Analogue TV from North

dkane

Hi,
Like many people in the south I have a UHF aerial on my roof picking up the British channels from the north. I always just took it for granted that the signal was coming from Divis but I just checked the channels against the bbc's website here. The strange thing is that I’m picking up BBC1 on c22, BBC2 on c28, UTV on c25 and Channel 4 on c32. This looks like I’m picking them up from Benagh which is very low power. Also my aerial is mounted horizontally but the BBC's website says that this transmitter is vertically poled.
Any ideas why I'd be picking up these channels from this transmitter? Would I be better off to get my aerial moved to point to the more powerful, horizontally poled transmitter at Divis?

Ulsterman 1690

Take a look again http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/tv_trans/tv_brougher.shtml
Your UK telly is coming from the 100Kw transmitter on Brougher Mountain (also known as "Enniskillen" or "Fermanagh" even though its actually in Tyrone !)

The Divis transmitter is indeed more powerful but whether you get a better signal from it depends on where in the Republic you live and whether theres anything blocking your path to Divis

One advantage of pointing at Divis is that if youre lucky you might also get Channel Five from nearby Black mountain

dkane

Thanks for the reply Ulsterman. I’m living in Co. Meath near Tara. Makes more sense that it would be Brougher Mountain alright, given the polarity and higher power. Think I'll go have a look at some of my neighbours’ setups to see if any of them are pointing to Divis.

Cheers,
Daniel

dkane

Checked out a neighbours tv today. Their aerial is pointing to Divis. They are getting pretty much the same reception, possibly slightly better on BBC. They aren’t picking up C5 so no luck there.
Is there any chance of picking up freeview from this distance? Our picture is pretty good although the Irish stations are noticeably clearer. Text is usually perfect. Which transmitter would be better to aim for if trying to pick up freeview?

lawhec

Is there any chance of picking up freeview from this distance? Our picture is pretty good although the Irish stations are noticeably clearer. Text is usually perfect. Which transmitter would be better to aim for if trying to pick up freeview?

If your teletext is usually error-free and your picture has little or no "snow" then Freeview from Brougher Mountain is certainly possible. However you might find that some multiplexes might not be available as they transmit on a frequency that clashes with Three Rock and Mount Leinster, but by all means it could be possible - Freeview reception has been reposted as far south as Mulligar. Channel 30 (Mux 1) is usually the easiest to get in the Republic from Brougher Mountain. It also helps if you use a receiver with a sensitive tuner, especially for such fringe reception.

I understand in some parts of Meath that Brougher Mountain is a better option than Divis as the signal from Brougher, although has less power does not have as many obstacles in the path whereas the signal from Divis has to overcome the Mournes. Unoffically the service area of the Brougher Mountain transmitter streches as far south as Cavan town.

dkane

So sticking with Brougher Mountain would be a better option for freeview from here?
My reception from both Mount Leinster and Three Rock is marginal in comparison to that from Kiltippur, Cairn Hill and Claremont Carn. Could my poor reception from Three Rock help with picking up the extra freeview muxs as interference would be lower?
Could you suggest a good freeview box for such fringe reception? And possibly where I could buy one?

Cheers,
Daniel

marksi

How about a free-to-air satellite receiver instead?

byte

Hmm, I suggest trying a few websites, like
http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/freeviewreceivers.html
www.idtv.co.uk
www.avforums.co.uk

Receivers can be bought easily in NI from Argos, Dixons, etc.. A few ROI shops stock them too, though prices may be higher than buying from NI. The only possible benefit of buying locally, is that perhaps they'll let you try before you buy...

Richard

byte wrote:

The only possible benefit of buying locally, is that perhaps they'll let you try before you buy...

Yes - it is worth reiterating that the Argos 16-day money back guarentee doesn't apply here.