169 replies to this topic

[Albinus]

Hi guys, hope I'm in the right area.

I just found the myswitch website, currently I'm being served by the Toowoomba (Mt Lofty) repeater. Logged on tonight and there is (in red font) a Toowoomba East repeater listed. As I get ghosting on the current repeater, I was considering changing over - but there seems to be no info on this new site! Has anyone else seen this or got feedback? Thanks in advance  

[alanh]

Albinus,
There is only one set of translators in Toowoomba, which are on Mt Lofty. Its been there for a long time.
For more information, read the first post in this strand.

AlanH

[mtv]

Albinus, on May 23 2011, 07:10 PM, said:

Hi guys, hope I'm in the right area.

I just found the myswitch website, currently I'm being served by the Toowoomba (Mt Lofty) repeater. Logged on tonight and there is (in red font) a Toowoomba East repeater listed. As I get ghosting on the current repeater, I was considering changing over - but there seems to be no info on this new site! Has anyone else seen this or got feedback? Thanks in advance

There is no ghosting with digital, so we assume you are talking about analogue.

Do you not have a digital tuner or STB?

[Albinus]

mtv, on May 23 2011, 07:57 PM, said:

There is no ghosting with digital, so we assume you are talking about analogue.

Do you not have a digital tuner or STB?

I should clarify. With analogue I get significant ghosting on SBS, on digital naturally I don't get ghosting but very high post viterbi errors, which translates into packet loss when atmospheric conditions are less than optimal. As for the feedback from alanh, I'm aware the main repeater for Toowoomba is Mt. Lofty, but just in the past few days a new mysterious repeater on Picnic Point has appeared - not sure what this means.

[alanh]

Albinus,
Those additional transmitters do not have licences as at the beginning of May this year. However blackspots are being tested by ACMA who has to have equivalent digital cover to analog by the analog switchoff near the end of this year.

Is these rogue signal from a single transmitter from the Picnic Point site Are they using Horizontal or Vertical Polarisation? Does it contain the same programs as one of the networks?

Analog
SBS53
ABDQ56
STQ59
TNQ62
RTQ65

Digital
ABSQ55
STQ58
TNQ61
RTQ64
SBS67

Is it only SBS analog with ghosting problems?
Is there much variation in the signal levels, C/N, MER, Pre and Post Viterbi error correction for each digital channel?

Please describe your antenna installation. Look at the first post in this strand for a link to antenna drawings etc.

AlanH

[Albinus]

alanh, on May 24 2011, 01:31 AM, said:

Albinus,
Those additional transmitters do not have licences as at the beginning of May this year. However blackspots are being tested by ACMA who has to have equivalent digital cover to analog by the analog switchoff near the end of this year.

Thanks for the clarification - was just very curious as to why it suddenly appeared.

Quote

Is these rogue signal from a single transmitter from the Picnic Point site Are they using Horizontal or Vertical Polarisation? Does it contain the same programs as one of the networks?

I'm definitely getting some reflection from somewhere, and the higher the frequency the more the signal seems to be impacted.

Quote

Is it only SBS analog with ghosting problems?

Yes, although the analogue signal seems to be carrying a fair amount of noise on it.

Quote

Is there much variation in the signal levels, C/N, MER, Pre and Post Viterbi error correction for each digital channel?

ABSQ55: Signal 72, MER 197, Pre Viterbi 6.65e-3, Post Viterbi about 10/sec.
STQ58: Signal 77, MER 246, Pre Viterbi 8.8e-3, No Post Viterbi errors.
TNQ61: Signal 71, MER 196, Pre Viterbi 6.00e-3, Post Viterbi about 25/sec.
RTQ64: Signal 77. MER 246, Pre Viterbi 1.55e-3, No Post Viterbi errors.
SBS67: Signal 68, MER 154, Pre Viterbi 2.35e-3, Post Viterbi about 5000/sec (!!)

Quote

Please describe your antenna installation. Look at the first post in this strand for a link to antenna drawings etc.

I have a Hills TRUMATCH TMX16.

[M'bozo]

Albinus, on May 31 2011, 04:10 PM, said:

I have a Hills TRUMATCH TMX16.

Orient your antenna in the vertical plane (if you are able), and aim it at The Light FM Site, Tobruk Memorial Drive, Picnic Point. It looks like it might be an SFN site (the channels are the same as Mt Lofty), so good luck.

Just because the information isn't on the ACMA database, doesn't mean it isn't happening.

[alanh]

Stump_1100
It would make sense for the WIN studio complex to feed the local transmitter with Mt Mt Mowbullen via a link system.  In setting up the SFN around Toowoomba, the signal from the studio output to the Mt Lofty transmitter will have to be delayed more than the others.

Are the ABSQ 55 and SBS67 fed off air from  Broadcast Australia Mast Television Drive PASSCHENDAELE or from satellite receivers
Is Southern Cross TEN and 7 Queensland fed off air, microwave or fibre optic

AlanH

[Albinus]

M'bozo, on May 31 2011, 05:32 PM, said:

Orient your antenna in the vertical plane (if you are able), and aim it at The Light FM Site, Tobruk Memorial Drive, Picnic Point. It looks like it might be an SFN site (the channels are the same as Mt Lofty), so good luck.

Just because the information isn't on the ACMA database, doesn't mean it isn't happening.

Cheers - just might do that, pretty easy to orient for horizontally polarised signals - thanks!

[brisdigitaldan]

1

Edited by brisdigitaldan, 03 June 2011 - 06:55 PM.

[Albinus]

Albinus, on Jun 2 2011, 10:48 AM, said:

Cheers - just might do that, pretty easy to orient for horizontally polarised signals - thanks!

Well it was the antenna - knocked up a homemade UHF phase array model and no post viterbi errors at all or ghosting on analogue, excellent signal  

Now to my next project... has anyone a plan for a homemade VHF High antenna to receive Brisbane VHF? I have a masthead amplifier, but can't see any plans online for a VHF yagi, only the UHF phased array models. Any links guys?

[brady]

Hi,

I seem to be having reception issues mainly with UHF channels. I get video pixelation and audio chips and pops. Sometimes it happens with VHF channels, but not as often and no where near as severe.

I'm just curious to know if maybe I should re-think some parts of my antenna system?

I have quite a large house with a TV or a Austar MyStar HD in each room, so I have 2 separate antenna networks, each on each side of the house.

The first antenna runs the lounge room TV, 2 bedrooms with TVs and 1 bedroom with MyStar HD. This is on the old part of the house.
The other runs another bedroom TV and a MyStar. This is on the new part of the house.
I have the reception problems on both.

I have:

Clipsal 2ANUV14 antennas. Polarisation is correct.
Antennas are mounted off the vertical mast with a 15-20inch horizontal bar.
Older GME Kingray Mast Head Amp (uses the strip and connect method) on the older mast. This amp is quite old, and has been there since I had a separate UHF and VHF antenna. The broken out UHF/VHF link I have shorted out as the antennas are combination UHF/VHF. I think it is a MHW38G.
Newer GME Kingray Mast Head Amp (uses F connectors) on the newer mast. This is a MHW34F.
RG6 quad sheld for all cabling.
Crimp on F connectors on all cabling from the antennas to the splitters and wallplates (front and behind).
Antisig splitters (F connector type) which I think are the 5-2040MHz type with 1 port power pass for the Kingray power injectors.
Older screw on Belling Lee connectors on the end of the flyleads.

I have wound the gain down on the mast head amps down to the lowest they will go and this seems to have made an improvement, but perhaps I should look at more compatible antennas and definately replace the old screw on Belling Lee connectors with crimp on ones as well?

Could it be interference from the Austar cables perhaps? These are also RG6 quad shield and in some cases run near the FTA cables.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am in Bundaberg West, near Western Suburbs.

[alanh]

Brady,
I suggest you go to the first post in this strand and click on the links using your exact address. What colour is the coverage area at your location.

Please note the following;
SBS will move to RF channel 6
STQ 7
TNQ 8 from channel 9
RTQ10
ABWQ11 from 9A
Unallocated 12.

There will be no UHF

The date for the start of SBS6 is not currently known. It will probably be published in the new year.
I would concentrate on band 3 vertically polarised signals and forget about SBS.

You are better off using a single antenna recommended in the post recommended above on the link V3. This would be a phased array for channels 6 - 12. It should be connected to a Kingray MDA20H which is a distribution amplifer. This amplifier removes any signals under channel 6 which in your case will be FM and impulse interference.


Also check the condition of the cable particularly outside

AlanH

[alanh]

.

Edited by alanh, 12 December 2011 - 02:35 AM.

[M'bozo]

brady, on Dec 11 2011, 01:09 PM, said:

I seem to be having reception issues mainly with UHF channels. I get video pixelation and audio chips and pops. Sometimes it happens with VHF channels, but not as often and no where near as severe.

It sounds to me like you have an impulse noise problem, although this is usually less of a problem at UHF than VHF. Perhaps the amplifier is not needed? You could try taking them out of circuit to see what the effect is.

You can plug your address in here to get an indication of what your reception might be like: click

Ultimately, without knowing the level & quality of the signals coming out of the antenna, which is usually ascertained by someone with the right instrumentation & knowledge of antenna placement, the need or otherwise for amplification can not be determined.

If you are in a poor reception area, then type & location of antenna is also important, as is the ability to track down anything that might be responsible for the impulse noise (if this is indeed the cause of the intermittent breakup).

[brady]

I've actually wound the gain down to the minimum level on both amplifiers and this has actually made a bit of a difference. I still receive the occasional bit of interference however it is now nowhere near as severe as what it was - except when the storms were here last night but that is to be expected.

The MySwitch website shows I am in the green area. As I have no specific test equipment, I can't give any specific signal measurements, however my Austar box does give me a level of 21-23, a CNR of 206-236 and BER of 100 whilst watching Channel 9 (212.500MHz).

In terms of getting rid of the 2 separate antennas, I am thinking of doing this and replacing the amplifier with your suggested MDA20H. Which particular brand/model of antenna should I get?

I will also replace the screw-on Belling Lee connectors on the flyleads with the crimp type and I have just remembered there is 2 outlets which are still the screw and saddle type which I will swap out with the F type.

The cable from the antenna to the amplifier on the mast is new, as is from the amplifier to the power injector inside. All cabling is brand new RG6 quad sheild.

In regards to the new antenna, would this be a VHF only antenna? You mentioned it would cover 6 - 12, but does not seem that it will cover all channels. E.g. GO, ONE etc... When will the move from UHF to VHF take place for the current stations (excluding SBS)?

Edited by brady, 12 December 2011 - 01:08 PM.

[alanh]

Brady,
From Mt Goonamenan you currently receive on
RF channel 9A ABC1, ABC2, ABC3, ABC24
RF channel 9  One, Ten, Eleven
RF channel 7 7Qld, 7Two, 7Mate and TV4Me
RF channel 10 WIN, Go!, GEM

You would be better off with a Hills CA16 phased array mounted with its elements vertically followed by the Kingray MDA20H I suggested feeding a 2 way terrestrial TV splitter. The output of these splitters can then be fed into your existing splitters which combine the satellite and terrestrial TV cabling in each half of the house.

SBS is currently on RF channel 28 and will move to RF channel 7 in both cases it will show SBSHD, SBS2 and SBS1

Remember that antennas respond to RF channels as does the installation section of your receiver. Once the receiver finds the RF channels it will receive the logical channel numbers so in the order above
ABC is LCN 21 - 24 as an example.

So if you are not an SBS watcher replacing your current antennas with a single antenna which is much better for vertically polarised band 3 you will end up with much better signals.

As I said before go to the first  post in Get the best reception-regional Queensland" and click on V3 link and you will see links to the manufacturers' websites for the equipment above.

AlanH

Edited by alanh, 12 December 2011 - 06:23 PM.