Castlebellingham tv reception

LOTTOWINNER

Just wondering does anyone know why BBC 1 terrestrial reception is so bad in Castlebellingham, BBC2 is perfect and UTV and CH4 are fine, this problem only started this summer.

There was some speculation that the bad reception coincided with the erection of a new mast on the local garda station, I can't confirm this.

Any ideas or comments.

calex71

the only time I have cause to watch bbc is on saturday evening for casualty or for the formula 1. 9 times out of 10 it's either barely watchable or it's snow like if pulled the aerial out. Been like that for a good while too.

I'm in Drogheda myself but likely on the same transmitter as you

LOTTOWINNER

Thanks for reply, We receive our signal from Divis, in Drogheda it is more common to receive from the Kilkeel transmitter (I think).

our problem only started this summer and as I said, BBC2 is perfect and BBC1 is unwatchable, both from same transmitter.

kingshankly

the reception is bad because the mast the guards erected, most of the village is affected

lucernarian

I expected Channel 4 would be worse. There are filters that you can install before your aerial amp that will cure the problem if it's the garda mast that causes it. Google TETRA filter or search the Cable/Digital TV - Terrestrial forum for more details.

LOTTOWINNER

Thanks for the replies, I'll investigate the tetra filter, I'm not dependent on terestrial for BBC1, I also have satelite, I was just curious as to what is causing the interference.

mythicalireland

As an amateur radio operator, I might be able to help you diagnose or at least rule out the cause.

Is the interference constant?

If it's there all the time, it's unlikely to be Tetra. A radio signal can only "interfere" with TV reception when the antenna involved is transmitting. The mast itself cannot cause interference to your signal.

Interference from radio transmissions is more likely to be intermittent.

A good high-pass filter at the masthead will help to greatly reduce such interference, or get rid of it completely.

However, if the interference is there constantly there's probably another cause. Aerial misalignment, or poor co-axial cable, or local interference from an electrical source.

LOTTOWINNER

mythicalireland wrote: »

As an amateur radio operator, I might be able to help you diagnose or at least rule out the cause.

Is the interference constant?

Yes

If it's there all the time, it's unlikely to be Tetra. A radio signal can only "interfere" with TV reception when the antenna involved is transmitting. The mast itself cannot cause interference to your signal.

Interference from radio transmissions is more likely to be intermittent.

A good high-pass filter at the masthead will help to greatly reduce such interference, or get rid of it completely.

However, if the interference is there constantly there's probably another cause. Aerial misalignment, or poor co-axial cable, or local interference from an electrical source.

I'm not the only person (house) affected, other people in the village experience the same problem. so I think its not alignment or cables.

mattock

Can anyone recommend someone that can help improve the reception on our TV , we are in mid louth and tv3, tg4 and sometimes rte are virtually impossible to watch.
We dont have any problems with the Uk channels.

Mattock

lucernarian

Mid louth eh?? With a name like that, south louth sounds more like it:p

Is your telly tuned into the right channels? You might have saved weaker channels from Longford or the Dublin Mountains by accident. Also, you might just have an aerial for the NI channels and not a separate RTÉ aerial.

The aerials usually used for Irish channels are much smaller and are in a different group (3 different groups depending on the frequencies the TV channels are broadcast on) and are also lined up differently to the ones typically used for NI TV in mid louth.

They're the most likely causes IMO. How long has this problem been going on for??

There's also a lot of advice to be found in another boards forum and you can post this stuff there: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=56

mythicalireland

Well I am in Drogheda and have just one antenna for all channels, pointing to Clermont Cairn mast above Dundalk. Not sure that anyone should need more than one antenna to be honest, but I have to admit I don't watch analogue TV now, just Sky. So I'm no expert on that!

I'm not sure if these people have tuned weaker channels because it sounds like Lottwinner's problem started in the summer. I take it from that that he/she used to have good reception but that it suddenly deteriorated?

LOTTOWINNER

[QUOTE= it sounds like Lottwinner's problem started in the summer. I take it from that that he/she used to have good reception but that it suddenly deteriorated?[/QUOTE]

That's correct reception use to be very good on all British channels, and something occurred that caused interference, it's actually only the picture that is affected on BBC1, the sound is still fine.
I think to_be_confirmed is correct about the new mast.

Smokecloak

Anyone with poor reception on tv,like I used to have, Should get Freeview. I did. One off payment, and crystal clear reception of Radio and TV. No RTE, but everything else. Why mess about with antennas, when freesat can deliver all stations with no problem.

Dundalk EI7DAR

ComReg advises consumers on television reception being affected by roll out of TETRA mobile radio service


[ Fri, 13th Feb 2009 ]
TETRA, the new mobile radio service for use by the emergency services, is currently being rolled out nationwide. People who live in close proximity to a Garda station or another facility where a TETRA base station is installed may have their television reception affected if they have an unfiltered wideband masthead amplifier installed with their television aerial.

Typically such an amplifier is used for one of three purposes:

1. For receiving television stations that come from outside the Republic of Ireland, usually when the television user lives near the border of Northern Ireland or along the east coast.

2. In remote rural areas where Irish television signals are dissipated and need to be amplified to improve television reception.

3. Where the user splits the television signal received so that it can be distributed to several television sets.

Please note that within the Republic of Ireland no protection is afforded to television services originating from outside the Republic of Ireland such as BBC, ITV and Channel 4.


To increase the strength of a television signal, the television user can take one of two measures:

1. Remove the masthead amplifier. This will allow Irish television stations to be received without degradation of picture quality, however weaker signals from stations outside the Republic of Ireland will no longer be able to be received. This option may not be viable if the user lives in a remote rural area where signals from Irish television stations are weak and a masthead amplifier is required to improve reception.

2. Have a "TETRA reject" or "bandpass" filter added between the aerial and the masthead amplifier. This will prevent unwanted nearby signals such as TETRA, mobile phones and private mobile radio from overloading the masthead amplifier. It should be noted that all filters placed in a television system must be place *before* amplification and that placing a filter *after* a masthead amplifier will not improve television reception.

These filters are available from electrical suppliers who stock television aerial related equipment. If more than one aerial is installed additional filters may be required if such additional aerials use masthead amplifiers.

As access to a rooftop will be required to install the filter in most cases, television users may wish to obtain the services of a television aerial installer or another competent person to fit the filter for them, however an installation fee may be charged if applicable.