Getting a better DAB signal (indoors)

Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.

Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.

Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal into
the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal aerial, if
it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?

I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an uphill
battle that is for sure.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Jim

On Tue, 10 Sep 2013 21:50:40 +0100, Jim
wrote:

Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.

Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.

Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal into
the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal aerial, if
it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?

I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an uphill
battle that is for sure.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Jim


The groups charter does allow us to discuss DAB, as long as it's to
slag it off ;-)

I took delivery of a new company car yesterday, the first one I've had
with a DAB radio, so I've sold out too. At least I can listen to The
Goons and Round the Horne now.

Is there an air vent you could use as a cable entry?

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On 10/09/2013 23:32, Graham. wrote:
On Tue, 10 Sep 2013 21:50:40 +0100, Jim
wrote:

Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.

Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.

Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal into
the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal aerial, if
it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?

I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an uphill
battle that is for sure.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Jim

The groups charter does allow us to discuss DAB, as long as it's to
slag it off ;-)

I took delivery of a new company car yesterday, the first one I've had
with a DAB radio, so I've sold out too. At least I can listen to The
Goons and Round the Horne now.

Is there an air vent you could use as a cable entry?

No there is nothing like a vent, except in the opening in the double
glazing at the top but we shut that now and then so it's a non starter
to be honest.

Jim wrote:
Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.

Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.

Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal into
the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal aerial, if
it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?

I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an uphill
battle that is for sure.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Jim
Does the building have a TV distribution system? If so the system might
carry VHF FM radio or even DAB radio. It has an FM aerial there will
most likely be usable DAB signal on the wallplate.
Otherwise, you could make a wire halfwave dipole for DAB and tape or
bluetack it to the glass in the middle of a window. Well, not
necessarily the middle, just not near any masonry or metal.
Don't buy any amplifiers, boosters, etc. Total ******** they are for this.
I've done a sketch for you showing the dipole.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11023364/S16.jpg
Bill

Bill Wright wrote:
Jim wrote:
Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.
Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.
Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal
into the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal
aerial, if it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?
I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an
uphill battle that is for sure.
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.
Jim
Does the building have a TV distribution system? If so the system might
carry VHF FM radio or even DAB radio. It has an FM aerial there will most
likely be usable DAB signal on the wallplate.
Otherwise, you could make a wire halfwave dipole for DAB and tape or
bluetack it to the glass in the middle of a window. Well, not necessarily
the middle, just not near any masonry or metal.
Don't buy any amplifiers, boosters, etc. Total ******** they are for this.
I've done a sketch for you showing the dipole.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11023364/S16.jpg
Bill

Brilliant! ;-)

Tim

In message

rnal-september.org, Tim+ writes
Bill Wright wrote:
Jim wrote:
Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.
Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.
Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal
into the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal
aerial, if it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to
improve my signal?
I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an
uphill battle that is for sure.
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.
Jim
Does the building have a TV distribution system? If so the system might
carry VHF FM radio or even DAB radio. It has an FM aerial there will most
likely be usable DAB signal on the wallplate.
Otherwise, you could make a wire halfwave dipole for DAB and tape or
bluetack it to the glass in the middle of a window. Well, not necessarily
the middle, just not near any masonry or metal.
Don't buy any amplifiers, boosters, etc. Total ******** they are for this.
I've done a sketch for you showing the dipole.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11023364/S16.jpg
Bill

Brilliant! ;-)

That's going to be my new desktop background.
--
Ian

What about the inevitable expanding foam around the window frames then?
It seems this stuff is used almost everywhere to save them actually getting
frames the right size... grin.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Jim" wrote in message
...
On 10/09/2013 23:32, Graham. wrote:
On Tue, 10 Sep 2013 21:50:40 +0100, Jim
wrote:

Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.

Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.

Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal into
the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal aerial, if
it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?

I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an uphill
battle that is for sure.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Jim

The groups charter does allow us to discuss DAB, as long as it's to
slag it off ;-)

I took delivery of a new company car yesterday, the first one I've had
with a DAB radio, so I've sold out too. At least I can listen to The
Goons and Round the Horne now.

Is there an air vent you could use as a cable entry?

No there is nothing like a vent, except in the opening in the double
glazing at the top but we shut that now and then so it's a non starter to
be honest.

Having said that, many years ago I was impressed by a Fuba FM aerial which
appeared to be just two bits of foil around a bent piece of perspex with an
amp with a tuning knowb in the middle of the base.
I have no idea why it seemed to work, but it most certainly did, but it was
not cheap. The problem with ~DAB is that it seems to be far more affected by
noise than FM was by which I mean that whereas FM kind of gradually gets
noisier, DAB suddenly degenerates into gritty sound then boiling mud sound.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...
Jim wrote:
Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.

Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I have
just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.

Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the frame
(unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes in the
outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal into the
flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal aerial, if it's
the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?

I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an uphill
battle that is for sure.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Jim
Does the building have a TV distribution system? If so the system might
carry VHF FM radio or even DAB radio. It has an FM aerial there will most
likely be usable DAB signal on the wallplate.
Otherwise, you could make a wire halfwave dipole for DAB and tape or
bluetack it to the glass in the middle of a window. Well, not necessarily
the middle, just not near any masonry or metal.
Don't buy any amplifiers, boosters, etc. Total ******** they are for this.
I've done a sketch for you showing the dipole.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11023364/S16.jpg
Bill

On Tue, 10 Sep 2013 21:50:40 +0100, Jim
wrote:

Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.

Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.

Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal into
the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal aerial, if
it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?

I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an uphill
battle that is for sure.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Jim

I drilled through the plastic frame right in the corner, away from the
double glazing glass, for a bell wire, no problem (using a hand
drill). Probably an aluminium frame could also be drilled, but you
might not be able to sense if you were in danger of hitting glass.
--
Dave W

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---

In article , Jim [email protected]
co.uk scribeth thus
On 10/09/2013 23:32, Graham. wrote:
On Tue, 10 Sep 2013 21:50:40 +0100, Jim
wrote:

Firstly humble apologies if this is the wrong group, I did look for a
D.A.B. based group but drew a black.

Anyway I have a rubbish signal with DAB sometimes and would like to
improve but I'm a bit limited on what I can do about it, right now I
have just the standard wire thing that comes with a new hi-fi.

Now I can gain access to an old Sky bracket to mount a pole on for an
external aerial however the problem comes getting that signal INTO the
flat, Just had new double glazing fitted so can't drill through the
frame (unlike my old wooden frames) and I'm not allowed to drill holes
in the outside walls, so is there anyway to get the external signal into
the flat in some way or am I stuck with some kind of internal aerial, if
it's the latter then what would you folks suggest to improve my signal?

I live in London (look some of us have no choice about that) SE16 but I
am surrounded by higher flat's and building so I am fighting an uphill
battle that is for sure.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Well if you listen to all the hype about perficke reception you should
be able to receive indoors;!...

Suggest perhaps a bit of coaxial cable around the room to somewhere.
If you can behind the curtains or furniture or similar. Then make a
dipole up of some two bits on metal rod or think wire of 330 mm long.

Attach one to the inner, one to the outer make sure its vertical i.e.
upright and then experiment around the room until you fond somewhere
where it does work....


Or...

Is there perhaps sufficient signal in the TV system that might just be
picking up sufficient perhaps. If it does then you could use a VHF/UHF
filter to split them out and all might be well or add in a Band 3 dab
aerial to the TV lead up on the roof or wherever and that will work very
well..

Pity otherwise about the **** poor DAB audio quality;(...
--
Tony Sayer