All posts by Michael Rogers
Below are all of Michael Rogers's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Matt, see earlier posts on this page. If some channels are ok and others not, it might well be the case that your automatic TV channel tuner has saved channels from different transmitters. Try a factory-reset (deletes all saved channels) and retune each of the six multiplexes *manually*. See channel numbers on this page. However, as you state that break-up occurs at weekends, you might be receiving interference from a local source that only operates at weekends. This might affect weaker signals, eg if you are auto-tuned to different transmitters. In any case, I would try the manual retune first. Come back to us with your findings!
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Hefin, it would indeed appear that the problem is within your system. Check all the cables and connections, then do an auto-retune. BUT remember Carmel will change channels to 23-26-29-33-36-48 on Monday 30th September. Another auto-retune should give you all the Carmel channels. If not all come up,
you may need to perform a manual retune of each of these new channels. Depending on your location you
might get interference from the Ilfracombe relay, which uses three of the same channels...
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I think I posted old published dates for the Carmel retune. Sorry!
They all come through strongly on the North Devon coast.
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AM radio still has much to commend it. We know that many listen to radio on FM and DAB. But in some areas, neither FM nor DAB (nor a mobile phone signal) can be received - unless a roof-top aerial is used. As with television, that means only being able to listen where there is an antenna socket, which is "progress" back to the 1940s when there was only one wireless set (sic) in the living room... If we can't listen to a portable radio while doing other things, we will listen far less. Not everyone has internet; not everyone has a smartphone; listening with earbuds is not always practical or safe. In a national emergency, Radio 5 medium-wave transmitters would reach most of the population if feeds to FM, DAB and mobile phone networks failed.
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Agreed, some or most will have a viable reception alternative. But a sizable minority do not. Fringe listeners are deemed, on a cost basis, superfluous or required to invest in costly digital options - Freeview, satellite, G3-4-5 subscription. If not feasible: tough! AM currently covers wide areas which FM and DAB do not reach. For a national emergency, medium-wave broadcasting would offer best coverage from a few transmitters to provide information to most, and be receivable on a battery-powered or in-car AM/FM radio. (Radio 4 propagation on longwave would be ideal, but few radios can now receive longwave...) The Radio 5 medium-wave network, fed by satellite or in-extremis by low-power SSB transmitters, could and should be "ready to go". If government does not have plans for such a major emergency, we might have to rely on Middle Kingdom newscasts on Medium and Short Wave :-(
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Not all can be pleased all of the time... Not all can afford a smart TV. Not all have a 3G or 4G mobile-phone signal. Not all have internet; not all have sufficient download speed for streaming TV, not all have access to Freesat. The BBC relegated BBC3 to the internet, but with limited success, so is now repeating some BBC3 programmes on its main channels. All viewers would never agree on which channels to prioritise on Freeview.. Not a few channels might seem to have limited appeal. Viewing statistics determine which channels are commercially viable. A standalone TV recorder is a good alternative to the +1 option, but not cheap and demand is evidently fading. In short : life ain't fair...
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Cliff, excellent advice from Chris., who has investigated your situation in detail. If you are receving good signals from Huntshaw Cross : welcome! The Bristol Channel is not our best friend. The tital rise and fall can enance and deplete the signal received. We had the same in former years with digital reception from Preseli and Carmel .
Warning: the weaker multiplexes (eg Sky News) from Huntshaw Cross frequently suffer interference, probably from France. I am myself considering a second aerial pointing at Carmel, so you might consider Huntshaw for the main channels and a separate aerial for local Welsh news etc. Now that all transmitters (multiplexes) have been reallocated to lower frequencies (Band A), you might have to install a new aerial for Huntshaw and another for Welsh transmitters, such as Kilvey-Hill, Preseli, Carmel, Wenvoe - or a local relay. That said, IF you have line-of-sight to the Sky position at 28E, you might find Freesat the most reliable option. Research on - and be wary of "cowboy installers! :-)
Keep us posted!
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Wednesday 14 August 2019 10:05PM
If you can receive BBC1 and 2 in HD, but not in SD, it may be that "automatic" tuning has selected
two different transmitters, eg Huntshaw for SD on multiplex A and Caradon for HD on multiplex B.
I would suggest manually reuning all six multiplexes - as previously listed in this thread. Some TV receivers are friendlier than others when manually retuning, so note down how you get to the menu. You may have to go back to the menu for each multiplex-retune. Before you do this, follow Steven's advice and check cables, connections and the direction the aerial is pointing. If you can receive Sky News ok (different multiplex, but a weaker signal), the aerial is probably ok. - Hope this helps!