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All posts by jb38

Below are all of jb38's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


CLIVE JOHNSON: Waltham is operating with a status of "possible service interruptions" and this might possibly be the reason for your problem, as nothing has changed at said station with regards to transmitter output powers.

However, as your problem involves two transmitters of different powers (PSB1- 50kw /COM7- 10.2 Kw) an assessment of the reception conditions in your area as well as the signal levels expected at same, can only be made with knowledge of your location, preferably being in the form of a post code or one from nearby, e.g: a shop inc post office.

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Micheal Fife: As you would appear to be connected into a communal aerial system its advisable to check if any of the other residents in the apartment block are able to receive this channel, especially as a new aerial system has been fitted, as the distribution amplifier used by same has possibly been maladjusted, as the symptoms reported are inclined to suggest an excessively high signal level being fed into the aerial socket from the Crystal Palace transmitter located at approximately 3 miles away.

High signal level problems can usually be cured with the aid of an attenuator in line with the aerial socket, but though this should not be necessary for viewers connected into a communal aerial system, as the level is (or should) be preset on the distribution amplifier.





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J
BBC One HD
Tuesday 8 November 2016 7:23PM

Stuart: In addition to advice given by others. You should try carrying out a signal strength check using the "manual tune" facility on the Manhattan, the procedure being to enter Windermere's Mux 41 (634 Mhz) into the selection box then stop at this point, as if any signal is being received the level of will be indicated no matter how low it might be.

Another point to observe when using an HDMI lead is to make sure that its kept well away from aerial coax cables, as radiation from HDMI cables is well known as being frequently responsible for interfering with (or killing off) the reception of certain Mux channels whilst others are unaffected.

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J
Heathfield (East Sussex, England) transmitter
Tuesday 8 November 2016 11:26PM

Alison: Unfortunately not!, as true Christmas (74) is transmitted on what's known as a "local" multiplex, Midhurst the station indicated as covering your area not being fitted with same.

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steve: Although Freeview reception is predicted on DUK's website as being possible from either the Heathfield or Tunbridge Wells transmitters, Megalithia's terrain indicator shows the signal path from the former being subject to multiple (4) line-of-sight obstructions, therefore I would suggest that Tunbridge Wells is a better bet, said station being located at 11 miles on a bearing of 105 degrees.

As far as aerials are concerned, although I would hesitate at recommending any indoor (same room) aerial for DTT reception irrespective of location as they are too vulnerable to reacting to movement within the room, they are however of use for detecting traces of a signal when moved around a property at as high as is possible with Freeview receiver set to receive one of the mux channels used by the station you are trying receive.

The procedure being, select "manual" tuning on your TV followed by entering the BBC mux channel used by Tunbridge Wells which is 52 but do "not" press search or scan, as the tuner will then act like a form of signal meter by indicating the slightest trace of a signal, needless to say this being when you are moving the aerial around whilst observing for anything being indicated on the signal strength bar.

Further assistance / advice given dependant on outcome of test.



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



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


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J
True Entertainment
Sunday 13 November 2016 6:59PM

David: True Entertainment is still on 61, the programme broadcast by the same Mux transmitter as used by ITV3 (10) / QVC (16) /ITVBe (26) etc, should you be able to receive these programmes? but not True Entertainment, then your EPG listings requires updating, achieved by carrying out a retune *after* having first removed the aerial connector, this action blanking out everything stored in the tuner, reconnecting the aerial on completion of followed by a final retune.

If by any chance this still fails to resolve the problem carry out a reset on the TV, also known as "first time installation" - "default setting" etc.

By the way, these programmes are not receivable in Freeview light reception areas.


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Terry Hall : The HD reception problem referred to could possibly be caused by one of two reasons, as HD reception is far more vulnerable to being interfered with over that of SD.

1: The HDMI lead referred to being positioned too close to the aerial cable, as radiation from an HDMI lead can interfere with digital reception, said interference being of a selective nature by blocking one single Mux whilst others are unaffected, best keep a minimum of about six inches clearance between HDMI and coax cables.

2: And a more frequent cause of HD reception problems, that of the signal level being excessively high for the DVB-T2 (HD) side of the tuner, as instability resulting from a slightly "over the top" signal level can either completely block HD reception, or alternatively varying levels of intermittent reception, the only way to find out if this is applicable or not in your particular case being to try installing a signal attenuator (around 6 - 9dB) in-line with the coax going into your PVR's aerial socket.

Another point to note, being that the signal strength indications cannot be relied on under the aforementioned conditions, as instability affects the measuring circuitry and with the signal quality usually either being non existent or alternatively observed to rapidly dive up and down.

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J
True Entertainment
Wednesday 16 November 2016 9:39PM

Terry Hall : Sorry for slight delay in replying, unavoidable pressures of work!. Anyway, now that you have effectively eliminated the two most commonly experienced reasons for HD reception problems, the fact of this action not having made any difference raises the question of the reason why you installed the new aerial? Insomuch, was it because you were having trouble with C50 on your previously installed aerial, or has the problem only shown up since the new one was installed?
If it has, then that is inclined to suggest that you might be located in an area that's not line-of-sight with the transmitter, high gain aerials not being the best choice for such areas due to their narrow signal acceptance angle, as although all eight (+ local) transmitters obviously all radiate from the same mast, it's not exactly uncommon for "slight" variations to occur in the angle they are received at due to factors relating to the terrain.

Should the aforementioned apply, (or even if it doesn't!) problems of this sort can usually be resolved by turning the aerial a few degrees to the left or right whilst monitoring the strength / quality of the channel in question, balancing it out with the indications from the other muxes.

However, it would though be of assistance as far as signal assessment purposes is concerned if your location was known, this preferably in the form of a post code or one from somewhere nearby, e.g: a shop inc post office, as this info enables access to the terrain indicator etc.

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J
True Movies 1
Friday 18 November 2016 11:08PM

Gemma: True Christmas (74) along with True Crime (60) Made in etc (8) is transmitted by stations equipped with a *Local* multiplex transmitter, if none of these programme channels (74/60/8) are viewable then you are not receiving said multiplex, unable to determine as to whether you should be or not as your location is unknown , info on same preferably given in the form of a post code or one from nearby, e.g: shop incl Post Office.

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graeme meldrum: The post code of AB58 3BA is not recognised by any of the reception predictor sites, if though you really meant to type AB53 8BA ? (Auchterless) then reception is indicated as not being possible from the Gartley Moor transmitter, Durris @ 32 miles/174 degrees indicated as being the station that covers this postal code area, although it has to be said that signal level predictions (in dB's) are not particularly good even from that station, as only the three main transmitters (BBC A /D3&4/ BBC B) are predicted as being received with the status of good, three being variable and with two being poor, namely COM7 & COM8.

The reason for this reception problem is most likely down to the signal path from said station suffering from two line of sight obstructions starting from approximately 3.5 miles prior to the postal code area in question, obstructions at the receiving end of the equation always having a greater affect on reception.


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