Freeview reception at TF11 8JA
List is for aerial group type: ■ wideband ■ group A ■ group B ■ group C/D ■ group E ■ group K
| ch | name | signal strength | direction | transmitter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C21+ | Freeview HD multiplex BBCB (PSB3) National | n-ne 20° | Fenton | V | |
| C22+ | multiplex Arqiva-A (COM5) | V | |||
| C23 | multiplex D3+4 England Central (West micro region) | west 260° | The Wrekin | H | |
| C24 | multiplex BBCA England West Midlands | n-ne 20° | Fenton | V | |
| C25 | multiplex SDN England (COM4) | V | |||
| C26 | multiplex BBCA England West Midlands | west 260° | The Wrekin | H | |
| C27 | multiplex D3+4 England Central (West micro region) | n-ne 20° | Fenton | V | |
| C28 | multiplex Arqiva-B (COM6) | V | |||
| C30- | Freeview HD multiplex BBCB (PSB3) National | west 260° | The Wrekin | H | |
| C34 | Freeview HD multiplex Arqiva-D (com8) | n-ne 20° | Fenton | V | |
| C41+ | multiplex SDN England (COM4) | west 260° | The Wrekin | H | |
| C44 | multiplex Arqiva-A (COM5) | H | |||
| C47 | multiplex Arqiva-B (COM6) | H | |||
| C55 | Freeview HD multiplex Arqiva-C (com7) | n-ne 20° | Fenton | V |
List is for aerial group type: ■ wideband ■ group A ■ group B ■ group C/D ■ group E ■ group K
Distance to transmitters:
- Fenton - 36.5km 22.7 miles
- The Wrekin - 15.0km 9.3 miles
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Monday, 3 January 2022
G
Glen Lucas6:41 PM
Whitley Bay
Hi, why is there no map for NE25 9UY for checking signal strength? My brother lives there and there's virtually no Freeview signal strength. He has installed a high signal strength K band aerial and still gets virtually nothing. His TV aerial has a pre amplifier and then goes into a distribution amplifier which I installed since I'm a electrician and have fitted numerous of these home distribution amplifiers and TV aerials without any problems. He has tried to get a signal with just a small tv (in signal reception, strength and quality mode) placed on the roof with the aerial plugged directly into it, still with no joy. Could you please tell me why the signal is so weak there and what is the solution to the problem?
Kind regards
Glen
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Glen's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
S
StevensOnln17:07 PM
Glen Lucas: Putting that postcode into the detailed coverage checker on Freeview's corporate website gives a prediction of strong signal from both Pontop Pike (222 degrees compass bearing) and Chatton (336 degrees bearing) transmitters. A weak signal is predicted from the temporary mast at Bilsdale Quarry, so maybe he just needs to turn the aerial around to point at a different transmitter.
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Friday, 14 January 2022
E
Edward Slater12:55 PM
Nottingham
We have been receiving excellent signal on all mpxs from the Nottingham transmitter for a number of years. Since around the end of Oct 2021, we have lost virtually all signal on channel 48 - I have recordings of programmes in October to prove it worked! I have followed all the recommended reset procedures and checked the aerial (loft mounted), amplifiers and cables (I am a qualified electronics engineer) to no avail. Signals on channels 38 and 50 are at strength 10 and there is a 5G filter installed (I have tried without it). Any ideas?
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Edward's: mapE's Freeview map terrainE's terrain plot wavesE's frequency data E's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
Chris.SE1:53 PM
Edward Slater:
I assume when you say you've checked the cables that includes continuity of the coax core.
Unfortunately the UHF channel list on the Nottingham transmitter page isn't fully up-to-date. The Local multiplex was moved from C50 to UHF C44 during the 700MHz clearance.
The correct UHF channels for Nottingham In the multiplex order PSBs1-3, COMs4-6, Local are -
C27, C24, C21, C33, C36, C48, C44 . It's vertical polarisation.
There is no transmitter in the country transmitting on any channel above C48 other than the temporary COM7 HD mux on C55, not broadcast from Nottingham.
If you have signal on C50, I don't suppose you have any analogue modulators from older equipemnt running ie old Sky boxes, Games consoles etc. If so shift them right to the top of the band.
If not, you need to find out what this signal is. It could be saturating your front end and desensitising it so C48 signal is weakened.
What does your TV tuning section show for signal strength and quality for all the multiplexes?
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Wednesday, 19 January 2022
E
Edward Slater10:19 AM
Nottingham
Thanks Chris
Apologies for any confusion - the incorrect information on Nottingham didn't help but it was my mistake. I don't have access to proper test equipment anymore so the data on strength and quality that follows is taken from the television:
Ch Qual Strength
21 10 10
24 10 9
27 10 10
33 9 9
36 5 8
44 8 6
48 1 5
Just to confirm, there is no signal on any channel above 48, as you point out.
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Edward's: mapE's Freeview map terrainE's terrain plot wavesE's frequency data E's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
Chris.SE10:44 PM
Edward Slater:
Hi. This is certainly a bit odd. Process of elimination seems the best way to proceed, shouldn't need any specialist equipment (hopefully!). Those Signal and Quality figures from the TV are useful.
In your o/p you mentioned signal strengths 10, leaving aside your error with the channel numbers, I assume that they were those higher channels. Those strength and quality figures now show a definite drop with the increase in channel number.
I should perhaps mention that there has been some temperature inversion/tropospheric ducting around which should have now cleared (although some predictions show it n#might return on Friday). Have those strength and quality figures changed since you took them?
That said, it's unusual for such interference to affect several channels in that way, normally it would be an individual channel (or two).
How have you got your equipment interconnected? You mention recordings, so I assume you've got a PVR of some sort connected to the TV. Have you altered anything around, moved any cables etc.?
Two things to check - make sure you haven't got any HDMI cables close to the aerial cable or flyleads as HDMI has been known to cause interference (especially when the coax isn't high quality double screened eg. CT100 or similar). Carefully check any flyleads, they can go intermittent especially the connection at the back of the plug if they are pre-made moulded types.
You mention a 5G filter and an amplifier. Is the amp a distribution amp/splitter or a "masthead type"? Does it have variable gain?
What could be useful is seeing what the strength and quality figures are for each multiplex with the aerial coupled direct to the coax direct to the TV, bypassing any filter. amp, splitter and PVR etc. Then try the same with the filter in place.
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Thursday, 20 January 2022
E
Edward Slater1:09 PM
Nottingham
Chris.SE
Thanks again. i have done much of this previously but frustration means I'm happy to re-think it all!
Cable continuity has been checked throughout the whole system and HDMI leads moved well out of the way (previous experience of this particular problem). Flyleads are high-quality, double screened.
The 10-director wideband aerial feeds via the 5G filter (Televes 403210) to an SLX 8-port distribution amp - fixed 11dB gain - and on to the outlets. The main one, with a Panasonic DMRHWT150 PVR to a Panasonic TX40CX680 tv is where the measurements have been taken. The aerial itself is mounted in the loft of a three story house - estimated elevation 75m.
In truth, we need the gain from the amp, so measurements without it are next to meaningless but follow the general pattern as above, albeit at a lower level.
Your comments on the weather conditions are interesting although it's hard to see that this can have been the problem since October when we were getting acceptable signals on Ch48 - the recordings I have are the evidence! The system has been unable to tune to Ch48 since then although, oddly, it has managed to locate the channel on one occasion since we started this communication.
What are your thoughts on adding extra gain in the system?
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Edward's: mapE's Freeview map terrainE's terrain plot wavesE's frequency data E's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 21 January 2022
C
Chris.SE1:11 AM
Edward Slater:
Thanks for the detail of the setup.
As I said, it would be unusual for the tropo to affect several channels in this way - ie. I don't think your issue is the tropo. The only reason for mentioning it was in case you saw some variation around the last few days that then recovered.
Quote > What are your thoughts on adding extra gain in the system?
>> Certainly NOT at this point without knowing what is going on.
Quote > we need the gain from the amp, so measurements without it are next to meaningless but follow the general pattern as above, albeit at a lower level.
>> That's precisely what we need to see, I'm afraid it's not meaningless and it's the precise pattern of quality and strength figures that's important, not a general pattern -
without ANY intervening equipment, to eliminate any oddities, faults, spurious signals or even too much signal. All the intervening equipment should ideally be powered off as well to be certain.
Just a thought, I don't suppose their in anything new on the line of sight of the aerial in the near proximity?
Any scaffolding on an adjacent building, any trees grown taller, any metal flues appeared, water tanks - nothing changed in your loft?
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E
Edward Slater12:34 PM
Nottingham
Chris.SE
OK - here goes. Measured at the tv with a direct connection to the aerial and all other equipment off. DC loop resistance of the coax run is 12ohms.
Ch qual str
21 8/9 6
24 10 6
27 10 6
33 4/5 5
36 2 3/4
44 1/5 3
48 0 3
(slashes show variation during measurement)
We are 5k from the transmitter with no high land between us. I can see no local changes to buildings or trees etc and no changes within the house/loft. Owing to the age of the property, the aerial is separated from the outside only by a layer of slate roof tiles.
Thanks again
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C
Chris.SE4:06 PM
Edward Slater:
> DC loop resistance of the coax run is 12ohms.
Crikey, something is not right there. That's about the resistance of the end to end of a centre-core on a full 100m drum of cable, the sheath end to end would be about half that, so total loop around 18ohms for 100m!
Apart from checking from the filter location to the aerial and distribution amp to TV outlet, check for corrosion at the wall-plate and the aerial connections itself.
Other than that, does the cable run anywhere not seen but where vermin may have had a go at it and chewed it badly?
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