Receiving UK stations in the Republic

dpat1l

Peter Rhea wrote: »

If you don't register a signal using the aerial you already have, I would say there is nothing there worth working with. 'Working with' could mean buying a better aerial or getting a pro installation.

Okay... thanks. I'm free all day tomorrow so I'll have the time to try and retry Kilkeel Divis and Brougher...

The Cush

Have a look at the Blake DMX hi-gain range of aerials - http://www.blake-uk.com/12-dmx-high-gain

lucernarian

I tried Brougher Mountain from somewhere even higher than the Hill of Rath in south Louth recently and it was very, very difficult to pick up anything. Divis much easier despite somewhat worse local terrain for picking up Divis.

I think having a Kilkeel aerial installed outside but installed somewhere near gutter level and at a point where the house gets in the way of southeast views would be best. I.e. installing the aerial high but not where it would clear the roof, somewhere northwest facing but with okay line of sight to Kilkeel.

Or else trying for Divis using as much height as possible and as good a Group A aerial as possible (and horizontally polarised. Kilkeel is vertically polarised by comparison).

It was rarely a problem for me growing up as I wouldn't watch TV when the weather was very good but without fail Kilkeel reception would be wiped out where I lived. In more recent years I could pick up Blaenplywf despite having a hill in the way and Caldbeck from Cumbria would romp in while Kilkeel was gone.

Ronnie Raygun

whitebriar wrote: »

... I couldn't comment on how wide or narrow the kilkeel beam would be at the Op's location.
That will depend on the topography.

Would have to be pretty extreme topography to produce a "beam" of any kind. I'd doubt the OP's aerial is pointing down a tunnel through a mountain or anything like. (Say a "tunnel" formed by trees.)

whitebriar

unless you understood,that beam is my term for what the aerial see's of any useable signal,in which case,using my term,we know,that there is a beam there.
I still can't comment on the op's local topography though,never having seen it.

Ronnie Raygun

There's no "wide or narrow beam" though. The beamwidth will depend solely on the receiving aerial.

Don't confuse your perception of how things work with how they actually work.

whitebriar

No confusion.
Received beam and transmitted beam always vary due to topography.

Ronnie Raygun

Anyone that knows the slightest bit about this subject will know something of the effects of terrain.

I'm just going to cut to the chase, rather than argue the technical side of things. What you've done here (as usual) is assert some gobbledygook notion that might impress those who don't know any better & at the same time, is too vague to be picked apart by those who do.

Just needless waffle that adds nothing to the thread.

whitebriar

Ronnie Raygun wrote: »

Anyone that knows the slightest bit about this subject will know something of the effects of terrain.

I'm just going to cut to the chase, rather than argue the technical side of things. What you've done here (as usual) is assert some gobbledygook notion that might impress those who don't know any better & at the same time, is too vague to be picked apart by those who do.

Just needless waffle that adds nothing to the thread.

I suggest it would be better to ask the op if I've added anything useful to this thread and leave any prejudices out of it.

Ronnie Raygun

The point I am making is that the OP more than likely wouldn't be able to "sort the wheat from the chaff" & just has to trust in what is offered here.

Hedge11

dpat1l wrote: »

Okay... thanks. I'm free all day tomorrow so I'll have the time to try and retry Kilkeel Divis and Brougher...

Did you get anything or did they all disappear along with the good weather?

dpat1l

Hedge11 wrote: »

Did you get anything or did they all disappear along with the good weather?

They all but disappeared along with the weather I don't understand it... some days, no matter what the weather it will give 50% quality and a good picture with very little breaking up, and other days, it could be perfectly clear, or cloudy, or anything, and I get nothing! I've still got them saved on the EPG and sometimes I get lucky, but for the most part, they're gone again.

dpat1l

Just a quick update: Yesterday I decided I'd try once more, and if i couldn't get ANYTHING, I was going to get Freesat, but I moved the same aerial as far north as I could withoug having to take it off the pole. I decided "it's in the right general direction, I'll give it a go.", first try i got both Camlough muxes with ~85% Quality and 68% Strength. Perfectly watchable and neither Quality of Strength have changed in the last 24 hours.

I'll leave it as it is for a couple of weeks and see if it stays reliable, and then see about getting a better aerial once I know it will be viable for the future. But for now at least it's all good!

whitebriar

Keep us posted.

Peter Rhea

dpat1l wrote: »

. . . I moved the same aerial as far north as I could withoug having to take it off the pole. I decided "it's in the right general direction, I'll give it a go.", first try i got both Camlough muxes with ~85% Quality and 68% Strength.

Did you try Divis at any stage? Its aerials are a good 500ft. higher than Camlough & it has 200 times the power on the PSB muxes, 100 times for the coms.

I know it's twice as far away as Camlough & has a mountain or 2 not doing it any favours, but they can get it in Dundalk, more in the shadow of the mountains.

dpat1l

I tried the first time I was trying ang got nothing... But then again, I didn't get anything from Kilkeel or Camlough either, so now that I know I can get Camlough back, I'll try Divis again - At this stage (I hope) i've nothing to lose! I'll post again when I've tried

Thanks