RTE DTT in Newry

tvman2

Hi,

Does anyone know if Saorview is available around the Armagh Road area of Newry and if so, is anything other than a standard contract group C/D aerial required. Would like to know before buying a STB for someone who lives in the area. I know Clermont Carn TX aerials radiate only in a SW direction, but was hoping there might be something going north as well.

Thanks.

Digifriendly

I live in Moira c17 miles SW of Belfast and am picking up Saorview (sound no picture due to MPEG format) loud and clear. Mind you I have a 52 element Triax with masthead amplification but I guess Newry should be OK as its much closer to CC than where I am. There has been a slight improvement in signal over last couple of months.

Mayo Exile

The northward restriction on the CC DTT signal should be removed late next year or in early 2013 as analogue switchoff is completed. If you can see CC from the location (hows the current analogue reception?) then a contract C/D aerial should be ok in the future may be ok even now.

No point spending money on larger than necessary aerials, mast head amps etc for only 18 months usage or so.

lucernarian

A plain contract C/D should work now, a piece of wet string will probably work by the beginning of 2013!

tvman2

Thanks for the replies, analogue is ok but with some ghosting. It was supposed to be a kind of surprise gift but think I will take my own STB and try it out before buying another.

lucernarian

You can use an ordinary Freeview STB or TV to scan in the mux from Clermont Carn. Freeview equipment can play the radio stations of Saorview currently and if that works reliably, Saorview equipment will also work.

Digifriendly

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

You can use an ordinary Freeview STB or TV to scan in the mux from Clermont Carn. Freeview equipment can play the radio stations of Saorview currently and if that works reliably, Saorview equipment will also work.

Very good advice before you dish out on buying a Saorview compatible box. I have Saorview radio on 2 PVR's and one TV. Full epg of Saorview TV/Radio stations is useful also to have even if no video.

tvman2

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

You can use an ordinary Freeview STB or TV to scan in the mux from Clermont Carn. Freeview equipment can play the radio stations of Saorview currently and if that works reliably, Saorview equipment will also work.

Thanks again, but believe it or not no TV with Freeview in the house yet!

reboot

I have had no luck receiving C/Carn all along the S.Down coast because of the nulled problem mentioned above.
However big signal from 3 Rock /Kippure coming in without having to even use an amp,I have plenty of hight however at one location.
My other option,which now works,with HD channels is from the low powered relay on the Isle of Mann,its Freeview light,but a year or so ahead of Divis perhaps.
All Channels ,including HD,coming in via a Sony Bravia ,model ending in a 3,or the Tesco STB at £30,and the Makro one at £10.
3 Rock ,as you say Group C/D Hor.
IOM Group B Vert.Good luck.

Digifriendly

reboot wrote: »

I have had no luck receiving C/Carn all along the S.Down coast because of the nulled problem mentioned above.
However big signal from 3 Rock /Kippure coming in without having to even use an amp,I have plenty of hight however at one location.
My other option,which now works,with HD channels is from the low powered relay on the Isle of Mann,its Freeview light,but a year or so ahead of Divis perhaps.
All Channels ,including HD,coming in via a Sony Bravia ,model ending in a 3,or the Tesco STB at £30,and the Makro one at £10.
3 Rock ,as you say Group C/D Hor.
IOM Group B Vert.Good luck.

This is interesting as I'm picking up CC Saorview signal loud and clear here in Moira with no breakup whatsoever.

Peter Rhea

Digifriendly wrote: »

This is interesting as I'm picking up CC Saorview signal loud and clear here in Moira with no breakup whatsoever.

RTE's coverage map shows a patchy area of coverage extending northwards from CC with Moira at its edge. Since this map is in most areas rather pessimistic, it shouldn't really come as a surprise that you have coverage there.
This northern area is, as you no doubt know, due to be filled in & greatly expanded after ASO.

South Down coast has Kippure or Three Rock as recommended transmitters.

reboot

Peter Rhea wrote: »

RTE's coverage map shows a patchy area of coverage extending northwards from CC with Moira at its edge. Since this map is in most areas rather pessimistic, it shouldn't really come as a surprise that you have coverage there.
This northern area is, as you no doubt know, due to be filled in & greatly expanded after ASO.

South Down coast has Kippure or Three Rock as recommended transmitters.

Peter says it all..PS
I gave up on Cairn Hill from Castlewellan,pity,but IOM works well on HD,from Annalong.

SRB

@Reboot Are you seeing much difference between the signal levels of the two muxes ? Here in Portaferry, while 54 increased just before the launch and has remained consistant, 58 varies wildly, sometimes much stronger than 54 t then way down again.

lawhec

Digifriendly wrote: »

This is interesting as I'm picking up CC Saorview signal loud and clear here in Moira with no breakup whatsoever.

The northwards null is not flat over a wide arc, the difference in the null at some bearings close to each other can have a 6-8db difference, not to mention the terrain between transmitter and receiving site. The area of land surrounding the south-east corner of Lough Neagh is pretty flat and has line of sight to Clermont, so it has decent chances of reception even at low powers.

reboot

lawhec wrote: »

The northwards null is not flat over a wide arc, the difference in the null at some bearings close to each other can have a 6-8db difference, not to mention the terrain between transmitter and receiving site. The area of land surrounding the south-east corner of Lough Neagh is pretty flat and has line of sight to Clermont, so it has decent chances of reception even at low powers.

I wonder if you could clear up this Null/sig strength problem I have?
Are we saying that if you have line of sight of C/C,which I almost have,then I should be able to receive the signal.Or if it is severly nulled in my particular direction,wait a year?3 Rock/Kippure not a problem,no amp required.

reboot

SRB wrote: »

@Reboot Are you seeing much difference between the signal levels of the two muxes ? Here in Portaferry, while 54 increased just before the launch and has remained consistant, 58 varies wildly, sometimes much stronger than 54 t then way down again.

Have not been at this location for a while,reading for today to follow.
Sony Bravia on screen bar graph.

Ch 54 Sig.Strength Quality C/N
100% 91 56

Ch 58 100% 82 62 No amp used.


Isle of Mann
SD 100 94 65 amp required


HD 75 91 40

Will monitor the situation over the next week.Good luck.

tvman2

Tried the STB in Newry, all channels are there. Signal level is 55% but signal quality is varying a lot - down to 25% at times. I am leaving the box connected to see how thing pan out over the next week.


Have a few questions:

Is 55% singnal strength Ok and if so what affects signal quality.
Aerial in use is a bog standard contract 10 element group c/d diplexed with a group B for Newry North, no amp.

When RTENL does its DSO will they transfer DTT transmissions to the old analogue panels.

I've attached an old photo I took (by phone camera) of Clermont some time ago

The Cush

tvman2 wrote: »

Is 55% singnal strength Ok and if so what affects signal quality.
Aerial in use is a bog standard contract 10 element group c/d diplexed with a group B for Newry North, no amp.

Not sure what the percentage figures represent in actual numbers but signal strength appears to be a bit low but signal quality is too low at 25%.

Signal quality is the important figure for DTT (with a minimum of 45dBμV signal strength at the iDTV or STB), the higher the signal quality figure the better.

Low signal quality could be down to low signal, aerial problem, co-ax cable problem, interference etc etc.

A masthead amp could reduce the losses thru the cable if you can get a decent signal at the aerial.

lawhec

reboot wrote: »

I wonder if you could clear up this Null/sig strength problem I have?
Are we saying that if you have line of sight of C/C,which I almost have,then I should be able to receive the signal.Or if it is severly nulled in my particular direction,wait a year?3 Rock/Kippure not a problem,no amp required.

Not easy to give a straight answer to that I'm afraid. I did have at one time a list of the directional restrictions in theory and in practice of the DTT stack at Clermont, but I haven't it available right now.

However, I have heard some people over in England say that they cannot get reception of some local DAB services even though they can actually see the mast from which it is transmitting, because of strong nulls in the radiation pattern. For example if a DAB multiplex has a maximum ERP of 1kW at its most powerful bearing, but has a 30db null at another breaing, the ERP at that bearing will be in the region of 1 watt! I think the deepest nulls at the DTT stack at CC is around 30db, so if the Saorview multiplex is say being broadcast at a max ERP of 30kW, at its deepest null it will be around just 30 watts.

reboot

tvman2 wrote: »

Tried the STB in Newry, all channels are there. Signal level is 55% but signal quality is varying a lot - down to 25% at times. I am leaving the box connected to see how thing pan out over the next week.


Have a few questions:

Is 55% singnal strength Ok and if so what affects signal quality.
Aerial in use is a bog standard contract 10 element group c/d diplexed with a group B for Newry North, no amp.

When RTENL does its DSO will they transfer DTT transmissions to the old analogue panels.

I've attached an old photo I took (by phone camera) of Clermont some time ago

Ch 58 rock steady coming into annalong with very old "Bowtie" aerial.

Vince Cable

reboot wrote: »

Ch 58 rock steady coming into annalong with very old "Bowtie" aerial.

Is this relevant to Newry? How many threads have you posted your reception reports on at this stage?

reboot

Vince Cable wrote: »

Is this relevant to Newry? How many threads have you posted your reception reports on at this stage?

Just trying to be helpful,sorry if I offend.

Digifriendly

MY CC DTT signal has improved further over last couple of days. It's absolutely rock solid.

reboot

SRB wrote: »

@Reboot Are you seeing much difference between the signal levels of the two muxes ? Here in Portaferry, while 54 increased just before the launch and has remained consistant, 58 varies wildly, sometimes much stronger than 54 t then way down again.

Seems some people think I have been posting too many threads on reception reports and question the relevance?

Vince Cable

reboot wrote: »

Seems some people think I have been posting too many threads on reception reports and question the relevance?

Well, it's not really any of my business tbh, but you seem to hijack every thread concerning Saorview reception in the north.

reboot

Vince Cable wrote: »

Well, it's not really any of my business tbh, but you seem to hijack every thread concerning Saorview reception in the north.

Not any more.