All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Jeff Boyle: The answer to the question is not as I said, although it is true that the decision has been made and that the spectrum has been sold.
The authorities can only resolve your reception problem when you tell them. If you haven't spoken to at800 then they aren't to know.
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Jeff Boyle: The "problem" is with your system due to the strength of the 4G signal that it is picking up. It is Freeview reception that is affected, not Freeview transmission. The solution can only ever be as it is now: filtering out the 4G signals.
TV aerial systems don't tend to be fitted with expensive filters that only allow through the frequencies used by the desired transmitter. Had they been so then there would not be an issue.
Some tests were run earlier this year and the results were that fewer than expected would be affected:
Expecting 4G interference? Tests now show that you have a one in 300 chance | 4G-at-800 | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice
If people wish to spend their time writing to complain then this will achieve nothing, other than allowing them to have a moan. The decision to use the 800MHz band for 4G has already been taken. The time for viewers to make comments was when this was being planned.
The solution in most cases is to fit a filter. Where this doesn't work then at800 has an obligation to take other steps. It is hardly going to take such steps with a particular household - before the 4G transmitter is switched on - just incase a filter won't work!
In your case the filter should be fitted between the aerial and the signal amplifier.
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Kevin Wright: If your sets have manual tuning then this could be useful. Usually when you select a channel UHF number on the manual tune screen, but don't press the button to scan that channel, it will give an indication of strength and quality, even if this isn't good enough to resolve a picture. Bringing up the signal strength screen on a tuned service (e.g. BBC One) will probably show no strength even if there is something there and which is under the threshold required to show a picture.
Increasing the level of the amplifier might bring in the missing channel(s) if the issue is that it is too weak. If it is too poorer quality then amplification won't help.
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Daiva: As you would appear to live in a block of flats then the suspicion must be that you are using a communal aerial system. If this is the case then it is possible that the aerial system is at fault.
Enquire with neighbours in the building. Be aware that this may not affect satellite reception (Freesat, Sky etc) and so some might still have television if they are using a satellite service.
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Paul Wharton: Use the analogue part of the television to tune in the output from the Sky box. If it doesn't have an analogue tuner then it will not be able to show the output of the Sky box on its own.
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Paul Wharton: Knowledge of the make and model number may be able to ascertain how the analogue part can be tuned, this being if the user manual can be found online.
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Paul Wharton: There is usually a button to switch mode or perhaps the one you use to switch inputs.
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DaveW: If your TV is giving you East Yorks & Lincs then it is tuned to Belmont and this needs correcting.
If your TV was tuned to Waltham prior to the retune then all you suceeded in doing was "untuning" the TV, which is shooting yourself in the foot.
There may be a regional or network selection, whereby you can choose East Yorks & Lincs or Central/E Midlands, this in actual fact choosing which transmitter to use.
Failing that, manual tuning or unplugging the aerial for the first 30% of the scan should do it. If you unplug the aerial for the first 30%, you will need to manually add COM4 (ITV3 etc) from Waltham which is on UHF channel 29.
If there is going to be one channel from Waltham that is affected by 4G signals broadcasting at 800MHz then it will by the HD one because it is on the highest channel of all of Waltham's.
If, having reverted the TV back to Waltham, you are still without HD services then try manually tuning to UHF channel 58, selecting DVB-T2 mode if there is such an option (the two modes being DVB-T and DVB-T2). If you have no joy and you have a signal amplifier (booster) in circuit then bypass it and try scanning C58.
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Pierre Josling: If there is going to be one channel from Lambourn that is affected then it will be PSB2 (which carries ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 etc) as it is on the highest UHF channel, it being C58.
Judging by the fact that the metal tower to which the TV broadcast antennas are fitted also has what appear on Streetview to be three sets of mobile phone antennas (so possibly three network operators) there is the possibility that it is being used for 4G transmissions. Obviously with your aerial pointing to the TV transmitter it is also pointing to any potential 4G base station at that location.
I suggest that you give at800 a ring and see if there are any 4G base stations in your area - see at800 | 4G & Freeview | 4G Interference | 4G Filters | at 800 MHz
By the way, I'm not sure why you've changed your aerial. There is no such thing as a "digital aerial" and a wideband aerial isn't required for Lambourn. It is perhaps wishful thinking that you might get more channels than you have!
All channels from Lambourn are within Group C/D, as they were for the former analogue. And the transmission power is, in real terms, a little above that of the former analogue.
I put myself on Hungerford Hill on Streetview and the other side of the valley can be seen. Even with a power of 2W, with clear line-of-sight at 3/4 mile you won't need anything special.
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Saturday 9 November 2013 6:27PM
Jeff Boyle: In answer to your question, they won't because the spectrum has been sold.
The company Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, which trades as "at800", was formed by the mobile operators and is charged with alleviating interference by providing one filter per household in most cases.
If the filter supplied does not solve the problem then at800 must provide another solution, but this requires the viewer to contact them rather than a web forum which is not connected with them.