How to install a UHF aerial?

spockety

It seems to me there's copious amounts of info available on how to install an Astra satellite dish , right down to youtube videos from certain suppliers and so on. How to mount it, where to point it exactly, etc.

Can't seem to find anything similar for Terrestrial TV in Dublin. Sure there is info on tuning frequencies etc., but what about how to install an aerial? Where exactly do you point it? What way up? Etc.

Anyone got a link to any guides?

Or has it been addressed here before?

I presume something like this would get you RTE1/2, TV3 and TG4 in Dublin? Analogue and (future) digital frequencies?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=19948

homer911

I dont know anyyhing about roof top aerials, but have you tried a set-top aerial? I'm also in South Co. Dublin and get perfect analogue reception with it..

lucernarian

Took me a while to notice you wanted to set up an aerial in Dublin.:rolleyes:

Most of Dublin won't get by on an internal aerial for analogue TV from what I've seen.

The reason why there's no guide is that aerial setups vary from one area to the next and it varies widely in Ireland (Especially with people wanting Welsh/NI TV also, and the two different aerial groups (UHF/VHF) that may be needed) So it mainly involves having local knowledge, and even then there will be exceptions to any how-to guide.

Also, there's not much need for a guide as in Dublin it's pretty much plain sailing outside of the city centre with its big buildings in the way.

In Dublin really the only difference with UHF and Satellite is that you use an aerial instead of a satellite dish. Same idea of an aerial being fixed to a short pole which is fixed to some sort of external wall or balcony.

Most aerials in dublin wouldn't need big aerials, so precise directioning isn't important at all. Point it south. More southeast if closer to Lucan/Clondalkin, and southwest or westerly if closer to Dun Laoghaire or further south.

Maplin aerials are overpriced muck. A standard contract 10 element aerial (Group W or C/D) will work in most of the area inside the M50. Not sure where you get them in Dublin, but in aerial/electrical equipment trade shops they cost about €12-€15. Another common type, a grid aerial, performs a bit better and costs around the €30 mark. I got one there before in Peats.

What you have linked to there (an 18-element contract aerial) would also work grand, but knowing maplin, would cost much more over here.

HTH.

petronius

I got a 48 element in B&Q for 30 euro a year ago, it gets 3rock test DTT great, and Analgoue as well,and it is just in the attic

Maplins tend to be a bit more expensive although sometimes have cheaper offers.
Atlantic or Peats are other places you may get them, other than that it is some of the Satellite/tv shops - e.g. www.freesat.ie sell them

I have't got UK DTTv signals on it but with an older aerial on the roof I used to get Analogue Welsh TV, and in Wicklow I could get Welsh TV

I think it involves just experimenting pointing it in the direction (polarised correctly horizontally!) and getting it as high as you can without obstacles or as few as possible

I got other aerials for friends, and installed them no bother, the usual difficulty of running wires in and out of houses ..