TV Reception Quality?

deepspeed

Can anyone answer me this?

Don't have digital or chorus or satellite etc, just bog standard aerial.

Have had ZERO reception for bbc / utv / c4 for the last week, and now suddenly tonight they have all come back, but the strange thing is that the reception is CRYSTAL on all the channels. As clear as digital.

Normally dont get it this clear at all.

Located in Roscommon. AFAIK receiving reception from brougher.

Does anyone know why this may be???

Thanks.

Mossy Monk

maybe they were upgrading the transmitter

maybe you might be able to get Freeview now

lawhec

Brougher Mountain was off for a short while a couple of times last week - but I don't think that was your problem.

Also as you are getting fringe reception, it's quite possible that you are getting an enhanced signal thanks to the recent weather. Check again in a few days when the sun ain't shinin'!

deepspeed

ya i figured the good reception might be something to do with the weather....

But I dont know what was going on last week, cos the neighbours had reception and I didnt... so it wasnt the transmitters fault..


I'll post next week with an update on the reception.

watty

Over 10 days ago I was able to chat on 144MHz from Limerick to West Tyrone with 10Watts and omni aerial. Due to high pressure.

Now all gone.

Clare RTE VHF has been received in Norway, I have received Spanish TV in Limerick!

Long distance "out of service area" or Fringe reception can vary tremedously with weather.

Galway

I am receiving the BR Mt signal via the Balla deflector system 16 miles from Galway city. I had the same - very poor reception for a week or so then, last wednesday (9th) all channels back with significantly better pictures. Am using triax unix 100 gr. A plus 26 db triax wideband UHF masthead amp.

I doubt that the BBC/ITV Tx increased the ERP (power) from 100kw but maybe a new aerial transmit system??? Maybe someone could enlighten us.

Galway

Also, I receive the terrestrial Irish channels from the Cairn Hill tx in Longford. Am using triax unix 100 gr B aerial plus fringe super 26db gain gr. B masthead amp. The 2 aerials (groups a and b) are combined with an A-E low loss combiner. However, have some diagonal lines/patterning on net 2 ch. 43 and some, altho less on TV3 ch. 46. Anyone else receiving outside the service area getting this? It is not present on net 2 ch. 33 from Castlebar. RTE 1 ch 40 from cairn hill is perfect and TG4 ch. 50 (usually the weakest of the 4) pretty good too. The lines are still there even when the gr. B aerial is connected separately and not combined with the A.

And, does anyone know who is tranmitting BBC 1 NI sourced from a digibox on ch. 49 in the castlebar direction as I have picked up that too. It is not the Loughrea deflector cos that starts on ch 48 with Ch4 and is in opposite direction - which i can get but less well if i swing the gr B aerial around.
help/ advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

byte

Hmm, hard to say without seeing the pictures but I'd imagine that the lines are because of over-amplification. I assume signals from Cairn Hill are pretty weak if you're using a massive Unix 100!

Out of curiousity, have you tried using the wideband Triax amp (not sure which model you're using as most of the newer ones are 25dB gain) on the Group B aerial to see if the lines still appear? Possibly won't make much difference but worth a try if easy to get at!

deepspeed

Yup, definitely to do with the weather, reception is absolutely PERFECT tonight, i dont think ive ever ever seen it as clear. especially on utv.

Was wishful thinking there that they had increased the power

Galway

did that already made no difference. The signals are not that weak but to get perfect reception the unix 100 is needed. I find the groupised amp is best. am not that far outside the service area. The lines have gone from net 2 more or less and less on tv 3. cant be over amplification as they were there with no amp connected and cable directly into aerial. must be the TX then??

anyone in the cairn hill service area getting the same problems?

anyone know who is transmitting BBC1 NI sourced from digibox on ch. 49 H from castlebar direction?

annabegins

I have the wonderful job of monitoring the transmitters across the whole of the UK. Brougher mountain history is this:

Firstly, Brougher Mountain already transmits DTT.

It has suffered from a mains failure at least 4 times this year and has also had essential maintenance work carried out by the local electricity board.

It was also shut down and put on reduced power to accomodate the removal of asbestos.

The clear picture that you are now receiving is the true signal from Brougher Mountain. It is just that the transmitter has been on reduced power for so long that the signal you are now receiving seems so clear.

Galway

so you are saying that br mt now on full power 100kw analogue?

The worst vai the balla deflector system is BBC2 NI on ch 27 - no nicam. BBC 1 NI is on 31, UTV on 35 anbd ch4 on 21. (all horiz)

Not the best choice as all except UTv these are the same channels as DIVIS anaogue.

So you can imagine what happens when the country is covered by a high presssure system. Also 27 and 31 are used by TV3 and TG4 from Mullaghanish in Cork (horiz) at 500kw so when the weather is calm there is some interf too.

Still no news on who is tranmitting BBC1 NI from digibox on ch 49 Horiz from castlebar direction?

annabegins

I'll have a look into the Castlebar situation tomorrow and see what i can find for you.

lawhec

Originally posted by annabegins
I have the wonderful job of monitoring the transmitters across the whole of the UK. Brougher mountain history is this:

Firstly, Brougher Mountain already transmits DTT.

It has suffered from a mains failure at least 4 times this year and has also had essential maintenance work carried out by the local electricity board.

It was also shut down and put on reduced power to accomodate the removal of asbestos.

The clear picture that you are now receiving is the true signal from Brougher Mountain. It is just that the transmitter has been on reduced power for so long that the signal you are now receiving seems so clear.

All of that's interesting. I hadn't know Brougher was on low power for some time. Have you any dates for it's reduced power period, considering there was nothing on Ceefax 698?

With all the wet weather recently, I wonder what deepspeeds reception is like now?

deepspeed

Reception now is gone back to being fair.

Teletext is gobbledeegook on BBC2/UTV/C4 , and ok on BBC1.

UTV is by far the worst, but quite watchable, teletext basically doesnt come through.

I wonder would hiking the aerial up further be of any use?? There are some people in my area with theirs up a bit further but not much.

I called into a neighbour some time ago to check out his reception and his was pretty good. Looking at his aerial, his is slightly higher and pointing in a slightly different direction(about 2 or 3 degrees off....)

deepspeed

Oh and what difference to aerial types make???

As in most people have a Triax Unix 100, i have no idea what make/model mine is but its basically a clone of the unix 100.

annabegins

Ok so here's some information about the performance of the transmitter over the last few months:

17/12/02 The Brougher Mountain transmitter will be on shut down on BBC1 and BBC2 analogue services, and will be liable to short breaks in transmission on DTT (digital terrestrial services) , multiplexes 1,B,C,D on 18 December 2002 from 0900 - 1730.

Essential electrical maintenance by the regional electricity company. All DTT(full power) and BBC VHF (reduced power -6dB) will be supported by generator, and will only experience short interuptions at start and end. All UHF will be shutdown.

21/01/03 The Brougher Mountain transmitter will be on reduced power for BBC1 and BBC2 analogue services from 21 -24 January between 0800-2100 each day.

Work by Crown Castle to allow for asbestos removal.

There will be reduced powers as follows:

21st & 22nd Jan - BBC2 will be on reduced power between 08:00 - 21:00 each day.
23rd & 24th Jan - BBC1 will be on reduced power between 08:00 - 21:00 each day.

19/02/03 Brougher Mountain Tx. off air - mains failure. Electricity Board power failure at the sub station. It was a fault 12 poles from the transmitter

07/03/03 Probs with Brougher Mountain on BBC1.

This is only the information that I still have, there may have been many others.

byte

Originally posted by deepspeed
Oh and what difference to aerial types make???

As in most people have a Triax Unix 100, i have no idea what make/model mine is but its basically a clone of the unix 100.

The Unix 100 is probably one of the most popular of this type, possibly because it is cheaper than some of its rivals. Hirshmann equivalents are very good, though I find that birds can bend the dipole when they perch on it. Another good sturdy aerial was the Antiference XG series. Haven't seen one in a while though.

Of course there are loads other manufacturers, including Televés (which I have never tried), Blakes, Alcad (bit flimsy), etc.

Galway

Was Br. Mt BBC1NI off air this morning early say half 7?

I had no signal on BBC1 from Balla.

byte

Originally posted by Galway
Was Br. Mt BBC1NI off air this morning early say half 7?

I had no signal on BBC1 from Balla.

Yes indeed it was! According to BBC website (must be the biggest site i've ever seen) Brougher's BBC1 was off from 07.09 to 08.44

There's a list of Tx work here

Originally posted by Galway
Also, I receive the terrestrial Irish channels from the Cairn Hill tx in Longford. Am using triax unix 100 gr B aerial plus fringe super 26db gain gr. B masthead amp. The 2 aerials (groups a and b) are combined with an A-E low loss combiner. However, have some diagonal lines/patterning on net 2 ch. 43 and some, altho less on TV3 ch. 46. Anyone else receiving outside the service area getting this? It is not present on net 2 ch. 33 from Castlebar. RTE 1 ch 40 from cairn hill is perfect and TG4 ch. 50 (usually the weakest of the 4) pretty good too. The lines are still there even when the gr. B aerial is connected separately and not combined with the A.

I presume, you only get those lines in fine weather, ie when theres a high pressure system around.
It sounds like you have been getting co-channel from presely pembrokeshire-wierd as that may seem to someone in Galway.

much of Wexford,Wicklow Carlow Kilkenny and even down to Waterford use presely, depending on location and it shares the same channel numbers as Cairn Hill.
It's a very strong signal that wouldn't take much to travel further in weaker form to cause co-channel to you.
Around Arklow , the presely signal has a lot of co-channell, especially in rainy weather from cairn hill, this interference is worst on BBC2 ch40 and slightly less on HTV which is interfered with by Cain hills Network two.
Least affected are S4C and BBC 1 corresponding to TG4 and the tv3 that you get.
The cairn hill signal is escaping through a gap in the wicklow mountains by some fluke to cause that interference as , if you go to the north or to the south of the town,the interference is gone thanks to the shielding effect of hills , more than 1500 and above 2000ft above sea level to the immediate west and north west of the area.
Incidently due to the interfernce on presely, most people in south east co wicklow would use the Arfon relay in North wales the reception from which is excelent here-no channel five on it though, but thats so strong on presely, even a vertically polarised group b aerial pointed towards arfon brings in the presely ch 5 quite well.
mm

Galway

the lines disappear when the cairn hill signal is stronger there are never on ch40 rte1 or ch 50 tg4 problem worst on net 2 and tv 3 (less so).

My aerial is facing north-east, so dont know if the presely signals would be affecting it at this distance. Problem can be there when no high pressure too, so dont think its presely co-channel so. We are just too far. Many years ago i did pick up presely during freak conditions here in co. galway. Usually divis that comes through under those conditions though.

Anyway reception good tonight despite torrential downpours - theres no logic to it really.

Galway

all br. Mt tx channels were off today. I got in at 4 and they were not back to 5.30pm. Wonder why? This tx does not seem to have the best service record. In parts of Roscommon just outside the town, it can be received quite well with very watchable pictures - I mean direct from the Tx no deflector.

It apparently also comes in very well at Kilconnell nr Ballinasloe, near perfectly with a high gain aerials and amplification but basic signals is supposed to be very clean. Use as NTLs backup now for Co. galway analogue MMDS - usually they bring in to Tonabrucky hill on Moycullen road from Chorus - Keeper Hill I would imagine.

Anyone know where Chorus source those UK signals - and how they get down to Limerick? The quality is good (i know , strange for Chorus!)

Suburbandude

I am in Knocknacarra Galway, What Aeriels do I need, where can I get them and what direction should the face. Currently I have two aerials' type unkown with bad receptions. Can I combine these with the FTA sattelite dish.

watty

Feed the aerials or aerial preamp power unit output to the Satellite receiver Aerial In. The Satellite Receiver adds an extra UHF TV cannel on its RF out, which is what ever channel the Satellite receiver is getting from the Dish.

If you go to www.bbc.co.uk they have a page on analog UHF reception in NI and the frequencies / channels. They have another page explaining aerial groups, channels and frequencies.

loftus

To answer the question about BBC1 NI being transmitted from a digibox. It is the Kiltimagh deflector, In Co Mayo. I live in Swinford and like everyone else in Swinford get Uk TV from the Kiltmagh Deflector. Due to the loss of our deflector over ayear ago. They transmitt BBC1 from a digibox because the BBC 1 that they received to retransmitt clashed with TG4 from somewhare. I think Castlebar. So thats why this channel comes from a digibox.

Galway

Can you give the transmit channels from Kiltimagh please,so i can check. Do you know the power used? |What you mean the loss of your deflector a year ago?

Can you not get any reception from Balla (Largan hill)?

loftus

Kiltimagh deflector channels:
BBC1 NI - Channel 49
BBC2 NI - Channel 55
UTV - Channel 52
Channel 4 - Channel 58

The swinford deflector went on air in the early 80's and went off the air april 2002. For about six months leading up to april '02 they were calling to houses in the swinford area asking for £50 per house to cover their costs. I paid them as I have been receiving an excellent service and picture and never paid a penny since they went on air. They never came looking for a subscription at any time. So the people of swinford took it as a free service from what I can gather hardly anyone gave them any money last year. They switched of the channels and put a message on BBC 2 saying the service would be lost if they did not get enough money to cover their costs. This message went off about two weeks later and they havent transmitted anything since. Most people then with no fuss turned their aerials to Keiltimagh. I think it was a great pitty.

loftus

Have no Idea what power Kiltimaigh transmitt on. Can't get anything from Balla. But I'll try over weekend. What channels do thy use.

deepspeed

What kind of range does that Kiltimagh deflector have??

Approx will do

Galway

Yes those are the channels. It can be received fuzzily where i live Corofin Tuam. Balla is not bad at all ch 4 very good, BBC 1 ok BBC2 and UTV the worst but teletext is stable as thats all i want them for. Have uK digibox from when i moved back 2 years ago, so have BBC1 LOndon, BBC 2 england, ITV1 London Ch 4 and ch5 perfect from that.

I can also get weak signals from the loughrea system.

Only BBC1 NI is from digibox on the Kiltimagh system - why is that?

Anyone getting cairn hill and problems with TV3 ch 46??