Height v Line of Sight

Macy0161

I'm just looking for a bit of advice, please...

I'm in the Wicklow mountains and I'm hoping to have a go at getting Preseli signals. I used to get ITV Wales (confirmed as Preseli) coming through the back of a loft mounted grid pointing at Kippure, so I'm hopeful enough to take the punt. There are lots of old, pre satellite, aerials that are pointing towards Preseli too, which gives me added hope.

I've the aerial sourced, so it's really about location at the house.

There are two options:
1) the chimney, which would give me a bit more height, but would be pointing through 4 or 5 lines of tree's
2) the end of the house above soffit level (a bungalow, so I guess circa 15-16 feet up) which would give me a line of sight to the gap in the surrounding hills at a height higher than aforementioned the loft aerial (which as it turns out would be just the other side of the tiles).

I'd really prefer to be working on a ladder rather than the chimney, but if the height would be more advantage than the line of trees would effect the signal, I'll bite the bullet. So, Should I be getting wall brackets or chimney lashing kit?

I have FTA/ Freesat, so it really is the geek in me experimenting so I can't justify a professional installer.

John mac

Macy0161 wrote: »

I'm in the Wicklow mountains and I'm hoping to have a go at getting Preseli signals. I used to get ITV Wales (confirmed as Preseli) coming through the back of a loft mounted grid pointing at Kippure,

If you used to get it then you should have digital signal. have you got a receiver (freeview compatible) to test the signal?

Edit:- but then again maybe not :0

Gerry Wicklow

Agreed, If you got a half decent, watchable ITV analogue before now, DTT should be OK. I've heard reports of people getting Preseli on rabbits ears, and not very high above sea level, here in the south of the county. If you have a suitable TV why not try a few simple experiments before commiting yourself to any gymnastics:)

watty

Line of sight beats going through trees. My 12km distant Woodcock hill is very poor on chimney (Mature row of Beech) and perfect about 2.5m above ground on gable end (LOS of mast UNDER branches between trunks of a pair of Beech).

You might get all presely channels up there if you had analogue,so worth the geek test.
You might even get Blaenplwyf if theres nothing higher in that line of sight either between you and the sea-you are well north of it's Arklow null.

Go for the gable end los thats unobstructed,as long as that is in the direction that presely would be.
If it's a wideband you ordered,don't be afraid to try Blaen.

Macy0161

End wall it is so. It'll probably spur me on that I don't have to get up on the roof.

It wasn't really watchable before, but it was enough to be picked up on the autoscan but very snowy (but with sound), but like I say that was through the rear of a loft mounted wideband grid. I never really tried to get it tbh, as I already had Freesat set up so at the time it was no benefit, but now with our DTT up and running, there's the one epg potential!

I have tried on the receivers I have, but it's not registering and did have a quick play with a smaller wideband with no joy.

I've a group B ready to order, as I don't think blaenplwyf will be a goer due to local topography - there's a gap for Preseli whereas I think I'll be too close to a hill for blaenplwyf.