Freeview Aerial ?

[bmcecosse]

Anyone got a guide to making a good working Freeview TV Aerial ? I'm fed up having to adjust the existing aerial every time I change channel!

[Dean]

Change between freeview channels? Or terrestrial to freeview?

[MGFmad]

Is it an indoor aerial that you have BMC?

[bmcecosse]

Yes indoor at the moment - and yes, change between Freeview Channels. Mostly we use Sky on the main set - but if I want to watch something other than Hallmark - I have to use the Freeview set upstairs - and it's a real menace fiddling with the aerial.
Was hoping someone would have a full-proof design using two coathangers and an empty tin of beans!

[Onne]

It's not my specialist subject, but would it be an idea to see how your neighbours aerials are orientated?

[Stig]

Have a look here:

http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/benchmarking.html

Apparently Maplin sell one of the benchmarked aerials fairly cheaply.

[Kevin]

Anyone got a guide to making a good working Freeview TV Aerial ? I'm fed up having to adjust the existing aerial every time I change channel!

Well for our upstairs telly we just have a loft aerial that has been there for 10 -15 years and its pretty good, but the downstairs one which is off the roof aerial quite often suffers from a blocking effect when the weather is iffy but as that aerial is well over 20 years old I though I just needed someting a bit newer suitable for digital.

[nigelr2000]

I used to run a telly shop and it used to amaze me how much people were prepared to spend on an indoor aerial to get far inferior results to a cheap outdoor one just because they didn't want to run a cable !!

An outside aerial pole and cable will cost less than £25 and will give the results you need for freeview and usually can give quite good results in an attic if you dont want to clamber up a ladder. An inside aerial is a waste of time unless you live next door to the transmitter and never move around in the room its in.

[Jefftav]

Roy, I bought one a Maolin which plugs into a power socket for too boost the signal and it works well and once set never needs adjusting. I think it was about £20.00 Jeff

[les]

I have heard that the amplified boosters can boost the interference as well as reception. Go on bm, push the boat out get a decent roof aerial!

[bmcecosse]

I did buy one of these 'power boost' aerials Jeff - it's useless ! At the moment I have a simple T made from co-ax split and led at 180 degrees draped over the curtain rail. It works well for some Freeview channels - and not at all for others. The transmitter tower is line-of-sight to me at that window - but about 10 miles away. Really don't want to have an external roof aerial - access to the roof is very poor at that corner of the house. Could go with something fixed to the wall I suppose - but anyone got a design that works? I used to make my own 'Yagi' type aerials for Amateur Radio ! In fact - there still be some in the garage loft - that's given me some inspiration!!

[Jefftav]

Hope you kept the receipt to take it back. Ours works a treat and our house is set down quite low and surrounded by taller houses. Look like you will need some sort of outside aerial?

[Stig]

Roy, have you checked what channels (i.e. frequencies) the various Freeview multiplexes are on from your local transmitter. They're usually all the same power so it may be that you need a wideband aerial.

Given the susceptibility of DVB to interference from mopeds, fridges etc. I doubt you'd get away with a simple home-made dipole. Could be time to get the wallet out! I'm sure my brother got one for about £30 from Maplin that was recommended on the dtg.org.uk website.

[bmcecosse]

The thing is - the simple T dipole works excellently for some channels - and is hopeless for others, which is what puzzles me! Surely they are all very similar frequenccy - and all are coming from the same mast which I can see (in the distance) from the window.
I really think this 'Digital' stuff is highly over-rated !
To add to the thread - has anyone tried the Freesat system ?