All posts by Mark Fletcher
Below are all of Mark Fletcher's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Colin.You mentioned you have three aerials on the pole.Are these for Sandy Heath,Waltham or another transmitter/relay or a third aerial diplexed for Sandy Heath or Waltham as such.I have also noticed that your three texts you did not specify the location,preferably a full post code or a nearby location as such this is to ascertain the reception possibilities at your mother-in-law's location as such.
| link to this comment |
Graham Brookbanks,Eastleigh.The difference between an XB10A and a XB10B is simple.The XB10A is a group A X-Beam coloured red at its tips,while the XB10B is a group B X-Beam coloured yellow at its tips.Apart from the different coloured tips they are the same aerial tailor made for loft installations.The group B X-Beam (yellow tipped) is the wrong aerial to use on Rowridge transmitter as it is an all group A mast,but the group A X-Beam you stated (red tipped) is the right aerial as such.
Try changing the polarity of your antenna to vertical as the commercial multiplexes,SDN,ArqA & ArqB on horizontal polarity from Rowridge are on 50kw yet 200kw on vertical polarisation,it may just work.
| link to this comment |
Vince,Hastings.One possibility could be you may have too much signal.Try fitting an attenuator.
| link to this comment |
Terry,Winchester.As Dave Lindsay rightfully states vertical polarisation is the better option.However if i may add is your aerial a group A (coloured red at its tips) type,or a group W wideband (coloured black at its tips) aerial.Group W wideband aerials unless residing in a good/medium reception area on an all group A transmitter perform badly on all group A frequencies,especially more so on an all group A transmitter within Rowridge itself in a poor reception/marginal area.Check the colour tips of your aerial at the same time you realign the polarity from horizontal to vertical,that you are using the right aerial red tipped group A and not the wrong aerial black tipped group W wideband for all group A mast Rowridge in a poor/marginal area itself.
| link to this comment |
Terry,Winchester.The aerial you stated appears to be an inferior group W wideband contract aerial.If you decide that a new aerial is on the cards then replace with a superior group A (red coloured tips) antenna,preferably at your location a Yagi 18A polarised vertically,with at the same time new superior copper-copper black coloured co-ax cable and importantly superior brass co-ax aerial plug.I would strongly recommend looking up the ATV (Aerials and Television) of Sheffield website,believe me they are the No1 UK aerial accessories retailer and the best,forget the rest.
| link to this comment |
M
My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+Wednesday 6 June 2012 7:20PM
Halifax
Rog,Northampton.Is your aerial coloured red at its tips,if it is (most likely as you stated it's an old aerial) then it is a group A aerial.All of Sandy Heath's public service broadcast multiplexes BBCA (frequency 27),D3+4 (frequency 24),BBCB (HD) (frequency 21) fall within the group A band,while the commercial multiplexes you mentioned you're unable to receive via manual scanning,SDN (frequency 51),ArqA (frequency 52),ArqB (frequency 48) fall both within the group B (yellow tipped aerials) and also the group C/D (green tipped aerials) bands.
The options you have are :-
1-Retain your current group A (red tip) aerial and get a diplexer (channel 38 diplexer) and a second preferably group B (yellow tip) aerial to receive SDN,ArqA & ArqB multiplexes further up the band.
2-Change to a group W wideband (black tip) aerial either on its own or diplex the group W wideband with your present group A aerial.
3-Or change to a superior quality semi-wideband group K (grey tip) aerial optimised for the lower/middle band frequencies between 21-48,preferably an X-Beam XB16K aerial which can work right down to channel 55,or a superior quality Yagi 18K which can also work right down to channel 55 too,but only proceed with this option if you were to buy a group K aerial from reputable aerial retailers such as ATV (Aerials and Television) of Sheffield,they are IMHO the best in the UK today,forget the rest.
As for ATV of Sheffield i would strongly recommend looking up their website and retain it as a shortcut on your PC (i have already since September 2011),as well as purchasing any new aerial,cable,co-ax plug,diplexers,etc,from ATV of Sheffield on only from them if you were to decide on upgrading your aerial and related equipment as such.
| link to this comment |
Lnz.Bude.I think you will find that Caradon Hill is an all group A transmitter and as you stated you are 27.6 miles from Caradon Hill itself effectively in a poor/marginal area within this transmitter and you mentioned you are using a group W wideband aerial which performs badly on an all group A mast such as Caradon Hill itself in a poor/marginal area.It is most unlikely that the Icecrypt T5000 receiver you indicated is at fault,but if you decide to replace the Icecrypt T5000 with another receiver and your new receiver is at fault then it is most likely in that scenario that the group W wideband aerial you have is of little use on Caradon Hill transmitter itself in a poor/marginal signal area itself.It that was to be the case then you new a new group A aerial a Yagi 18A at your location will do the trick.
| link to this comment |
Lnz,Bude.My last sentence should have been.If that was to be the case then you need a new group A aerial,preferably a Yagi 18A at your location will do the trick.
| link to this comment |
Wednesday 30 May 2012 9:40PM
Halifax
Lisa.Northampton,NN5 6YE.About your problems you are still experiencing,is your aerial polarised either vertically or horizontally,and most importantly what colour bung is the tip of your aerial.A group W wideband aerial will be coloured black at its tips,a group A aerial will be coloured red at its tips,group B tipped yellow,group C/D tipped green,group E semi-wideband aerial tipped brown or a group K semi-wideband aerial will have grey coloured tips.Are you receiving BBC East and ITV1 Anglia News locally,denoting Sandy Heath transmissions or are you receiving BBC East Midlands and ITV1 Central News locally,denoting Waltham transmissions.My best advice tomorrow (too dark now) check the colour tip of your aerial (and the age of the aerial as well) and its polarity,and also just for good measure check the condition of both the aerial co-ax cable (white cable are somewhat useless) and the co-ax plug (alloy plugs are somewhat useless,plastic plugs are totally useless).If you do listen to the local news bulletins check at 10.25pm on BBC1 and at 10.30pm on ITV1 that it is either what i mentioned above,you could be tuned in to either Waltham or Sandy Heath transmitters,or whether your appliance (TV or/and set-top box) states either East Midlands,denoting Waltham or Cambs & Beds,denoting Sandy Heath which you are tuned in to.