we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice

On Mon, 7 Jun 2010 06:38:35 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be bob
wrote this:-

question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/ and http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/
are the best sites for looking up the basics. Do that and come back
with any more detailed questions you may have. At the moment any
answer would be so general as to be pretty worthless.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000...#pt3-pb3-l1g54

In article
..com, bob scribeth thus
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice

1. Its Aerial..



What transmitter are you using?.

Where are you?.

Where is the aerial located i.e. Wall, loft, chimney?..

How far away are the trees and how high are they relatively?.

Any change of posting a few pix anywhere, often worth more than 10,000
words..


--
Tony Sayer

"bob" wrote in message
...
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice


Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want to
watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked decline
recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now they are
pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are being
deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.

S

David Hansen wrote:
On Mon, 7 Jun 2010 06:38:35 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be bob
wrote this:-

question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/ and http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/
are the best sites for looking up the basics. Do that and come back
with any more detailed questions you may have. At the moment any
answer would be so general as to be pretty worthless.



and do learn to spell Aerial differently from the Shakespearian
character, and the soap powder.

spamlet wrote:
"bob" wrote in message
...
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice


Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want to
watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked decline
recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now they are
pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are being
deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.

S


I had to switch back to analogue to watch channel 4 on friday. Digital
mux was crapped out that night. Sudbury TX.

In article be7Pn.15778$uf4.5417@hurricane, spamlet spam.morespam@spam
ola.invalid scribeth thus

"bob" wrote in message
...
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice


Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want to
watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked decline
recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now they are
pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are being
deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.

S



No not the case, well no evidence of it anywhere.

Seems the whole is failing where you are!..
--
Tony Sayer

On Jun 7, 2:38*pm, bob wrote:
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice

I cant help thinking there's an assumption there that the aerial is
the problem, when its more likely to be something else. Co-ax
terminations are frequent offenders.


NT

On Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:31:40 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

David Hansen wrote:
On Mon, 7 Jun 2010 06:38:35 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be bob
wrote this:-

question is what new one should i buy that will give best resuls on
both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/ and http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/ are
the best sites for looking up the basics. Do that and come back with
any more detailed questions you may have. At the moment any answer
would be so general as to be pretty worthless.



and do learn to spell Aerial differently from the Shakespearian
character, and the soap powder.

Antenna!

At least, the university research group is the Antennas Group...
--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

Bob Eager wrote:
On Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:31:40 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

David Hansen wrote:
On Mon, 7 Jun 2010 06:38:35 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be bob
wrote this:-

question is what new one should i buy that will give best resuls on
both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice
http://www.aerialsandtv.com/ and http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/ are
the best sites for looking up the basics. Do that and come back with
any more detailed questions you may have. At the moment any answer
would be so general as to be pretty worthless.



and do learn to spell Aerial differently from the Shakespearian
character, and the soap powder.

Antenna!

At least, the university research group is the Antennas Group...

That's a horrid septicism*

And really should apply only to yagis and other contorted stuff. A long
piece of wire, is surely not an antenna!



*as in septic tank..

On Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:35:18 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Bob Eager wrote:
On Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:31:40 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

David Hansen wrote:
On Mon, 7 Jun 2010 06:38:35 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be bob
wrote this:-

question is what new one should i buy that will give best resuls on
both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice
http://www.aerialsandtv.com/ and http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/
are the best sites for looking up the basics. Do that and come back
with any more detailed questions you may have. At the moment any
answer would be so general as to be pretty worthless.



and do learn to spell Aerial differently from the Shakespearian
character, and the soap powder.

Antenna!

At least, the university research group is the Antennas Group...

That's a horrid septicism*

Well, it derives from the Latin, so I think not.

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...
In article be7Pn.15778$uf4.5417@hurricane, spamlet spam.morespam@spam
ola.invalid scribeth thus

"bob" wrote in message
...
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice


Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want
to
watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked
decline
recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now they are
pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are being
deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.

S



No not the case, well no evidence of it anywhere.

Seems the whole is failing where you are!..
--
Tony Sayer

Hmm,
Probably rats or sheer weight of wood pigeons again then!
Still I can't be bothered to chase it up when they are going to be shutting
the lot down before long anyway...

Cheers,
S

In article
s.com, NT scribeth thus
On Jun 7, 2:38*pm, bob wrote:
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice

I cant help thinking there's an assumption there that the aerial is
the problem, when its more likely to be something else. Co-ax
terminations are frequent offenders.


NT

As is water in the co-ax, now that can cause some odd problems. Any idea
which transmitter the OP is using at all?..
--
Tony Sayer

spamlet wrote:

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want to
watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked decline
recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now they are
pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are being
deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.


You on Crystal Palace by any chance? I thought it was just the trees
growing!

Andy

"Andy Champ" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want
to watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked
decline recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now
they are pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are
being deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.


You on Crystal Palace by any chance? I thought it was just the trees
growing!

Andy

Not su I'm in Luton but we get the 'London' channels.

S

spamlet wrote:
"Andy Champ" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:
Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want
to watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked
decline recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now
they are pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are
being deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.

You on Crystal Palace by any chance? I thought it was just the trees
growing!

Andy

Not su I'm in Luton but we get the 'London' channels.

S


that might well be sandy heath then..no..not if its london channels. Hmm.
Could be you should be pointing at Sandy heath getting Anglia rather
than Hemel Hempstead, which is **** poor power.


May Monsieur Sayer knows better?

"Andy Champ" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want
to watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked
decline recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now
they are pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are
being deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.


You on Crystal Palace by any chance? I thought it was just the trees
growing!

I am. And was tending to agree with spamlet.
Is there a current issue with CP?

On Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:46:54 +0100, Tim Streater wrote:

Antenna!

But we are talking domestic here. And "antenna" in that context is yank
so can't be right.

Latin...

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 7 June, 14:38, bob wrote:
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice

I get a very strong signal and perfect reception of analogue/digital
but only in winter. Come summer, an uncooperative tree, 1/2 mile away
and in direct line of sight of the Emley Transmitter, grows a lot of
those leaf things and wipes out nearly all the digital channels.
(I can still get Tommy Walsh but that's pretty much all I'd be
watching anyway
An aerial rigger said the best I could do would be to try and
reposition the aerial on another part of the house.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember The Natural Philosopher
saying something like:

A long
piece of wire, is surely not an antenna!

Tell that to the ants.

spamlet wrote:
"bob" wrote in message
...
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice


Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want to
watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked decline
recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now they are
pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are being
deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.


A lot of transmitter sites need new aerial arrays to handle the full
power transmissions after ASO. The means operating at reduced power or
using a reserve aerial lower down the mast (same effect) while the work
is going on. So yes, the signals are being deliberately reduced but not
for the reason you have guessed at!

You should be able to find web sites which give information about such
works. You will need to know which transmitter you are using - I note
that neither of you have have provided this information which won't help
anybody to give you any advice specifically of use to you.


--

Terry

"Terry Casey" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:
"bob" wrote in message
...
we have a bog standard tv ariel and it goes through a booster,up till
this year we have had great reception on all channels and digital
ones,now the bbc 1and 2 on digital are really bad,someone said our
ariel needs renewing as it has been up over 10yrs,also there are trees
in full leaf which we were told is affecting digital
signals,so,question is what new one should i buy that will give best
resuls on both freeview and analogue,thanks for your advice


Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our analogue (say when I want
to watch analogue while recording digital or cable), has taken a marked
decline recently. Once upon a time all channels were fine bar 5: now
they are pretty well all as bad as 5 was. Looks to me like signals are
being deliberately reduced to make people switch to all digital.


A lot of transmitter sites need new aerial arrays to handle the full power
transmissions after ASO. The means operating at reduced power or using a
reserve aerial lower down the mast (same effect) while the work is going
on. So yes, the signals are being deliberately reduced but not for the
reason you have guessed at!

You should be able to find web sites which give information about such
works. You will need to know which transmitter you are using - I note that
neither of you have have provided this information which won't help
anybody to give you any advice specifically of use to you.

Terry

Thank's Terry,

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow. Could play with
the tv tuning but it probably isn't worth the bother when I'm unlikely to be
recording from it.

Good to know I may not just be imagining things!

Cheers,
S

In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.

Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?


--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.

Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?


Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!


--
Bill
( A different one )

On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:38:14 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.

Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?


Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!


Same here (although a bigger screwdriver, at 43km). Only 5 is poor but
watchable on ~30yo aerial and co-ax.
I was going to have a new aerial fitted; would have needed log-periodic for
Oxford as it's wideband, but by delaying until March 2011 can have a C/D
one for digital signal.
--
Peter.
2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em.

PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:38:14 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.
Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!

Same here (although a bigger screwdriver, at 43km). Only 5 is poor but
watchable on ~30yo aerial and co-ax.


The gain of a yagi aerial drops off very sharply above the highest
frequency it was designed for.

Group A used to stop at Channel 34, with several channels between Group
A and Group B being reserved for non-broadcast use.

It was eventually decided to release Channel 37 for use by (Channel) 5
but all the Group A aerials then installed didn't cover that channel!
(Modern Group A aerials now cover a wider span and DO include Ch37.)

Therefore, your 30 year old aerial (assuming we're talking about Gp A)
and my 40 year old Gp A aerial don't perform very well on 5.

--

Terry

On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:19:49 +0100, Terry Casey wrote:

PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:38:14 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.
Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!

Same here (although a bigger screwdriver, at 43km). Only 5 is poor but
watchable on ~30yo aerial and co-ax.

The gain of a yagi aerial drops off very sharply above the highest
frequency it was designed for.

Group A used to stop at Channel 34, with several channels between Group
A and Group B being reserved for non-broadcast use.

It was eventually decided to release Channel 37 for use by (Channel) 5
but all the Group A aerials then installed didn't cover that channel!
(Modern Group A aerials now cover a wider span and DO include Ch37.)

Therefore, your 30 year old aerial (assuming we're talking about Gp A)
and my 40 year old Gp A aerial don't perform very well on 5.

Ah, I wondered why such an old aerial was so good (apart from the co-ax has
a lot of copper in it - better than so-called 'satellite' stuff).

I was impressed when the riggers fitted what looks like a good log-periodic
job next door and not bacofoil, so I'll get that company to do mine.
--
Peter.
2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em.

In message , Bill
wrote
In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.

Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?


Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!


I don't think it gives any other advice about the type of aerial. You
cannot go far wrong with a DAT75 and a high gain masthead amp

I ignored their advice and went for a log periodic pointing at a
transmitter 18 miles away (wideband is required for the transmitter)
--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

"Alan" wrote in message
...
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.

Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?


Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk


Hmm, looks like possibly Hemel: but the terrain is a bit iffy, so it might
be CP even though it's further away.

Interesting - if academic, as I'm not getting up there to try moving it.
Shame we didn't have this exchange last year as we has scaffolding up for a
new window then!

Cheers,
S

In article e5oQn.7257$1b3.1288@hurricane, Terry Casey
scribeth thus
PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:38:14 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.
Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!

Same here (although a bigger screwdriver, at 43km). Only 5 is poor but
watchable on ~30yo aerial and co-ax.


The gain of a yagi aerial drops off very sharply above the highest
frequency it was designed for.

Group A used to stop at Channel 34, with several channels between Group
A and Group B being reserved for non-broadcast use.

It was eventually decided to release Channel 37 for use by (Channel) 5
but all the Group A aerials then installed didn't cover that channel!
(Modern Group A aerials now cover a wider span and DO include Ch37.)

Therefore, your 30 year old aerial (assuming we're talking about Gp A)
and my 40 year old Gp A aerial don't perform very well on 5.


Theres not that much you can do with a Yagi to broaden its gain whilst
keeping the bandwidth despite how many fancy director system you come up
with or how bright the plastic bling;!..
--
Tony Sayer

In article , PeterC
scribeth thus
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:19:49 +0100, Terry Casey wrote:

PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:38:14 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.
Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!

Same here (although a bigger screwdriver, at 43km). Only 5 is poor but
watchable on ~30yo aerial and co-ax.

The gain of a yagi aerial drops off very sharply above the highest
frequency it was designed for.

Group A used to stop at Channel 34, with several channels between Group
A and Group B being reserved for non-broadcast use.

It was eventually decided to release Channel 37 for use by (Channel) 5
but all the Group A aerials then installed didn't cover that channel!
(Modern Group A aerials now cover a wider span and DO include Ch37.)

Therefore, your 30 year old aerial (assuming we're talking about Gp A)
and my 40 year old Gp A aerial don't perform very well on 5.

Ah, I wondered why such an old aerial was so good (apart from the co-ax has
a lot of copper in it - better than so-called 'satellite' stuff).


Its more to do with the screening than the copper. Some very expensive
cables use copper plated ally inner conductors!...

I was impressed when the riggers fitted what looks like a good log-periodic
job next door and not bacofoil, so I'll get that company to do mine.

Logs are fine for very flat gain over the band .. but gain is what
there're not that good at;!..

Side rejection is very good tho..
--
Tony Sayer

In article , Alan
scribeth thus
In message , Bill
wrote
In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.

Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?


Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!


I don't think it gives any other advice about the type of aerial. You
cannot go far wrong with a DAT75 and a high gain masthead amp


Yes you can if there're strong analogue transmissions from the same site
as the weaker DTV ones;!..

I ignored their advice and went for a log periodic pointing at a
transmitter 18 miles away (wideband is required for the transmitter)

If the signal strength is there a log is a very good wideband choice
'tho sometimes if your DTV etc is in a fixed group band then a good Yagi
design can sill give it a run for the money....
--
Tony Sayer

On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:43:35 +0100, tony sayer wrote:

Ah, I wondered why such an old aerial was so good (apart from the co-ax has
a lot of copper in it - better than so-called 'satellite' stuff).


Its more to do with the screening than the copper. Some very expensive
cables use copper plated ally inner conductors!...

Ouch! - I remember when the local 400kV line was renewed: compacted ally
and bloody noisy it was too (audibly).

I was impressed when the riggers fitted what looks like a good log-periodic
job next door and not bacofoil, so I'll get that company to do mine.

Logs are fine for very flat gain over the band .. but gain is what
there're not that good at;!..

Side rejection is very good tho..

Necessary here, as next door's roof is a few degrees off the line and half
a house-pitch to one side.
--
Peter.
2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em.

tony sayer wrote:
In article , PeterC
scribeth thus
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:19:49 +0100, Terry Casey wrote:

PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:38:14 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.
Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!
Same here (although a bigger screwdriver, at 43km). Only 5 is poor but
watchable on ~30yo aerial and co-ax.
The gain of a yagi aerial drops off very sharply above the highest
frequency it was designed for.

Group A used to stop at Channel 34, with several channels between Group
A and Group B being reserved for non-broadcast use.

It was eventually decided to release Channel 37 for use by (Channel) 5
but all the Group A aerials then installed didn't cover that channel!
(Modern Group A aerials now cover a wider span and DO include Ch37.)

Therefore, your 30 year old aerial (assuming we're talking about Gp A)
and my 40 year old Gp A aerial don't perform very well on 5.
Ah, I wondered why such an old aerial was so good (apart from the co-ax has
a lot of copper in it - better than so-called 'satellite' stuff).


Its more to do with the screening than the copper. Some very expensive
cables use copper plated ally inner conductors!...

I was impressed when the riggers fitted what looks like a good log-periodic
job next door and not bacofoil, so I'll get that company to do mine.

Logs are fine for very flat gain over the band .. but gain is what
there're not that good at;!..

Side rejection is very good tho..


Oddly enough that is actually what suits many people: The transmitters
are in general not far away for TV, its the multipath and the other
stations that get collected that cause problems on digital in my experience.

Ok I have a distribution booster, but the set top boxes always report
good signal levels, but poor signal quality when I have 'issues'


I ought to replace teh analogue with a good log wotsit in the loft..

spamlet wrote:
"Alan" wrote in message
...
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.
Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?


Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk


Hmm, looks like possibly Hemel: but the terrain is a bit iffy, so it might
be CP even though it's further away.

Interesting - if academic, as I'm not getting up there to try moving it.
Shame we didn't have this exchange last year as we has scaffolding up for a
new window then!


I just looked at the maps and lined mine up with a compass.


Cheers,
S

PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:19:49 +0100, Terry Casey wrote:

PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:38:14 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.
Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!
Same here (although a bigger screwdriver, at 43km). Only 5 is poor but
watchable on ~30yo aerial and co-ax.
The gain of a yagi aerial drops off very sharply above the highest
frequency it was designed for.

Group A used to stop at Channel 34, with several channels between Group
A and Group B being reserved for non-broadcast use.

It was eventually decided to release Channel 37 for use by (Channel) 5
but all the Group A aerials then installed didn't cover that channel!
(Modern Group A aerials now cover a wider span and DO include Ch37.)

Therefore, your 30 year old aerial (assuming we're talking about Gp A)
and my 40 year old Gp A aerial don't perform very well on 5.

Ah, I wondered why such an old aerial was so good (apart from the co-ax has
a lot of copper in it - better than so-called 'satellite' stuff).

I was impressed when the riggers fitted what looks like a good log-periodic
job next door and not bacofoil, so I'll get that company to do mine.

Actually, your cable may not be as good as you think as, despite being
100% copper, there was a tendency to skimp on the outer shield coverage
which lets in the impulsive interference that is a killer for DTV.

I have replaced my downlead with good quality coax and the aerial, which
is the Belling-Lee 18 element yagi that first went on sale when BBC2
started in 1967, is in the loft, so will probably still be giving good
service in another 40 years, being so well protected from the weather!

--

Terry

On Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:11:38 +0100, Terry Casey wrote:

Ah, I wondered why such an old aerial was so good (apart from the co-ax has
a lot of copper in it - better than so-called 'satellite' stuff).

I was impressed when the riggers fitted what looks like a good log-periodic
job next door and not bacofoil, so I'll get that company to do mine.

Actually, your cable may not be as good as you think as, despite being
100% copper, there was a tendency to skimp on the outer shield coverage
which lets in the impulsive interference that is a killer for DTV.

No, this has loadsacopper in the screen. Five improved when I remade the
bottom connection - there was quite a lot of corrosion, which wasn't
expected indoors. I wondered for a start if water had been seeping down the
cable, but a couple of inches in the copper was good.

I have replaced my downlead with good quality coax and the aerial, which
is the Belling-Lee 18 element yagi that first went on sale when BBC2
started in 1967, is in the loft, so will probably still be giving good
service in another 40 years, being so well protected from the weather!

That's the other thing that I must remember to check, as some firms use
cheap co-ax - no way of checking what's in next door unless it's printed on
the outside (she'd not be 'appy if I affected the signal by removing a
connector).
--
Peter.
2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em.

wrote:
On 12 Jun,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Oddly enough that is actually what suits many people: The transmitters
are in general not far away for TV, its the multipath

Multipath performance is much better on digital than analogue.


Not with waving trees it aint.

In article , PeterC
scribeth thus
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:43:35 +0100, tony sayer wrote:

Ah, I wondered why such an old aerial was so good (apart from the co-ax has
a lot of copper in it - better than so-called 'satellite' stuff).


Its more to do with the screening than the copper. Some very expensive
cables use copper plated ally inner conductors!...

Ouch! - I remember when the local 400kV line was renewed: compacted ally
and bloody noisy it was too (audibly).

I was impressed when the riggers fitted what looks like a good log-periodic
job next door and not bacofoil, so I'll get that company to do mine.

Logs are fine for very flat gain over the band .. but gain is what
there're not that good at;!..

Side rejection is very good tho..

Necessary here, as next door's roof is a few degrees off the line and half
a house-pitch to one side.

That side rejection referred to rejection of signals coming in from the
side like distant interfering transmitters or strong reflected (ghost)
signals...
--
Tony Sayer

In article , The Natural Philosopher
scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
In article , PeterC
scribeth thus
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:19:49 +0100, Terry Casey wrote:

PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:38:14 +0100, Bill wrote:

In message , Alan
writes
In message , spamlet
wrote

I think somebody mentioned transmitters: Crystal Palace in particular.
Don't know how to tell which one /ones I'm using anyhow.
Put you post code into
http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tvd.exe?

Take the above as a guide only, it has a few strange ideas. For
instance it tells me I need an extra high gain amplified aerial to
receive a station that I can see on a screwdriver stuck in the serial
socket of the TV!
Same here (although a bigger screwdriver, at 43km). Only 5 is poor but
watchable on ~30yo aerial and co-ax.
The gain of a yagi aerial drops off very sharply above the highest
frequency it was designed for.

Group A used to stop at Channel 34, with several channels between Group
A and Group B being reserved for non-broadcast use.

It was eventually decided to release Channel 37 for use by (Channel) 5
but all the Group A aerials then installed didn't cover that channel!
(Modern Group A aerials now cover a wider span and DO include Ch37.)

Therefore, your 30 year old aerial (assuming we're talking about Gp A)
and my 40 year old Gp A aerial don't perform very well on 5.
Ah, I wondered why such an old aerial was so good (apart from the co-ax has
a lot of copper in it - better than so-called 'satellite' stuff).


Its more to do with the screening than the copper. Some very expensive
cables use copper plated ally inner conductors!...

I was impressed when the riggers fitted what looks like a good log-periodic
job next door and not bacofoil, so I'll get that company to do mine.

Logs are fine for very flat gain over the band .. but gain is what
there're not that good at;!..

Side rejection is very good tho..


Oddly enough that is actually what suits many people: The transmitters
are in general not far away for TV, its the multipath and the other
stations that get collected that cause problems on digital in my experience.

Usually in Digital reception they add together which is one of the good
things about digital transmission...


Ok I have a distribution booster, but the set top boxes always report
good signal levels, but poor signal quality when I have 'issues'


I ought to replace teh analogue with a good log wotsit in the loft..

May not be necessary unless you have a very wide band of frequencies to
deal with. I bet the "loft" has a load of chicken type wire therein?...




--
Tony Sayer