Highest Gain Aerial Possible needed?

Stinicker

Hi,

I am currently receiving Saorview from Mullaghanish using a standard redtip aerial, however between my aerial and Mullaghanish the signal path is blocked by around 100 wind turbines which renders the signal unusable about 95% of the time due to signal interference from the spinning turbine blades.

As switchover is only days away I have decided to try and do all I can to get Saorview as I am not going to bother with Saorsat as it is a worthless service without TV3 & 3e. The old Analogue transmitter which was satellite fed and broadcasts RTE1, RTE2, TV3 and TG4 via UHF is being shut down leaving the whole place without signal because of the wind farm.

Basically my plan is to get the highest gain aerial possible, (Or two or three of them), stand a metal pole and create an array of aerials to try and capture the scattered signal and I understand that there is a good degree of signal bounce also so my plan is to try and capture the bounced signal from a large mountain nearby and by having two or three aerials combined maybe enough to concentrate the signal enough to provide a stable picture. I am not that far from Mullaghanish and were it not for the damned wind turbines all would be grand.

I am getting an installer to do this with a Meter so as to get the maximum signal attainable. I know it is a bit of a long shot but I have to try either way.

I am not worried about the aerial size once it has a high gain, basically I have something in mind abit like people along the East Coast used to get BBC from Wales years ago before they went FTA on Satellite.

swoofer

why dont you contact RTENL and explain your problem. Then their engineers wil recommend the best course of action, ie best aerial and so on.

Cerco

Removed

swedex

Stinicker wrote: »

I am not worried about the aerial size once it has a high gain, basically I have something in mind abit like people along the East Coast used to get BBC from Wales years ago before they went FTA on Satellite.

Some of those setups are just silly, you'll see a little bungalow with a pole that you have to strain your neck to see the top of it. You probably don't want to hear this but Saorsat might be a better option.

excollier

Possibly the only option, unless you want to line the pockets of Sky share holders.
Relatives of my wife, and several neighbours, have no Saorview reception either (outskirts of Letterkenny) local topography to blame!

Liameter

It is possible to connect two aerials together but the coaxial cables to the phase combiner must be of equal length (and a specific length), otherwise the signals will be out of phase and cancellation will occur.

Maybe one of these: http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/v10_stealth.htm

I've used one myself but it was for analogue and it didn't solve the problems of ghosting that I had, due to reflections from mountains. Also because the aerials are secured at their rear ends, the front ends flapped around in the wind and I had to lash old fibreglass fishing rods in a cross shape to make a rigid structure.

If the wind turbine blade is less wide than the distance between these aerials, you might have a chance of maintaining a more even signal. However, I suspect you'll have to mount them further apart on separate poles and extend the cables by exactly one wavelength in order to maintain the phase relationship.

(As you are not far from the transmitter, I don't think high gain will help.)

Capt'n Midnight

is it possible to point at another transmitter ?

or get a different path by bouncing off a reflector - do any of your neighbours have good reception ?