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.

reslfj

Stinicker wrote: »

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.
I am not that far from Mullaghanish and were it not for the damned wind turbines all would be grand.

This may be the wind farm, but I am not at all sure. Mullaghanish is at 200kW the most powerful DTT transmitter in the ROI and all DTT signals are robust against multipath.

• How does the present analogue signal from Mullaghanish look ?
• What kind of setup have you tested for Saorview ? aerial, cable, amps, box/idtv ?
• What readings do you get on the Saorview box for signal strength and quality?
• What is the correlation with wind speed and direction ?
• Have you talked to others in the area where you live about problems with Mullaghanish and Saorview?
• What does a local aerial installer say about such problems and what will he recommend?

I don't think just combining the signals from more aerials will solve your problem.

If you want to try to combine more aerial signals -you could buy an USB DVB-T stick which has a Dibcom diversity chip inside. It has two DVB-T receivers in the chip and selects the best part of each signal received. It has two aerial inputs and you can try with two - roftop -aerials mounted some meters apart. Each aerial must feet its own input in the 'USB diversity stick'. There are more brands on the market e.g.
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_novatdstick.html
You may need some more fittings in addition to those included.

The Dibcom chip will combine two signals much better that just combining the coax signals. It will no help much with the line of sight signals, but ít will be much better with multipath signals.
Be sure to get software supporting MPEG-4 High Profile Level 4.0. There is a forum on the Happauge.co.uk web.

I think I would - myself - just ask a prof installer for a price for getting Saorview to work!

Lars


PS! The Dibcom chip can act as two independent DVB-T receivers, but in this case the two receivers must combine their signals and they will work like one DVB-T receiver to your computer program.

marno21

By standard redtip do you mean a regular contract aerial? Without LOS, a contact aerial might be the reason, and might pick up very poor signal regardless of wind turbines.

Be no harm to try one multi element yagi first instead of going from a contract to a multi yagi array :-P

Stinicker

reslfj wrote: »

This may be the wind farm, but I am not at all sure. Mullaghanish is at 200kW the most powerful DTT transmitter in the ROI and all DTT signals are robust against multipath.

• How does the present analogue signal from Mullaghanish look ?
• What kind of setup have you tested for Saorview ? aerial, cable, amps, box/idtv ?
• What readings do you get on the Saorview box for signal strength and quality?
• What is the correlation with wind speed and direction ?
• Have you talked to others in the area where you live about problems with Mullaghanish and Saorview?
• What does a local aerial installer say about such problems and what will he recommend?

I don't think just combining the signals from more aerials will solve your problem.

If you want to try to combine more aerial signals -you could buy an USB DVB-T stick which has a Dibcom diversity chip inside. It has two DVB-T receivers in the chip and selects the best part of each signal received. It has two aerial inputs and you can try with two - roftop -aerials mounted some meters apart. Each aerial must feet its own input in the 'USB diversity stick'. There are more brands on the market e.g.
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_novatdstick.html
You may need some more fittings in addition to those included.

The Dibcom chip will combine two signals much better that just combining the coax signals. It will no help much with the line of sight signals, but ít will be much better with multipath signals.
Be sure to get software supporting MPEG-4 High Profile Level 4.0. There is a forum on the Happauge.co.uk web.

I think I would - myself - just ask a prof installer for a price for getting Saorview to work!

Lars


PS! The Dibcom chip can act as two independent DVB-T receivers, but in this case the two receivers must combine their signals and they will work like one DVB-T receiver to your computer program.

The old analgoue reception from Mullaghanish was obliterated when the windfarm was built back 6 years ago, it became nothing more than a cracking, hissing and jumping picture of pure snow. The local relay that replaced it was a brilliant picture as far as analogue goes.

I have tested it myself with two different Panasonic iDTV's and three DTT receivers, every single one experiences the reception breakup problem. Many other people locally are having the same problem and it was proven to be caused by the turbines back a number of years ago when the analogue system began to deteriorate as the first turbines were built.

My aerial is just like this,

Knasher

Have you tried receiving from one of the other transmitters? Mullaghanish is near a couple of other transmitters (~40km) and you might be able to receive a signal from one of those instead. Just FYI the red tipped antenna is frequency specific, so you may need a wideband antenna or antenna for a different frequency.

marno21

Tell us whereabouts you are and we can advise on the correct transmitter to use. We don't know if you're blocked by windfarms in Rockchapel or Dunmanway, and of course all areas have diffrent setups

Stinicker

marno21 wrote: »

Tell us whereabouts you are and we can advise on the correct transmitter to use. We don't know if you're blocked by windfarms in Rockchapel or Dunmanway, and of course all areas have diffrent setups

Just near Kenmare (in Kerry), the Wind farms in Kilgarvan is causing the problem.

Sponge Bob

Since analogue switchover in Wales 2 or 3 years back at least 5 DTT relay transmitters have been installed to mitigate windfarm interference issues.

Why not email the BBC who can calculate the 'effect' and tell you if a relay is needed. Th eplanning enforcement people in Cork or Kerry can then lean on the windfarm operators for you.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/info/windfarm_tool.shtml

google for wind farm wales interference

http://www.llanbrynmairwindfarm.co.uk/about-the-project/common-questions.aspx

Kristopherus

Stinicker wrote: »

Just near Kenmare (in Kerry), the Wind farms in Kilgarvan is causing the problem.

Did the bould Jackie or Michileen not do anything to stop that development? Or did the provide the plant to do the groundworks?;)

Knasher

According to mpeg4ireland there is a relay in Bantry which is about the same distance from you as Mullaghanish, you should try pointing towards that instead, though you will need an antenna in the C/D frequency class for the Bantry transmitter.

Peter Rhea

Bantry?! From Kenmare? I think the mountains on the Beara peninsula might have something to say about that.

Stinicker

Nah, its Mullaghanish or bust for me I'm afraid.

gerryo

Stinicker wrote: »

Nah, its Mullaghanish or bust for me I'm afraid.

Does not seem fair you have to spend way over the usual installation costs to get a viewable signal.
If you & others are in the same situation, it must warrant official investigation & maybe a solution for the local community.