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All posts by brian

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


Olivier , most of north east France went 'all digital' last month. Likely a transmitter over there on D50, D53, D56 or D66 has ramped up it's digital power or changed frequency and therefore you are getting a snowier picture from Dover. It could be somewhere a long way away but it would make a difference with marginal signals. Dover is still operating at 100kw max per channel..

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Hello Olivier,
the link worked ok though not the you tube one. You have a decent set up there !
I live in London but get my TV from the Bluebell Hill mast. This means my aerial is looking in the same direction as Dover so I can get a snowy analogue picture from there.
I have not noticed any detioration in the signal this last month which likly means the problem you are experiencing is not caused by a digital re tune this side of the channel.
Sometimes BBC2 E56 drops out because of interference from a Belguim MUX at Brussels or Wavre. Has the picure dropped on all 4 analogue channels ?

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Thanks Mike, this sounds like a plausable explanation. Strange that they should bother to re engineer the analogue aerials with just one year left.
Olivier, there was a lift to London from Dover last night + I was able to get several Mux's from there.
the current allocation is D55,D58,D60,D61,D62 and D68 (with low power D39, D42 and D45 towards Thanet). I think they are all at 2kw altough maybe one or two are less.
I noticed all the digital transmitters near you are powered up with Bovigny knocking out 80kw now. I am hoping to get French digital in London soon !

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Olivier; I managed to open your link and view the video!
The reason I mentioned Bouvigny as a possible digital dx source was because the analogue signal from there was quite a frequent summer visiter to where I live as were the FM networks. i have never received Abbeville.
I was in Broadstairs by the coast last weekend and did a retune for a friend. His set locked on D29, D34 and D37 from Boulogne and the signal was fine (the other 3 channels were blocked by sudbury).
Thanks for the link to your friends site, i had already found it last week, that's how i knew about the french digital switch over ! Brian

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Mike:
Thank you for the explanation. I guess I was confused as I can see digital 'honeycombe' aerials under the main aerial at Crystal Palace but the explanation about these temporary aerials not being able to handle the digital 'power-up' now makes perfect sense.

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Hello , I have a bit of a technical question I am curious about if anyone can help ?
I ran the trade digitaluk post code checker for my address just to see what it predicated. I am only 13km from Crystal Palace but it gives a really low percentage for satisfactory reception on a couple of channels, D32 at 53pc and D29 at 80pc. It stays at these percentages all the way until switchover.
Of course the signal is fine but I am just really puzzled as to what would cause such low figures on these 2 channels. The terrain is pretty flat near me and my fathers house 2km further away from CP gives 99pc on these 2 channels.
The predicter does show reasonable signals from the north west (Sandy) and South East (Bluebell Hill, Dover) and yes there is a slight drop off in the land both ways but I can not find any mast that would cause this percentage drop operating on CH29 or CH32. Maybe D29 is Waltham on the same channel but I doubt it and anyway D32 is the real mystery.
Just curious really, I appreciate no one may have an answer !
Brian

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Thanks Brian(tist) !

I think I managed to figure it out for myself in the end. I would guess CP temporary digital aerials have a null to the east on D29 and D32 to prevent interference with the analogue(now closed) mast at Goes in Zeeland (the reason why CP analogue Channel 4 uses E30 not E29).

In addition I would guess that D32 is further reduced to prevent interference with the Faversham analogue relay.

The lay of the land near my house means that most people need roof aerials for CP (which is not the norm for most places close by) . Therefore I would guess as soon as the predictor believes there is less than a 100pc signal east of the mast it reduces the potential signal readings big time on D29 and D32.

Pity there does not seem to be anything published showing the radiation patterns. It must be a closely guarded secret !




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Nick,
Dutch analogue has closed. I suppose you may get digital interference from the low countries once Sudbury switches in July but it will be different, the signal will either be there or it will not (you won't get the 'herringbone' type of interference you get with analogue). Hopefully with the power up you will be ok most of the time !

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In addition to the problem with Sandy Heath,
I think anyone west of BBH with an aerial looking south east (so Dartford, Gravesend, Basildon etc) will have ongoing problems this summer on D24 (itv1, ch4 etc) and D27 (ITV3 etc).
There is a high power mast in Lille that has just gone digital using these channels. I am on Bluebell Hill and picked up French TV on D21 all evening last Saturday and I live in Greater London!
I do not see a solution till switchover next year. Sorry folks !

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cheers Brian, what an odd mix of transmitters. Bressay, Aberdare !
Nothing on CP , state secret as you say.
It took me ages to figure out my question. It was obvious really...

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