All posts by Phil
Below are all of Phil's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
P
Waltham (Leicestershire, England) Full Freeview transmitterSunday 6 February 2011 10:37AM
Leicester
le33dw
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Many thanks. We are in a small confined valley that is not obvious from os maps and everyone else who have changed have had tall masts installed. Cynic that I am, my suspician is that the first one was persuaded and this fact is used by installers as precedent to inflate the costs. I'm not sure if this vally is why the braunstone t analogue relay exists as this web site is the only reference to it I can find. As for the signal increase I don't know. I had tried to get a digital signal previously but with no success then late in 2009 (sorry - I put 2010 earlier) I tried another retune and it all burst into life. Ce'st la vie. Anyway, thanks for your time. I'll get a simple wide band and see what happens. Best regards.
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Hi Briantist
Ref your last reply to me below:
Sunday 6 February 2011 12:23PM
phil: I've run up Google Earth and can see the valley now, and it probably explains some of the aerials pointing towards the analogue BRAUNSTONE transposer relay.
Please let me know how you get on.
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How I got on was I decided to do nothing and await switchover. Everything is fine. No breakup and even HD channels work well - despite my 30+ year old aerial and downlead. So, saved myself the £400 that aerial installers wanted for a full mast install. Haven't worked out if I have everything but guess I either have or will have when tx power is stepped up on the remaining channels. Thanks for the advice on the website - it's been really useful.
Phil
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Hi. I have to get a new antenna as mine keeled over at the weekend. 40 year old one worked fine and have been offered a standard 32 element or a logrithmic periodic antenna (allegedly a 20 element equivalent) much cheaper. Don't know anything about these, can you help please? Any disadvantages? Thanks Phil
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hi jb30 Thanks for the comment. I'm at LE33DW and had an email conversation with Briantist on this location (prior to switchover) as it's in a bit of a valley which isn't immediately apparent. Bit annoyed that the gales (???) over the weekend took it out. Or it may have been the fat pigeons.
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Thanks jb38. I did go for the log aerial but not sure if it's a 40, I will have to check. It is indeed quite neat as you say. Also, though I haven't had a chance to properly check out reception on the different muxes on each of my tuners, first glance seems to show that the HD tuner is showing both poor strength and quality. I'll be doing that over the weekend (subject to works!!) Your answer has though prompted another question - should the installer have checked the strength from both Waltham and the relay? I wasn't aware that the relay existed. Won't bother me, but I hope that they will be manning the phones if they cut off freeview during the jubilee!!!!!
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Saturday 5 February 2011 10:01PM
Can I ask a long dumb question please. I live in a bit of a reception shadow and analogue has never been brilliant on channel 4 or 5. Digital signal was useless until last autumn when the signal level was increased, after which some mux's were fine (beeb channels and itv) whilst others regularly lost either quality or strength - mostly strength. The worst mux is mainly that sharing with Channel 4. I've had a couple of quotes and have been told that I need a 15 ft tall mast, mast head amp and all the trimmings - cost over £400. I'm not inclined to do it as we intend moving within 2 years and am happy to put up with it. So the question is: Despite it being rubbish for the past couple of weeks, but normally mostly ok - when the signal is increased from Waltham (4 fold?)come switchover, will reception likely to be ok? You will have gathered I'm happy with ok, I'm not looking for perfection. Other info - I'm in LE3 3xx so sit right on the border of waltham and S. Coldfield. When I did a re-tune the other day on 2 Tv's and 1 DVR I got 45, 55 and 80 tv channels - which has prompted me to finally post after following the site for some time. I've also looked at a dish but we have many tall trees very close to the house which would be inpenetrable for astra. Thanks for your patience. Phil