freeview frequency/aerial changes/maintenance (Sandy Heath)

jpaul

jpaul

jpaul

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Has anyone found reliable web-site for determining freeview infromation. ?

The below screen captures are from 3 sites, also showing urls -
1. Different dates for next re-tune 30June 2018 vs 17 July 2018
nonetheless, they seem to be recommending a change to a K aerial on next re-tune which attenuates the 700Mhz frequencies which will later be re-allocated to 4G
2. One site says currently 'no faults' other says 'possibly weak signal'
stations have currently dropped out on some BBCA muxes, so I was trying to find out if a re-tune had happened, or, there was a reception(tropospheric)/transmitter problem

..it is all an inconsistant mess ?

42149720195_9149c77d67_o_d.jpg
 
... so (from other links) looks like ukfree.tv has wrong date and sandy heath retune is 17july, moreover

retune is the This is known as the ‘700 MHz Clearance Programme’.

A very small minority of viewers – estimated to be less than 1% of households – may need to replace their rooftop aerial to continue receiving services. Support for viewers affected will be available (see information below).
....
There is no charge for this service. Should you arrange independently for an aerial installer to carry out work, we are not obliged to refund any costs you incur.

however the 700mhz channels only start in 2020 , so you may not know your aerial will have problems - lol
outside the 3 month free help date ???
 
Bear in mind that any aerial recommendations given by Web sites are general predictions rather than specific to your exact neighbourhood.

Next, it's only a "mess" if you're looking at the situation from a fixed point of view. That's just not applicable to what the Government has in mind. They want to sell off more chunks of the aerial tuning range to mobile phone operators.

UKFREETV used to be useful, but the site has gone off the boil in the last 6 months or so.

Traditional style grouped aerials have quite peaky response. Have a look a Log Periodic with a small masthead amp.
 
Thanks,

Yes, aerial at the moment has all the elements of the same length, so I think that means it is not log periodic.
I will have to look and see if the tv/stb reports different signal qualities for diffrerent bands.

No troposheric issues according to this http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_eur.html

This offcom doc http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/__data/a...700_Coexistence_Consultation_18_July_2017.pdf
suggested inteference from 700mhz should not be worse than 800mhz, and getting a combined filter may become appropriate,
and, also getting a K aerial if i had to replace it, rather than an old stock W, a contractor might be trying to sell me.
 
Interesting this, need to investigate further. I can't seem to get BBC 1 / 2 in SD anymore, they're not picked up on either of my tellies when scanning the channels. The HD channels are there but how do you watch the local news. Not sure when they dropped off as I generally watch everything off Sky but that's going soon. I'm on Mendip but not very close.
 
picnic said:
Interesting this, need to investigate further. I can't seem to get BBC 1 / 2 in SD anymore, they're not picked up on either of my tellies when scanning the channels. The HD channels are there but how do you watch the local news. Not sure when they dropped off as I generally watch everything off Sky but that's going soon. I'm on Mendip but not very close.
Click to expand...


The standard def versions of BBC1 and BBC2 come in as part of the PSB1 BBC A Freeview mux. The rest of the channels on that mux are as follows:

101 BBC ONE
102 BBC TWO
107 BBC FOUR
600 CBBC
601 CBeebies
200 BBC NEWS

201 BBC Parliament


However, since your TV has a Freeview HD tuner, quite a few of these channels will be substituted by the HD versions delivered by the BBC B, COM7 and COM8 muxes:

101 BBC ONE
102 BBC TWO HD
107 BBC FOUR HD
600 CBBC HD
601 CBeebies HD
200 BBC NEWS HD
201 BBC Parliament

This leaves just local BBC 1 and BBC Parliament from BBC A. If you can't get ch 201 BBC Parliament, then it would suggest there's an issue receiving the BBC A mux on whatever frequency it's now running. Last I saw it was 698MHz. There are/were channels on muxes below (SDN @ 690MHz) and just above (Arquiva B @ 722MHz), so if they can be received then it's likely to be a cable issue. This would generally indicate a trapped or bent or kinked cable which then blocks a narrow band of frequencies.


Alternative solution: BBC ONE (SD) South West - channel 962
 
Looking at ukfree.tv it is the PSB1 Mux I can't see on either telly. I used to get them OK but not now.

I see that's C49 - when I watch a re-tune I can see a pause on C48 where I get COM4 and another pause on C49. However on C49 no new channels are added.
 
Try manually tuning as opposed to the Auto tuning.

Where both TVs are affected then we're looking at something common to both. That would generally point towards something in the aerial splitter/amplifier or between that and the aerial itself in the loft/on the roof. If you still can't get the stations then you can have a look at bypassing any aerial splitter electronics. Be aware though, if your aerial mast has an amplifier fitted then there's a good chance that bypassing the loft amp/splitter will also knock out the masthead amp power temporarily too. If it does then you'll get no signal at all for any stations until everything is reconnected.
 
picnic said:
Looking at ukfree.tv it is the PSB1 Mux I can't see on either telly. I used to get them OK but not now.
I see that's C49 - when I watch a re-tune I can see a pause on C48 where I get COM4 and another pause on C49. However on C49 no new channels are added.
Click to expand...

yes when you look unde a mendip postcode
https://ukfree.tv/prediction/g/grpW/s/rf/P/BA45BT
has the tv ignored bbca/psb1 c49mendip because it thinks c26+ stockland hill is better ... so manually check and tune muxes tv is using.


that said I don't yet understand why I have some weak muxes arqa ... so I will ring these folks today.
the web site comment 'possibly weak signal' is delinquent ..
it's not any kind of engineer i know, who would use such an unqualified comment
 
further freeview retune events on 10 january ... none of the usual sites tell you which mux changed
https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Sandy_Heath#
http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/coveragechecker/main/trade/cb17dy/NA/0/NA


- i usually re-tune just the muxes needed, otherwise end up with wrong transmitters.
So found a new site, which finally tells me what happended - LOL

https://www.a516digital.com/p/freeview-updates.html

10th January 2019
2 changes

Channel 45 Film4+1 Moved from PSB3/BBCB to PSB2/D3&4 and becoming receivable on older Freeview devices again.

Channel 86 More4+1 Moved from COM8 to PSB3/BBCB ; increasing coverage.
Click to expand...
 
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