Digital Aerial & Satellite TV News Blog - Julian Voigt Aerial & Satellite

What's the best Indoor aerial or outside aerial for home or caravan? Best Loft Aerial?

7/15/2013

What's the best Indoor aerial or outside aerial for home or caravan? Best Loft Aerial?

Aerials designed for indoor use square measure typically poor performers as a result of they're tiny and have few "elements". Size matters - do not let anyone tell you that it doesn't! Most "indoor aerials" have very little or no gain however makers attempt to hide this truth by incorporating a "high-gain booster" then jactitation that the aerial has, say, "a twenty dB gain" once really it's nothing of the kind.

Click here for Digital TV Aerial Installation Page

The booster gets the signal on top of the brink of the digital tuner however it is a terribly abuzz signal that (if it gets an image at all) is probably going to suffer from "dropout" and "freezing".

This type of aerial with unsupported reflector stubs is helpful solely as a loft aerial. it's simply bent by birds and wind, thus i do not suggest it for outside use unless it's a sort that encompasses a robust supporting frame or a mesh style.

Note that this one is incredibly short thus, despite doable claims to the contrary, it's a really low gain and is helpful solely during a robust signal space. Length is most vital.

The Vision "Focus" V10-040 log-periodic in situ.

It has no reflector and isn't simply broken by birds or wind.

When Sky say 'No', we say 'Yes'

6/15/2013

Sky engineer couldn't get satellite signal, but we could.

We recently installed a Sky HD satellite system for a customer who had been let down by sky, because the sky engineer who came to fit the satellite dish couldn't get any signal because a large Tree was blocking the signal. No matter where it was positioned on the house, whether it was the side of the property or on the chimney breast, there was no signal being received due to this big tree blocking the satellite signal.

Click here for Satellite TV Engineer Blackpool

Having a lot of experience in these situations we were able to help this customer. First of all we needed to detect whether there was anywhere on their property that we would be able to get a clear line of sight for the satellite dish to receive a strong signal, even if this meant going to the bottom of the garden. By attaching the satellite dish to a tripod for stability we were able to get a strong signal for this customer, but it was at the bottom of the garden, and there were no building structures for us to safely and securely attach the dish. So what to do?

Aerial Connections

5/10/2013

Below are just a few tips, which if you follow will save you loads of problems when fitting co-ax plugs to your aerial cable

Fitting the F-Plug, its a piece of cake

Any changes you wish to make to your Digital TV system usually involve creating new co-ax connections. From the connection to your satellite dish to an aerial cable the correct plugs need to be fitted perfectly otherwise you can be left with a very unsatisfactory signal.

Co-ax Cable elementary

The Aerial Cable or co-ax runs the Digital signal through the centre of the wire. This is insulated against interference by foil or and metal braiding, usually copper, which also acts to carry a return connection. The 2 main plugs or connectors used are the aerial plug (left) used for Terrestrial UHF types of connection. The F-Plug used for satellite systems (centre) & the barrel plug or ( double ended female-female barrel) used to form a join between 2 cables.

Whether you are using the Aerial Plug or the F-plug, it is imperative that a good to perfect connection is established between the conducting elements of the cable and the plug, and that there is no connections between the central wire, and the shielding braid, otherwise your knackered, and will need to re do the connection.

How to fit an F-plug

a) Cut the cable to length. Allow sufficient for a drip loop for external cables at the LNB.
b) Strip off about 20mm of the cable’s outer plastic sleeve, being careful to not cut through the braid beneath.
c) Peel back the exposed braid and remove the foil underneath.
d) Remove the inner insulator (the dielectric) to leave about 5mm remaining.
e) Screw on the F-plug, clamping the loose braid between the sleeve and the plug body.
f) The plug body should screw all the way onto the cable until the end of the inner insulator contacts or just passes through the baffle inside the plug body.
g) Trim off any exposed braid and cut the inner conductor to just protrude from the end of the plug. Finally, if possible, check the connection along the cable and the isolation between the conductors.

How to fit an Aerial plug

a) Cut the cable to length.
b) Slide the plug cap onto the cable. Strip off about 25mm of the cable’s outer plastic sleeve, being careful to not damage the braid beneath.
c) Slide the collet over the braid to the end of the sleeve. Strip off the braid to leave about 10mm protruding from the sleeve
d) Fold the braid back over the collet. Remove the exposed foil and strip back the inner insulator to leave about 5mm exposed.
e) Push on the pin holder so the cable’s central conductor goes through the pin. If the pin holder has a grub screw to bite into the conductor, tighten this. Otherwise, carefully solder the conductor in the end of the pin.
f) Remove any conductor and solder protruding from the end of the pin. Slide the plug body onto the pin holder.
g) Screw the plug cap onto the plug body, catching the braid and tightening the collet on the cable. Finally, if possible, check the connection along the cable and the isolation between the conductors.

If though you don't fancy messing around with installing new TV equipment yourself, then there is always the simpler and foolproof way, and that is to call Julian Voigt Aerial & Satellite to provide the Professional service you need!

Aerial Amplification, How to boost my TV Signal

4/30/2013

It’s possible to compress more signal strength from your Freeview set up utilising a boosting or amplifying kit, supplied you have the right know how for the job
If you don’t have the perfect aerial in the best reception area, attached by flawless cable to a flawless TV set, the chances are that your digital aerial may need a hand with the signal in the style of a ‘booster’ or aerial amplifier.

Why use an amplifier? You won't be amazed to hear, an aerial amplifier is often mistakenly used when the strength of signal at the TV or receiver is too low. Although, an amplifier will not make a poor antenna better and it’s seldom much use amplifying the signal if the yield from the aerial itself is too low. You can check this by connecting up your TV or receiver as close to the aerial as likely, utilising a very short extent of cable.

If you find that the signal coming from your aerial is still really weak, then the only option is to install a new high gain aerial with quality cabling to draw as much signal as possible.

What an amplifier is designed for is to compensate for the drop off of a medium to strong signal coming from your aerial through a length of cable to your digibox or TV. So it helps to keep the signal strength strong all the way to your receiver. However, it doesn't differentiate between what is pure digital signal and noise, so just as the signal is kept strong throughout its journey through the cable, so is the noise.

Where does an Amplifier go?

The actual Amp should go as close to the Aerial as you can get it. You must not put the Amplifier near the receiver or TV, because at that point it will boost the noise level at that point. To illustrate, its like turning up the volume of an analogue radio with bad reception. By turning up the volume, you only get louder crackling and hissing not a clearer sound.
By boosting the signal at the source, then the signal travels the cable at a higher level, and any noise picked up on the journey interferes less with the overall signal at the TV end.

4G Filters Tests for Freeview Digital interference

4/29/2013

at800 to drive 28,000 filters to households in west London for next stage of 4G testing
at800 is holding a further check to help realise the span to which 4G at 800 MHz may disturb Freeview. roughly 28,000 families in Brentford and Isleworth will be dispatched a free at800 filter ahead of the test, which starts on 29 April. at800 is the administration tasked with double-checking viewers extend to receive Freeview when 4G wireless services at 800 MHz are launched later this year*.
The at800 filter is conceived to impede 4G at 800 MHz. Most people will be adept to fit the filter themselves, though support is accessible for eligible viewers.** Only new 4G services at 800 MHz approaching subsequent this year could origin troubles with Freeview. living 4G from EE operates at 1800 MHz and will not disrupt TV.

Satellite Dish Installation for Foreign French TV in Preston

4/19/2013

This was a Foreign Satellite TV Installation in Preston. This customer wanted to receive French speaking channels from a different satellite than the one there current Sky Dish was pointed at. We ascertained that it needed a larger dish. A 60cm satellite dish was required to get a strong enough signal. The position of the Astra 1 Satellite is very close to the satellite which we would normally get our sky TV or our Freesat reception from.

At first we used the same position as where there old sky dish was but after a while we realized that we would only get a weak signal from here. It was then that we decided to install the 60cm satellite dish on the back wall of the property and it was here we got a very strong signal from the Astra 1 satellite which is where this customer wanted to get there French TV from.

For Foreign satellite installations in Preston or anywhere in the northwest of England a 60cn dish would be needed to get the best reception on your TV for European or Arab channels.

cai TV Aerial & Aerial Cable Installation in Lytham

4/8/2013

With a glich in his television picture, especially during windy & rainy weather, this customer in Lytham wanted to make sure he had the best aerial and cable for his aerial installation. The cai approved high gain aerial is probably one of the best you can buy. The cable also is of better quality than the standard and much better than the cheapest aerial cable. The difference can be a 10% loss in signal using a cheaper cable.

The problem this customer had was of course the dreaded Trees interfering with the tV signal strength causing picture freeze, glitching and more. The aerial he currently had was aged, the TV aerial mast wasn't tall enough, the aerial was not high gain, and this whole aerial installation in Lytham St.Annes had been done on the cheap a few years ago using the cheapest cable. Hence when the was bad weather, he was experiencing poor tv signal, intermittent picture and glitching.
The only solution for this was a taller aerial mast, with a cai approved High gain TV aerial attached to cai approved cable. This Aerial Installation in Lytham went well, with sunny weather and not much of any breeze, we were able to complete this TV aerial installation in good time and resolve our customers television picture problem. The TV signal was therefore boosted from just above 50 decibel milli volts (dbMv) to 71 which considering the location of the house approximate to the Trees, was a great signal. Another good job done

TV Aerial Installation in Preston

3/25/2013

Television Aerial Installation in Preston. As an experienced Preston Aerial Installer this is a bread and butter job for me. A standard Digital TV Aerial installation running to a single TV point was required for this home in Preston. Although it's been pretty cold of late (even for this experienced Aerial installer), the sun was shining and once in the sun it got dare I say ever so slightly warm. After inspecting the chimney and ascertaining that it was in good condition, I fitted the Aerial Mast bracket, and attached the Aerial & mast to the bracket. Then running the aerial cable from it down next to the gutter to hide the TV cable as much as possible into the pre drilled hole. Fixed the cover to hide the hole. After attaching the coax plug to the end of the TV aerial cable. I double checked the signal from the Television Aerial I had installed, like any professional aerial installer, which was at 96% signal strength. I cleaned up any dust from the drilling. Job done, another happy customer in Preston!

Installation of Sky+ HD TV Satellite system using Single Cable in Blackpool

3/21/2013

Installation of Sky+ HD TV by only using one cable, in Blackpool This customer had signed up to Sky TV installation for the Sky+ HD Package. The Sky engineer turned up to the customers property here in Blackpool only to install the Sky Satellite Dish. The Sky Engineer wouldn't use an existing Satellite TV Cable that was running discreetly into the house. With Sky+ HD the cable used is a twin cable and the existing cable running through the property was a single. So having been refused by the Sky Fitter, the customer phoned Julian Voigt Aerial & Satellite to resolve the issue.

The solution to installing Sky+ HD using a single feed or 1 cable was to use a 'stacker/destacker' unit. This enables the signal from the 2 inputs from the Satellite Dish to be stacked so they flow through the single satellite Cable & are de-stacked at the other end where it connects tho the Sky TV Digital Receiver. As shown in the video it consists of connecting a stacker box at the satellite dish, & the other box By the Sky TV Digibox Receiver. All in all this customer from Blackpool was very happy with the result and minimal disruption to his property. For FREE Quote & Advice for Television Aerial Installations or Satellite TV Installation in Blackpool give us a call.

Satellite Dish Repair, Alignment & Extra TV Points installation in Blackpool

3/21/2013

Satellite Dish Alignment & Running New cable to Extra TV Point in Blackpool This was a staight forward job we did a few weeks ago in Blackpool. Due to some bad weather the Satellite Dish had been knocked out of alignment, and was not able to receive any satellite TV signal. Although the adjustment on the Sat dish was minimal, it is enough to get the full satellite TV signal for this property in Blackpool. Once a strong signal was being received through the dish, then it was just a case of connecting another cable to the satellite dish and runnng this along the outside of the house and through a hole which had been drilled. Threading though the cable into the TV Point which was where the customer requested, and once connected to the Sky box that was the job done. As a TV Aerial installer & a Satellite TV installation engineer these kinds of installations are very common and even though the Satellite Dish was only knocked out by a few degrees, it is only with the correct equipment, can you ever hope to find the signal here in Blackpool from the satellite transmitter miles away in orbit.