find that a test by-passing the amp improves your situation, then the insertion of an attenuator in line with the amplifiers input will give the required results whilst still retaining the three way splitter facility.

My reference to your box was really made along the lines, that as its a bit non standard any signal strength indications seen on it have to be treated with an element of suspicion as to their accuracy, not of course that accuracy really comes into the equation as most TV's / boxes indicate different from each other when tested on the same signal.

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Jean: The answer to the latter is yes! as you are only 1 mile away from the Dallington Park relay, its really a case of whether or not you can (or previously have been) receiving a good signal from Sandy (Anglia) or Sutton Coldfield, as if you were then you should manually tune in the multiplex channels missing, storing whatever received between each scan if not done automatically.

Sandy: Ch31 - Ch48 - Ch52
Sutton Coldfield: Ch45 - Ch39 - Ch42

It should be kept in mind that these channels from Sandy are presently on low power until April / June next year, and whether or not your aerial has been altered to suit Dallington Park, because if it has then that will put your reception of either station at a disadvantage.

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J
Film 4
Friday 2 December 2011 7:23AM

JP Richardson: If you are picking up your local Hunmanby station (@ 2 miles) then you wont get them as its a Freeview "light" transmitter, you might though be able to pick up Oliver's Mount @ 6 miles / 310 degrees, although the BBC and ITV3 muxes are indicated as being variable for reception.

Manual tuning for above being: Ch57 - Ch60 - Ch53(HD) - Ch54 - Ch58 - Ch61.

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Film 4
Friday 2 December 2011 8:14AM

JP Richardson: Meant also to add, that if you are receiving Hunmanby perfectly OK then you could just manually tune in (from Oliver's Mount) the three commercial multiplexes not transmitted by Hunmanby, these being: Ch54 - Ch58 - Ch61, the latter containing the missing programme channels mentioned.

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Colin: Unable to find the previous posting you mention, however I did notice on another posting of yours that you say the signal is fine according to the BBC test, but its really a case of what you see indicated (strength / quality) if you carry out a signal check on your TV, this usually accessible via the tuning menu section.

You should do this whilst you are receiving OK and then once again when its not, as even although there is no picture you will still see indications of level etc on the checker menu, maybe you could try this and give an update on the results of both tests.

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john65: It would be of considerable help to anyone giving an answer to your question if the make / model of TV you are referring to was known.

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John: If you can change the channel on the Sky box via the magic eye next to the new TV then that's inclined to indicate all is OK up to that point, what you should now do is to make sure that the new TV is actually set to its "analogue" tuning menu, (not DVB) and then carry out an auto-tune on this and let it find the Sky boxes analogue RF output.

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vic: There is nothing magical about Satellite reception, insomuch that if a dish has a reasonably clear view of a Southern skyline then there is nothing can stop the reception of a satellite signal except a fault with the equipment, or more likely the way its installed, the latter being the suspected reason for your particular problem as its extremely easy to get the alignment wrong, especially with the horizontal plane angle.

On looking at your original posting you mention that you have an old 75cm dish, and as these were not generally used for normal Sky reception I wondered if it has a standard LNB fitted to it?

That said though, the fact that you mentioned that you have tried a new dish as well as a new box still indicates a possible (and continuing) alignment fault as the reason for your problem.


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Neil: With any problem that involves reception its not really possible to offer any constructive advice without knowledge of your location. (post code)

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