All posts by Dave Lindsay
Below are all of Dave Lindsay's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Barry: It is quite possible that the aerial you have now is a Group C/D one, which means that it is specifically designed for a certain range of frequencies (C/D).
Wenvoe uses Group B channels (frequencies) and so you will probably have to have a different aerial for this reason alone. For Wenvoe your aerial will need to be horizontally polarised, rather than vertically so for Ynysownen.
You don't have direct line of sight to Wenvoe, so I would be surprised if you might need a larger aerial. Have a look around at your neighbours and see what they have done (if they use Wenvoe).
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Barry: Sorry, my reply should say that "You don't have direct line of sight to Wenvoe, so I would *not* be surprised if you will need a larger aerial."
A look on Google Streetview shows that houses adjacent to Top Gear Garage are on Wenvoe.
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Karen: It could be that (if it can be adjusted) adjustment of the booster will improve matters. If I had a variable booster and I lost a channel, this would be the first thing I would look at.
The thing with boosters is that they often do not need to be a maximum setting to achieve best results. Too higher setting can often be worse than a lower setting.
I would adjust it and then try manually tuning to Ch22.
As jb38 says, don't rescan because now you may have two problems: the TV isn't tuned and the signal isn't there. You can't tune the TV until the signal is there and you don't know that the signal is there until you've tuned.
A clue could be the other channels you have got tuned in. By going on to the signal strength/quality screen it will tell you about those. The objective (with digital) is not to have as strong a signal as possible. The strength gauges on different TVs/boxes are different, but as an example, my Sony RDR-HXD870 functions perfectly fine with a strength of 50% or lower. If you had previously installed your booster with the thinking that turning it up to maxmimum to achieve highest signal strength, then it might be worth adjusting it.
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Ana: I have been unable to find the user manual online. Can you manually tune?
Assuming that your aerial is pointing at Rowridge (99degrees, which is almost east) then try manually tuning to Ch32 for ITV1/C4/C5 etc.
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Neil T: The issue is that the receiver has chosen to go with the Yorkshire signal from Emley Moor instead of Tyne Tees from Bilsdale. They are only 40 degrees apart from one another at your location.
Emley has switched over and so its digital signal is on its final high power whereas Bilsdale is still on pre-switchover low power.
The answer is to run the automatic tuning scan with the aerial plugged in up until 25%, then unplug it. That way you will have the aerial lead unplugged when it's scanning Emley Moor frequencies.
You will need to then manually add Mux D which is on Ch42 and within the channels used by Emley.
Come switchover on 26th September you might find that it the full auto-tune will result in Bilsdale being stored in the standard logical channel positions and Emley being stored in the 800s. Personally I always check that I have the right channels tuned.
If you don't want to risk picking up Emley Moor after switchover, then run the scan as before, with the aerial plugged in up until 25%.
Then you will need to manually add the three commercial multiplexes from Bilsdale on Ch43, Ch46 and Ch40.
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Neil T: The above applies if the aerial is pointing at Bilsdale (145 degrees). If it's Pontop Pike which is at 322 degrees then run the scan with the aerial unplugged up until 65%.
You will need to manually add Ch48 (Mux1/BBC), Ch53 (MuxD), Ch55 (Mux2/ITV/C4).
The other channels used by Pontop Pike are Ch59, Ch62, Ch63 (these should hopefully have been picked up with the scan, so you shouldn't need to add them).
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Jonathan: The answer could be neither as you may well be picking up the low power pre-switchover signal.
If you have a 30% signal strength but 100% quality, then there is no issue and the boost in transmission power when switchover occurs will give you more of a margin (signal strength above which your receiver starts to work).
Which transmitter is your aerial directed at? If you don't know, then what direction is it pointing in and is it horizontal or vertical?
If it's the Gravesend relay (208 degrees, aerial vertical) then you will only get the main Public Sector Broadcaster (PSB) multiplexes. Also if this is the case then anything digital you are picking up now is not coming from Gravesend, so you would probably be best advised to have another aerial fitted which is directed at one of the main transmitting stations (probably Crystal Palace).
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John: If you are using a Freesat box then that has nothing to do with Digital UK and the terrestrial switchover as it comes from a satellite.
The Digital UK predictor is just that and should not be taken as a definite. Reception depends on a variety of things. Local obstructions are likely to inhibit it whereas those with larger more sensitive aerials are likely to be able to pick things that others can't.
Whether you can get a signal at your location with your aerial is best proved by trying it.
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morgan: Mendip and Pontypool are only 11 degrees apart at your location. The difference is that the former requires a horizontally polarised aerial and the latter a vertically one.
The predictor suggests that Mendip is the best for all services, albeit that regional programming is West.
I would check that receivers are tuned to the correct UHF channels as there are quite a few transmitters that are receivable at your location.
For Wales regional programming, the predictor suggests Wenvoe will be best for all services, although the commercials are "variable".
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Saturday 24 December 2011 3:47PM
Ian Fellows: Having located your post code, I ran it through the Digital UK predictor and it suggested that Emley Moor can be received from within it.
A post code covers a large area and that in a hilly area like Ripponden, what can and can't be received changes by property. The Digital UK predictor accepts house numbers/names to provide a more accurate result. I then entered your property's name which only returned Ripponden (no Emley Moor).
Bear in mind that the predictor is just that. For example, if you're willing to spend more on a larger aerial and taller mast then you might be able to achieve results (reception from Emley Moor) that you would otherwise not enjoy.
It might be worth looking around to see what neighbours have done.