Advice needed

I've just moved 20 yards into a new house so I know receptions is generally
OK round here. The aerial in the new house is old and rusty plus the cabling
looks tired hence we get poor analogue and digital reception.

I have been phoning around to get quotes for a new installation but I am
deeply sceptical about the expertise of some of the people I've spoken too.
Most of them want to sell me a 'digital aerial' but when I quiz them on it
they become a bit waffley "better innards" "better cables" and something
about a "balam" (what's that?) are generally the replies.

What are the pertinent questions I should ask to try to filter out the
shysters and the schmucks?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Steve P.

On 09/07/2007 12:54, Steve Pickthall wrote:

What are the pertinent questions I should ask to try to filter out the
shysters and the schmucks?

There is not such thing as a "digital aerial", however depending on
location some aerials are suitable for digital, others may not be, you
may need a wideband instead of a grouped aerial.

A Balun is used to match the aerial to the cable, a good thing.

Which transmitter or approximate postcode?

....snip...
A Balun is used to match the aerial to the cable, a good thing.

Which transmitter or approximate postcode?


Where you are depends on the type of aerial you need. In London (Crystal
Palace transmitter), a Group-A aerial is what you need, but that doesn't
stop cowboys fitting large wideband aerials. Wideband are "Jack of all
trades, masters of none" and particularly bad at the extremes like - oh,
group A!

But, in some areas, Freeview multiplexes are all over the channel numbers so
you HAVE to have a wideband.

It pays to find out. Oh, and if someone mentions CT100 cable, they're
probably a little more knowledgable that the rest. Google to see what you
want CT100 and not low-loss. You might ask how they align the aerial too -
good riggers have expensive test equipment for this, cowboys do it "by eye".

Paul DS

On Mon, 9 Jul 2007 13:32:55 +0100, Andy Burns wrote
(in article ):

There is not such thing as a "digital aerial", however depending on
location some aerials are suitable for digital, others may not be, you
may need a wideband instead of a grouped aerial.

A Balun is used to match the aerial to the cable, a good thing.

Which transmitter or approximate postcode?

I am in Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 which I think is Pontop Pike.

On 09/07/2007 14:15, Steve Pickthall wrote:

I am in Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 which I think is Pontop Pike.

Unless you use the Fenham relay? (Which would need a wideband)

But if it's Pontop Pike a group CD aerial rather than wideband
is suitable.

http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd....=10&OS=NE6+1du

Not my neck of the woods, so no idea on signal strengths and whether you
need to consider masthead amplifiers or not.

Plus as Paul mentioned check they will use double screened cable.

In message , Andy
Burns writes
On 09/07/2007 14:15, Steve Pickthall wrote:

I am in Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 which I think is Pontop Pike.

Unless you use the Fenham relay? (Which would need a wideband)

It depends where you are in Newcastle. Isn't the Fenham relay intended
to fill in the area down by the Tyne (near the Metro Centre)? NE6 seems
to be in the Byker area. Best stick to PP unless there's a good reason
not to.

Ian
--

Am Mon, 9 Jul 2007 13:59:37 +0100 schrieb Paul D.Smith:

...snip...
A Balun is used to match the aerial to the cable, a good thing.

Which transmitter or approximate postcode?


Where you are depends on the type of aerial you need. In London (Crystal
Palace transmitter), a Group-A aerial is what you need, but that doesn't
stop cowboys fitting large wideband aerials. Wideband are "Jack of all
trades, masters of none" and particularly bad at the extremes like - oh,
group A!

But, in some areas, Freeview multiplexes are all over the channel numbers so
you HAVE to have a wideband.

Where can I find a list which frequencies belong to which group, like group
A?

It pays to find out. Oh, and if someone mentions CT100 cable, they're
probably a little more knowledgable that the rest. Google to see what you
want CT100 and not low-loss. You might ask how they align the aerial too -
good riggers have expensive test equipment for this, cowboys do it "by eye".

What you say makes me wonder if it is possible to do a DIY-install of an
aerial? I helped a friend choosing a TV the other day. Then we found out
that the aerial on the roof has a loose "reflector" at the back, moving in
the wind, bumbing on the rest of the antenna and causing funny effects for
analogue and digital reception. My initial idea was to walk into a shop,
get a standard aerial for £20 or £30, borrow a large ladder and put it on
the existing mast to replace the existing one. According to their website
they seem to have some of those on offer in Maplin. I've done similar
things before with FTA-satellite dishes and they seem to work fine. Or does
aerial installation require special test equipment?
Another question - currently there are three aerials on the roof leading to
three locations in the house. Is it possible to share these aerials - so
one good aerial instead of three cheapy aerials?

Andreas

On 09/07/2007 15:57, Ian Jackson wrote:

It depends where you are in Newcastle. Isn't the Fenham relay intended
to fill in the area down by the Tyne (near the Metro Centre)? NE6 seems
to be in the Byker area.

I don't know what the intended area for the relay is, but thought it
worth mentioning JIC.

"Andreas Schulze-Bäing" wrote in message
...
Am Mon, 9 Jul 2007 13:59:37 +0100 schrieb Paul D.Smith:

...snip...
A Balun is used to match the aerial to the cable, a good thing.

Which transmitter or approximate postcode?

Where you are depends on the type of aerial you need. In London (Crystal
Palace transmitter), a Group-A aerial is what you need, but that doesn't
stop cowboys fitting large wideband aerials. Wideband are "Jack of all
trades, masters of none" and particularly bad at the extremes like - oh,
group A!

But, in some areas, Freeview multiplexes are all over the channel numbers
so
you HAVE to have a wideband.

Where can I find a list which frequencies belong to which group, like
group
A?

http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe for a start.

--
Max Demian

Andreas Schulze-Bäing wrote:
What you say makes me wonder if it is possible to do a DIY-install
of an aerial? I helped a friend choosing a TV the other day. Then we
found out that the aerial on the roof has a loose "reflector" at the
back, moving in the wind, bumbing on the rest of the antenna and
causing funny effects for analogue and digital reception. My initial
idea was to walk into a shop, get a standard aerial for £20 or £30,
borrow a large ladder and put it on the existing mast to replace the
existing one. According to their website they seem to have some of
those on offer in Maplin. I've done similar things before with
FTA-satellite dishes and they seem to work fine. Or does aerial
installation require special test equipment?

Go for it! Who needs aerial riggers, eh, Bill? Seriously, it is in
principle a straight forward DIY job, the problems only arising if you
are in a particularly difficult or complex area for reception (and I
don't know your neck of the woods, so I can't comment) or if the
access for siting the aerial or running the (CT100) cable is
difficult.

Test equipment? Essential in difficult cases; a compass and a steady
hand should do it otherwise.

Another question - currently there are three aerials on the roof
leading to three locations in the house. Is it possible to share
these aerials - so one good aerial instead of three cheapy aerials?

Possibly. But do your own good quality installation and you will avoid
possible future problems.

André Coutanche