Free view aerial CONundrum (1 Viewer)

[Old Soldier]

Many moons ago I knocked off the spiky bit of my omni-directional antenna. Ignored it as it still worked. Over recent years I have been getting poorer quality TV signals so decided to replace the aerial with a new Status 335 Omni-directional digital antenna. Now here's the interesting bit. Connect up, tune TV with aerial gain turned down, get 65 tv channels, turn up aerial gain get 112 TV channels. Unplug TV aerial cable from wall socket, retune....get 113 TV channels. We live virtually below the Mendip transmitter, about a half mile distance, could that be why?

 

[Stroppy Bird]

I had something similar in our house - i.e. more channels with the aerial in the loft disconnected. Couldn't figure it out and thought the aerial may have had it or not be suitable for digital (it was bought before our area went digital). Anyway, before changing the aerial I bought a new signal splitter/distributer, plugged all the aerial ends in that and voila! More channels and better signal.

 

[WillH]

I remember years ago we were at the CC Crystal palace site. In the site info it told you not to use your TV aerial, the mast was so close that a perfect picture was possible without even plugging in the aerial lead!

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[Don Quixote]

About a half mile distance you should be able to receive channels on a wet bit of string. The big test will be when your in the middle of nowhere...........

 

[tonka]

Signal overload... To much can be as bad as not enough....
Common in the Analogue days when we needed to fit attenuators in TV aerial cables to reduce the signal.

Since the whole system went Digital the actual power output was increased, a few years ago when you had both systems working. The digital was on a lower output to avoid interference..
Many TV's have built in signal strength meters, may be worth looking at that if you have one.. Just to get an idea.

 

[Old Soldier]

Thanks for the replies. Signal overload seems a possibility. We are away in Cornwall in a weeks time so may get a better idea there. If it doesn't work I might just be towing a long, long "bit of wet string" behind me!!

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[hilldweller]

We live virtually below the Mendip transmitter, about a half mile distance, could that be why?

It could also be a faulty cable with the screen not connected.

 

[tonka]

JUST FOR INFO...
With Digital TV and especially in home installations. One of the weakest links is the RF cable between the TV and a wall plate socket.. Often people use a very cheap cable, which was fine in the old analogue days.
When I had my Sat / TV business we did lots of calls to cure digital TV picture breakup and a decent made lead solved the problem most times.
I recall at a rally once a Funster was almost talked into a new TV by the AVTEX sellers. ! New cable and all sorted..

 

[Old Soldier]

JUST FOR INFO...
With Digital TV and especially in home installations. One of the weakest links is the RF cable between the TV and a wall plate socket.. Often people use a very cheap cable, which was fine in the old analogue days.
When I had my Sat / TV business we did lots of calls to cure digital TV picture breakup and a decent made lead solved the problem most times.
I recall at a rally once a Funster was almost talked into a new TV by the AVTEX sellers. ! New cable and all sorted..

That sounds reasonable, will try out another cable just in case..
Could be the TV set. Les said it was time to change it now we have moved on to High Definition......


Whatch this clip to the very end!!

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