All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Briantist: They are given here:
National Grid: Distribution Network Operator (DNO) Companies
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John McCann: As jb38 says, you just need your aerial changing to its vertical alignment and turning to face Tunbridge Wells.
The signals from the two are the same, which is what the Single Frequency Network is. That is they put out the same signal on the same frequency, and each is in time with the other.
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Barry: Well done. Is you surname Bean by any chance? Are you looking for an award?
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jamie stevens: Re your posting of Saturday 23 November 2013 4:46PM about COM7 and COM8 only being broadcast using HP: You really couldn't have this up!
What a total and utter shambles. Common sense told us that since switchover, aerials were better vertically polarised. Now some will find that they will either have to change back and others will have to decide whether they want COM7/8 *or* COM4/5/6.
The same question can apply to the Local Southampton multiplex, which according to Digital UK Coverage Checker, is only going to be HP.
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David Cromwell: The page for it on the LG website desribes it as "Freeview" rather than "Freeview HD":
LG 32LN5400 Televisions - 32 LED TV Full HD , INTELLIGENT SENSOR AND HDMI CONNECTIVITY. - LG Electronics UK
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J Peter Wilson: Predictors should be regarded as a guide to the likelihood of success and reliability due to their inherent limitations. They are certainly not a statement of what "is" the case for one's own situation (i.e. with a particular aerial mounted in a particular position).
There are so many variables, many of which are unknown, therefore the outcome is a statistical probability.
You only have to look at the terrain plot between Belmont and you to see why the prediction throws up a largerly "variable" set of results:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
Whilst it suggests you may have line-of-sight at 52 miles (assuming no obstructions on the ground such as trees and buildings), the first Fresnel Zone is interrupted (or potentially interrupted due to objects on the ground) from at least somewhere around Great Hatfield.
Any object within the first Fresnel Zone (look it up) could potentially cause a change in reception, hence the "variable" prediction.
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jim dalton: It sounds like some kind of electrical interference. If it starts and ends at exactly the same times then this would suggest an appliance which is automated, with some sort of timer.
Use a AM (LW/MW) radio powered with batteries. As it's pulsing, every five seconds or so, then it should be easy to identify it on the radio. Tune around the dial until a sound that pulses in time with the breakup on the TV is heard. Then walk around with the radio, going outside as well.
As you spin the radio around the sound will get fainter and stronger. At its strongest the source of the interference is perpendicular to the radio. Using this technique you may be able to triangulate it.
It may be helpful if I explain this with you holding the radio in front of you, so you are looking at its front, and that you spin around whilst keeping the radio in front of you: When the sound is at its loudest the source is in front of you, behind you, above you or below you; When it's at its quitest, the source is to your left or right.
Or of course speak to your neighbours. They could be suffering worse than you, i.e. it affects more channels. Ensure that they are using terrestrial (Freeview) rather than satellite (Freesat/Sky).
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Mike Hardy: It's impossible to answer such a question without knowledge of your location, preferably in the form of postcode, or that of a nearby property such as a shop, this being for the purposes of checking predicted availability of signals in the area.
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Barry: With knowledge of your location why on earth do you think this might be a weaker signal???!!!
The terrain plot suggests you have clear line-of-sight at 7.6 miles. The transmitter is 100kW on all channels!
Your problem could be that the signal is too strong and that "the right angle" is one where the strength is a little lower.
As for an antenna that has 43dB gain, I doubt there is such a thing. The claim is presumably one put there by marketeers and applies to a device which combines an antenna and amplifier (which as a whole is referred to as an "aerial").
If this has a variable amplifier then I would start by turning it down to minimum and work from there.
Providing it is sited in a room with good quality reception, which is preferably with as few a walls in the way in the direction of the transmitter as possible, then something like this should be suitable:
SLx Indoor Digital Aerial ANR310 UHF DAB Fully Flexible Caravan Motorhome | eBay
I have one of these and received digital television before switchover, when the transmission power was lower than now. I am 25 miles from Emley Moor with a relatively clear signal path (the top of the tower being visible above the horizon from a nearby railway bridge) and the signals were radiated at 20kW.
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Friday 6 December 2013 9:32PM
James Murdoch: Cuased by a power supply outage maybe?
Unfortunately, Scottish Power Energy Networks doesn't have a postcode checker for issues on the network.