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I have been told I could do with new aerial and a new booster. The reception of Digital TV has deteriorated, with HD breaking up really badly in the front room. I have realigned the aerial, retuned the TV.
The aerial is in the loft. I am 5.6km from the transmitter.
This is my transmitter.
https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Kinross
Any recommendations?
I recently moved our aerial indoors. Used one of these and an app called UK Aerial Alignment to get it bang on. It's pointing straight through 3ft of sandstone blocks at the transmitter 79km away (seemingly the strongest signal according to the app) and our reception is tremendous. It's a HUGE aerial though so make sure you've got room if you go for something similar.
Thanks
Have you got trees growing in the way of your existing aerial?
Check all the aerial connections for corrosion. If your having the aerial replaced and booster fitted get the cable done at the same time with decent cable and connectors.
Big aerial is better than a booster, if you got the space (and time) to set it up right.
The aerial is in the loft. I am 5.6km from the transmitter.
That's very close, so you must be in a dip or your aerial is knackered as otherwise you should have a very string signal. Moving it to on the roof would help....
It is possible that you have too much signal! I had this (~30 miles from transmitter, but with the biggest aerial and biggest amplifier, etc). Signal got better when I unplugged it and gave it ~2cm air gap!
Have they turned the power up in your area?
I used to find our signal changed when the leaves dropped outside - either reduced attenuation or misalignment of the aerial and loss of the multi-path that the leaves may have caused.
Anecdotally:
Boosters are pointless IME. They boost the signal, sure, and boost the noise also. I've never seen one make any discernible difference. If you need a better signal, you need a better aerial.
I've had success with a booster, but installed close to the aerial, not close to the TV. There was a big cable run between the two.
Boosters are pointless IME. They boost the signal, sure, and boost the noise also. I’ve never seen one make any discernible difference. If you need a better signal, you need a better aerial.
They will overcome loss in the cable between the antenna and the TV, so if that is long and you have a weak signal, you will see a small improvement.
Cheap boosters are crap. Good ones are great. Distribution amplifiers allow you to split the signal to multiple places. The antiference one I have seems to be good quality (eg F connectors instead of the nasty normal connectors). Has a high power output and 8 low outputs. Also works with FM (new ones do DAB too).
Anecdotally:
Boosters are pointless IME. They boost the signal, sure, and boost the noise also. I’ve never seen one make any discernible difference. If you need a better signal, you need a better aerial.
Anecdotally,....
My tv aerial on the roof has direct line of sight to the transmitter, about 10 miles away.
This feeds 5 rooms upstairs and then another 5 downstairs. This is only possible using two boosters. If I switch the boosters off, I lose signal in the parts of the house furthest away from the aerial.
They won't boost a weak signal from the transmitter, but they will allow you to send a strong signal further around your house.
They won’t boost a weak signal from the transmitter, but they will allow you to send a strong signal further around your house.
That makes sense.