Need aerial advice

Skygord

I've got OpenELEC (Kodi 14.2) on a box with two tuners:

a DVB-S which is connects to the old sky dish for the freesat channels, and is working nicely

and a DVB-T2 tuner (PCTV Systems DVB-T2 292e nanoStick HD TV Tuner) for the Saorview free channels.

I don't have an aerial at the house. I set the terrestrial tuner up with the tiny desktop aerial (straight rod that looks like a car aerial, but only a foot long) that comes with it, and it works fairly well, but now want to get a more permanent aerial. I bought a small indoor 42dB one from Argos but the reception was crappier than the supplied tiny rod aerial.

I live in Knocknacarra Galway, only 1km from Tonabrocky aerial (but it isn't line of sight). saorview.ie coverage guide suggests pointing to Maghera in Clare 42km away).

Will I need an outdoor aerial? Will an indoor one pick up from Tonabrocky which is so close. What time of indoor aerial can anyone recommend - I did think that as the tiny rod aerial works OK that the 42db one I bought would work OK, but it didn't.

All help appreciated

Dozer Dave

A clothes hangers will do the job just fine.

Skygord

Dozer Dave wrote: »

A clothes hangers will do the job just fine.

The small rod aerial doesn't get perfect reception. The 42dB indoor aerial got terrible reception. Given these experiences I doubt that a clothes hanger will do better.

Gerry Wicklow

AFAIK Tonabrocky is vertically polarised. The aerial you got from Argos would need to be turned on it's side, with the transmitter to the right of this image, to work properly.

winston_1

Skygord wrote: »

I bought a small indoor 42dB one from Argos but the reception was crappier than the supplied tiny rod aerial.

All help appreciated

There are no 42dB TV aerials. You would need a dish several metres in diameter to get that sort of gain. What you bought was a crappy aerial, probably without any gain, with a 42dB amplifier on it. Great for increasing the noise level by 42dB but useless for TV. Amplifiers are designed to overcome the loss on a long run of cable which you don't have on an indoor aerial.

This is the one you want:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Telecam-TCE2000-Indoor-Aerial-Antenna/dp/B00IUC9CZ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429625542&sr=8-1&keywords=tce+2000

It goes without saying don't get the amplified version.

MenloPete

Or just drop into Costello & Gibbons Electrical Supplies on the Tuam Road for an aerial at a reasonable price (I have no connection with the store, by the way)

Thurston?

Skygord wrote: »

I live in Knocknacarra Galway, only 1km from Tonabrocky aerial (but it isn't line of sight). saorview.ie coverage guide suggests pointing to Maghera in Clare 42km away).

Will I need an outdoor aerial? Will an indoor one pick up from Tonabrocky which is so close. What time of indoor aerial can anyone recommend - I did think that as the tiny rod aerial works OK that the 42db one I bought would work OK, but it didn't.

I'd doubt anywhere that close to Tonabrocky is non-LOS, & once you get inside about 1.7 km, it should be a more powerful signal than Maghera at around 42 km, assuming LOS to both & you're receiving only the direct ray.

Did you try moving the indoor aerial around? (Might have to extend the cable.) Maybe try to place it near a window facing each transmitter, & see which delivers the best result.

Galway

Thurston? wrote: »

I'd doubt anywhere that close to Tonabrocky is non-LOS, & once you get inside about 1.7 km, it should be a more powerful signal than Maghera at around 42 km, assuming LOS to both & you're receiving only the direct ray.

Did you try moving the indoor aerial around? (Might have to extend the cable.) Maybe try to place it near a window facing each transmitter, & see which delivers the best result.

I did an attic installation for a work colleague in Westside (close to Dunnes) and initially used Tonabrucky. There was no LOS but there was a steep incline and trees, plus having to direct the aerial through roof tiles and adjacent loft space. Tonabrucky had eventually to be abandoned due to a lot of 'popping' on all tv channels. Maghera was used as an alternative with a clearer view out to the south-east and the problem was resolved. Maghera actually came through with more stable and higher signal and quality levels (I used a Horizon meter). I myself am some 30 km from Tonabrucky but have LOS to it at gutter level at my location. Using a high gain Group A Antiference XG8 aerial I get excellent signal and quality levels on my meter (gives 5*) at that distance. The aerial is mounted a few feet above gutter level and not at the highest point on the house. The signal from Tonabrucky is only 250 watts and so is travelling well outside the intended service area. The signal may be restricted to the North West to protect Clifden which uses the same channels (23 & 26). One thing to remember with Tonabrucky (and Clifden) is that both use VERTICAL polarisation whereas all main transmitters with the exception of Clermont Carn use horizontal polarisation.