What do I need to get RTEs/TV3 etc

busman

Hi all,

Looking to upgrade my Terestial reception.

Currently have some kind of set-top rabbits ears/plate reciver that
just about picks up RTE1-2/T3/TG4 on 13" TV beside main TV that I have
for Satalite!

The wife is complaining and wants me to get rid of this set-up :-)

I'm located about 7 miles outside Mallow just of the N72 so I assume
that I need to pick up signals from Mullaghanish

So for RTE's I need a Band III VHF and a Group A UHF for TV3/TG4
I would also need a box to combine the two co-ax cables into one which feeds
into the RF-in on my sat box.

Radio reception is kinda poor so I guess that I might also need some form of amplification
for these aerials.

Am I correct in this set-up and where would my best place to source?

Thanks,

Paulu

coylemj

If FM radio reception is poor then it doesn't bode well for TV reception since they come from the same transmitters and repeaters. Have you checked if there is a repeater station closer to you than the main transmitter in Mulliganish?

Check the RTE frequency tables for radio and TV and see if there's a repeater in your area, a good way to test this is to see what frequency your car radio prefers for RTE1 radio when parked at your house - assuming it's an RDS radio with the 'AF' function active. Then look up the radio frequency table to see which transmitter is sending that frequency, chances are that the same transmitter will be best for TV as well. Download the radio and TV frequency PDFs from the website below.....

http://www.rtenl.ie/att.htm

swoofer

why not get the minimum sub for sky and get crsytal clear pics or have a little patience and wait for the new DTT service, you will only need one aerial and get better picture.

gb--

coylemj

Digital terrestrial TV (DTT) is not going to solve the problem, if the signal is crap now, it will still be crap when DTT comes along except that with DTT there's no halfway house with snowstorms and jumping pictures, you simply won't see any picture at all.

DTT will broadcast on the same UHF frequencies that are used today, they will just be able to squeeze more data into one frequency so there will be more free slots in the spectrum when analogue is switched off.

busman

GBCULLEN wrote: »

why not get the minimum sub for sky and get crsytal clear pics or have a little patience and wait for the new DTT service, you will only need one aerial and get better picture.
-

Not really interested in the Sky option as already have freesat.
I thought of the DDT option but looks like it could be a while before it is available here in north cork!

I was wondering if I got the right UHF aerial would it also be good for when DDT did come on line?

Had a look at some of the neighbours aerial on the way to work this morning and they all seem to be pointing in different directions! Tried the radio tuning trick and it looks like I'm just picking up signals from Mullaghanish.

I'm not looking for Crystal clear reception but just good enough so that the main Tv can pick-up RTE/TG4 and I can dump the Rabbits ears/Portable TV set-up.

Any suggestions on the aerials that might suite and where I might purchase?

coylemj

From Mallow Mulliganish is roughly SW so if any of your neighbours have aerials pointing in any other direction you might ask then what they're picking up.

What you said in your original post is correct in that RTE 1 & 2 are on Band III VHF and TV3 & TG4 will require a Band A UHF aerial.

busman

coylemj wrote: »

What you said in your original post is correct in that RTE 1 & 2 are on Band III VHF and TV3 & TG4 will require a Band A UHF aerial.

Where is the best place to buy these aerial? any online sources?

channelsurfer

this site sells them direct. try picking the aerial you need.

http://cpcireland.farnell.com/jsp/search/results.jsp?N=411+1000646+500002&isGoback=false

The Cush

I live in NE Co Limerick and receive my tv signal from Mullaghanish (even though Woodcock Hill is approx 25 miles away but because of its low power and terrain conditions I cannot get an adequate signal on a standard install).
So as you live in Mallow you should have no problem with Mullaghanish.

My setup is an Antiference LP7 VHF Outdoor Aerial from www.peats.ie, DMX10A (for Group A UHF - this is also a CAI Standard 1 Benchmarked Aerial for DTT).
A VHF/UHF outdoor combiner like this or Mathead Amp/Combiner like this, these items should be easily available locally from an independent tv/sat shop - I use Urlan TV in Limerick.

BTW: Use good quality cable, I use WF100 (copper on copper foam insulated).

coylemj

It can't be CAI approved if it's 'unbranded' though based on the model number DMX10A it looks like it's manufactured by Blake in the UK whose aerials are CAI approved.

The Cush

coylemj wrote: »

It can't be CAI approved if it's 'unbranded' though based on the model number DMX10A it looks like it's manufactured by Blake in the UK whose aerials are CAI approved.

It is a Blake antenna, I purchased one from CPC, the shipping box and instructions have Blake printed on them.

coylemj

Makes you wonder then why the CPC website says 'unbranded'.

christo82

Could someone recommend an aerial for me that could be fitted in the attic? I live in Skerries. If you could refer to the cpc site so I could have a look at the pics and prices etc, that'd be great.

Cheers

coylemj

These boys don't recommend putting aerials in lofts/attics and you'd have to say that they seem to know their stuff....

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/aerials.html

From Skerries you should be able to pick up both Clermont Carn in Co. Louth and Camlough in Co Armagh, they're separated by just 2 degrees as viewed from Skerries so a UHF C/D Group aerial mounted for vertical polarity on your roof pointing to 350 degrees (magnetic) should pick up both of them for all of the UK & Irish terrestrial channels.