Digital Reception In Brighton From Rowbridge Transmitter

[Ken Foreman]

Hello,

I have recently had a new rooftop aerial fitted at my house in Brighton. The
primary reason was to allow me to make use of my old ITV Digital box to
receive the Freeview channels. Because of the location of my house the
installer said he was unable to use the Brighton (Whitehawk Hill)
transmitter and instead alligned the aerial toward Rowbridge. Having
completed the installation I was unable to pick up any digital channels. The
installer said this was becuase the Rowbridge transmitter was not a digital
transmitter yet and could not tell me when it would be. Having checked (I am
new to all this !!!) I find out that Rowbridge is, in fact, the main
transmitter for the South coast and has been digital for a long time. Having
rang the installers head office I was then told I would not be able to
receive digital channels in Brighton from Rowbridge until the power of the
transmitter was increased and would have to wait.

Does anyone know if:

the digital signal is strong enough to recieve in brighton already and I
would maybe need to get the installer back to review their installation.
and when, or if, the power will be increased.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Mark Carver]

"Ken Foreman" <ken_f...@x.com> wrote in message news:3dd24f37$0$82563$7b0f...@reader.news.newnet.co.uk...

>
> Does anyone know if:
>
> the digital signal is strong enough to recieve in brighton already and I
> would maybe need to get the installer back to review their installation.
> and when, or if, the power will be increased.

I would get the installer back for starters. He is either totally incompetent, or is
attempting to rip you off (or both).

Brighton is just about on the edge of Rowridge's analogue service area. ISTR that
currently digital signals from there do not get much further east than Littlehampton or Worthing ?

I don't know about any imminent power increases from Rowridge. The French always object
when any of the south coast Txs require upgrading :-(

You may have better luck attempting to use Whitehalk Hill, despite what the installer
says. Where are neighbouring aerials directed ?

[Dave E]

Can't think why the French object. Our TV is better than theirs and it's
in English which would be useful for Sangatte. Why does the French
Countdown programme allow 45 seconds for the numbers game?

[Ken Foreman]

Max,

I am not sure if it was a wideband aerial. I am assuming it is, all it says
on the invoice 'digital aerial'.

I have tried the postcode checker and it says that all Freeview channels are
available but I guess this is assuming the Brighton (Whitehawk) transmitter
is used. Where I live is in a bit of a dip and I was told because this
stopped the aerial having line of site to Brighton so the Isle of Wight had
to be used. I believe you only have to go a few streets to be able to use
the Brighton transmitter. I am note sure how accurate the post code checker
is, and whether it goes to individual street level.

Looking at the aerials on other houses in my street they point towards the
Isle of Wight.

"Max Topley" <mt...@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:p3s4tu4a283loddbt...@4ax.com...

> Have you tried the postcode checker?
> http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/coverage.html
>
> Rowridge transmits all digital MUXs at 20kW, but a wideband aerial is
> recommended - is that what the installer fitted?
>
> --
> Max

[Ken Foreman]

Mark,

The neighbouring aerials point to the Isle of Wight. I believe this is
because our street is in a dip and does not have line of sight to the
Brighton transmitter.

"Mark Carver" <markc...@onetel.net.uk> wrote in message
news:aqtqmf$d8g73$1...@ID-75131.news.dfncis.de...

[Ken Foreman]

I have tried setting my box to use UHF channel 23 and got a signal strength
of about 1.5. It store some channels but certainly not all (e.g. not ITV1 or
Channel 5 amongst others). Those that it has stored regulary freeze and
break up.

Cheers,
Ken

"Max Topley" <mt...@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:p3s4tu4a283loddbt...@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 13 Nov 2002 13:12:00 -0000, Ken Foreman wrote:
>

[Dave E]

Any aerial is 'digital' (including a bent coathanger) if it covers the
right channels for your MUXs and the signal is OK. The key thing is the
gain you need and the band coverage. Rowridge needs wideband because id
transmits all the way from ch21 (Channel 4) to ch67 for one of the MUXs.
In Brighton I suspect you need really high gain for Rowridge, with good
directional capability so you dont get stray stuff from other
transmitters (e.g. in France). I don't know the technicalities - perhaps
someone else can help.

Dave

[Stephen]

It might be worth trying the Brighton, Whitehawk Hill transmitter
regardless. The installers may be used to dismissing Whitehawk Hill for
locations like yours, not because the local signal is weaker than Rowridge,
but because it has bad ghosting. I used to live in the centre of Brighton,
and that's how it was - Whitehawk Hill was actually stronger, but you used
the noisier signal from Rowridge instead to avoid the ghosting. Ghosting
does not matter much for digital, but a weak signal matters a lot, so
Whitehawk Hill might actually be better.

Otherwise a new higher gain aerial with masthead amplifier, and possibly a
taller pole, is the only answer. Get the aerial installer to check that you
get steady reception of all 6 digital multiplexes before he leaves. The
aerial needs to cover channels 23 to 52 for Rowridge, so it needs to be
wideband:

Channel 23 BBC
Channel 52 ITV
Channel 30 Channel 5
Channel 32 BBC 4
Channel 26 Sky News
Channel 33 TMF

See:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/tv_transmitters/tv_digit.shtml
http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/dtt_channels.htm

[Wrightsaerials]

>I have recently had a new rooftop aerial fitted at my house in Brighton. The
>primary reason was to allow me to make use of my old ITV Digital box to
>receive the Freeview channels. Because of the location of my house the
>installer said he was unable to use the Brighton (Whitehawk Hill)
>transmitter and instead alligned the aerial toward Rowbridge. Having
>completed the installation I was unable to pick up any digital channels. The
>installer said this was becuase the Rowbridge transmitter was not a digital
>transmitter yet and could not tell me when it would be. Having checked (I am
>new to all this !!!) I find out that Rowbridge is, in fact, the main
>transmitter for the South coast and has been digital for a long time. Having
>rang the installers head office I was then told I would not be able to
>receive digital channels in Brighton from Rowbridge until the power of the
>transmitter was increased and would have to wait.
>

I think you are being fobbed off. If the installer tested all available signals
(as he should) and found that none of them would provide digital deception, why
did he proceed to install an aerial and describe it on the invoice as
'digital'? It sounds like a rip off to me. If your original order was
specifically for an aerial that would provide digital reception (was it? -
that's important) the installer should have tested reception at your premises
before commencing an installation. If no digital reception was available he
should have explained this and given you the option of aborting the job, in
which case you could expect to pay for the signal survey only (£50 + VAT?).
Bill