Setting up Terrestrial

The Real B-man

I have fixed my aerial many a time it is 20 years old!!! its time to replace it i seen a selection in b&q of good high gain aerials are they worth buying im in high cross channel signal area i even get channel 5 now and again!!! i have sky digital but need Terestrial fro the bedrooms note i have a brand new €150 booster & pole so i will need?

i think

cross channel UHF reciever or VHF
Local (rte tv3 etc) UHF or VHF
coaxial
connector boxes for aerial
did i leave anything out also is b&q good im on a budget of €200

Thanks

B-man

Ulsterman 1690

Grouped high gain areial for UK channels
UHF aerial for TG4
Possibly a seperate VHF aerial for RTE 1 and 2 depending (Unless RTE are on UHF in your area in which case you should pick it up on the TG4 aerial)
UHF aerial for TV3 (unless the TX youre getting TG4 from also carries TV3 in which case the same aerial will do)
Group combiners (to combine the signals from the different aerials)
Masthead amplifier ("Booster")
Power supply ("Transformer box") for booster
Mast ("Pole")
Lashing kit etc (To attach your pole to the chimney)
GOOD QUALITY coaxial cable
aerial plugs, connectors etc

Personally I wouldnt buy in B&Q they tend to be pricey and their aerials are usually "contract grade" (i.e. cheap stuff used by builders etc) but maybe its different in the South ???

Oh Yeah and the quality of coaxial cable sold in most hardware shops is usually pretty brutal

Macy

I'll stick this on this thread I suppose to avoid duplication.

Just moved into our new house, and the terrestrial signal will be from Kippure (I'm in Roundwood). I've absolutely no experience of setting up VHF aerials, as previously only been in UHF areas*.

So my questions are....
What VHF aerial should I be looking for (and where to buy in Wicklow/Dublin)?
Do I need to boost it, or because of the stronger signal (afaik anyway) is that generally unnecessary?
How do I combine the two signals?
Can I use one of the UK distribution amps designed for TV and DAB to combine them, and then just not diplex them?

Antenna

Macy wrote:

Can I use one of the UK distribution amps designed for TV and DAB to combine them, and then just not diplex them?

If your UK distribution amp has seperate inputs marked 'TV' and 'DAB' :
connect your VHF aerial (for RTE1,2) to the input marked 'DAB' , and your UHF aerial (for TV3/TG4) to the input marked 'TV' .

that said the signal is likely strong enough without any need for an amplifier (if your using just one TV) - in that case a UHF/VHF diplexer would be used to combine the aerials.

Aerials for Kippure either a group C/D or Wideband UHF aerial will do - rods horizontal, while a band 3 VHF aerial (same as other VHF areas) the most common type is the "LP7" (looks like a christmas tree on its side), - rods horizontal not vertical for TV in your area

Macy

Cheers,

That's exactly what I wanted to know. I'll try and see whether I spot boosters for the UHF signal, but hoping the booster (which will be in the loft) will be close enough if it's needed. Seems to be all the grid UHF aerials so that's easy enough.

The distribution amp I was looking at has a TV and DAB spot - just seemed easier than combining outside up a ladder (considering heights aren't my favourite!), and a bit of a signal boost too.

Last call for suppliers of aerials, before the brits get my money online

byte

Well, you can get aerials from Peats...
http://www.peats.ie/cgi-bin/shop/db.cgi?view=1&id=594&type=5&path=12x161

Macy

Yeah, thats the plan, even if they are a rip off. Thanks lads...

Macy

Tried Peats, and they only get them to order. Bit pointless if you ask me, as the price compared to online is no contest, so CPC got my order. I would've paid the peats price to pick it up there and then...