All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Robert Evans: I don't understand the question. C23 is PSB2 multiplex from The Wrekin and carries ITV Central (West), as does Sutton Coldfield.
If you are using The Wrekin then try using Sutton Coldfield instead. Its mast was made taller for switchover so it might be a better bet than before.
| link to this comment |
Mulley: No because the signal from Mendip on this channel is directional and in the direction of Bristol.
| link to this comment |
Mike: Enter your postcode on this page, tick "Detailed view" and press "Go":
Digital UK - Coverage checker
| link to this comment |
Peter Smith: See here:
mb21 - The Transmission Gallery
It is vertically polarised only.
| link to this comment |
Eric Brett: Digital reception is essentially either there or not there, there is very little in between that being the "cliff edge".
Perhaps the signal is in the region of being not usable, your DVB-400 "just" being able to use it and the others "just" not so. So, don't conclude that the DVB-400 is superior.
The first question must be what is the incoming signal like? What is your location this being preferably in the form of postcode or that of a nearby property such as a shop?
Why have you got a high-gain aerial with an amplifier and another amplifier which splits it? In many cases this would be excessive and could result in what you're experiencing.
| link to this comment |
Jane Morris: You are missing COM5 multiplex which is on UHF channel 22 from Rowridge.
If the set has manual tuning then go to it and enter/select UHF channel 22 and wait don't press the button to scan/add channels/OK. The TV may act as a signal meter, giving you an idea as to strength and quality.
If you haven't already done so then having your aerial vertically polarised (elements up/down) rather than horizontally polarised (elements flat) will allow you to receive the more powerful COMs.
This will forfeit reception of COM7 (BBC Four HD, BBC News HD etc) as it is only horizontally polarised. However, looking at the terrain plot with Butser Hill in the way it's doubtful you will receive it reliably anyway.
That's the short answer or suggestion. Now for the more in-depth and longer answer:
Most transmitters broadcast either horizontally or vertically, meaning that the receiving aerial must be fitted accordingly. Rowridge is unique as a main, high power, transmitter in that it broadcasts horizontally and vertically and it has been doing so on all channels (COM7 excepted) from April 2011, which was when switchover had completed and all channels when to their full and final transmission powers.
However, the PSB (Public Service Broadcaster) channels which include BBC, ITV (and some of its sister channels), Channel 4 (and some of its sister channels), Channel 5 radiate at 200kW horizontally and vertically, but the main COM channels (COM4, COM5 and COM6) radiate 50kW horizontally and 200kW vertically. You are having difficulty with COM5.
(The reason for the lower power is because Crystal Palace (London) and Stockland Hill (Devon) use the same frequencies as Rowridge for COMs 4 to 6 only i.e. reduce the likelihood of interference. The PSB frequencies are not shared, which is why they can be on higher power.)
So, switching to vertical polarisation in an area with no where near favourable reception, which you are, will likely move you towards more reliable reception of COMs 4 to 6.
But, if you can receive COM7 (BBC Four HD, BBC News HD etc) then be aware that it is horizontally polarised only and is at 24kW. So if you turned your aerial vertical you would loose COM7. It is doubtful you will receive COM7 to any useful degree anyway, due to the large obstruction which is Butser Hill.
If your problem is too low a signal strength then you might get away with more amplification (booster) while retaining the horizontal aerial which might yield you COM7.
| link to this comment |
G GUY: truTV is carried on COM5 multiplex, which is also home to Pick, Dave, Really and others. From Carmerl COM5 is on UHF channel 58.
| link to this comment |
Gordon Insley: It's good to help.
The only way is to consider whether you can receive COM7 from Sutton Coldfield. This will give you West Midlands programming though. You could have a Sutton Coldfield aerial as your main one and Waltham, fed into a set-top box, for regional programming.
Or, if you have a twin-tuner PVR, feed SC into it and Waltham into your TV.
| link to this comment |
Doug Brown: No. I've explained the reasons for it being as it is here:
Waltham (Leicestershire, England) Full Freeview transmitter
| link to this comment |
Monday 12 January 2015 6:54PM
m.whitbrook: What is the reception like on the local Birmingham multiplex on UHF channel 51? The service might be on logical channel 8, although as I'm not in the area I'm unable to confirm as I see that BLTV has had issues.
Also, the same question for COM7, the new HD multiplex which carries BBC News HD (only for HD receivers)?