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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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External Aerial fixing query
Hi Folks,
I'm planning to move my in-the-loft telly aerial outside of the loft and the present thought is to attach the aerial to the side of a dormer window. The dormer is nothing special, but I am not sure which bits of metal I'll need to do the attaching. Screwfix shows various "cranks" (page 278 of autumn 2005 catalogue 79), but since I've never done this before it's time to engage the good advice of the folks here. I guess I'll need the "wall fixing kit" (but it will be attached to the wooden side of the dormer) but beyond that would one of the offset cranks be enough to keep the aerial proud of the dormer? Advice requested; thanks in advance. Mungo |
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External Aerial fixing query
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External Aerial fixing query
Thanks Chris.
I thought that there was a factor of ten between inside the roof and outside the roof? My motive for the move is to do with Digital TV: there's no point in amplifying rubbish (but enough of "Channel Five" :-) so the move outside was my next ploy. Ta again Mungo P.S. For "better aerial" what is your suggestion (and source) please? |
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External Aerial fixing query
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External Aerial fixing query
mungoh wrote:
I thought that there was a factor of ten between inside the roof and outside the roof? I looked at http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/, which I saw here, or some digital TV group - there's some good stuff there, for instance: http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/digitalterrtvrecep.htm. There's also http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe? and so on. |
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External Aerial fixing query
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#9
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External Aerial fixing query
wrote:
On 31 Oct, wrote: wrote: Hi Folks, I'm planning to move my in-the-loft telly aerial outside of the loft and the present thought is to attach the aerial to the side of a dormer window. The dormer is nothing special, but I am not sure which bits of metal I'll need to do the attaching. Screwfix shows various "cranks" (page 278 of autumn 2005 catalogue 79), but since I've never done this before it's time to engage the good advice of the folks here. I guess I'll need the "wall fixing kit" (but it will be attached to the wooden side of the dormer) but beyond that would one of the offset cranks be enough to keep the aerial proud of the dormer? Advice requested; thanks in advance. My advice is don't bother. I suspect that a better aerial in the loft will make far more difference than moving the existing aerial outside. I moved my loft aerial outside a few months ago and the improvement is negligable, I've gone from fairly good digital reception with the occasional droput to fairly good digital reception with the occasional droput. I also couldn't see much difference in the signal level indicated by the STB's signal strength display. If the signal is adequate in the loft, leave it. The aerial is protected from the weather there. Putting a better aerial there is often counter productive, as the surrounding objects are more likely to de-tune it, making it's gain less than optimum. Its not so much gain that one wants, as extremely narrow beam width to reject all the multipath from tanks and pipes...and the neigbours tanks and pipes..I used a long multi element Yagi..no neighhbourts hough, but it did help reject some of the continental stuff that sometimes comes in ALMOST from the same direction as Sudbury. The aerial is now a couple of feet higher than it was when inside and the downlead is no longer. I think rooves attenuate the signal less than the 'rules' suggest, maybe it depends on the roof a bit, ours is just an ordinary tiled roof. Depends on roof construction. some red tiles completely obliterate the signal. My gable does in places where it is externally clad in wood. Really? Never had that. Nor wood. Metal lath however...and wall ties.. The one thing that improved was the ease of setting up as I didn't have to position the aerial quite so carefully when it was outside, not from the direction point of view, when it was in the loft there were some 'holes' due to reflections/standing waves. It's much closer to spec when in 'free space' outside, but will suffer from windage/corrosion more than inside. Being higher outside may clear local obstuctions and is separated by the roof from home generated sources of interference too, which may reduce dropouts on digital reception. Provided you have a better than about 15dB signal to ghost/crap ratio, digital is rock solid. My only problesm are some cheap thermostats that spark when switching..sound orrible on te radio...must replace... |
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External Aerial fixing query
Chris Bacon wrote:
mungoh wrote: I thought that there was a factor of ten between inside the roof and outside the roof? I looked at http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/, which I saw here, or some digital TV group - there's some good stuff there, for instance: http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/digitalterrtvrecep.htm. That is a most excellent bit of nettery... There's also http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe? and so on. That says 'amplified extra high gain' - well I didn't need THAT. |
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External Aerial fixing query
In article ,
wrote: My advice is don't bother. I suspect that a better aerial in the loft will make far more difference than moving the existing aerial outside. WRONG. I moved my loft aerial outside a few months ago and the improvement is negligable, I've gone from fairly good digital reception with the occasional droput to fairly good digital reception with the occasional droput. I also couldn't see much difference in the signal level indicated by the STB's signal strength display. Setting up a digital grade aerial is not a matter of waving a few bits of aluminium in the breeze. All you need is a conformant aerial and cable, installed properly to the spec laid down. Then it will work correctly. The aerial is now a couple of feet higher than it was when inside and the downlead is no longer. I think rooves attenuate the signal less than the 'rules' suggest, maybe it depends on the roof a bit, ours is just an ordinary tiled roof. The attenuation is NOT your problem. You have reflections. The one thing that improved was the ease of setting up as I didn't have to position the aerial quite so carefully when it was outside, Proving the reflections are an issue. -- AJL Electronics (G6FGO) Ltd : Satellite and TV aerial systems http://www.classicmicrocars.co.uk : http://www.ajlelectronics.co.uk |
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External Aerial fixing query
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote: My experience in a nutshell. The only advantage in going outside is greater height and a room for a bigger array. My 25 year experience. Don't even consider loft aerials. -- AJL Electronics (G6FGO) Ltd : Satellite and TV aerial systems http://www.classicmicrocars.co.uk : http://www.ajlelectronics.co.uk |
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External Aerial fixing query
"Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)" wrote:
The one thing that improved was the ease of setting up as I didn't have to position the aerial quite so carefully when it was outside, Proving the reflections are an issue. Yes, but having dealt with that issue by positioning the aerial the loft aerial performed just as well as the outdoor aerial. It *may* be that you can't avoid the issue completely in which case an outdoor aerial may be the answer but just saying 'outdoor is always best and much better than loft' is simply not true. Other people here have said this too. I think one factor may be that a commercial/professional installer doesn't have the time (or patience) to spend a lot of time crawling around in a loft to install an aerial in the best position there. They are much more set up to quickly gain access to the roof and/or a chimney and can get a reliable installation more easily that way. A D-I-Y installer on the other hand probably doesn't have the equipment or skills to work up on the roof or by a chimney, but they *do* have more time (and maybe 'sympathy' with the surroundings) to do a good loft installation. -- Chris Green |
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External Aerial fixing query
Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics) wrote:
In article , The Natural Philosopher wrote: My experience in a nutshell. The only advantage in going outside is greater height and a room for a bigger array. My 25 year experience. Don't even consider loft aerials. Oh. So I must take out a perfectly good working setup and ruin my house's appearance becuase your 25 years experience of being unable to rig a loft aerial properly tells me so? I bet you voted Laber, too... |
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External Aerial fixing query
Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics) wrote: In article , The Natural Philosopher wrote: My experience in a nutshell. The only advantage in going outside is greater height and a room for a bigger array. My 25 year experience. Don't even consider loft aerials. Most of the houses I've lived in for the past 40 years have had loft aerials. It's never been a problem for me. My advice to a DIYer is try the loft first. If it's no good you haven't lost anything and you may save a packet. MBQ |
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External Aerial fixing query
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