Question about TV aerials (Bill Wright?)

A masthead amplifier can improve signal to noise ratio a little because of cable loss. A small effect, but if the aerial is nearly good enough it can be worthwhile.

Thanks Bill. I already have a masthead amp - an elderly Maxview - but I've no idea what its gain is. Why do you suggest a medium gain amp rather than high gain? I forgot to say that I'd checked the the aerial alignment and it's accurate within about 5 degrees. "Message received" about installing in the attic; I've found some data suggesting 8-10dB attenuation so clearly that's a non-starter. I'd wanted to try it because a 3-section ladder isn't enough to get to the bottom of the mast so it needs a roof climb on 80 year-old clay tiles with a pitch of 60 degrees.

It seems that I've managed to improve the situation by retuning with the aerial unplugged and then doing it again with the aerial connected. I don't understand why this might have helped but if it solves the issue I might just accept it.

there might be a hill in the way. 20 miles west of Ridge Hill is a bit that way

cables may introduce loss, but not much noise.

So I still say that masthead amps have had their day. Only place for an amp is to feed multiple aerials but that's a distribution amp

Yeah I really miss "Come dine with me" in HD.

that's what i-player and a smart tv is 4

I just poke up with the low res. version.

If you had the TVfool website available for your area, it accepts lat,long,elevation, and gives a prediction of signal level.

The rest of the picture, the right-most circle and the table, belong together.

The right-most circle is for a user in Toronto. The row of dots at 265 degrees, has the number "20" on the right, and that is the closest number to the center of the dartboard. The signal level for channel 20, is

-8.3dbm. Propagation is LOS (line-of-sight). Even a rabbit ears will pick up that station.

Entries further down in the table, 2edge and tropo, involve more speculative transmission modes.

If there was a hill in the way, TVFool automatically notches out reception blocked by hills, or rates them as "available by tropospheric scattering".

Without putting any antenna up, you automatically get some idea of the challenge ahead. The dart board on the left, the rural one, now that's going to take a fancy solution to get any signal.

I don't know if anyone has cloned the TVFool stuff to work with other areas.

Paul

You'll struggle to find "Come dine with me" on iPlayer though.

And a new(-ish) car outside (or 2 or 3).

Or original 'builders coax' is full of water and/or corroded from chimney emissions ?.

True, but actually it's available in non-Freesat mode, with now&next info not the full week's EPG.

And the 80 inch TV viewable from the street.

Also the main problem with a LARGE high gain aerial may be positioning. While you loft may have headroom the pointy bit is tapers to nothing so you could end up with the aerial being closer to the floor of the loft.

I've had success in a medium reception area with a short, 1m (ish) long log periodic aerial mounted up high in a loft space - followed by a low (ish) gain amp.

And a 75" TV on the wall.

And the recent 'how to get a council house' TV series where the council housing officer said she regularly takes prospective tenants on a viewing, who turn the property down because their TV or sofa won't fit.

Look at how neighbours have done it? Ask if it works OK? You can usually tell when someone has gone for the very best results, rather than just taking what the average aerial company (Bill excepted) supplies.

They don't last forever. If possible try removing it and see if there is any difference. (Realise this may be difficult) The same can apply to an aerial and cable - connections etc can get poor with age.

and the curtains drawn till 4pm