Shadow of the Blackstairs!

wex_martron

My parents live close to the blackstaris mountains in wexford. So close that the mountain actually blocks the reception from the Mt. Leinster transmitter. I was on the roof in various places yesterday trying to pickup Saor view with the aerial but with no joy. I did receive about 28 digital channels including BBC, s4c, film 4 etc but not a trace of the Irish ones. Does anyone know what options might be available - a signal booster perhaps but it seems that the signal isn't there at all because I think it would at least show up badly if it was. Any ideas??

The Cush

Use the Saorview coverage checker to find the nearest transmitter (if any) recommed by RTÉNL - http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-switch/coverage-map/

bkehoe

Did you try both polarisations? I imagine from the location that you describe that you should be line of sight to Forth Mountain and it may be possible to pick that up in Vertical.

wex_martron

Thanks for the info guys. They've never been able to receive any Irish stations from where they are. A re-transmitter of sorts was set up in the 80s and we got rte for a good number of years but I think that went by the way with rte being carried with sky. I just think it's unfair to ask people to pay a subscription and a licence!
I hadn't realised there would be different ways to scan for channels so I'll try that at the weekend. My own installation is just a standard fm aerial in the attic so it was easy to set up and I've got a direct sight line with Mt. Leinster.
I looked up the coverage map and their area is marked as covered by october 2012, although it's a patchy area on the map, so I still have some hope that
they'll get it.

zg3409

If it says coverage in October 2012 then unless you are in a hurry, wait until then and retry.

Coverage is based on a rooftop mounted good quality aerial, installed by a professional. If you have problems a specialised masthead amp specifically designed for the right frequency can help. It's very hard to set up a modern TV aerial in a weak signal area. Best to wait until November and get a professional out. Mention you are in a difficult area and they should come prepared to install Saorsat instead of Saorview if no signal can be received with an aerial.

Failing that in October there is Saorsat, which is free but does not carry TV3 and 3E. Saorsat has 100% free coverage but needs a dish. It's only recommended in areas where a professional has failed to get a signal via an aerial.

marclt

There is a small in-fill analogue TX at Monasootagh which is supposed to help with RTE/TG4 signals. It's listed here: http://www.rtenl.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/television-frequencies.pdf

Unless you can pick up Forth Mtn to the south or Gorey to the east, then the option will have to be Saorsat.

What set up do you have? What sort of aerials are you using?

Digifriendly

zg3409 wrote: »

If it says coverage in October 2012 then unless you are in a hurry, wait until then and retry.

Coverage is based on a rooftop mounted good quality aerial, installed by a professional. If you have problems a specialised masthead amp specifically designed for the right frequency can help. It's very hard to set up a modern TV aerial in a weak signal area. Best to wait until November and get a professional out. Mention you are in a difficult area and they should come prepared to install Saorsat instead of Saorview if no signal can be received with an aerial.

Failing that in October there is Saorsat, which is free but does not carry TV3 and 3E. Saorsat has 100% free coverage but needs a dish. It's only recommended in areas where a professional has failed to get a signal via an aerial.

Should that not read 98% or at least a little less than 100% as there will surely be some locations similar to Sky and Freesat where it will be literally impossible to get clear line of sight to the transmitting satellite?

Ronnie Raygun

wex_martron wrote: »

Thanks for the info guys. They've never been able to receive any Irish stations from where they are. A re-transmitter of sorts was set up in the 80s and we got rte for a good number of years ...

Are you on the Wexford/Carlow border to the south of Mt. Leinster? The higher mast might help when it's up & running.

RTENL list a Mt. Leinster low power transmitter with RTE 1 & 2 analogue on UHF channels 29 & 33 respectively, could be your re-transmitter, as such setups can be used to fill gaps close to high power sites, or maybe it was a self-help

zg3409

Digifriendly wrote: »

Should that not read 98% or at least a little less than 100% as there will surely be some locations similar to Sky and Freesat where it will be literally impossible to get clear line of sight to the transmitting satellite?

Technically yes. However Astra 28.2 is more westerly and lower in the Sky. Saorsat is 9 East and higher in the Sky. It is likely most people could get one or the other.

But yes there are people who cannot get Sky due to being blocked to the South East.

zg3409

zg3409 wrote: »

Technically yes. However Astra 28.2 is more westerly and lower in the Sky. Saorsat is 9 East and higher in the Sky. It is likely most people could get one or the other.

But yes there are people who cannot get Sky due to being blocked to the South East.

When I lived in Drumcondra I was one of them. The Dublin-Sligo railway line embankment blocked my line of sight for pretty much any satellite.