All posts by jb38
Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Andy Dyson: Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be anything that you can do due to the signal path from the two full service transmitters i.e: Stockland Hill (@ 26 mls / 45 degrees) and Beacon Hill (@ 8 mls / 214 degrees) being obstructed at approximately 4 miles or so prior to your location, the severity of the obstruction being much greater in the case of Beacon Hill, (the undermentioned being links to the terrain indications from both)
Although I am very doubtful if anything would be received, but you could try a manual tune signal check on one of Stockland Hill's commercial muxes by entering Ch25 (ITV3 etc) but NOT pressing search or scan, because on most devices if any signal is being received it will be indicated on the strength / quality bar.
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
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Peter: Although the main station Emley Moor is located at only just over 12 miles away its doubtful if you would be able to receive a reliable signal from it, but though this depends on your "exact" locality and why post codes should always be given with queries of this nature, as although using Ripponden Post Office as a test code does indicate that reception is possible this does not tally up with the terrain indicator showing two major line-of-sight blockages at approximately just under 4 miles from the location, and as seen by opening the undermentioned link.
The aerial you are presently using for reception from the Ripponden transmitter will be facing approximately (using test code) 158 degrees and be vertically mounted, whereas Emley Moor is at 110 degrees with horizontal polarisation, but irrespective of what your exact location is you should try a manual tune signal check from Emley Moor by going into your TV or boxes set up menu / manual tune and entering mux Ch51 (ITV3 etc) but do NOT press search or scan, because if even the slightest hint of a signal is being received the strength / quality of will be indicated on the signal bar.
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
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Peter : Further to that said, and although you cannot always go by this, but have a look around your area and should you see any horizontally mounted aerials then they will most likely be facing towards Emley Moor, as indications are (on test code used) that no other possibilities exist as far as the reception of horizontally polarised signals from anywhere else is concerned.
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Ace: Purely out of curiosity what type of aerial arrangement are you using? as Emley Moor is indicated as the transmitter that covers the Crystal Peaks area area and with its BBC mux being on Ch 47 and ITV1 on Ch44.
The reason I ask is due to the fact that what you have reported can indicate that you have either an aerial or alternatively jumper lead to the TV problem, because if you did then this would account for you no longer having duplicate channels as your TV or box would only be able to receive the strongest signals albeit in a variable fashion.
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Scott: When Blackhill's three new multiplexes eventually come into operation the total channel span of this station will be from 32 - 51, and as a group B's aerial covers from 35 - 53 then it will indeed be less efficient meaning that anyone located in a less than ideal area for reception might well suffer from problems.
The reason for this being, that when an aerial designed for operation on a high band is used to receive channels operating at the lower end of its coverage range its never quite as efficient anyway as its response generally tapers off starting from three channels or so above its lower end, and when the channel required is actually operating under its lowest channel then the situation is obviously worse.
By the way this effect occurs to a much lesser degree in situations where a person is receiving a channel that is above an aerials coverage range.
However, if you do experience any problems once that the these new services come into operation then this type of situation is usually adequately compensated for by the addition of a simple booster into the aerial system such as the SLX brand variable gain type sold by Argos.
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Martin Haresign: The only channels you will, or should, have lost are those dedicated to a Sky package, however anyone with any doubts with regards to what they will still be able to view if they cancel their subscription can easily find this out for themselves by simply removing the viewing card and then running through the channels listed in the programme guide by inching them up one at a time using the "up / down" button, an "insert viewing card" message appearing on any that requires the card.
It should also be noted that although the aforementioned is usually all that's required but though the test is more accurate if the boxes memory is blanked out, this achieved by disconnecting it from the mains "after having removed the card", this being followed by leaving for about 30 seconds or so before powering it up again minus the card then running through the programme channels.
Just out of curiosity, did you opt to pay the £10.50 or so to retain use of the recording / playback side of your box?
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Martin Haresign : With regards to your card query, you do not require to do anything as Sky can only disable access to its subscription channels and not anything associated with channels which a can be viewed without a card anyway.
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Jacqui: When dealing with problems of the nature described its always by far the best policy to make a local enquiry (neighbour etc) for the purpose of ascertaining if others are also experiencing similar problems to yourself rather than altering anything connected with your own installation, because should others also be experiencing similar difficulties then obviously the cause of the problem is out with your control.
The reason for saying this being that engineering work has been taking place at Waltham for a few weeks now and with a "liable to interruption" notice having been posted to this effect, and notices such as this can include anything that affects reception such as weak signals etc.
However should your neighbours not be experiencing problems with ITV1 then your problem could simply be caused by the signal level being fed into your TV or box not being sufficiently high enough above the reception cut off threshold for your receiver, the result of being that the slightest drop (or variation) in strength will result in picture break up, and so to get an idea of the signal being received at your location you should carry out a level check on BBC1 (C49) and making a note of the strength / quality being indicated, then change to ITV1 (C54) and making a similar check as before but paying particular attention to the quality, insomuch if its seen to fluctuate with frequent spells of diving downwards etc, because if it does then this could be caused by a combination of a weak signal being affected by the large swathe of trees next to the A6 carriageway that the signal from Waltham passes over, this type of problem not being easily rectified albeit that the situation is sometimes improved by moving the aerial slightly to the right or left of where its presently mounted.
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Martin Haresign: Yes, Sky can be difficult to deal with and especially if its in any way connected with a complaint.
But as far as retaining use of the recording / playback side of the box is concerned, what usually happens is when anyone phones up to cancel their contract they can "at that same time" request to retain use of the recording side of the box and Sky will then draw up a contract purely for that purpose and nothing else, as they will still kill the access codes in your card that allows you to view subscription channels but "not" the code that allows you to use the boxes recording facility.
That said, many people consider that £10.50 per month does not represent very good value to money and so opts to purchase a Freesat twin tuner recorder (PVR) which gives exactly the same facilities as a Sky+ box but free of charge, as Freesat and Sky are 100% compatible as far as the dish / LNB is concerned.
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Friday 20 September 2013 7:59PM
Helen Williamson: Good idea! maybe though you could be so good as to give an update on the outcome as I would be interested to know if the neighbour is even aware of the overhang infringement into your territory.