Loft aerials

[Deleted2797112]

Been up in the loft in my new house getting it ready to top up the insulation and put down some boards for storage. There are 3 aerials taking up most of the loft space! One is a very large upside down T shape with the head of the T screwed to a crawl board - it's tubular maybe 8mm diameter - it's a bit of a hazard as the leg of the T sticks up vertically to just about the level of my eyes. The cable disappears under the insulation. The second is just lying flat on top of the insulation - it's a conventional looking aerial with a swivel type support leg also lying flat but no longer secured to anything - screws lying loose. The cable also disappears under the insulation. The third is a smaller more modern looking affair which is tied to the rafters. It has two cables one white and one brown which run along the rafters in different directions and disappear under the insulation.

I'm pretty sure the third one feeds an aerial connection in one bedroom - I can see the white cable running away from it inside a wardrobe which fits with where the white cable is in the loft. I suspect the brown cable on the third aerial might also supply the only other two sockets in the house but can't be sure. I would really like to get rid of the unused (if any) aerials or try to hang them if I can't.

My question is about how to test them - is the only way to do it to disconnect the cable from the two aerials in turn and see whether the TV reception on either of the two sockets disappears?

Also, is it possible that they're daisychained together - I have no idea if that is something that would ever be done but I want to make sure I cover all bases before I start removing anything.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Sam Gangee]

You should ask the previous owner. It's a common mistake to fail to get your conveyancing solicitor to ask about TV aerials etc. before purchase.

The answer depends on whether the aerials are for UHF TV, VHF TV (unlikely), or VHF radio (FM or DAB). They may be diplexed into a single cable or run separately. You'll have fun tracing the cables! Simplest way is usually with a signal generator and tracer.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Hi, thanks for replying. Would images of the aerials help to identify at least what kind they are? For example, if one is a VHF (redundant now?) I would be able to get rid of it without affecting reception? I can get a light up there and try to get images if it would help narrow it down.

 

[Sam Gangee]

Probably but why not simply compare existing images with your aerials?
http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/freeview_aerials.htm

 

[Deleted2797112]

Thanks! I've had a look at those but can't see any that look similar. I suspect two of the aerials are pretty old judging by their condition. The one that's hung up on the rafters looks a bit like this one from Toolstation:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Loft/Outdoor+TV+Aerial+Kit/p79595

and I think it's the newest of the three.

I'm going to try to get a light up there and see if I can get some pictures and measurements I think. If it helps, all I need is standard Freeview channels.

 

[Sam Gangee]

That's a cheap "contract" UHF TV aerial. The colour of the plastic end cap tells you the frequency "group".

 

[Deleted2797112]

Thank you for your patience! I've only ever lived in flats before with communal aerials/satellites that I never had to worry about so this is all new to me. Finding three was a bit of a surprise! I'll try to get some images.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Aerial Number 1:

90cm long, 8 straight cross-pieces, 1 rectangular cross-piece where cables connect, the right-angle plate is 27cm wide, yellow end caps

View media item 54176
View media item 54177
View media item 54178
Aerial Number 2:

130cm long, 5 straight cross-pieces, 1 looped cross-piece where cable connects, widest cross-piece 73cm

View media item 54179
Aerial Number 3:

middle leg 135cm tall, horizontal arms 260cm end to end

View media item 54180
View media item 54181
Thank you!

 

[JohnD]

aerial 2 is I think for FM radio. I had one when I lived out in the sticks.

aerial 1 is TV and still works with digital freeview

 

[Deleted2797112]

Hi John, thank you! So if I switch a TV onto one of the Freeview FM radio channels, would the signal come from aerial number 1 or number 2. Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions - I'm just struggling to get my head round this. I have a small TV in the kitchen where there is no aerial socket so I have it on a set-top aerial and it also receives Freeview including the radio channels. Does this mean aerial number 2 is probably redundant?

There are only 3 aerial sockets in the house, one in a bedroom and two very close together in the living room (one at skirting level and one above it where a TV wall mounting bracket is located). I've checked all three sockets and they all receive Freeview.

 

[JohnD]

I think you should plug your TV or radio into each of the sockets, then disconnect all but the TV aerial, and see if they still work.

If not, one or more of the sockets must be connected to someting else. You can probably feed all the cables from one aerial, but you may need an aerial amplifier (which connects several cables to one aerial). You can get one from Maplins or many electrical or TV shops at modest cost.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/productsear...criteria=aerial+amplifier&s=p_price+ascending

 

[Deleted2797112]

Have disconnected the cable to aerial 2 in the loft and tested 3 TVs and 3 aerial sockets on all Freeview TV and radio channels and everything is still working as it should be. Will now disconnect aerial 3 and test again.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Right, have disconnected the cable from aerial 3 in the loft and checked TVs/sockets again and everything is still working. So I think I can remove the two redundant aerials from the loft, leave the cables in place, label them and terminate the ends on connector blocks unless anyone thinks differently?

 

[JohnD]

yep. It seems like they are not connected to any of the outlets you have found.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Thanks for the help - aerials number 2 and 3 have now been removed. When I unscrewed number 3, the base is marked Belling & Lee, Made in England. Googling turns up that Belling & Lee invented the aerial socket that's still in use today but the company was taken over in around 1968 so my aerial looks like a museum piece I think! Anyway, I can now move around a lot more easily to get on with topping up the insulation and putting the boards down for storage. Many thanks again.