All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Micky: Generally speaking, most people shouldn't need a booster at such close proximity to the transmitter. I say generally speaking because I don't know whether there are local obstructions.
This was true before switchover when a set-top aerial may well have been sensitive enough at your location.
The main reason I would expect you to be using a booster is so as to distribute the signal to different outlets, although even then you may well have sufficient signal to split it.
As a matter of principle, I suggest that you only use a booster if it doesn't work without it and not the other way around. With digital reception, too high a signal level gives the same sort of effect as too little signal. That is the signal strength gets lower and when it is really high, the receiver becomes overwhelmed and shows "no signal".
So long as the quality is good at all times (no break-up) then you have the best picture you can get. If the strength is at 75% (for example) with good quality, then there is nothing to be gain from trying to push for 100% strength; only quality to be lost.
I'm not familiar with the Humaxes but I do know that some receivers have in-built boosters. Make sure that this is set to off.
If, having removed the booster, you find that C48 is still unavailable, then the solution "may" be attenuation, as I suggested above.
A set-top aerial should pick up less signal than your roof-top or fixed aerial (if you're using one). Or try a piece of wire about 12 to 18 inches long inserted into the inner part of the aerial socket. These may be temporary fixes to restore Quest etc until 27th, if nothing better can be found.
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Jonathan Smith: Portable aerials are always hit-and-miss because by their very nature they can be environments where the signal can vary all the time due to objects moving around them. Nonetheless, I would try and get into a position where I think that the chances of reception are likely to be the greatest.
Without knowing you location it's difficult make a suggestion as we don't know what the likelihood of reception might be. Perhaps you can give your location, preferably in the form of post code or nearby post code (e.g. that of a shop). Also, did you have digital reception before today? And what is the make and model of the receiver that you are using (either set-top box used to receive or TV with in-built Freeview)?
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Colin: Do you use a HDMI cable to connect the Humax to the TV? I know you said that it isn't a HD model, but they do have HDMI sockets on.
The signal in the HDMI lead might affect that in the aerial lead, particularly if they're close. The same goes for others such as USB leads and maybe ethernet leads.
Once it's tuned correctly, then leave it be as retuning will achieve nothing. You've done the right thing and checked that it is tuned to the correct channels. Your attention must turn elsewhere.
I'm not sure what likelihood there is of too much signal, but you should be aware that this appears the same as too little a signal. Remove any booster you may have. Try reducing the amount of signal by removing the aerial lead and holding the plug close to the socket but not quite in contact. Give it ten seconds to adjust and see if it goes up as you remove the lead. The objective being here to see if the level going into the tuner is excessive. Holding the plug close should help loose a bit. If this is the problem, as you start to loose signal the level should go up as the overloading of the tuner subsides, then as you loose more the strength bar will go down again the signal level is reduced (that is reduced for real this time).
Or maybe you will have to try moving it within the loft or it may be best mounted externally.
At your location you "may" be able to pick-up from Whitehawk to give you the full service. As your aerial is Group E this makes it suitable (assuming suitable gain). You may have to have it outside for this.
The only thing to be aware about Whitehawk is that it carries BBC South East (as Newhaven), but ITV Meridian from Southampton rather than Meridian Maidstone as you get from Newhaven.
Or Heathfield may be possible. As Newhaven is a relay of Heathfield, the regional programming is the same. It is also a Group B, so your Group E aerial will be suitable (again, assuming suitable gain).
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P Ricketts: Unfortunately it is not likely that Thetford will ever broadcast the Commercial services. They achieve a 90% coverage of the population by broadcasting from 81 of the largest transmitters (largest by viewer population). To include over 1,000 small relays, of which Thetford is one, would roughly double their cost of transmission whilst only adding 8.5% of the population to their potential viewer-base. As they operate on a profit-driven basis where they sell advertising, they want to get as many viewers as possible at lowest cost.
The channels that Thetford carries are the Public Service ones. The Commercial broadcasters have no "Public Service" obligation.
The best you can do is investigate the possibility of receiving from one of the transmitters that carries the Commercial channels.
For switchover, Tacolneston had a replacement taller mast built, so this will mean it will reach parts that it wouldn't previously.
As a test, I put the post code of the ACF Training Centre on Croxton Road into the Digital UK Tradeview predictor and it thinks that excellent reception from Tacolneston may be possible at that location:
Postcode Checker - Trade View
If reception is not possible from Tacolneston at your location, then you may be able to receive from another transmitter such as Sandy Heath and combine that with your current aerial on Thetford so as to give you your current Anglia East regional programming.
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Farrah Day: That's how it goes sometimes; and afterwards you find that the solution was at your fingertips all along!
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Colin: Maybe poor screening on the aerial lead or the aerial lead isn't making good contact with the plug on its end. Sometimes the strands of wire break next to the plug because of stress.
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Colin: If you are looking at DIYing, or just wishing to be informed before calling in a professional, see www.aerialsandtv.com
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Ian Farrow: Unfortunately it is not likely that Newhaven relay will ever broadcast the Commercial services. They achieve a 90% coverage of the population by broadcasting from 81 of the largest transmitters (largest by viewer population). To include over 1,000 small relays, of which Newhaven is one, would roughly double their cost of transmission whilst only adding 8.5% of the population to their potential viewer-base. As they operate on a profit-driven basis where they sell advertising, they want to get as many viewers as possible at lowest cost.
The Commercial broadcasters have no "Public Service" obligation.
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Adrian Bance: On the basis that you had 100% strength before switchover (which may suggest that it was bordering on the excessive then), I suggest that the problem is that the signal being fed into your tuner is now too high and is overwhelming it. High signal level has the same appearance of low and poor signal, that being that the signal strength deteriates and quality goes due to the distortion.
Payment of the Fee does not guarantee availability of signal or reception of signal. The reason for this increase is so that other Licence Fee payers can now receive the signals.
For an explanation of too much signal, see ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
If you have a booster (and it isn't installed for the purpose of splitting the signal to feed separate rooms), then it does beg the question why when the signal beforehand was so strong. This should be removed.
If you don't have a booster, or if you've removed it and the problem persists, then fit an attenuator (probably a 20dB variable one) inline with the aerial lead to reduce the signal level.
This is an independent website, as it clearly states. The the information provided on it is obtained from official sources and simply reflects what those sources say. If they are wrong then it cannot be right.
I have just checked the BBC Reception site www.bbc.co.uk/reception and it reports no problems with Bluebell Hill TV. The BBC only reports on its own services.
The other source that this site uses is Digital UK and you can view the source information at www.digitaluk.co.uk/engineeringworks
Or underneath the text at the top of this page that says that there are no faults, click on "Click to recheck" and it will recheck those sources. Clearly as this site sources its information from third parties and those third parties don't notify the site when fault statuses change, then it is only going to change on here when it checks the sources again.
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Wednesday 13 June 2012 4:32PM
Peter: I should perhaps declare that my comments are made as a non-professional with an interest in the subject.
A Group A bandpass filter means that it allows through only Group A channels. A Group A bandstop filter (if there is such thing) allows through all except Group A channels.
There was (and maybe still is) a plan to sell off C31 to C37 for three new multiplexes. These would be likely to broadcast from the transmitting stations that carry the current three COMs. The Group B bandpass filter sold by ATV (and I assume all "Group B" BP filters) starts at 34 which could cause issues in the future.
I'm not sure whether this plan will come to fruition. It seems like the typical dogs dinner you get these days. Who knows, we could go back to having a single television channel in a few years time, so that most of the spectrum can be sold for 4G, 5G, 6G etc. Let us hope that it won't be Murdoch that will be in charge!
You can get notch filters which are used to stop a single channel. You would obviously need three (or a triple one if there is such a thing) for the three channels used by South Tower. I have no idea on cost so can't say whether that's worthwhile.
F-connectors are generally used in places where the connections are generally perminant and not likely to be unplugged by users. So in a loft or outside (with suitable weatherproofing) it's good practice to use F connectors.
There may be a control on the amplifier to reduce its level which might help. It's probably best to note where it was set originally just in case it goes pear-shaped.
I read your earlier postings which mentioned about a loft aerial. If this is the same one, then could you move it to somewhere where it will still be able to pick-up from Heathfield, but where it will get less signal from the direction of South Tower?
I re-affirm what I said about a Group A aerial being less suited to Heathfield and hence might need replacement. The colour system that is used denotes Group As with a red tip and Bs with a yellow tip. Widebands are black, although depending on its age, I wonder if it may, perhaps, not use any scheme.
I also wonder whether swapping it with a Group B would help a little to reducing the pick-up of Eastbourne (assuming that it is a Group A) as well as increasing sensitivity of Heathfield. Also, even though Group B officially goes down to C34 it should still work quite well on 31 to 33 should they ever get used.