Reception of Welsh DTT in Co.Wicklow - What's the best way?

atlantean

I currently get BBC1 Wales (CH51), BBC2 Wales (CH44), ITV1 Wales (CH41) and S4C (CH47) on analogue reception here in Kilcoole Co. Wicklow from the Arfon relay transmitter in Wales along with RTÉ1, RTÉ2 TV3 and TG4 on the Irish side.

Having recently got a new TV with a digital tuner I am now able to receive RTÉ1, RTÉ2 TV3 and TG4 on DTT.

However, the DTT reception from Wales is a different matter. I can sometimes get BBC1, BBC2W, BBC News 24, BBC3 ITV2+1, The Hits, Ideal World along with a couple of radio stations. Basically a patchy service consists of Multiplex 1 and Multiplex D but from where I don't know!

I have not been able to tune in ITV1, 2(normal not +!) 3 or 4, S4C etc. The signal is also dependent on weather conditions so much so that unless the sun is splitting the trees I can't receive any DTT from Wales.

You can see the aerial type I use here.

It is the top left on that picture. Do I need to get a different aerial to improve the current reception or am I just lucky to get what I have? What the best aerial would be for the job? A Televes DAT75 was mentioned to me as was the Triax UNIX 100

In order yo receive DTT from Wales at present should I change my aerial from vertical to horizontal polarisation and point it at the Llanddona main transmitter?

It is not a major issue as I have Sky anyway but it would be nice to receive DTT from Wales

atlantean

Right! bit confused now....

I am receiving Multiplex 1 on channel 50 and Multiplex D on channel 46. According to this site Llanddona Mux 1 is ch 67 with Mux D on 46, but http://www.dtg.org.uk/ says it's ch50 with Mux D on 46 - just as I'm getting

My Irish TV stations are on channel 54 (RTÉ1 RTÉ2 TV3 and TG4 etc)

I am also getting listings but no images on channel 58 - Channel 6, cBeebies Test, BBC4 Test, Sky News and Extreme Sports. On Channel 61 I get - cBBC Test, BBC3 Test, BBC News24 Test, Sky Sports 1 UKTV History and MPEG 4 Test.

Is it safe to say it's the Llanddona transmitter that I am receiving the patchy signal from? If so what will happen about reception on CH 54 as it looks like Llanddona is allocated CH 54 to Mux 2 for ITV etc?

lucernarian

The dtg.org allocations at http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/tx_ww.html are the right ones it seems. Especially if your set top box is picking them up on it. Note however that the full analogue and digital channel list at the bottom of the page has Ch 67 for Mux 1. I'd say the frequency for Mux 1 was changed in the recent past.

Your aerial is at the wrong polarity, turning it so that all the X elements are aligned horizontally would get a much stronger signal for the digital muxes, but seeing as you only get Mux 1 and D, you nearly certainly have a group B aerial. You would need a wideband aerial, like the DAT75. Be warned that it's a very large aerial, about 2 metres long I think. But 3 of Llanddona's muxes are on the same frequency as the Irish DTT muxes.

You could also try getting signals from Blaenplwyf, to the ESE of you. But if you can get reception from Three rock, as it seems you can, then you would lose Mux C and D. You'd be picking up Three Rock very strongly as you've no correct aerial pointing near TR. You could *try* Preslei to the SE of you, but that's a 100 miles away. But you wouldn't need to change your aerial, just the alignment and polarity of it.

I think Blaenplwyf with a Group A Unix 100 would be your best bet.

Mossy Monk

atlantean wrote:

I am also getting listings but no images on channel 58 - Channel 6, cBeebies Test, BBC4 Test, Sky News and Extreme Sports. On Channel 61 I get - cBBC Test, BBC3 Test, BBC News24 Test, Sky Sports 1 UKTV History and MPEG 4 Test.

That is the DTT trial taking place in the North West and Dublin. You wont receive those without the correct box and card (ie. part of the trial)

atlantean

To_be_confirmed wrote:

Your aerial is at the wrong polarity, turning it so that all the X elements are aligned horizontally would get a much stronger signal for the digital muxes, but seeing as you only get Mux 1 and D, you nearly certainly have a group B aerial. You would need a wideband aerial, like the DAT75. Be warned that it's a very large aerial, about 2 metres long I think. But 3 of Llanddona's muxes are on the same frequency as the Irish DTT muxes.

AFAIK Mux 1 and D are the only ones transmitting on full power ATM - the others are at half power. The aerial I have is a wideband judging by what I am receiving on analogue with it.

lucernarian

There's only one way to be certain about the aerial group, and that's the colour of the cap at the very end of the aerial. Black is Wideband and Yellow is Group B.

If your TV3 and TG4 is perfect, then it's probably a wideband allright but I don't know how well grouped aerials can handle out-of-group frequencies. If you're very close to the transmitter, any sort of aerial could pick up the signals strongly.

Anyway, there's a few things you can try with that wideband aerial. I hope you can get your Freeview some way or another:)

I checked the DTG website btw and all the Muxes are on the same power - 1 kW. Mux 2 and A would be the weakest ones, but the other 4 would normally have equal reception on a wideband aerial.

atlantean

To_be_confirmed wrote:

If your TV3 and TG4 is perfect, then it's probably a wideband allright but I don't know how well grouped aerials can handle out-of-group frequencies. If you're very close to the transmitter, any sort of aerial could pick up the signals strongly.

This is my actual aerial setup. My pole is the one to the right hand side of the photo.

I don't receive any Irish signals on the top aerial, only those from Wales.

I receive the Irish on the lower 2 with all 4 including TV3 and TG4 on the bottom one.

Only the top aerial is amplified.

lucernarian

Oh I see now. You have a UHF aerial for TV3 and TG4 after all. That looks like a very awkward setup to change. You can change the polarity of the top aerial, but I wouldn't like to be the one doing it...

What is your analogue reception from Llanddona like? It's on Chs 53, 57, 60 and 63.