A Bad Aerial Connection ?

kah22

Can anyone help explain this and offer a fix

I’m living up in the North, Armagh, and up until comparatively recently I was getting a normal picture on all of the Republic’s tv stations, at both 52 and in the 800 range. That is no longer the case.

On 52 I’m receiving the ‘weak signal’ message with no picture/sound. On the channels down in the 800 range the picture is all broke up and the volume breaks up with a large cracking noise!

To a degree I could have understood that considering the wind we had a short time back it could have done something to the aerial. A visual inspection from the ground shows nothing.

This is the my puzzle. My setup: the aerial is connected to a Humax HDR and from the Humax into the television. There is also a HDMI cable running from the Humax to the tv. Now when I turn the tv on all the UK channels work as normal. Sometimes the Republics also work, often it doesn’t. I find it especially confusion that 52 doesn’t work as it is been broadcast on the Northern transmitters.

Also quite confusing is that if I turn the power going into the Humax off and then turn it back on again that seems to fix the problem for that viewing session.

The only thing else I can think of is that link between the Humax and the incoming aerial socket is not stable. The link is joined by one of those premade cables and the connection to the incoming socket seems loose. It’s quite firm going into the Humax. Perhaps when you turn the power off and on again it gives the signal some sort of a kick start ?

Any ideas as to what’s going on?

Kevin

Elvis Hammond

Connect the aerial direct to the TV, & what's it like?

dxhound2005

Different parts of Co Armagh could be getting signals from different transmitters. The 800's are coming from Saorview transmitters in the Republic. And as you say 52 is from Freeview in the North transmitting RTE channels. There have been changes over the last few months, but 52 should still be OK as there is a new transmitter in Armagh and the existing ones remain. It depends on what you mean by comparatively recently whether your problem is related to these changes.

https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/09/more-of-northern-ireland-within-range.html

Use your postcode on the Freeview site to see which transmitter you should be tuned to in the North. If you are getting the 800's from Clermont Cairn in Co Louth the new channel numbers / frequencies are 42 and 45, 642 and 666 MHz.

https://www.2rn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2RN-DTT-Television-Transmission-Network-Sept-2019-Rev.1.2.pdf

kah22

Elvis Hammond wrote: »

Connect the aerial direct to the TV, & what's it like?

That’s a difficult one. The tv sits on a counter top and the cables have been fished up through a small opening and there is little rom left
At the moment I’ll leave well enough alone and wait to my self isolation comes to an rnd

Digifriendly

I have noticed that frequencies for receiving Saorview here in Moira, N. Ireland (C42/C45) are not as strong as frequencies that were removed at beginning of month (C52/C56). I was linking my 2PVRs to my 2 TVs via basic aerial cable with varying results on weaker frequencies. So I replaced these cables with more expensive shielded and interference free ones I purchased from Amazon. On the borderline frequencies the signal undoubtedly improved including Com 7/8 (C55/56) on one of my TVs and Saorview (C42/C45) on both TVs. They were in my view anyway worth the extra expense. Where a signal is on the cliff edge a better cable/connection can be the difference between breakup and a clear picture. Below are the cables I purchased so you don't have to leave your home to get them but simply order from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MT8FPYT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I06UBAU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1