RTÉ DTT Reception difficulties in parts of the south east.

The Cush

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

I specifically mentioned the PSB muxes remaining in the analogue aerial group after DSO, which they do in the case of Sandy Heath. Reception of the COM multiplexes seem to be an added bonus of DSO in the UK and there's a number of places which will have out of group COM multiplexes. It seems in the case of the

You're correct of course. I missed that, I'll blame it on the late hour

deckstunt

This info is a couple of weeks old but I'll share it anyway. A relative of mine got a new Saorview TV but the reception was mixed. 80%-90% of the time it was fine other times it would break up and be unwatchable. My relation lives in north county Kilkenny and has a clear line of sight of Mt Leinster.

I emailed RTE networks and was told that for the past couple of weeks [a few weeks ago] the Mount Leinster Transmitter was on reduced power for a major mast replacement project. And that it [was] on reduced power for periods between now and the end of the Summer.

Today at my relatives house I looked at Mt Leinster through binoculars and there are now two (big, main) masts on the peak (where before there was only one).

Reception seems to have improved too.

deckstunt

deckstunt wrote: »

Reception seems to have improved too.

Ok, I spoke too soon. Yesterday in the rain the picture was breaking up a lot. Thankfully for the All Ireland throw-in the rain had passed off and the picture was fine. But clearly there is still a reception problem (interestingly the satellite TV reception didn't break up at all in the same rain, and I thought satellite reception was much more prone to rain interference due to signal's GHz wave length)

It may be due to the fact Mt Leinster is one of the few transmitters where the analogue antenna group has changed for the new digital transmissions. (And the tv antenna needs replacing? Not sure if the antenna is [the old analogue] Group A or a wideband.)

Or it may be due to weak signal from Mt Leinster due to maintenance?

Peter Rhea

deckstunt wrote: »

But clearly there is still a reception problem (interestingly the satellite TV reception didn't break up at all in the same rain, and I thought satellite reception was much more prone to rain interference due to signal's GHz wave length)

Is the aerial in the attic? A wet roof won't do your signal any favours or maybe there are trees in the signal path, UHF doesn't seem to like wet leaves.

deckstunt

No, its outside on the chimney of a 2 story house. Clear line-of-sight of the transmitter

Peter Rhea

I think even the aerial getting wet can cause detuning problems. I remember reading something on here about varnishing aerials to stop water buildup.

The fact that the problem clears quickly would seem to rule out water getting into the connections or cable.

deckstunt

Peter Rhea wrote: »

I think even the aerial getting wet can cause detuning problems. I remember reading something on here about varnishing aerials to stop water buildup.

Wow, I never heard that before :eek:. Given Ireland's climate that dosen't bode well.:(

I do need to check the current antenna though. If it s a Group A narrow band that won't help. Digital from Mt Leinster is Group B.

Thanks

Peter Rhea

deckstunt wrote: »

Wow, I never heard that before :eek:. Given Ireland's climate that dosen't bode well.

This is watty's take on it, posted about a year ago; http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67976976&postcount=8

lucernarian

Peter Rhea wrote: »

I think even the aerial getting wet can cause detuning problems. I remember reading something on here about varnishing aerials to stop water buildup.

The fact that the problem clears quickly would seem to rule out water getting into the connections or cable.

I honestly have never experienced any of this, I've never seen rain affect a working outdoor aerial affect reception any more than if it was dry. I've only ever seen wet trees in the direction of the transmitter being an issue. Though there will be situations especially with Saorview where that 1 or 2dB loss will make a massive difference.

deckstunt

Peter Rhea wrote: »

This is watty's take on it, posted about a year ago; http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67976976&postcount=8

Very interesting. Thanks for that link. I never heard that rain actually lodging on the antenna elements could affect reception before, but Watty does know his stuff.

I think there may be a clue to my issue where lawhec says that rain in the atmosphere shouldn't affect the reception unless your receiving distant, fringe signals. I'm guessing that the wrong narrow band antenna [old analogue group A] may give a similar fringe signal effect.

Thanks Peter.

Booms

You could check the signal strength and quality figures for when the picture is good and compare it with the values for when it's bad. Might be informative.

Also follow the cable back from the aerial. Is it going to just one tv? Diplexed with the satellite cable/going to a distribution amp? Check that all the connections are good, especially if any are outside and exposed to the elements.

deckstunt

Booms wrote: »

You could check the signal strength and quality figures for when the picture is good and compare it with the values for when it's bad. Might be informative.

Yeah I did that. But they are basically good when reception is good and bad when its bad!

Booms wrote: »

Also follow the cable back from the aerial. Is it going to just one tv?

The UHF antenna is joined with a VHF antenna using a diplexer on the chimney. The coax goes into a VCR and then passes on to TV.

Booms

Sounds to me like you need to get someone out to check the external connections/equipment. Cheers

Machinehead

Maghera Mux 1 Ch: 48 down atm. Analogue tv still transmitting.

firkin

In case you missed it the frequencies for some transmitters (including Mt Leinster) are going to change in October 2012. So beware if you are going to install an antenna.

watty

Use Group A or Wideband for Mt Leinster. The RTE brochure has always advised Wideband for Mt Leinster.

http://www.saorview.ie/news/2572/

http://www.saortv.info/2011/11/14/aso-retuning/

dowtchaboy

For no reason at all.... here's a shot of Mount Leinster taken yesterday (17th Dec). (taken from Borris, Co Carlow):

Sysmod

If there's a more suitable thread for this kind of question, let me know, but anyway in the last couple of days I've been losing the Forth Mountain signal here on the south side of Tara Hill, Gorey.
Is it them, us, or the weather?

TIA
Patrick

Peter Rhea

Could be co-channel interference from a UK transmitter, maybe Redruth or Huntshaw Cross.

Conditions would suit atm.

blackius

It's the high pressure system.
There are dtt channels coming in from all sorts of crazy places at the moment,it will ease by thursday.

Unfortunately the cut outs from this type of weather will cause a lot of confusion later this year to the by then 10's of 1000's of new saorview viewers.
It will be something analogue viewers especially on vhf won't have had to worry about before.

The dtt platform is far from the perfect vehicle it has been made out to be.
Money is the main driver of the change.

aerial man

blackius wrote: »

It's the high pressure system.
There are dtt channels coming in from all sorts of crazy places at the moment,it will ease by thursday.

Are you getting anything unusual? I haven't had a chance to scan lately. However we're getting Saorview from kippure and I noticed it glitching a few times during the afternoon.

BBC HD from Preseli is very satisfactory, it hasnt cut out once in the last month.... Great for Top Gear :cool:

Gerry Wicklow

I was getting Redruth and Caradon Hill until yesterday with bursts of French DTT on 39 here in south Wickla

jabarrett35

Hi I normally get Ch 42 Preseli but I've got nothing today has anyone an idea why this should be so. The other Preseli MUXES are fine, CH 49 is a bit iffy but that's usual.

blackius

aerial man wrote: »

Are you getting anything unusual? I haven't had a chance to scan lately. However we're getting Saorview from kippure and I noticed it glitching a few times during the afternoon.

BBC HD from Preseli is very satisfactory, it hasnt cut out once in the last month.... Great for Top Gear :cool:

llandonna was mucking with my preseli a bit yesterday a few brief drop outs mainly on hd.
RTE'S arklow tx has been glitching a bit in the last day or two.

blackius

jabarrett35 wrote: »

Hi I normally get Ch 42 Preseli but I've got nothing today has anyone an idea why this should be so. The other Preseli MUXES are fine, CH 49 is a bit iffy but that's usual.

ch 42 up here in arklow has been dropping out a few times,it's co channel aswell,nothing too disruptive , a half second at a time,then grand for ages,then maybe some break up/drop out for a second and back to normal..
It will be back to normal thursday.

It's gone crazy today in England,lots of digital break up and uhf analogue in the london area very co channeled and wavy due to european interference and local uk interference.

Gerry Wicklow

Cheers for that Blackius. I had noticed some drop-outs but blamed weather. Also, according to UKFree there was some engineering work in Preseli last week which disrupted DTT.

FRIENDO

Sysmod wrote: »

If there's a more suitable thread for this kind of question, let me know, but anyway in the last couple of days I've been losing the Forth Mountain signal here on the south side of Tara Hill, Gorey.
Is it them, us, or the weather?

TIA
Patrick

I notice when channel 45 from Preseli is coming in, it effects Forth.

I wonder is Forth some type of relay from channel 45 Mth Lenister ?
Will this be resolved in October when Mth Lenister moves channel ?

I only notice the effect when I have Forth combined, Forth works perfect for me when not combined in all weather.
The last couple of days I have also noticed a drop in signal on Preseli Ch 49.

Peter Rhea

If Forth Mtn. is simply rebroadcasting Mt. Leinster then you would think it would be affected by this kind of thing to some degree, no matter how directional its receive aerials are.

bernardo mac

tv/radio signal loss in the past 24 hours in Nth Wexford.Saorview picture freezing and sound loss at a rate not experienced before

warlikedave

bernardo mac wrote: »

tv/radio signal loss in the past 24 hours in Nth Wexford.Saorview picture freezing and sound loss at a rate not experienced before

Whats your setup like and where are you getting you signal from? ive noticed no interference even with all the high pressure on saorview but i had a installer come out just before christmass to put up my dish (for freeesat) and wideband 48 element up on the roof and pointed it at mount leinster so id probably wouldnt get any inteferrence (got sick of all the interferrence myself lol)

Mount leinster will be changing channels in oct 2012 anyways so there wont be any more co-channel interferrence