No reception of channels 1-4
I live just outside of Hamilton (between Whatawhata and Ngahinapouri) and cannot receive channels 1-4. I've just moved here and had a brand new aerial installed. When I first moved here I could get channels 3 and 4 (albeit with poor reception) but now cannot receive them at all. I have never been able to receive channels 1 or 2. I have tried tuning multiple times with no success. Prime is usually ok, although occasionally the reception is poor. The other channels seem to be ok also (I don't watch any of the others for any period of time).
I have a Panasonic TV with freeview built-in, and also a Panasonic DVD recorder with freeview tuner, neither of which can pick up the signal for channels 1-4. The signal coverage on the freeview website says we should be able to pick it up with a high aerial.
My question is: is it worth trying to raise the aerial higher, or is it just likely to be positioning or a faulty cable or some other issue? Is there anything I can try before paying for an installer to come out to look at it (as we're out of town this would probably be quite expensive)?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Toni Waugh on
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By the way this is with a UHF aerial, not satellite.
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Permalink Reply by Biggles on
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Which transmission site are you tuning, Te Aroha or Hamilton infill?
How have you connected antenna to the TV and Recorder?
Sounds like a masthead amp might work.
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Which transmission site are you tuning, Te Aroha or Hamilton infill?
How have you connected antenna to the TV and Recorder?
Sounds like a masthead amp might work.
I'm not sure which one I'm tuning, as both seem to be in line (in the same direction from my house); how can I tell?
I've tried connecting the aerial directly to the TV and just tuning that, and also have connected it to the recorder with a link from recorder to TV (as per the recorder instructions). Neither one works.
I've read that masthead amps only amplify the signal after it reaches the aerial; is this right? Given that the cable from aerial to TV isn't particularly long, and is brand new, would an amp still help?
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OK
Good on you for trying the antenna direct to each.
Go into the setup menu on your Panasonic Recorder and go to Manual Tuning (just checked how to do it on mine (BWT720)).
If you are receving from Te Aroha you will be able to tune Channels 28, 32, 34, 36 and your antenna needs to be horizontal.
If receiving from Hamilton infill you will tune Channels 29, 33, 35, 37 and your antenna needs to be vertical.
Then use whichever one gives best signal and quality (N.B. Quality more important than strength). Once that's sorted then consider raising the antenna higher and/or masthead amp.
And yes, a masthead amp amplifies the signal received at the antenna.
And this will show you how to orient your antenna vertical or horizontal.
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Permalink Reply by Satellite Networks Motueka on
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An amp over a short run with low loss cable wont do any thing except amplify a bad picture, better off raising your aerial 1 meter and as Biggles has explained,using the right polarization
Toni Waugh said:Which transmission site are you tuning, Te Aroha or Hamilton infill?
How have you connected antenna to the TV and Recorder?
Sounds like a masthead amp might work.
I'm not sure which one I'm tuning, as both seem to be in line (in the same direction from my house); how can I tell?
I've tried connecting the aerial directly to the TV and just tuning that, and also have connected it to the recorder with a link from recorder to TV (as per the recorder instructions). Neither one works.
I've read that masthead amps only amplify the signal after it reaches the aerial; is this right? Given that the cable from aerial to TV isn't particularly long, and is brand new, would an amp still help?
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Permalink Reply by Bill McMurray on
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Satellite Networks Motueka,
There are two completely different types of UHF amplifier! - I assume you are referring to a "Distribution Amplifier", but Biggles is recommending a "Masthead Amplifier" which is specifically designed to amplify a weak signal at the aerial.
We are based in Hamilton and install a lot of masthead amplifiers around the Waikato, especially out west of Hamilton around Whatawhata and Ngahinapouri.
We've also found that, because the area is so far from the Te Aroha transmitter, the signal doesn't really "layer" very much out there, so raising the aerial a metre often makes no difference (unless its below a tree, etc).
Hi Toni,
Who installed your "brand new Aerial"? -Because if you paid an Installation Company, you should get them to come back and rectify it!
If you installed it yourself, then you need to get an installer to do a signal test all over your roof to find the spot with the strongest signal, then shift your aerial to that spot.
We don't charge a travel fee to go to Whatawhata so give us a call - Rainbow Connections 856-6846.
Cheers, Bill.
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+1 for Bills reply
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I've had some improvement; thanks to your instructions Biggles, I've found that yes we're receiving from Te Aroha and the aerial is horizontal as required. I also tried just Update Channel List instead of Auto-Tuning, which meant that we can now get all channels. However, channels 1-4 have terrible reception and cut out constantly, showing a No Signal message.
Is it normal for the channel quality to fluctuate wildly? I was getting it from a full 10 fluctuating down to 0 within a few seconds (bearing in mind this was in the high wind and rain on Saturday).
Also, should I just be manual tuning one of the channels (i.e. 28, 32, 34, or 36) which would give me all TV channels?
There are two completely different types of UHF amplifier! - I assume you are referring to a "Distribution Amplifier", but Biggles is recommending a "Masthead Amplifier" which is specifically designed to amplify a weak signal at the aerial.
I had no idea there were two types; I just read an article online, but clearly I was reading about the wrong one.
Who installed your "brand new Aerial"? -Because if you paid an Installation Company, you should get them to come back and rectify it!
If you installed it yourself, then you need to get an installer to do a signal test all over your roof to find the spot with the strongest signal, then shift your aerial to that spot.
We had an electrician doing some work to get power to the new house so he offered to put in the aerial for us. Not sure that he's an actual technician, but as he was offering we said yes.
Thanks for the information, we may well end up doing that, thanks Bill.
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Hi Toni
Sounds like you now have all channels but are really on the fringe of reception which would account for the wild fluctuations in the wind and rain. Probably OK in calm conditions?
I think Rainbow Connections sounds like the way to go to solve your problems. Should be just a matter of locating the antenna in the best spot and installing a top quality masthead amp. You may also require a different antenna. They will have the correct equipment to find the best signal and know which type of antenna is best to use.
It's unlikely your sparkie knew to much about fringe installations.
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