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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.

J
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Monday 24 June 2013 6:16PM

sheila : Although obviously the provision of a post code or one from nearby (e.g: a shop / post office) would greatly assist in determining the signal levels expected in your area, plus whether or not you are covered by a main "full service" transmitter or that the reception you do get is from a PSB only relay, i.e: no commercial channels other than ITV1 / Ch4 / Ch5 etc.

But though on the subject of cancelling your Sky subscription, be aware that should you do this then the entire recording / playback side of your Sky box will be deactivated by Sky at or around the same time as you lose your ability to view Sky's dedicated package channels "unless" that is you take out another subscription at the same time costing £10.25 per month purely for the purpose of retaining these facilities, this being one of the snags of using a Sky+ box and why many prefer to go down the Freesat route and purchase a twin tuner PVR.

Freesat, and especially a Freesat twin tuner PVR as mentioned by MikeB is a perfect non-subscription alternative to a Sky+ box, although on the other hand by your TV (0 missed from model number?) according to its manual being capable of receiving HD channels then this would enable a more flexible less costly system all round as the devices used in the other rooms would not require to be updated, but though it all depends on whether or not you are genuinely in a bad area for reception or that your aerial system is possibly defective, the quickest way by far to determine which of the two applies is by making one or two local enquiries with neighbours etc, if that is you happen to be on a sociable footing with them!

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Faye: If you click on the undermentioned link this gives you and indication of the main domestic radio services provided by the mast, albeit that numerous other non-domestic services use it.

mb21 - The Transmission Gallery

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Alan Rowe: Quite so, and especially the latter comment you made, as although I am not an aerial installer as such I do sometimes get involved with aerials and find that many are initially sceptical about the results expected when their huge piece of metalwork similar to a garden railing is removed and replaced by something a fraction of the size, me of course also referring to log periodic's.

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Steven Huntington : When you refer to bedroom aerial and living room aerial are you meaning one aerial with two outlet positions? or are they separate aerials?

If you mean the former, then check what happens when you try your bedroom TV on the living room aerial, if the bedroom stops working then a problem exists with the feed to the living room socket, if though it does work in a fashion then this means that the signal level your devices are operating on is too low and requires boosting as the TV normally used in the living room is fitted with a less sensitive tuner than that used in the bedroom TV.

If on the other hand you are referring to different aerials? then why don't you just purchase a 2 way powered splitter and feed the bedroom TV's aerial into the splitters common input, and with one output from the splitter being run to the living rooms TV and the bedroom TV itself using the splitters other output.

Of course you should really test the signal strength being received at the two outlet positions on mux Ch46 by entering the tuning menu / manual tune and entering Ch46 but NOT followed by pressing search, as on most equipment the level the signal is being received at should be indicated, this test enabling a comparison to be made between the two outlet positions.

The bedroom TV being used for this test on both outlet points.

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J
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Wednesday 26 June 2013 7:53AM

Mike: If you are referring to this being observed when simply toggling between the two devices then the recorder's BBC has to be tuned to the mux Ch27 from the Sandy transmitter rather than Oxford's mux Ch53.

Carry out a signal strength test on the recorder and check the mux channel being indicated along with the strength / quality, if indeed Ch27 is being indicated then either try carrying out another auto-tune which "might" correct the problem, or alternatively carry out another auto-tune on the recorder whilst the aerial is removed to blank out anything already stored, once completed reinsert the aerial and "manually" tune Oxfords Ch53 storing the results, then use the add channels facility on the recorder (should it have this) to add the remaining mux channels.

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Linda: Although your location is seen to be well inside of the official coverage area given for the Knockmore DAB transmitter (15 miles) and to a lesser extent where reception from the DAB transmitters at Durris (35 miles) and also Meldrum (14 miles) is concerned, however in the case of Knockmore and Durris the signal paths from both these transmitters are indicated as suffering from multiple obstructions prior to reaching the Huntly area, Medrum also being affected but to a much lesser degree.

This being the case would suggest that the comment made by MikeP in the latter part of his reply is very likely to apply in your particular situation, and especially so where DAB reception is intended to be via a portable radio, therefore I would suggest it most advisable to make a few local enquiries as to the reliability of a DAB reception in your area before making any purchases.

By the way I used the Huntly Hotel, town square as a test code, if you are located at a higher level than this then obviously that somewhat improves the situation, I would though still make some local enquiries as I am very doubtful as to whether or not a portable DAB radio is a viable device to use in your area.

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Susan Elaine: Going purely on the basis of what you have said then there is no connection whatsoever with he problem you have mentioned being connected with your neighbours activities.

However its impossible for anyone to offer assistance without having knowledge of your location, a post code or one from nearby e.g: a shop/post office being suffice as access to transmitter status etc cannot be achieved without this info.

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J
Indoor aerials | Installing
Friday 28 June 2013 5:26PM

Mo582: Indoor aerials nearly always result in iffy reception as they are vulnerable to the capacitive effects of movement within the room they are located in, and any time they do give satisfactory reception is generally in situations where they are positioned near to a window that faces towards a "visible" mast of a few miles away.

In your particular case the nearest transmitter that you are predicted as being able to receive is Bluebell Hill @ 20 miles, although Crystal Palace @ 29 miles appears to be the station that's used in your area, this being the case I would not recommend any type of indoor aerial, loft types possibly OK though!

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J
Full technical details of Freeview
Saturday 29 June 2013 7:14PM

Keith: As you are located at only 13 miles away from the Oxford transmitter and with according to the terrain indicator a clear line of sight, then in theory anyway you should have good reception.

The point I did wonder about though is when the aerial installer checked out your aerial did he verify that the powered splitter was operating OK? because if he didnt then you should connect the downlead from the aerial directly into one of the room feeds and see if the situation improves, you may of course require a back to back coupler to try this as both connections into the splitter will be male pins.

If convenient though you could temporarily move one of your TV's into the garage and couple the aerial downlead directly into it.



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J
Full technical details of Freeview
Sunday 30 June 2013 12:17AM

MikeB / (Keith): Although DUK's reception predictor would suggest Sandy (@ 41 miles) as being a possible alternative to Oxford, that seen indicated does not fully take into account the existence of multiple obstructions to the signal path between the source of the signal and the receiver, this being very applicable in the case of the signal path between Sandy and Chinnor as seen demonstrated on the link provided, and being the reason why I did not recommend this being attempted.


Keith: If by-passing the powered splitter does not improve the situation then it would be prudent to make a few local (nearby) enquiries for the purpose of determining if the problem is also being experienced by others, as its essential to know whether it is or not before needlessly spending time trying to effect a cure that's almost guaranteed to end in failure.



Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location


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