menuMENU    UK Free TV logo Archive (2002-)

 

 

Click to see updates

All posts by Dave Lindsay

Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.

Diagnostics - old version
Friday 4 October 2013 2:35PM

Claire: See for a picture of an aerial vertically polarised and one horizontally polarised:

http://farm5.static.flick….gif

Aerials are fitted (polarised) either horizontally or vertically depending on what polarisation the signal uses (whether it is horizontal or vertical). Prior to switchover Rowridge's signals were only horizontal. Following switchover it began broadcasting vertically as well as horizontally (it is the only main transmitter in the country to do so). The main reason that it broadcasts horizontally is so as to serve existing aerials - new aerials are best fitted vertical and some viewers such as yourself should benefit from switching to vertical polarisation.

The channels you are having difficulty with aren't as strong horizontally, but are stronger (and as strong as the others) vertically.

link to this comment
GB flag

John Harris: If the signal strength is the same but the quality is lower then perhaps it is the signal from Emley Moor coming in too strong.

The COM channels of Saddleworth are co-channel (same frequencies) as those of Emley Moor, albeit that the former's are vertically polarised and the latter's horizontally so.

link to this comment
GB flag

Robert Hamilton: The terrain plotter shows that the ground rises up within one mile, in the direction of Sudbury. This might cause you difficulty in reception of it, and particularly its COM channels.

Sudbury broadcasts PSBs and COMs. Rouncefall was a new transmitter introduced at switchover. It carries PSBs only, and they are a Single Frequency Network (SFN) with Sudbury's PSBs, meaning that they use the same channels (same frequencies) and therefore they complement each other. Consequently if you were to direct your aerial to Sudbury you might find that you get excellent PSB reception. Unfortunately Rouncefall won't help you with the COMs, should Sudbury's not be good enough.

If your current aerial is a wideband one it is therefore suitable for Sudbury/Rouncefall. You could spin it round to 11 degrees, to face Sudbury. If you find that you can't pick up Sudbury's COMs, you could restore the aerial back on Crystal Palace and get a second aerial for Rouncefall. Then feed the two into a C38 diplexer to allow you to view Crystal Palace's COMs and Rouncefall's PSBs (and Crystal Palace's PSBs should you so wish).

See:

Online TV Splitters, Amps & Diplexers sales

DTG :: DTT Services by Multiplex

link to this comment
GB flag
Full technical details of Freeview
Monday 7 October 2013 11:40PM

Linda Dale: BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 2 are carried on one of the Commercial (COM) DTT multiplexes and therefore are not available from the Leek transmitter.

You may find that BT will allow you to view these services via the broadband connection, although I guess it might require this to be BT Infinity. You will have to enquire about this as I don't know for certain.

link to this comment
GB flag
Untitled
Tuesday 8 October 2013 12:33PM

Robert Green: Taking ST6 5AN as a sample, Sutton Coldfield and Fenton would appear to be good. The Wrekin is predicted by Digital UK as being good as well. With Fenton being the closer of the two I think it is more likely to be that used in the general area - you have alluded to which transmitter you are using so I can't know for certain.

At said location Fenton is 4.7 miles away with apparent clear line of sight, according to the Megalithia terrain plotter:


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


With that in mind, one possibility is that the signals being fed into your receivers are too strong.

If the feed splits with an amplifier then turn down the level of amplification. Try using an unpowered splitter instead. See:

Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | Digital switchover | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice (ST6 5AN)

link to this comment
GB flag

Ross Graham: Follow the link to "R&T Investigation", adjacent to your posting. It says that BBC TV and HD TV have been off-air from Oxenhope transmitter since 11:04hrs. R&T Investigation only reports on BBC transmitters.

I will make one observation if I may. You say "all other channels working", but don't say what they are.

Oxenhope broadcasts only PSB channels (BBC, ITV, ITV+1, ITV2, Channel 4, Channel 4+1, E4, Film4, More4, Channel 5 and the four HD services). Judging by the Digital UK predictor and Streetview photos, which show Keighley-facing aerials, you may be able to receive the full-service from it, probably with a replacement aerial.

link to this comment
GB flag
Full technical details of Freeview
Friday 11 October 2013 8:53PM

Bridget Mutter: No, ITV3 isn't likely to be broadcast from Newhaven transmitter. You don't appear to be in with a shot of receiving from a full-service transmitter (which would give all the channels, including ITV3).

You might wish to look at getting Freesat, assuming that you have a satellite dish fitted, or are allowed to fit one.

link to this comment
GB flag

Malcolm Mercer: I am given to understand that the BT Sport services are available over the air, effectively alongside "Freeview" channels and via FTTC broadband service BT Infinity.

Quite clearly you are receiving from the Whitby relay transmitter and don't have a chance of picking up the full service from Bilsdale, so the former is out. The question is, therefore, do you have Infinity and what equipment is required to watch BT Sport via it?

link to this comment
GB flag

Callum: What's near the lead? Try running it differently for test purposes. If it runs alongside others like HDMI then maybe interference is being picked up. Moving the two away from each other while observing the troublesome channel might give a clue.

link to this comment
GB flag