One UHF/VHF Aerial or 2 seperate aerial's

PadraigL

Is there a UHF/VHF Aerial that can be bought for the Celbridge area to get the the 4 irish channels from Kippure. Will I need to buy 2 aerial's?

Thx

PadraigL

Tried a rabits ears and got RTE1 and Net2 very clear on VHF. Got TV3 anf TG4 good on UHF. RTE1 , Net2 , TV3 and TG4 were all available on UHF at a couple of locations.
I take this to mean that I was picking up Three Rock as well as Kippure. Would that be right? Will a UHF aerial do me which should give a good signal?

Mayo Exile

If its Three Rock you are after, a single UHF aerial will do. UHF channel numbers for 3R are 29 (RTE1), 33 (RTE2), 35 (TV3) and 55 (TG4). Horizontal polarisation.

Frequencies for Kippure are RTE 1/2, VHF - channels E & H, TV3 & TG4, UHF - channels 62 & 59. Horizontal polarisation. You would need two aerials for Kippure (VHF & UHF). Where are you best signals coming from?

snaps

I wouldnt suggest getting a VHF aerial now anyhow, VHF will soon be obsolete when DTT is in full swing and analouge is switched off. Try going the UHF route 1st before installing a VHF aerial at extra cost!

PadraigL

Thanks for replies..

I found a place in Dublin that say they sell an aerial that is VHF and UHF . But I cannot find this aerial anywhere on the net so am very sceptical.

What I did find was a site (www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw) that showed you how to make your own UHF aerial with 4 coat hangers, a piece of wood, screws/washers and some wire to connect the array.
Tried it for the hell of it and I put it in the attic in a horizontal position. I did not use a matching transformer (think it called a balun also), I just connected the tv cable into the wire directly. I am getting RTE and Net2 with excellent picture on the tv in the bedroom and the family room downstairs.
TV3 and TG4 are grainy upstairs and downstairs (little worse on this tv) but watchable. TG4 is a little better than TV3.

RTE and Net2 are got on the VHF band and TV3 and TG4 are got on the UHF band.

Don't know if I can improve on this by adding a reflector or balun. Maybe the experts out there can provide more info as I am a novice myself..

Anyway I am happy for the moment

Martin_F

I got a wide band aerial from B&Q - picking up both the UHF & VHF from both 3 Rock & Kippure. I went for the Medium size - but they do smaller & Large for good / weak signals too.

Maplins & Argos also do wideband aerials I think. I'd be surprised if you can't locate wideband VHF/UHF online or through independants atc.

cubix

Is it possible to find out if your in a weak/medium/strong area before buying your UHF airiel. IF not and I went for one with more elements to cover myself is there any side effect ie:signal being to strong??

Thanks

PadraigL

Hi Martin_F

Is the ariel on the B&Q website??

Mike 1972

combined VHF/UHF aerials seem to be more popular over in the States. From what I can gather theyre not as good as seperate aerials but may be good enough if you live in a particularly strong signal area ?

Martin_F

PadraigL wrote: »

Hi Martin_F

Is the ariel on the B&Q website??

yep - I'm using the Philex 32 element (Clonsilla, Mounted in attic through Breeze block wall - ideal !). It says it is a wide band UHF, but I'm getting

RTE 1 ch 5
RTE 2 ch 8
RTE 1 ch 29
RTE 2 ch 33
TV3 ch 35
TG4 ch 55
TG4 ch 59
TV3 ch 62

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9686755&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=tv+aerial&fh_eds=%C3%9F&fh_refview=search&ts=1242574486716&isSearch=true

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9686696&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=tv+aerial&fh_eds=%C3%9F&fh_refview=search&ts=1242574341379&isSearch=true

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9686772&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=tv+aerial&fh_eds=%C3%9F&fh_refview=search&ts=1242574649665&isSearch=true

and argos

http://reviews.argos.co.uk/1493-en_gb/5341829/reviews.htm

here is the Philex descriptions (the only place it mentions wideband - mind they don't seem to mention VHF - but I'm getting the VHF channels on my DVD/HDD unit & kitchen TV that my main TV can't get since it is UHF only)

http://www.philex.com/parts/show/27887D

http://www.philex.com/parts/show/27884D

PadraigL

Thanks Martin_F

I am going to have a look at my homemade aerial at the weekend. From info on the web, I am going to change the wire connecting the bowties and try a reflector to see what happens..

Martin_F

I thought that video was great btw... I'd say it is aimed though at digital - i.e. DTT - since it was for HDTV.

I was watching the MPEG2 trial on a 6-8" loop aerial just hanging out the back of the TV - perfect picture - analogue was just fuzz.... the analogue is much harder to get a top notch picture... only connected up the attic aerial when they went to MPEG4 and I went back to analogue.