Poor reception at new address

I've just moved home

When I retuned my LG Freeview TV I do not get the full amount of
channels on digital. Most noticeably ITV1 CH4 and CH5 and others are
missing. My antenna is pointing at the East Midlands Transmitter.

A local aerial installer tells me that I need a 'Digital Aerial'

Is it true that a new aerial is always required for Freeview reception?

Count de Monet wrote:
I've just moved home

When I retuned my LG Freeview TV I do not get the full amount of
channels on digital. Most noticeably ITV1 CH4 and CH5 and others are
missing. My antenna is pointing at the East Midlands Transmitter.

A local aerial installer tells me that I need a 'Digital Aerial'

Is it true that a new aerial is always required for Freeview reception?
In the case of Waltham transmitter (near Melton Mowbray) you do need a
wideband aerial rather than the type used originally for the four main
channels.
Have you by any chance got a little box on the aerial mast? That might
be an amplifier and it could well be that the previous occupant has
inadvertently removed the power unit for the amp, which resides behind
the TV set. That would be enough to greatly worsen reception.

Bill

"Count de Monet" wrote in message ...
I've just moved home

When I retuned my LG Freeview TV I do not get the full amount of channels on digital. Most noticeably ITV1 CH4 and CH5 and others
are missing. My antenna is pointing at the East Midlands Transmitter.

A local aerial installer tells me that I need a 'Digital Aerial'

Is it true that a new aerial is always required for Freeview reception?

The East Midlands Transmitter? Let's assume you mean Waltham.
Are the elements horizontal?

If your aerial is pre channel 5 analogue it is likely to be group C/D and the bottom 3
MUXes are out of group. You are missing MUX 2 which is the one furthest out of group The good news is if you can wait until
switchover (end of August)
only one MUX will be out of group the one that will bring you Five E4 ITV3 amongst others
but as this "SDN" multiplex is further up the band than the current MUX2 coupled with a general increase in power from all the DTT
Multiplexes you should be OK.

So the advice your local rigger gave you was right in that an change to a wideband
aerial would have solved the problem but what he didn't tell you is that it is likely to
solve itself in 6 months.
Oh, and there is no such thing as a digital aerial.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

In message on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:10:47 +0000
Count de Monet wrote:

I've just moved home

When I retuned my LG Freeview TV I do not get the full amount of
channels on digital. Most noticeably ITV1 CH4 and CH5 and others are
missing. My antenna is pointing at the East Midlands Transmitter.

By "East Midlands", do you mean Waltham?

A local aerial installer tells me that I need a 'Digital Aerial'


There is no such thing as a 'Digital' aerial - find someone who knows what they are
talking about. This site will help you sort the wheat from the chaff:

http://www.paras.org.uk/

Is it true that a new aerial is always required for Freeview reception?

No.

Many people will not need a new aerial after DSO, even if they can't get the full range
of services in the interim period prior to analogue switch off but, if your aerial is
looking at Waltham and it's the original Group C/D aerial for the original analogue
services or a later Group E aerial to include Channel 5, you are unlikely to get good
reception of Mux 2 (D3 & 4) which carries the channels that you have mentioned.

However, Waltham will be undergoing DSO in a few months, when two things will happen: the
channels used for DTV will change and the power levels will be substantially increased.

All of the muxes except the SDN mux will then transmit on channels covered by your
existing aerial, so you should get all of the missing channels back - including those
you've mentioned - except, possibly, those on the SDN mux. The increase in power MAY
enable you to receive the SDN mux but, if not, and you decide that the content is
worthwhile, then you will need a new aerial.

The listing here may help you decide: http://www.dmol.co.uk/mux_post.php

If your TV also has an analogue tuner and you are happy to use that for ITV, Ch4 & Ch5
until DSO, you can save your money and make your choice later.

If you insist in having the entire range of DTV programmes available for the few months
before DSO, you will need a new Wideband aerial now - your money, your choice.

If you have any further queries, it is always helpful if you give the first part of your
PostCode, as that helps others here who have local knowledge of the area to help you.

--

Terry

Terry Casey wrote:


However, Waltham will be undergoing DSO in a few months, when two things will happen: the
channels used for DTV will change and the power levels will be substantially increased.

All of the muxes except the SDN mux will then transmit on channels covered by your
existing aerial, so you should get all of the missing channels back - including those
you've mentioned - except, possibly, those on the SDN mux. The increase in power MAY
enable you to receive the SDN mux but, if not, and you decide that the content is
worthwhile, then you will need a new aerial.

Indeed.

Waltham is having no less than 5 reshuffles/changes this year, until final DSO
Completion in Oct:-

Below are the UHF ch numbers, and power for each mux, at each stage.
For reference the analogue UHF allocations in use are 54, 58, 61, 64, (and C5
on 35)

BBC-A ITV/4 BBC-B SDN ArqA ArqB
Until Mar 30 2011 49/10 23/8 33/8 26/8 45/5 42/5
From March 30 49/10 23/8 33/8 29/8 45/5 42/5
From April 13 49/10 31/8 33/8 29/8 45/5 42/5
From Aug 17 61/50 31/8 33/8 29/8 45/5 42/5
From Aug 31 61/50 54/50 58/50 29/8 56/5 57/5
From Oct 12 61/50 54/50 58/50 29/25 56/25 57/25



--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

www.paras.org.uk

Mark Carver wrote:


Below are the UHF ch numbers, and power for each mux, at each stage.
For reference the analogue UHF allocations in use are 54, 58, 61, 64,
(and C5 on 35)

BBC-A ITV/4 BBC-B SDN ArqA ArqB
Until Mar 30 2011 49/10 23/8 33/8 26/8 45/5 42/5
From March 30 49/10 23/8 33/8 29/8 45/5 42/5
From April 13 49/10 31/8 33/8 29/8 45/5 42/5
From Aug 17 61/50 31/8 33/8 29/8 45/5 42/5
From Aug 31 61/50 54/50 58/50 29/8 56/5 57/5
From Oct 12 61/50 54/50 58/50 29/25 56/25 57/25

Or use:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11023364/Fil...el%20walth.pdf

Bill

Sorry for being so vague. I have tried to answer some questions below.

Their is no mast head amplifier

My description of the transmitter (East Midlands) came from the TV
signal analysis page on my LG TV's set-up menu

The elements on the aerial are horizontal

My postcode starts with DE5 (Ripley Derbyshire) On my road the rooftop
aerials on the 25 or so houses seem to be pointing in three different
directions

Considering my postcode which transmitter would be favourable?

I will post a picture of my aerial tomorrow




Martyn

On 19/02/2011 18:46, Count de Monet wrote:

Considering my postcode which transmitter would be favourable?

Enter postcode and house number here and tick the trade box:
http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/postcodechecker/

--
Andy

"Terry Casey" wrote in message
...
In message on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:10:47
+0000
Count de Monet wrote:

I've just moved home

When I retuned my LG Freeview TV I do not get the full amount of
channels on digital. Most noticeably ITV1 CH4 and CH5 and others are
missing. My antenna is pointing at the East Midlands Transmitter.

By "East Midlands", do you mean Waltham?

A local aerial installer tells me that I need a 'Digital Aerial'


There is no such thing as a 'Digital' aerial - find someone who knows what
they are
talking about.

I think that we all know that, but like it or not that is the terminology
being used by normal people. I don't think that you can immediately
criticise the installer for doing so if he's in a region where the aerial
requirements for "analogue reception" and digital reception" are different
(which Bill has confirmed that they are)

tim

Count de Monet wrote:

Considering my postcode which transmitter would be favourable?
There's absolutely no way we can tell you that without climbing on your
roof.

Others, however, will offer guesses. That's OK as long as you accept
that they are guesses.

Bill