Hi everyone need help, just bought a house an doing it up. I am gonna put a new aerial up an but dont know which one to get. I am gonna put tv sockets in 8 roooms. So i was wondering what cable, amplifier, ect do i need. can someone please help and run through it with me thanks. My postcode is L12 2BD
which tv aerial
- Thread starter benuover
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this site is good
http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=TQ339712
http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=TQ339712
C
ChrisFrost
The predictors suggest an amplified extra high gain for the general postcode area. If that is so then both height and alignment are going to be really vital. That's not good news for a DIY install.
Here's my TV aerial meter. It measures signal level in 1dB increments. A difference of 3dB means losing 50% of the signal level. You can get a 3dB loss just by having the aerial pointing very slightly in the wrong direction...That means losing half the signal just by being a couple of degrees off-line. You'd be hard pressed to tell that small difference in angle even with a decent compass.
Here's a domestic DIY TV meter. It has markings in 10dB increments. This is a very course scale. A difference of 10dB is a big deal. It means you have just 1/10th of the original signal. That's just not accurate enough if the transmitter power is already low.
Have another think about doing a DIY install. At least get the aerial put up professionally. In the long run it'll save you a load of aggro and time. There are people here, myself included, who install professionally and cover your postcode. Alternatively go to the CAI web site and look up installers in your area.
Here's my TV aerial meter. It measures signal level in 1dB increments. A difference of 3dB means losing 50% of the signal level. You can get a 3dB loss just by having the aerial pointing very slightly in the wrong direction...That means losing half the signal just by being a couple of degrees off-line. You'd be hard pressed to tell that small difference in angle even with a decent compass.
Here's a domestic DIY TV meter. It has markings in 10dB increments. This is a very course scale. A difference of 10dB is a big deal. It means you have just 1/10th of the original signal. That's just not accurate enough if the transmitter power is already low.
Have another think about doing a DIY install. At least get the aerial put up professionally. In the long run it'll save you a load of aggro and time. There are people here, myself included, who install professionally and cover your postcode. Alternatively go to the CAI web site and look up installers in your area.
Despite the prediction of "extra high gain amplified" the predicted signal strength for both transmitters (Storeton and Moel-y-Parc) is at least 41dBuV/m.
At my house in Cheshire and my Mum's in Teesside, the prediction is only 36dBuV/m. That's 5dB down on yours!
At both houses I tested a Vision "Focus" V10-040 log-periodic, simply by pointing it out of a window. The results were good and stable without need for an amplifier.
In your case you have the complication of hills in the way, which could cause multipath problems. (Ghosting in analogue terms.) But Freeview has good immunity to multipath signals so it shouldn't be a problem.
Anyway, I would suggest doing the "window test" with a cheap aerial and a short length of cable. If that produces good results, you should have no problems with an aerial outdoors, connected to a suitable splitter with just enough gain to overcome cable losses.
See http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/best_aerial.htm#window
If that's OK, you could test it in the loft with a cheap Freeview receiver and portable TV as your "meter". Both transmitters are on a compass bearing of around 230 degrees but, since that's through a hill, you'll probably need to aim the aerial slightly upwards or east or west of the true bearing.
At my house in Cheshire and my Mum's in Teesside, the prediction is only 36dBuV/m. That's 5dB down on yours!
At both houses I tested a Vision "Focus" V10-040 log-periodic, simply by pointing it out of a window. The results were good and stable without need for an amplifier.
In your case you have the complication of hills in the way, which could cause multipath problems. (Ghosting in analogue terms.) But Freeview has good immunity to multipath signals so it shouldn't be a problem.
Anyway, I would suggest doing the "window test" with a cheap aerial and a short length of cable. If that produces good results, you should have no problems with an aerial outdoors, connected to a suitable splitter with just enough gain to overcome cable losses.
See http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/best_aerial.htm#window
If that's OK, you could test it in the loft with a cheap Freeview receiver and portable TV as your "meter". Both transmitters are on a compass bearing of around 230 degrees but, since that's through a hill, you'll probably need to aim the aerial slightly upwards or east or west of the true bearing.
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I think you have three you can go for.
Winter Hill pointing North East
Moel-Parc if you like Welsh
Or there is a repeater on the Wirral (Storeton) really for Flint which has both Moel-Parc and Winter Hill.
If you want Welsh then it's Wide Band aerial.
But for Winter Hill you can use narrow band. They are all on the top frequencies. This means a smaller lighter aerial.
Even in North Wales I still beam my aerial at Winter Hill. Your much closer than me.
Winter Hill pointing North East
Moel-Parc if you like Welsh
Or there is a repeater on the Wirral (Storeton) really for Flint which has both Moel-Parc and Winter Hill.
If you want Welsh then it's Wide Band aerial.
But for Winter Hill you can use narrow band. They are all on the top frequencies. This means a smaller lighter aerial.
Even in North Wales I still beam my aerial at Winter Hill. Your much closer than me.
ericmark is correct about Winter Hill but it didn't even come up as a suggestion on the "Wolfbane" predictor!
Anyway, it makes no difference to my suggestions except that the signal should be even stronger from Winter Hill.
Anyway, it makes no difference to my suggestions except that the signal should be even stronger from Winter Hill.
I am 11 miles from winter hill and putting my postcode in wolfbane says winter hill is out of range and a piece of wet string will work here as i can see the mast.
Also suggests Moel-y-parc needs a Amplified extra hi-gain aerial although M/P is 32 miles i can see that mast from here as well.
I have an amplified log 40 for the wrekin 58 miles from here at a height of 10 ft off the ground.
There is something wrong with the predictor as some while back when i last checked it said i needed a Amplified extra hi-gain for winter hill i would take the predictor with a pinch of salt.
Andy
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