Welsh digital switch over-Irish reception questions answered

razor_ryan

Booms

It'd look good on top of the telly.

wicklowgaz

Has anyone any experience of using dish type aerials?

Macy0161

Have only seen old and battered ones around. There used to be one outside a house coming into Roundwood on the Newtown road a few years back (haven't noticed it recently).

iirc they have good gain, but the windload would be too high for where I'd have to put it (the one mentioned above was at ground level with a line of sight across the reserviour). Watty would be the person to fill you in - I still have this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=146089 saved, although still not sure I completely understand it . I did have a link to making your own, but it appears dead now.

wicklowgaz

Thanks mate very informative....

newleaf

Hi all, looking for some advice. Getting Irish DTT fine (on a broken VHF aerial!)Last week tried to get UK channels from Arfon - I'm in Northside Arklow and have a line of sight to sea, just about, in north-east direction. Using grid aerial for the moment as nothing else readily available. Very pleased to get excellent reception for a week, but now it's gone for last few days, presumably weather related. From reading previous posts here I reckon I need to do as follows, but just checking that I'm right:

Get better aerial - Televes DAT 75 seems best (19db gain) or is there better? Nobody seems to have Unix 100 or similar for sale. Will that be ok for group B or is that an issue? Does it matter whether I order from UK or Irl - no "Irish version" I presume. I've seen a few high gain aerials on ebay (87 element, 17 db gain), (eg here: http://cgi.ebay.ie/Digital-Wideband-TV-Aerial-Freeview-Antenna-High-Gain-/390312031435?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item5ae068f4cb )

but I want to have best chance of getting fairly consistent UK DTT if at all possible.

Have Panasonic MPEG-4 TV and that was getting all channels fine last week. Also using Triax FT-8100 HD box so I can feed digital signal into my recorder. That's doing as well as the TV, but freezing after being on for a while (would updating firmware or factory state reset help?). If I need to replace that I could get a T-2 box so I can get Freeview HD - have I a hope of getting that here from Arfon? A few such boxes on Amazon - any recomendations?

Thanks in advance.

wicklowgaz

This is one of the best aerial sites I have found on the web for independent aerial tests and sales. I ordered a highest gain blake group b from them recently. Very fast and swift service. As regards the aerial performance it can get Freeview 60% of the time and it is very good on ch45 for saorview from mt leinster. I am based near Tinahely so naturally Freeview signals would be greatly influenced by lifts in the right weather.

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/

aerial man

newleaf wrote: »

Hi all, looking for some advice. Getting Irish DTT fine (on a broken VHF aerial!)Last week tried to get UK channels from Arfon - I'm in Northside Arklow and have a line of sight to sea, just about, in north-east direction. Using grid aerial for the moment as nothing else readily available. Very pleased to get excellent reception for a week, but now it's gone for last few days, presumably weather related. From reading previous posts here I reckon I need to do as follows, but just checking that I'm right:

Get better aerial - Televes DAT 75 seems best (19db gain) or is there better? Nobody seems to have Unix 100 or similar for sale. Will that be ok for group B or is that an issue? Does it matter whether I order from UK or Irl - no "Irish version" I presume. I've seen a few high gain aerials on ebay (87 element, 17 db gain), (eg here: http://cgi.ebay.ie/Digital-Wideband-TV-Aerial-Freeview-Antenna-High-Gain-/390312031435?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item5ae068f4cb )

but I want to have best chance of getting fairly consistent UK DTT if at all possible.

Have Panasonic MPEG-4 TV and that was getting all channels fine last week. Also using Triax FT-8100 HD box so I can feed digital signal into my recorder. That's doing as well as the TV, but freezing after being on for a while (would updating firmware or factory state reset help?). If I need to replace that I could get a T-2 box so I can get Freeview HD - have I a hope of getting that here from Arfon? A few such boxes on Amazon - any recomendations?

Thanks in advance.

Hi,
if you are interested in getting a unix 100B, we should have a few lying around. Also we have plenty of brackets, poles, amps and power supplies etc. If you are interested or want any advice, PM me. I'm located south of Gorey,
Thanks Aerial Man

aerial man

wicklowgaz wrote: »

Guys,

You know this aerial that someone mentioned in a different thread. Its a 1,2m dish for faint signals, I priced it with frequency distribution in the UK. They are a trade supplier to the industry. Its quite expensive at 199 pounds plus postage, this includes an amp of course.

There is not many of these aerials on the web for sale.

Regards

This is an old one up a hill between Stradbally and Portlaoise. It seemly picked up the BBC from Presely, It is facing roughly south east with horizontal polarization. Sorry about the bad photo but it was taken on a camera phone driving by! I just said I'd stick it up here.Its a little more than 1.2 m !!

wicklowgaz

aerial man wrote: »

This is an old one up a hill between Stradbally and Portlaoise. It seemly picked up the BBC from Presely, It is facing roughly south east with horizontal polarization. Sorry about the bad photo but it was taken on a camera phone driving by! I just said I'd stick it up here.Its a little more than 1.2 m !!

cool fair play to you for putting that up mate!!! you are a mighty man!! sure is a bit bigger than 1.2m!!!!:D

aerial man

wicklowgaz wrote: »

cool fair play to you for putting that up mate!!! you are a mighty man!! sure is a bit bigger than 1.2m!!!!:D

I've never personally used these aerials, ( the 1.2 m ) but my father has used them a few times. It worked well in ferns where the reception was in consistent. I'm not sure but I think Triax made them at some stage, ill find out. They were expensive so very few customers opted for them. However I have seen a lot of them in Dublin ( presuming heading for the north)

I think remember my father saying he worked on a 32ft dish that was installed in Wicklow near Hacketstown in a field. I'm not sure of the details but I'll find out. Seemly they set it using a tractor and loader!!

wicklowgaz

Cheers mate id appreciated that!

The Cush

wicklowgaz wrote: »

This is one of the best aerial sites I have found on the web for independent aerial tests and sales. I ordered a highest gain blake group b from them recently. Very fast and swift service. As regards the aerial performance it can get Freeview 60% of the time and it is very good on ch45 for saorview from mt leinster. I am based near Tinahely so naturally Freeview signals would be greatly influenced by lifts in the right weather.

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/

Hi wicklowgaz

Did you order from www.aerialsandtv.com? There was a time I believe they didn't ship to Ireland.

wicklowgaz

The Cush wrote: »

Hi wicklowgaz

Did you order from www.aerialsandtv.com? There was a time I believe they didn't ship to Ireland.

Hello Cush, You are right. I got a aerial last month and they said they didnt ship to Ireland. However if you arrange your own carrier, they will pack it up for collection. They suggested me to us parcelstogo.co.uk, which gives you a choice of the best rates. I got a large aerial delivered for 17 pounds. It s a tad expensive but they have the best choice of grouped aerials with the associated test info on the web. They provide the gain graphs for their aerials which is quite rare.

The Cush

wicklowgaz wrote: »

but they have the best choice of grouped aerials with the associated test info on the web. They provide the gain graphs for their aerials which is quite rare.

Thanks for the info.

It's an excellent site. The owner posts over in Digitalspy as Justin Aerial.

newleaf

newleaf wrote: »

Hi all, looking for some advice. Getting Irish DTT fine (on a broken VHF aerial!)Last week tried to get UK channels from Arfon - I'm in Northside Arklow and have a line of sight to sea, just about, in north-east direction. Using grid aerial for the moment as nothing else readily available. Very pleased to get excellent reception for a week, but now it's gone for last few days, presumably weather related. From reading previous posts here I reckon I need to do as follows, but just checking that I'm right:

Get better aerial - Televes DAT 75 seems best (19db gain) or is there better? Nobody seems to have Unix 100 or similar for sale. Will that be ok for group B or is that an issue? Does it matter whether I order from UK or Irl - no "Irish version" I presume. I've seen a few high gain aerials on ebay (87 element, 17 db gain), (eg here: http://cgi.ebay.ie/Digital-Wideband-TV-Aerial-Freeview-Antenna-High-Gain-/390312031435?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item5ae068f4cb )

but I want to have best chance of getting fairly consistent UK DTT if at all possible.

Have Panasonic MPEG-4 TV and that was getting all channels fine last week. Also using Triax FT-8100 HD box so I can feed digital signal into my recorder. That's doing as well as the TV, but freezing after being on for a while (would updating firmware or factory state reset help?). If I need to replace that I could get a T-2 box so I can get Freeview HD - have I a hope of getting that here from Arfon? A few such boxes on Amazon - any recomendations?

Thanks in advance.

The grid aerial won't cope well with fog/wet weather.
As aerial man says,a unix 100 group B and masthead amp will do the trick for you.
He'll have all that gear-you'll be getting a pm in a moment.

aerial man

wicklowgaz wrote: »

Cheers mate id appreciated that!

Hi all,
Was speaking for my father for a few minutes today, he said he only worked on the dish, ( changing an amp or something) but didn't install the really big ones.

A company or person called Gillespie in Carlow made them, who also made trailers. They used a colour prince ( half a colour king/ grid aerial) but as in the picture, other aerials were also used .

There was one in Hacketstown, on the Baltinglass road just past the graveyard in the field, and also one in Avoca Co. Wicklow

They were about 32-33ft in diameter and he thinks that there was also ones twice the size.

Hope the information was interesting, if he mentions anything else about them, I'll post it up.

wicklowgaz

Very interesting aerial man,I think I have seen a few around alright !!! Those were the days eh? I suppose the dish has the highest gain of an aerial!!

aerial man wrote: »

Hi all,
Was speaking for my father for a few minutes today, he said he only worked on the dish, ( changing an amp or something) but didn't install the really big ones.

A company or person called Gillespie in Carlow made them, who also made trailers. They used a colour prince ( half a colour king/ grid aerial) but as in the picture, other aerials were also used .

There was one in Hacketstown, on the Baltinglass road just past the graveyard in the field, and also one in Avoca Co. Wicklow

They were about 32-33ft in diameter and he thinks that there was also ones twice the size.

Hope the information was interesting, if he mentions anything else about them, I'll post it up.

FRIENDO

Put up a new Triax 52B aerial for Presely and ran a seperate cable to the tv, a second aerial and cable to a Combo box for Forth Mth/Saorview already.
Perfect reception on Wales Freeview 42, 43, 46 and 49.
Solved the problem on combining for me.:)

lucernarian

You should let Comreg know on the steps you had to take to get your setup working.

I can't emphasise enough the importance of making the stupid civil servants in the spectrum planning end of Abbey St. accountable for their actions. People who normally don't have to deal with the public can be influenced by public pressure and may see common sense to avoid the unwashed masses from banging on their poor doorstep.

FRIENDO

They may not be to blame.
According to the Saorview coverage map my home location is coloured in white.
Saorview map advices me that recieving Saorview in my location may be a "Challenge" and they advise me about Saorsat in the future.
I now get perfect Saorview from Forth Mountain 25miles away 50% srtength and 40% signal approximately however unable to combine as I loose signal (even with anti-inteference combiner).
Gorey, Mth Lenister and Arklow all nearer, however due to geography of land un-recievable.

marclt

I agree with you there @To_be_confirmed.

Keep the pressure up.

JazzyJ

I've previously been receiving freeview from Arfon, but decided to test out reception from Llanddona last night.

Reception came in fine on the PSB muxes (57,60), but only received channel 43 on the PSB muxes. 46 and 50 didn't come through at all, although the tv thought long and hard about them.

I'm only using a Group A aerial (had got it to try and get Blaenplywf to no avail), so could this have affected reception at the higher frequencies - channel 43 was only coming in with 25-30% quality. Or, presumably, there's some interference on these channels (Cairn Hill analogue coming in the back of the aerial maybe or somewhere else?).

If CCI is the case is there anything I can do to minimise it, or would 43,57 and 60 be the best I could hope for?

J.

marclt

Certainly a group A aerial would have an extremely poor pick up for any frequencies out of band.

But at least you found something!

JazzyJ

marclt wrote: »

Certainly a group A aerial would have an extremely poor pick up for any frequencies out of band.

But at least you found something!

Surprisingly its been working almost 100% of the time for the last 6 months or so on Arfon which is on 41 and 44.

Really just testing the viability of Llanddona on an ongoing basis.

That will tell you how good arfon travels across that sea path.
I'd be warey of llandonna tests at this time as we have a high pressure over us again.

You must be using a wideband amp to be getting group B stuff on that aerial?
A group B would do the job for you if it's not lift bringing it in.
I get Llandonna down in wicklow regularally with the aerial pointed alsmost in the opposite direction.
In lift it can play hell with presely..

The chances are that Divis will bomb into you at dso there,so if you get a group B,hold onto the group A!

jabarrett35

I thought Preseli reception should be quite good today with high pressure, but no. I've had no reception since noon. I was wondering while watching the tennis, does the weather at the transmitter effect reception in deep fringe area? I'm sure someone on the forum will known. Also why with high pressure is the reception so poor? There is low cloud cover out to sea at present.

JazzyJ

Deleted User wrote: »

That will tell you how good arfon travels across that sea path.
I'd be warey of llandonna tests at this time as we have a high pressure over us again.

You must be using a wideband amp to be getting group B stuff on that aerial?
A group B would do the job for you if it's not lift bringing it in.
I get Llandonna down in wicklow regularally with the aerial pointed alsmost in the opposite direction.
In lift it can play hell with presely..

The chances are that Divis will bomb into you at dso there,so if you get a group B,hold onto the group A!

Not sure what type of amp I'm using, presuming its a wide band one alright.

I realise there's a fair bit of lift at the moment (was getting BP in for a few hours last night while pointed at Llanddona). I'm just gonna leave ita at Llanddona for now to see if its possible to get it long term - annoying that 46 and 50 aren't coming in at all though. If only Arfon was full freeview!

Now that you mentioned interference from Presely, I see its broadcasting on 46 and 50 too. Could that be another potential culprit for my problems?

jabarrett35 wrote: »

I thought Preseli reception should be quite good today with high pressure, but no. I've had no reception since noon. I was wondering while watching the tennis, does the weather at the transmitter effect reception in deep fringe area? I'm sure someone on the forum will known. Also why with high pressure is the reception so poor? There is low cloud cover out to sea at present.

Black Briar answered that one for me before!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=66013638&postcount=11

marclt

I can confirm that the cloud is hanging over Preseli this afternoon... occasionally veiling the top of the mast.

Dry, no rain!

jabarrett35

Funny enough the low cloud has just started too lift and reception is very strong now. BB is right about the sea fog. Though land mist does not seem too effect it as much.