Saorview - Attic Installation

mossy464

Hi,

So I've put an aerial in the attic for Saorview and used some existing cabling going to 2 rooms. Cable from the aerial is going into a splitter which goes to the 2 rooms.

I'm still messing about with the aerial to get it in the right position but having trouble getting RTE1 in the clear without any interference. All the other channels work perfectly.

Should I use a booster since I'm splitting the signal? Any advice?

Cheers.

Thurston?

Have you brought anything into the attic, e.g. a small TV set with signal quality display, to give an indication of what the signal is like while you're moving the aerial around? (I'm assuming you don't have access to any kind of professional signal meter.)

steveon

If there is silver foil installation i.e. Kingspan between the rafter you are pointing the saorview aerial through remove it this will increase signal received but as Thurston has already suggested its not easy align an aerial properly without a meter of some kind.

mossy464

Nope havent used any sort of signal meter. Very unprofessional approach of moving it around while I have someone downstairs shouting up if the picture is solid or not. Any suggestions for a relatively cheap signal meter?

steveon

Why not get a proper OK installer around to do the job for you saving you time and grief. Your aerial might need to go outdoors and you may have the wrong type aerial for your area.

A proper meter costs approx €500 I have seen cheap ones that light up on a signal for around 15euro but why bother if a once off job..

What

Thurston?

mossy464 wrote: »

Nope havent used any sort of signal meter. Very unprofessional approach of moving it around while I have someone downstairs shouting up if the picture is solid or not.

Do you know which is the recommended transmitter for your area, its direction, polarity of signal, & the same for any alternative transmitters? And you have an aerial that covers the right frequency range?

If you get all this right, & the signal is reasonably strong, you have a good chance if you just mount the aerial as high as possible, looking through the roof rather than walls, with no obstructions (particularly metal or watertanks in the roof, buildings or trees outside) in the path between aerial & transmitter.

mossy464

Thurston? wrote: »

Do you know which is the recommended transmitter for your area, its direction, polarity of signal, & the same for any alternative transmitters? And you have an aerial that covers the right frequency range?

If you get all this right, & the signal is reasonably strong, you have a good chance if you just mount the aerial as high as possible, looking through the roof rather than walls, with no obstructions (particularly metal or watertanks in the roof, buildings or trees outside) in the path between aerial & transmitter.

Yep. Im very close to a transmitter. See details below. I bought the following aerial which I think should be right for my area.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Wideband-UHF-Aerial-Free-Irish-TV-Saorview-Outdoor-/171099118978?hash=item27d64d5d82

SITEINFORMATION
Site:Glanmire
Site On-Air:Yes
Channels: 47, 52

AERIALINFORMATION
Polarization:H
Direction to:
point (degrees)South (171)
Distance: 3 km

Thurston?

The aerial should be alright, yes.

Can you find out if what you're viewing on the TV is actually carried on those 2 channels; 47 (682 MHz) for RTE2, TV3, TG4; 52 (738 MHz) for RTE1, RTE1 +1, as some receivers if they encounter other signals lower down the frequency band, before they get to these (say from Spur Hill or Collins Barracks transmitters), would just put these 'wrong' channels at the top of the list.

mossy464

Thurston? wrote: »

The aerial should be alright, yes.

Can you find out if what you're viewing on the TV is actually carried on those 2 channels; 47 (682 MHz) for RTE2, TV3, TG4; 52 (738 MHz) for RTE1, RTE1 +1, as some receivers if they encounter other signals lower down the frequency band, before they get to these (say from Spur Hill or Collins Barracks transmitters), would just put these 'wrong' channels at the top of the list.

So RTE 2 etc is coming from 666 Mhz. RTE 1 is coming from 698 Mhz.

Looks like its actually Spur Hill I'm receiving from.

Thurston?

See if the Glanmire channels appear as duplicates further down the list, or you could try tuning them manually. And of course, check Spur Hill with the aerial actually pointed at Spur Hill, & pick whichever transmitter is best.

mossy464

No sign of Glanmire channels at all. Need to get a signal meter of some sort to get it right. I have a cheap satellite signal meter. Would that work at all for detecting the saorview signal?

EDIT: Another thread tells me the sat meter wont work. This seems like an option.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/DVB-T-satellite-Finder-Digital-TV-Aerial-Terrestrial-Signal-Strength-Meter-BI018-/271942239147?hash=item3f510543ab

Thurston?

You shouldn't need a meter, the signal won't be that elusive where you are.

So nothing shows up if you manually scan channel 47 or 52, is there a signal quality display?

Are your receivers Saorview approved? If they are, they should only store the channels with the best signal, so that would be an endorsement for Spur Hill.

mossy464

Nope nothing shows up for channel 47 or 52. There is a signal quality display so I could use that I suppose. It's blank though on those channels so need to reposition the aerial.

The receiver is a cheap Optimuss teres box. Not Saorview approved.

Thurston?

Well if there's no obvious obstruction in the direction of Glanmire (remember, anything metal, like foil-backed insulation will kill the signal), then I'd be inclined to think that something isn't connected properly somewhere (maybe cable to aerial), & Spur Hill is just being weakly picked up somewhere besides the actual aerial.

mossy464

I'll check everything again and see how I get on. Thanks for your help. Will post here once I've it set up properly.

mossy464

Not sure what's gone wrong now but I'm getting no signal at all. Pointed the aerial back towards spur hill and just used one cable to one room without the splitter to see if that was degrading the signal and now nothing when I scan for channels. Dunno could I have damaged the aerial while messing around with it

Il have to leave it for now anyway as its in the parents house and won't be around to go at it again for a few weeks

Thurston?

mossy464 wrote: »

Not sure what's gone wrong now but I'm getting no signal at all. Pointed the aerial back towards spur hill and just used one cable to one room without the splitter to see if that was degrading the signal and now nothing when I scan for channels. Dunno could I have damaged the aerial while messing around with it

You could have strained the connection if you don't have the cable taped to the aerial boom. Then when the aerial is in place, you can use more tape or clips to make sure the cable is properly supported along its length, & keep it tidy too.

Or the connection you disturbed at the splitter could be the culprit.

Yobnned

I live in longford and I am 6 miles line of sight from the Cairn Hill transmitter. Could I get all channels on Saorview if I put the aeriel in the attic?

Thurston?

Yobnned wrote: »

I live in longford and I am 6 miles line of sight from the Cairn Hill transmitter. Could I get all channels on Saorview if I put the aeriel in the attic?

If you have an unobstructed view of a transmitter like Cairn Hill, at that distance, then you shouldn't have problems, unless your attic is lined with foil, or you put the aerial behind a water tank or something, as was mentioned already in the thread.

Of course this is assuming you use the right aerial for the job, know how to align & polarise it properly (Cairn Hill uses horizontal polarity), & do the cable connections right.

mossy464

So I got a cheap meter and the strength of the signal in the attic is minimal. The reading barely went up at all but the sound changed when I was pointing towards Spur Hill. Very weak though. This is the meter.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/DVB-T-satellite-Finder-Digital-TV-Aerial-Terrestrial-Signal-Strength-Meter-BI018-/271942239147?hash=item3f510543ab

I guess I'll have to install it on the Chimney.

Thurston?

mossy464 wrote: »

So I got a cheap meter and the strength of the signal in the attic is minimal ...

Do you have the adjuster on the side of the meter turned fully anti-clockwise?

mossy464

Yeah well I was twisting it to see if that made any difference. Should it be turned fully clockwise to start with?

Thurston?

You'd start with it fully anticlockwise: turning it clockwise apparently increases attenuation i.e. reduces the signal, so fully anticlockwise is full signal.

Are you sure you've made all cable connections properly, especially cable to aerial? Might be worth posting a pic. of this connection in particular, if you're any way unsure.

mossy464

I can't see anything wrong with the cable connection to the aerial but will post a pic of it later.

mossy464

Here's a pic of the cabling. Can you see anything wrong with it?

Thurston?

The braid should be inside the clamp with the 2 screws, & you could trim off the excess centre wire too.

mossy464

Thurston? wrote: »

The braid should be inside the clamp with the 2 screws, & you could trim off the excess centre wire too.

Thanks. Do you think that those issues could significantly affect signal quality?

Will be another 2 weeks before I'm around to try it out but I'll give it a go.

Thurston?

mossy464 wrote: »

Do you think that those issues could significantly affect signal quality?

The unconnected outer conductor (braid) is very important, the excess center conductor far less so, though might increase the likelihood of interference pickup.

mossy464

Thurston? wrote: »

The unconnected outer conductor (braid) is very important, the excess center conductor far less so, though might increase the likelihood of interference pickup.

Great thanks. Will post back here when I have another go at it. I'm guessing the braid not being connected is why the signal has suddenly gone when I was getting some signal in the same area when I first tried a few weeks back.

I do remember when I first connected the cable to the aerial I did have the braid up touching off the clamp.

Thurston?

The braid & centre conductor can't be touching either, so bear this in mind when you redo the connection.

mossy464

Redid the connection but no joy. Getting slight peaks in the noise from the meter but nothing solid and no movement on the gauge. Might just resort to an installer.

Thurston?

I'd be willing to bet there's still a dodgy connection somewhere ...

Advice here on wiring up different connections, including aerials like your own, & the f-connectors used on your meter.

Basically (& obviously) with any of these cable connections, you want each conductor securely connected to its own part of the connection, & not in contact with any of the others.

mossy464

Thurston? wrote: »

I'd be willing to bet there's still a dodgy connection somewhere ...

Advice here on wiring up different connections, including aerials like your own, & the f-connectors used on your meter.

Basically (& obviously) with any of these cable connections, you want each conductor securely connected to its own part of the connection, & not in contact with any of the others.

Ya I'm thinking there is more than likely a dodgy connection somewhere but getting very frustrated with it at this stage.

Gonna give it one last go with a fresh length of cable and start from scratch.

Given that I had a signal the very first day without any meter but it was just breaking up on RTE 1 there must be some hope.

mossy464

Don't wana speak too soon but I've got it working now. Rewired with a new length of cable and have the aerial pointed at spur hill and up a bit higher in the attic than it was before.

Signal quality on the box shows 100% and no break up of picture yet. Fingers crossed.

Only thing is that the meter gauge didn't actually move up. Just the beep noise heightened when I pointed the aerial at the transmitter.

Let's see if theres any issues over the coming weeks.