[Sofa King]

I live on the North East Essex coastline, where there is a very poor reception for freeview. Currently i receive it through Sudbury (best signal), However when i visit the DigitalUK website they tell me i should be receiving Freeview from the Dover transmitter, i cannot get any signal from this transmitter, BUT numerous times i get an excellent signal from London Crystal Palace, when i am able to pick up BBC, FIVE, 4MUSIC and more

Why is it that i can receive the signal supposedly the poorest as the best, what's with freeview

Also on the September 30th retune when FIVE was supposedly being made available to everyone, i lost it for good. wth?

[savvy]

These prediction sites are only a guide. They don't know every local condition pertaining to your house, building or trees in the way, etc.

From another thread, I believe your aerial is pointing at Sudbury, so I would expect it, currently, to give you the best signal.

How are you trying to get the Dover signal? Are you re-pointing your aerial? If not, it won't have a chance.

It may sometimes get CP, as this is a strong signal and you may get it reflected, or from the side. If it co-incides with high pressure weather, you may get the tropo effect, increasing your chance of getting a strong signal from CP, intermittently.

The predictor sites said my best chance (in South Essex) was from Dover or Sudbury, but it turns out that, with the right aerial, by far the best signal I receive is from Bluebell Hill - so that's where I'm pointed.

Rgds.


Les.

[David (2)]

as for the Sept Retune issue + FIVE. When they say if brings FIVE to everyone - what they really mean is to everyone who gets freeview reception.

Parts of the country without a freeview service, which are still limited to analogue wont have noticed any difference. Locations without freeview have to wait for the Switchover process to reach them.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by savvy

How are you trying to get the Dover signal? Are you re-pointing your aerial? If not, it won't have a chance.

It may sometimes get CP, as this is a strong signal and you may get it reflected, or from the side. If it co-incides with high pressure weather, you may get the tropo effect, increasing your chance of getting a strong signal from CP, intermittently.

I have repointed my aerial, in several different places around the room, i have been able to receive a okay analogue signal from KENT, but no we near as good as the LONDON signal

Yes, you're correct about weather conditions, it's the same for wherever you live, in good clear conditions you can receive TV signal from other counties

I am however able to receive an excellent signal on all kent radio stations, would this coinside with the TV signal at all? I can receive an excellent signal from everywhere within 200 miles on my radio, even BELGIUM at times

Is it mainly dependent on the aerial? I am using an excellent digital aerial (not sure with the technical details), but this isn't the same aerial as the radio

[midnightdraven]

A digital indoor aerial, is NOT going to give you the best results.
You really need an outside aerial for digital.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by midnightdraven

A digital indoor aerial, is NOT going to give you the best results.
You really need an outside aerial for digital.

Outdoor aerial doesn't receive any signal, it's useless. i won't bother with an upgrade seeing as i receive all the channels predicted excellently with an indoor aerial. And more from other transmitters ALSO I AM USING A BOOSTER

[Digifriendly]

Originally Posted by midnightdraven

A digital indoor aerial, is NOT going to give you the best results.
You really need an outside aerial for digital.

No such thing as a digital indoor aerial. All aerials (indoor or outdoor) can be used for both analogue and digital signals. Unlike some outdoor aerials indoor ones are all wideband and not grouped.

[midnightdraven]

Surely that depends on the age of aerial?
A tv my nan has, that has an aerial "inbuilt" i.e. its a circle loop of wire connected to the aerial socket; would not pick up digital.

[gomezz]

No. It depends on the locaton and orientation of the digital indoors. In some places you can pick up the DTT signal on a wet piece of string.

[savvy]

Originally Posted by gomezz

No. It depends on the locaton and orientation of the digital indoors. In some places you can pick up the DTT signal on a wet piece of string.

To the OP, I can asure you, an indoor aerial in Essex for the TXs you want just won't cut the mustard, even with a booster.

Forget it, and get a proper aerial installation.

If you don't, then don't complain, and wonder about the reception problems you are having.

Rgds.

Les.

[midnightdraven]

Originally Posted by gomezz

No. It depends on the locaton and orientation of the digital indoors. In some places you can pick up the DTT signal on a wet piece of string.

Like I said, the inbuilt aerial wouldn't pick up digital. The one we bought (which didnt work well due to proximity to welsh transmitter) could pick up digital.
Also, a wet piece of string and electrical equipment? great...

lol

[Heinz]

Originally Posted by midnightdraven

Also, a wet piece of string and electrical equipment? great...

It's a euphemism for 'almost no aerial at all'.

The equivelent for a telescopic car radio aerial which had been broken used to be 'Radio Sketchley' (remember them?) which described a metal coathanger jammed into what was left of the telescopic rods which had been snapped off.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by savvy

To the OP, I can asure you, an indoor aerial in Essex for the TXs you want just won't cut the mustard, even with a booster.

Forget it, and get a proper aerial installation.

If you don't, then don't complain, and wonder about the reception problems you are having.

Rgds.

Les.

I was never complaining about signal problems only questioning why it's possible to receive a signal 100 miles away, better than the local one

I don't see why i should get an aerial upgrade if the digital site tells me i can get the channels that i am already receiving through my indoor aerial then what would be the point of an upgrade, i won't receive any more channels than now

[savvy]

Originally Posted by Sofa King

I was never complaining about signal problems only questioning why it's possible to receive a signal 100 miles away, better than the local one

I don't see why i should get an aerial upgrade if the digital site tells me i can get the channels that i am already receiving through my indoor aerial then what would be the point of an upgrade, i won't receive any more channels than now

Because, from your first post in this thread, and in the other thread you said this :-

I live in North East essex coast, i visited the DigitalUK website and it keeps telling me that the freeview is received from DOVER transmitter, but i can't get any signal from kent at all. Just stuck with crappy sudbury signal (which is worse after retune)

So, DigitalUK is saying your best bet is Dover (they always assume a good external aerial) - you can't get that with your indoor aerial. You can get Sudbury, but you say it is a "crappy signal". You can "sometimes" get CP, but not consistently.

So, I would say an external aerial is going to give you consistent signal strength & quality. All indoor aerials are wideband, which is why you can pick up what you can, depending on where you point it. A good external aerial, of the recommended Group type for the TX which it will be pointed at, will make the Freeview experience for you do what it says on the tin.

However, if you want to stick with what you've got, that's up to you.

Rgds.


Les.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by savvy

Because, from your first post in this thread, and in the other thread you said this :-
So, DigitalUK is saying your best bet is Dover (they always assume a good external aerial) - you can't get that with your indoor aerial. You can get Sudbury, but you say it is a "crappy signal". You can "sometimes" get CP, but not consistently.

So, I would say an external aerial is going to give you consistent signal strength & quality. All indoor aerials are wideband, which is why you can pick up what you can, depending on where you point it. A good external aerial, of the recommended Group type for the TX which it will be pointed at, will make the Freeview experience for you do what it says on the tin.

However, if you want to stick with what you've got, that's up to you.

Rgds.


Les.

Thanks for all the help, i might consider getting an upgrade

I have Sky so I'll just watch that without an extra freeview

[fmradiotuner1]

Since putting a 48 element high gain aerial out side my window over a few months ago my freeview signal has been excellent.
Even in the summer when we had high pressure the ITV mux was fine though out.

[coopermanyorks]

Originally Posted by Sofa King

Thanks for all the help, i might consider getting an upgrade

I have Sky so I'll just watch that without an extra freeview

Oh brother.............

[pilgrim42]

It's strange that some posters seem to regard the aerial as an inconvenient afterthought instead of what it really is : the first tuned stage of the receiver. Just as in hifi equipment, having the best possible front-end determines the quality and enjoyment of all subsequent links in the chain. To compromise the receiver with a bit of bent wire and then play hell with Freeview, the BBC, DigitalUK et al for bad signals is, frankly, daft.

[albertd]

Originally Posted by Sofa King

I live on the North East Essex coastline, where there is a very poor reception for freeview........ BUT numerous times i get an excellent signal from London Crystal Palace, when i am able to pick up BBC, FIVE, 4MUSIC and more.

The chances of getting any signal from Crystal Palace on an indoor aerial at that distance are very remote, so you are right to be puzzled. However, what firm evidence do you have that you were indeed receiving it?

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by albertd

The chances of getting any signal from Crystal Palace on an indoor aerial at that distance are very remote, so you are right to be puzzled. However, what firm evidence do you have that you were indeed receiving it?

Like i said as the same when i was trying to receive from DOVER i checked the frequecies for the channels on ukview.tv

OH, and the fact that the BBC london news was showing

[Sofa King]

UPDATE:

I am currently now watching 4music(CP), i just need a reason why i am unable to get freeview from bluebill hill or dover

I have received the Sudbury freeview predictions, and the Crystal Palace freeview (i just checked the digitalUK website and i can pick up more channels from CP than predicted), but i still cannot pick up dover

Any help?

I don't think i will get an upgrade unless i desperately need it, but any hints on how to get the dover signal would be appreciated

[savvy]

Originally Posted by Sofa King

UPDATE:

I am currently now watching 4music(CP), i just need a reason why i am unable to get freeview from bluebill hill or dover

I have received the Sudbury freeview predictions, and the Crystal Palace freeview (i just checked the digitalUK website and i can pick up more channels from CP than predicted), but i still cannot pick up dover

Any help?

I don't think i will get an upgrade unless i desperately need it, but any hints on how to get the dover signal would be appreciated

Reason = you don't have a proper aerial of the Group Type recommended for those transmitters.

I've already explained that an indoor aerial is Wideband, not Grouped.

Dover transmits at 1417W power, CP transmits at 20,00W, so that's why you can sometimes pick up CP. Also, the topology of the ground/buildings etc., between you and the target TXs.

You haven't got a chance of getting Dover or Bluebell Hill from your location with an indoor aerial.

Rgds.


Les.

[albertd]

It is impossible to give advise on this for the simple reason that indoor aerials are so unpredictable in their performance that almost anything can happen with them. The mere fact that you are somehow getting CP suggests that there is something very strange going on anyway. It is probably something to do with where you are and the terrain in your immediate vicinity.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by albertd

It is impossible to give advise on this for the simple reason that indoor aerials are so unpredictable in their performance that almost anything can happen with them. The mere fact that you are somehow getting CP suggests that there is something very strange going on anyway. It is probably something to do with where you are and the terrain in your immediate vicinity.

Maybe i'm just brilliant

I receive London anologue excellently as well, currently watching itv1 in perfect picture

It's okay, i won't worry too much about it, fact of the matter is i don't live in Kent so i don't see why the local transmitters don't work for the area, so many people are picking up different areas it's a little bit ridiculous

[SimonBlackham]

Originally Posted by Sofa King

I receive London anologue excellently as well, currently watching itv1 in perfect picture

How do you know it is Crystal Palace?