Atmospheric Conditions & Saorview reception

Jim from Cork

I am based in Glanmire. I have been getting intermittent picture problems and I am wondering what effect atmospheric conditions have on reception.

I tuned in to see some of the hurling yesterday afternoon. It was raining just before the throw-in and my picture was unwatchable – stuttering and freezing.

Later, after the rain stopped, the picture improved again. I have seen very heavy rain effect my SKY reception. The rain yesterday was not that heavy.

Anybody else suffering? Is digital prone to interruption by rain etc?

Mr McBoatface

What's your Aerial set-up :- what type and is it indoor, outdoor ....

I've never had issue's with breakup or glitches with my loft Aerial, but my parents cheap set of rabbit ears beside their TV does give the odd glitch in bad weather, to be honest they don't notice it at all but I do. I'm planning to set them up with an outdoor Aerial later in the summer when I get a chance.

Vince Cable

Jim from Cork wrote: »

Is digital prone to interruption by rain etc?

It shouldn't be, but it doesn't stop people mistaking the inadequacies of their own reception setup for weather or broadcaster related problems.

jett

I am getting the same thing.
It seems random, sometimes late am and mid afternoon.
Sometimes in sunshine, sometimes in light rain.
I am 5 miles from transmitter and ariel is on a 40mm heavy galv. pipe mount.
Cannot observe any " flutter" on the ariel, which is the best quality.
As I said before the whole thing seems to be a farce and a waste of money.
We pay a licence fee and I see no reason why its not freeview on the satellite for State channels, even if there was a licence fee increase to cover the costs it would have been better all round.
I remember someone saying that at least it would be available terrestial if the satelites ceased to function . If the satelites packed up ( for whatever reason)I doubt if there would be any world as we know it left.
Cynically I suspect it was a plot to boost sales of televisions and ancillary items.
If I can get streaming videos on broadband by ariel, surely its not rocket science to deliver it to a telly?

Vince Cable

Which transmitter? Is it the recommended one for your area (never mind the distance)?

Are there hills, trees or other obstructions, have you tried alternative transmitters?

Who installed your aerial?

Jim from Cork

Thanks for the replies.
I have an external aerial. It is fitted with a few years. The aerial is pointing in a line with Watergrasshill and the airport (I am not sure which is the "front" of the aerial)
Just checked out my picture and it is 100% today.
There was little or no wind yesterday while it was raining.
Picture of aerial:

Vince Cable

Are the Saorview channels on UHF 45 or 47?

Your aerial was probably pointed at Spur Hill to get all the analogue channels, what are they like?
The Glanmire transmitter would be another option now, unless of course you're already receiving from it. Check the coverage map for its location.

Kevin0218

Hi Jim,

I too live in Glanmire & am having the same problems. I have Saorview about 3 months & it worked perfectly for the first 2 months. I rang up Saorview last Wed, they said they would check it out & call me but no reply yet.
I've plugged it out & gone back to the old analogue signal.

I'll let you know if Saorview come back to me!

jaggiebunnet

Hi Jim

I had no problems yesterday with the Glanmire transmitter (broadcast on ch 54 I think - tho my memory is shocking so don't hold me to it). My aerial is in the attic and reception is always fine except for the other week there when there was no coverage at all due to an outage for a week after the launch. Since then it has been perfect. I noticed one of the neighbours 2 or 3 doors up from me (chimney mounted) aerials points in the total different direction from me (tho if I turn my aerial that way I get feck all signal) so I don't know.

Not much help I know but I don't think I am point to watergrasshill.

Peter Rhea

jett wrote: »

As I said before the whole thing seems to be a farce and a waste of money.
We pay a licence fee . . .

What did you do for tv before Saorview, how good is analogue reception?

Cynically I suspect it was a plot to boost sales of televisions and ancillary items.

Don't think so, but if it encourages people to invest in decent aerial setups & be more aware of their operation, that will be no harm.

jett

I used and still use freeview satelite that i installed myself.
My terrestial was and is rubish.
My point is that the States RTE channels could be easily viewed by the satelite system.
Britain has all theirs on freeview satelite.
Why should Sky have a monopoly on this countries channels.
Its obvious from this forum that people are having problems. Considering how few people are on this forum it indicates to me that lots of people are getting a poor reception.
There is no excuse for pictures breaking up.
If it was a car it would be back at the dealers.

jett

jett wrote: »

I remember someone saying that at least it would be available terrestial if the satelites ceased to function . If the satelites packed up ( for whatever reason)I doubt if there would be any world as we know it left.
Cynically I suspect it was a plot to boost sales of televisions and ancillary items.
If I can get streaming videos on broadband by ariel, surely its not rocket science to deliver it to a telly?

Satellites can and do fail. Even Eurobird packed in for a few hours not too long ago.

Why are people so quick to bash RTE, yet believe the BBC's sh*t doesn't stink?

Peter Rhea

jett wrote: »

My terrestial was and is rubish.

Have you tried to diagnose & maybe remedy the problem, if possible?

There is no excuse for pictures breaking up.
If it was a car it would be back at the dealers.

That's not a great analogy, a car is a self contained machine. Tv has a transmission and reception side seperate from each other with the provider only responsible for their own end (although obviously if this is below par it will affect reception).

Galway

Jim from Cork wrote: »

I am based in Glanmire. I have been getting intermittent picture problems and I am wondering what effect atmospheric conditions have on reception.

I tuned in to see some of the hurling yesterday afternoon. It was raining just before the throw-in and my picture was unwatchable – stuttering and freezing.

Later, after the rain stopped, the picture improved again. I have seen very heavy rain effect my SKY reception. The rain yesterday was not that heavy.

Anybody else suffering? Is digital prone to interruption by rain etc?

Could it be Sporadic E interference??

rebeve

Live in the blackrock area Cork .Never had a problem with my saorview reception .It was very glitchy during the Waterford v Limerick match yesterday .Signal strength was 77% and quality was 95% ,all the other channels were fine .Aerial in the loft pointing at Collins barracks.Always had a very poor analogue reception

Vince Cable

rebeve wrote: »

all the other channels were fine .

What other channels? Saorview's all on one UHF channel.

rebeve

Vince Cable wrote: »

What other channels? Saorview's all on one UHF channel.

RTE -1
TV3
NEWS 24
E3
TG4

The problem was only on rte 2 molly ya hd

Jim from Cork

My analogue reception was always crap here in Glanmire.
My Saorview has been perfect all night... There's rain forecast for tomorrow night...I'll see then if there is any change. I'll also investigate the direction of my aerial.
Based on the picture above, can anybody advise which is the "front" (pointing towards the signal) side of the aerial?

The Cush

Jim from Cork wrote: »

Based on the picture above, can anybody advise which is the "front" (pointing towards the signal) side of the aerial?

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/aerials.html

Bow-tie directors are at the front, grid reflector at the rear.

Vince Cable

Jim from Cork wrote: »

Based on the picture above, can anybody advise which is the "front" (pointing towards the signal) side of the aerial?

It's facing 'out' of the photo, like the sat. dish.

Vince Cable

rebeve wrote: »

The problem was only on rte 2

What kind of tv/box do you have?

Do you only have one version of each channel or has your receiver tuned other weaker transmissions, how are the channels stored/numbered?

sattv

There shouldn't be a problem in the Glanmire area for Saorview reception, however if the reception is analogue then you may have some issues due to the change that RTE are carrying out on their transmitters at present while they are upgrading and moving to the digital platform. Both spur hill and Collins barracks are giving out great digital signal with the new TV's or the Saorview boxes.
If you are still having problems then check out Aiss (All in System Services) in Northpoint Business Park Blackpool and they will check it out for you and advise the best possible solution.

If your set up is Rte through Sky and you are having problems with light rain then there is probably an issue with your Dish set up and again Aiss can sort it out for you. Very reasonable and nice guy's.

rebeve

Vince Cable wrote: »

What kind of tv/box do you have?

Do you only have one version of each channel or has your receiver tuned other weaker transmissions, how are the channels stored/numbered?

I have an lg lh3000 .I have only one version of each channel .Stored auto ,numbered 1 to 8 .

jett

I am not having a go at RTE, in fact I am keen to receive the States television rather than the BBC.
Today it is sunny with a strong crosswind and the picture is okay so its not ariel deflection.
If it was cable it would not be intermittant.
If it was direction or ariel type it would be constantly flawed.
A satelite packing up for a short while is hardly a problem, we have more outages due to power cuts in the year rather than that.
People seem to be having problems, that is a fact.
In Britain the freeview has worked fine for years. This is despite tower blocks and other obstructions. You get a box, plug it in, autotune and it works straight away.
It seems that like the Government there is always some excuse rather than a reason for things being not quite right.

Booms

@ Jett:
What are you using to receive DTT - TV or external box?
Have you checked your signal strength and/or quality?
Is it strong, weak, stable or intermittent?
(some boxes only have one signal indicated, which would be quality)
What channel is your saorview signal coming in on?

Can you try your saorview receiver with a neighbour's aerial system, to see if it gives the same results (especially the signal readings)?

jett

Its through the TV.
There is no strength indicator ( that I know of) Surely I am not expected to get some kind of metering device to set up a simple ariel direction. It picks up the same result 20 deg off the transmitter either way. Using the direction advised, compass ( well away from the pole) and dead reckoning by visual against map I reckon I am in line with the transmitter.
Its self tuning and whilst I forget the channel number I remember it was the correct one, it wouldn't self tune otherwise would it?
What I am trying to say is that the whole system should work in a simple way.
It should not need any technical expertise or the kind help of members of this forum to obtain a functioning sysytem.
I have gone down the whole fault finding route with the helpline and have got no answer, they are very helpfull but the conclusion is nil.

Peter Rhea

jett wrote: »

Its self tuning and whilst I forget the channel number I remember it was the correct one, it wouldn't self tune otherwise would it?

If the tv picks up a transmission lower down the frequency band than the one you want, it might store these channels as 1st choice, are there any duplicates?

Where are you & which transmitter are you trying to pick up?

What I am trying to say is that the whole system should work in a simple way.
It should not need any technical expertise or the kind help of members of this forum to obtain a functioning sysytem.

Too many people seem to forget that television is a technical thing, because it's so commonplace now.
Maybe you should call in an installer.

Peter Rhea

jett wrote: »

In Britain the freeview has worked fine for years. This is despite tower blocks and other obstructions. You get a box, plug it in, autotune and it works straight away.

Spend half an hour looking at the UK forums & you'll see you're way off with that one.

Vince Cable

jett wrote: »

I have gone down the whole fault finding route with the helpline and have got no answer, they are very helpfull but the conclusion is nil.

You said in an earlier post that your 'terrestrial was and is rubbish'.

You can't expect the digital transmissions to magically fix that. Do you have a choice of transmitter?

Jim from Cork

Well, There was I watching the six-one news with a perfect picture...down came the rain and I am left with an unwatchable stuttering mess.

Not sure where I go from here

pegasuspub

sounds to me as if you are getting dampness/water into your coax cable,possibly where the cable is connected to the aerial,or maybe if there are any outside joints in the cable,
some installers simply run the cable loose up along the slates or tiles ,up along the roof,it can then flap about in the wind and eventually the outer cover of the coax cable begins to fray and perish allowing water ingress,
if the connection at your aerial is corroded,you may not see any corrosion on the down lead in the house,hope this may help.

Booms

@jett:

You really need to know what signal strength you're getting from the aerial.
It's part of the chain that starts at the studio and finishes at your tv screen.

Anything on that path can reduce it to a point where you won't get a reliable digital signal.

So it could be that you're in a low signal strength area.

The only part you have any control over is the aerial system, so it's good procedure to ensure that your aerial is getting the best signal it can.

That's why I suggested looking at your signal strength. It'll be in your system menu, unfortunately as we don't know what your tv is, we can't advise how to get this information up on screen. If you've rung a helpline, they should have at least asked you what your strength/quality is like.

Plenty of people here will be glad to help, as a lot of us on this forum find this stuff interesting, but not everyone does. If it's getting you down, then Peter Rhea's suggestion of calling an installer is a good idea.:)

@Jim from Cork:
Can you check is there water getting into your cable somewhere, either at the aerial, junction box, or somewhere where it's abrading?

jett

jett wrote: »

A satelite packing up for a short while is hardly a problem, we have more outages due to power cuts in the year rather than that.

Maybe so, but not if this happens!

jett

I installed the ariel, cable, mast myself. I have checked every connection and inspected for water ingress.
My telly is an LG 26 LD3 and I am damned if I can find a signal strength indicator in the menu.
Yesterday gale force wind, a wobble on the mast, rain and a perfect picture?
If it works correctly most of the time then I fail to see how it can be installation.
It would need metering when the picture breaks up I guess?
It is 5 miles almost clear line of sight to the transmitter. I cannot see the transmitter bcecause I cannot see clearly that far. But I can identify its position by map and compass.
Fed up with walking about on the roof.
Thanks for the help but I will leave it there.

Peter Rhea

jett wrote: »

If it works correctly most of the time then I fail to see how it can be installation.

Digital transmissions will work perfectly on 'just enough' signal but any drop below this & complete failure is the result.
You need to have a bit of extra margin in your system.

Vince Cable

jett wrote: »

It is 5 miles almost clear line of sight to the transmitter. I cannot see the transmitter bcecause I cannot see clearly that far.

Is it a high powered main transmitter (usually visible for miles though)?

You can have too much signal as well as too little.

Booms

don't know if it's the same as Jett's TV, but LG320 has signal strength display, including channel number.

Go Menu --> Set up --> Diagnostics

Displays signal bar.

jett

In setup manual tune I found signal info.
Strength 22% quality 100%
Its raining and picture is fine.
Is 22% okay?

chelskifan

Hi All,
Posting this here rather than starting a new thread.
Benn having breakup over the last week or so on a Walker 22" mainly on TV3
but also to a lesser degree on RTE1. I did a re-scan last night and checked all connections but no luck .Aerial is in the attic with no problems to date since instal a few months ago. Reception frm 3Rock.

I was wondering has anyone in the Swords area been experiencing any similar problems ? I'm on the south side of Swords....is 'airport' interferrence possible ? Thanks for any feedback.

Vince Cable

jett wrote: »

Is 22% okay?

Trying not to be a smartass, but if it was ok you wouldn't be having problems.

Are you using the recommended transmitter for your location? The nearest one mightn't necessarily be putting out much signal in your particular direction if its coverage area is elsewhere.

Booms

22% for a local transmitter is very low. 100% quality shows you're not receiving any interference, so that's good. (You obviously used good cable)

You probably know this already, but is your aerial mounted with the correct polarity? (horizontal or vertical). If it's the opposite to what it should be, there'll be a huge drop in signal strength. Check your neighbour's aerials that are pointed in the same direction, and see do they match.

If you let us know the general area where you are, and the channel number with the 22% signal, someone will be able to tell if you can go for a different transmitter that may be better for you.

If you do try to improve the aerial alignment, there's a few seconds delay between moving it, and the change showing up on the screen, so very small movements one at a time is best.

jett

I cannot get a signal from the reccomended transmitter. Possibly due to trees?
So I used another one that is closer.
I will move ariel slightly and see if it improoves. When its dry:D
I was amazed that the signal indicator was only on manual tuning, I had never looked there having used the auto tune.
BTW It may seem a stupid question but what is usual signal strength, does anyone get 100%?

Gerry Wicklow

My LG says an average of 80% signal on both Irish and Welsh DTT

Booms

What you could do, without going up on the roof, is set up manual tune, and enter the other uhf channel numbers from 21- 68.

I have a set top box, and without doing a scan, when I enter the number of the channel on manual scan, if there is a signal, it will show up on the screen after about fifteen seconds.

This could be a quick way for you to find out what possible other signals your aerial is receiving. If there is a strong signal you can then do a manual scan on that channel.

My box only indicates quality, and is generally about 65 - 80%, but that is because the aerial is pointing north east instead of south where my local transmitter (Three Rock) is.

Mexecutioner

jett wrote: »

I cannot get a signal from the reccomended transmitter. Possibly due to trees?
So I used another one that is closer.
I will move ariel slightly and see if it improoves. . .

It won't. Most people with reception problems here will at least tell other forum members where they are & what transmitter they are trying to receive.

Some of us might have knowledge of the coverage of some of the smaller sites; you may be trying to get a signal in a rural area from a tx that's directed at a certain town, for example.

jett

I had posted this on another thread.
I am supposed to use Mitchelstown, which up to a few weeks ago was okay.
Then no signal, having gone through it all with the helpline I reasoned that it may be the trees getting in leaf that was the problem.
So I aimed it at Cahir and got an instant result.
Its been okay this last few days, even in high wind and torrential rain.
Although when I search for my area ( which I won't reveal on the web) it says Mitchelstown. Yet for an area within a mile sight of me to the East it says Cahir. An area a mile further North it says Clonmel, which considering Cahir is nearer seems strange.
I guess this is due to the fact that there are lots of small settlements over a wide area and the location site must make compromises.

Vince Cable

What about Mullaghanish or Mt. Leinster?

Ronnie Raygun

jett wrote: »

I am supposed to use Mitchelstown, which up to a few weeks ago was okay.
Then no signal, having gone through it all with the helpline I reasoned that it may be the trees getting in leaf that was the problem.
So I aimed it at Cahir and got an instant result.

It's been mentioned already but is the aerial correctly polarised?

Mexecutioner

jett wrote: »

Cannot observe any " flutter" on the ariel...

I don't think that's been a problem since the days of 10ft. wide band I VHF aerials.

Booms

Both Mitchelstown and Cahir are vertically polarised.
Have you tried horizontal polarisation for the horizontal transmitters?
e.g. Clonmel or Mount Leinster to NW, Dungarvan to South ? (Approximate directions for location south of Cahir)
Just because they're further away doesn't mean you won't get a stronger more reliable signal.