Poor signal - London TV transmitter retune

cepheus

I have just got back after a long stay up North and had to retune my Free-view today. I am just South of Bracknell, not sure which transmitter but all local aerials all point in the same direction (Guildford?)

Whereas BBC1 and 2 were fine before the change the picture is now breaking up! I thought this change was supposed to improve things, it is FAR worse. I haven't checked all the channels yet, but I have a decent aerial and modern free-view digital recorder box (1 yr old).

ukcarper

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=guildford%20transmitter&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ukfree.tv%2Ftxdetail.php%3Fa%3DSU975486&ei=8SacT4f6OIGZ0QWHgdXeDg&usg=AFQjCNH9fQSqgAos3UGTtu7h9wLRPDvgLg

This site might be helpfull it looks like you might need a wideband aerial depending on what aerial you had installed

Kurtis_Blue

Change to a W/B wont effect BBC channels as they are kept within the range of any previously fitted Group B aerial.

So if you are on Guildford....

Unplug aerial and retune when you see the tuner get to Ch31 plug aerial back in and let the retune end.

Any better?

If not maybe try an attenuator around 6-9dB.

cepheus

No doubt someone will want to sell me another aerial or booster (I already have one) point is it was working fine except during some anti-cyclones, surely the new signal isn't worse?

ukcarper

Kurtis obviously knows more than me.

I think what he thinks is that you are picking up a signal from crystal palace which is stronger since change over so if you do as he says your tuner won't see the crystal palace muxs and will tune in to Guildford.

If anything you won't need the booster .

Perhaps he can confirm.

yorkie98

ukcarper wrote: »

Kurtis obviously knows more than me.

I think what he thinks is that you are picking up a signal from crystal palace which is stronger since change over so if you do as he says your tuner won't see the crystal palace muxs and will tune in to Guildford.

If anything you won't need the booster .

Perhaps he can confirm.

It wouldn't necessarily have to be stronger, just lower in the UHF TV band, some boxes will store the first channels it finds, then will disregard any repeats or sometimes store them on higher channel numbers, check up in the 800s..

I used to have a problem on a particular TX which transmitted two instances of the D3+4 multiplex on different channels at significantly different power levels and radiation patterns. This caused me frequent headaches as STBs and TVs would often, for some reason favour the weaker one. To remedy this, I would either temporarily tune the VCR to the unwanted channel to block it or if the VCR modulator didnt go far enough, I had a standalone modulator on the van.

The suggestion from Kurtis is similar in principle, in that the TV will not get to see the CP channels and then at CH31 onwards, will see the wanted signals and not ignore them as repeats.

ukcarper

Yes that's what I though and crystal palace being stronger after changeover now reaches Bracknell.

cepheus

Mmmm, looking at all the aerials in the neighbourhood, they see to be pointing due East so it must be Crystal Palace and not Guildford after all which would be South East!

I disconnected my upstairs TV and took out the split connector, it seems to work better now, but only one TV of course.

sisser00

Since moving into my property I have bought numerous boosters, aerials and digi boxes as I was receiving a poor signal on my tv and live on the ground floor of a block of flats. To make matters worse I am overlooked by other buildings and trees and live under the London flight path. When planes go overhead I received no signal, so forget about watching a film from start to finish. I was informed that with the switch over things would be better. During the switchover I lost all the ITV channels on the digi box and then the whole thing went off all together, so I cancelled my TV Licence. I cannot have a Sky box as it would not pick up the signal. I have put the tv on at times with the digi box and again I watching - no signal. I have been told that I would have to get Virgin TV if I intend to watch tv comfortably in my home or watch it over the internet. Hence paying twice.

ukcarper

I believe Guildford needs aerial to be in the vertical polarised position and Crystal Palace need horizontal



I am on Hannington transmitter and my reception has gone from no channels to most channels since changeover.

yorkie98

sisser00 wrote: »

Since moving into my property I have bought numerous boosters, aerials and digi boxes as I was receiving a poor signal on my tv and live on the ground floor of a block of flats. To make matters worse I am overlooked by other buildings and trees and live under the London flight path. When planes go overhead I received no signal, so forget about watching a film from start to finish. I was informed that with the switch over things would be better. During the switchover I lost all the ITV channels on the digi box and then the whole thing went off all together, so I cancelled my TV Licence. I cannot have a Sky box as it would not pick up the signal. I have put the tv on at times with the digi box and again I watching - no signal. I have been told that I would have to get Virgin TV if I intend to watch tv comfortably in my home or watch it over the internet. Hence paying twice.

There is obviously an aerial/distibution fault at your property.
As you say you live in a block of flats, contact the landlord or person responsible for maintanence of the block and tell them you have no TV reception. It's their responsibility to ensure you have at least basic TV reception.

Otherwise, if the TV aerial is your own responsibility, I think it's time to get a local CAI approved aerial company out to have a look, it could be something simple, or you might need new equipment, these will be able to advise you.