Odd question - DVB in France.
 

Hi all,

I need to do a bit of testing using the French TNT service. The
current plan is to find a place to stay somewhere near the transmitter
at Bouvigny-Boyeffles near Lille, with a decent signal in the room -
either from the hotel system or by more interesting means like hanging
upside-down out of a window, holding an aerial between my teeth etc.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I might make sure I'll be able to
get a signal, before I book a hotel? For some reason, line-of-sight to
a local TV mast doesn't seem to be on the lists of amenities that
hotels publish on their websites, nor is the possibility of getting an
un-molested off-air terrestrial signal from the aerial lead of the
in-room TV. If anyone remembers staying in a nearby hotel and being
able to see the mast out of the window, that would be ideal.
Failing that, perhaps someone knows of a smaller guest house where the
room TVs are just connected to an aerial rather than some huge "hotel"
setup.

Cheers,

Rich.

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

In article , Gary Boldie
[email protected]?.? writes
Hi all,

I need to do a bit of testing using the French TNT service. The
current plan is to find a place to stay somewhere near the transmitter
at Bouvigny-Boyeffles near Lille, with a decent signal in the room -
either from the hotel system or by more interesting means like hanging
upside-down out of a window, holding an aerial between my teeth etc.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I might make sure I'll be able to
get a signal, before I book a hotel? For some reason, line-of-sight to
a local TV mast doesn't seem to be on the lists of amenities that
hotels publish on their websites, nor is the possibility of getting an
un-molested off-air terrestrial signal from the aerial lead of the
in-room TV. If anyone remembers staying in a nearby hotel and being
able to see the mast out of the window, that would be ideal.
Failing that, perhaps someone knows of a smaller guest house where the
room TVs are just connected to an aerial rather than some huge "hotel"
setup.

Cheers,

Rich.


This any use?....


http://perso.orange.fr/tvignaud/index.html

and

http://perso.orange.fr/tvignaud/tv/tnt.pdf

--
Tony Sayer

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

I need to do a bit of testing using the French TNT service. The
current plan is to find a place to stay somewhere near the transmitter
at Bouvigny-Boyeffles near Lille, with a decent signal in the room -
either from the hotel system or by more interesting means like hanging
upside-down out of a window, holding an aerial between my teeth etc.

Rent a motorhome, caravan, or chalet, and take a wideband aerial with you.
Much easier and reliable. I've used my motorhome for signal testing all over
the place. I have a log periodic on the roof with switchable polarity,
optional masthead amp, etc.

Actually, you could do it with a tripod-supported mast and an estate car,
like the radio amateurs do.

Bill

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

Bill Wright wrote:
I need to do a bit of testing using the French TNT service. The
current plan is to find a place to stay somewhere near the transmitter
at Bouvigny-Boyeffles near Lille, with a decent signal in the room -
either from the hotel system or by more interesting means like hanging
upside-down out of a window, holding an aerial between my teeth etc.

Rent a motorhome, caravan, or chalet, and take a wideband aerial with you.
Much easier and reliable. I've used my motorhome for signal testing all over
the place. I have a log periodic on the roof with switchable polarity,
optional masthead amp, etc.

Actually, you could do it with a tripod-supported mast and an estate car,
like the radio amateurs do.

Bill

Or put in a bid for this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Outside-broadc...QQcmdZViewItem

Oh dear! Hope I don't get in trouble with Hil for giving him ideas!

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

wrote in message
ups.com...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Outside-broadc...QQcmdZViewItem

Oh dear! Hope I don't get in trouble with Hil for giving him ideas!

I'll not tell her. Do you think she'll notice it on the drive?

Bill

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

You could paint it green or hide it behind a discrete screen like they do
with the CBS trucks at Augusta for the National.

Paul DS.

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 00:30:09 +0100, "Bill Wright"
wrote:

I need to do a bit of testing using the French TNT service. The
current plan is to find a place to stay somewhere near the transmitter
at Bouvigny-Boyeffles near Lille, with a decent signal in the room -
either from the hotel system or by more interesting means like hanging
upside-down out of a window, holding an aerial between my teeth etc.

Rent a motorhome, caravan, or chalet, and take a wideband aerial with you.
Much easier and reliable. I've used my motorhome for signal testing all over
the place. I have a log periodic on the roof with switchable polarity,
optional masthead amp, etc.

Actually, you could do it with a tripod-supported mast and an estate car,
like the radio amateurs do.

I don't think we can run to a camper, but the tripod and car sounds
like a really good backup plan to me. I'm sure I could bodge up a
bracket to fit the aerial to a photographic tripod and I've found a
cheap generator, so I reckon I'll be converting the car to a DVB
development facility pretty soon :o)

The trip's planned for mid July - I'll report when I get back...

Cheers,

Rich.

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 20:54:58 +0100, tony sayer
wrote:

In article , Gary Boldie
[email protected]?.? writes
Hi all,

I need to do a bit of testing using the French TNT service. The
current plan is to find a place to stay somewhere near the transmitter
at Bouvigny-Boyeffles near Lille, with a decent signal in the room -
either from the hotel system or by more interesting means like hanging
upside-down out of a window, holding an aerial between my teeth etc.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I might make sure I'll be able to
get a signal, before I book a hotel? For some reason, line-of-sight to
a local TV mast doesn't seem to be on the lists of amenities that
hotels publish on their websites, nor is the possibility of getting an
un-molested off-air terrestrial signal from the aerial lead of the
in-room TV. If anyone remembers staying in a nearby hotel and being
able to see the mast out of the window, that would be ideal.
Failing that, perhaps someone knows of a smaller guest house where the
room TVs are just connected to an aerial rather than some huge "hotel"
setup.

Cheers,

Rich.


This any use?....


http://perso.orange.fr/tvignaud/index.html

and

http://perso.orange.fr/tvignaud/tv/tnt.pdf


Thanks for that. I think Bouvigny-Boyeffles is the one for me. It's
just a matter of getting power, signal and somewhere to work all in
one place...

Cheers,

Rich.

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

Bill Wright wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Outside-broadc...QQcmdZViewItem

Oh dear! Hope I don't get in trouble with Hil for giving him ideas!

I'll not tell her. Do you think she'll notice it on the drive?

She might notice it on the credit card!

Odd question - DVB in France.
 

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 18:27:29 +0100, Gary Boldie wrote:

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 00:30:09 +0100, "Bill Wright"
wrote:

I need to do a bit of testing using the French TNT service. The
current plan is to find a place to stay somewhere near the transmitter
at Bouvigny-Boyeffles near Lille, with a decent signal in the room -
either from the hotel system or by more interesting means like hanging
upside-down out of a window, holding an aerial between my teeth etc.

Rent a motorhome, caravan, or chalet, and take a wideband aerial with you.
Much easier and reliable. I've used my motorhome for signal testing all over
the place. I have a log periodic on the roof with switchable polarity,
optional masthead amp, etc.

Actually, you could do it with a tripod-supported mast and an estate car,
like the radio amateurs do.

I don't think we can run to a camper, but the tripod and car sounds
like a really good backup plan to me. I'm sure I could bodge up a
bracket to fit the aerial to a photographic tripod and I've found a
cheap generator, so I reckon I'll be converting the car to a DVB
development facility pretty soon :o)

The trip's planned for mid July - I'll report when I get back...


Preparations continue. I now have a 50 quid generator on order from
Screwfix and my car has a new aerial :o)

http://www.stamp.plus.com/temp/CarAerial.JPG

Some might say the aerial is overkill for parking just down the road
from the transmitter, but Maplin had them on special offer, and I do
have a good selection of attenuators. Then again, I could always just
mount the dipole on the tripod...

Cheers,

Rich.