48 replies to this topic

[alanh]

aequitas,
Read Get the Best Reception, Regional Queensland and read the links.
Please post any further posts on this topic in that strand.

Broadcast Site DCA Hill MOUNT ISA
Analog ABC1 and ITQ
Digital ABC("channels (2, 20, 21, 22, 23") and SBS ("channels 3, 30, 32")
Use H3 link in "Get the best Reception" post above.


Broadcast/Comm Site Emma Smith Vista MOUNT ISA
Analog SBS, Impaja, channel 35
Use H4 link in "Get the best Reception" post above.

As there is no information yet on digital TV in remote areas, it is unknown whether all digital broadcasts will be on DCA Hill or Emma Smith Vista.

All antenna types in the remote areas of Australia are calculated on Digital only allocations. Existing antennas may be recommended in the future depending on the channels allocated to commercial TV.

AlanH






DSE does not stock the right antennas so I would mail order from one of the companies listed in the links.

AlanH

[M'bozo]

alanh, on May 27 2009, 09:40 PM, said:

There is no advance information on what channels will be used for commercial TV.

You sure about that Alan?

Seems to be available under the listing for Mt Isa here

[alanh]

M'Bozo,
I have not used this table because it is liable to change. It has already happened in Geraldton which is in a similar situation. There is no current released plans on how "Digital TV" will pass through the Aurora satellite service.

What that table does not show is the transmitter site. As you can see DCA is used for VHF and Emma Smith Vista for UHF. It would be good if a UHF antenna could be put on the top of DCA Hill tower then a single antenna could be used.
Note that SBS has moved from one tower to the other in digital.

aequitas,
I would complain about the use of 2 towers to Switchover taskforce

AlanH

[CWulf]

alanh, on May 27 2009, 10:10 PM, said:

M'Bozo,
I have not used this table because it is liable to change. It has already happened in Geraldton which is in a similar situation. There is no current released plans on how "Digital TV" will pass through the Aurora satellite service.

What that table does not show is the transmitter site. As you can see DCA is used for VHF and Emma Smith Vista for UHF. It would be good if a UHF antenna could be put on the top of DCA Hill tower then a single antenna could be used.
Note that SBS has moved from one tower to the other in digital.

aequitas,
I would complain about the use of 2 towers to Switchover taskforce

AlanH

There are plenty of areas in regional and remote Australia where tv comes from more than 1 site, sometimes commercials from one site and nationals from another, sometimes UHF from one and VHF from another, sometimes broadcasters at one and community retransmissions from another.  Also plenty of viewers have multiple antennas to pull in services from more than one licence or market area.  I don't think DST would see significant transmission infrastructure changes worthwhile just to avoid some viewers needing more than one antenna.

[M'bozo]

CWulf, on May 27 2009, 10:27 PM, said:

I don't think DST would see significant transmission infrastructure changes worthwhile just to avoid some viewers needing more than one antenna.

I don't think they would have much say if it is a commercial decision, either.

[CWulf]

M'bozo, on May 27 2009, 10:30 PM, said:

I don't think they would have much say if it is a commercial decision, either.

Agreed

[alanh]

All,
I am aware of multiple sites particularly in Queensland.
The other waste is that only the ABC is on VHF and everything else is on band 5. All transmitters should be on the same band so that the transmitting antenna can be shared by all broadcasters, generally at the highest point. It would also mean that in most remote sites the top end of band 5 can be used in either horizontal or vertical polarisation. This makes most receiving antennas smaller from a freight point of view.

As far as commercial decisions go, it is actually upt o the ACMA who's aim is to produce identical coverage areas between analog and digital. Now that satellite reception will be even more used in the outback then the coverage area of ABC/SBS & commercial can be equal.

The average viewer should not have to buy and install 2 antennas for a single viewing area. Nowhere else outside remote Queensland do viewers have to do this.

AlanH

[M'bozo]

alanh, on May 27 2009, 10:59 PM, said:

Nowhere else outside remote Queensland do viewers have to do this.

Apart from those in mainland capital cities where combination antennas do not work effectively  

[aequitas]

cheers alan.

Can i ask a boon, can you recommend an antenna for us with your wisdom? we already have austar so we have SBS, ABC1 and ABC2. what my wife really wants is channel7 and imparja. Can you help me please... the more i read the more confused i get.

Cheers

[wahroonga farm]

Could I perhaps suggest that you call up /visit:

West Street Repair Shop

Television Repairs, Service & Installation   Ph:    (07) 4743 5582
24 West St
Mt Isa
QLD, 4825    

I'm sure they'll point you in the right direction and supply the antenna and information you need.

Otherwise there's a Dick Smith reseller in town. They should have someone with enough technical nouse to both supply and help you out.

They'll advise how and what you need to 'join' the two antennas etc. You will currently require two antennas to receive what your good wife desires.

Details as follow (probably a bit too techo .... hence the advice to talk to the local guys)

DCA site - VHF Band 3 Horizontal

- Analogue ITQ Central Seven on Channel 8

- also SBS Digital (Ch 9A) and ABC digital (Ch 7) and analogue (Ch 6)

Emma Smith Site - UHF Band 4 Horizontal

- Analogue Imparja on Channel 32  

- Analogue NITV (National Indigenous TV on Channel 35


Once Mount ISA is fully digitised (looking at the current planning data), you should only require the VHF band 3 horizontal antenna for ABC and SBS digital.

All commercial digital channels are currently planned for UHF Band 4 from the Emma Smith site.

.... This may all be thrown out, if Alanh writes a very stern letter to 'Queensland'.

PS If you were to identify your ruff location such as a street or near intersection etc, I'm sure the good folk here could be more specific. However, the local folk will know it like the back of their hand.

Depending on your actual location you may even have 100% success with a simple indoor antenna? Not one that a techo would recommend, but .....

Edited by wahroonga farm, 29 May 2009 - 12:28 AM.

[wahroonga farm]

fyi

This story first started here

[RooBoy73]

Quote

PS If you were to identify your ruff location such as a street or near intersection etc, I'm sure the good folk here could be more specific. However, the local folk will know it like the back of their hand.

Local folk here...

DCA site - At the eastern end of Pamela Street (the site is actually the hill and the end of Clarke Street.)  Go to google maps and you'll see two water tanks and the transmitter site to the south of them.

Emma Smith Site - Aim at the hospital (if you can see it from your roof).  The site is on the hill directly south of the hospital.


Also, depending on where you are, you can use a single antenna, but you need to be in line with both (I was lucky in that regard).  For this, you pretty much need to be in the northern part of Parkside (near the mines central office).

[alanh]

All,
It turns out that there is a 69 degree difference in angle between the viewer's location and the two transmitter sites. Actually the DCA Hill site is 62 metres higher in altitude and thus would give a larger coverage area. Particularly to cover the suburb of Breakaway.
Both towers are the same height.

Rooboy, I can see that you are in a direct line, however aequitas is in the northern suburbs.

Secondly Austar has no Queensland programming at all. eg the ABC is ex Sydney and so gets NSW news, similarly for the commercials.

So far only SBS has changed bands and sites. ITQ which radiates the 7 network programs through satellite channel QQQ is on VHF and so far is likely to stay there. It looks as if Impaja may stay on its present site. It would be much better if either all stations go Band 3 on DCA Hill or a UHF antenna is added to this site and the new digital transmitters be installed there. We will probably only know in around 2012.

I would not recommend DSE as they do not sell Band 3/band 4 antennas or separate antennas of this type. They should sell them in all mainland state capitals but don't. I tried to convince them early last year, they promised, however I am yet to see any action.

AlanH

[RooBoy73]

Alan,

Actually Austar have Queensland ABC on 193 (and it is via satellite, I just unplugged the antenna to make sure).  As for the commercials, I'm not sure if you mean the ads on ABC or the commercial networks.  In the case of the networks, Austar don't show any of them.

[wahroonga farm]

Alanh,

Stick with wot u don't know

Foxtel

Austar

[wahroonga farm]

Now while I've my satellite hat on.

aequitas, on May 28 2009, 05:26 PM, said:

Yes it appears that the houses around us are using 2, but we don't need one for abc or sbs as we have Austar. so hopefully we can get away with one... which one is still a bit of a mystery to me... the more I read the more confused I get.

There is also the problem of getting one of the right antennas out here somewhere. we aren't in the mining game so aren't cashed up.

Maybe another option?

This will require assistance from the TV/Satellite shop referred to earlier.

You are in Remote Central and Eastern Australia TV1 license area. This entitles you to reception of the full TV1 Aurora Satellite service. For your location this includes the two commercial channels, Central Seven and Imparja. Aurora broadcasts in DVB-S (digital). Whoopee.

Your Austar dish is pointed at the same satellite as the Aurora service (Optus C1). This is where the local TV/satellite guy comes in.

Ask him for a cost:

1. Upgrade your Austar installation to provide for a second satellite outlet (the various options are a bit too complex to discuss here). There is a cheap and cheerful way (with the need to tune the Austar box to appropriate channels to view Aurora) and a better more expensive way, so that you can view both services at all times.

2. A Satellite STB (I like Strongs)

3. An Aurora smart card and full activation of entitled services.

The Optus Aurora channel plan is shown in this link.

So no TV antennas.

Edited by wahroonga farm, 31 May 2009 - 03:56 PM.

[RooBoy73]

Wahroonga,

There is a downside though, because he lives in an area that receives those stations terrestrially it can be tricky to get approval.  Not saying it is impossible, just hard.  Personally I'd love to get IMP and ITQ through my mystar, just can't be bothered jumping through hoops.

[alanh]

wahroonga farm,
You are a long way from Mt Isa too!
Secondly I went to the Austar site which told me that ABC was ex Sydney in a baloon which appeared.
Rooboy, did not mention Foxtel which will be more subscriptions than what he is paying now.

A satellite receiver costs considerably more than a low gain band 3 antenna and a low gain band 4 antenna. No subscriptions are required.

Rooboy has a clear view of both transmitter antennas.

AlanH

[wahroonga farm]

RooBoy73, on May 31 2009, 04:50 PM, said:

Wahroonga,

There is a downside though, because he lives in an area that receives those stations terrestrially it can be tricky to get approval. .....

Ah the joy of remote living. Rooboy is in the TV1 remote licence area (follow the earlier link above). Who is licenced to broadcast in the TV1 licence area? Answer. Central Seven and Imparja. So full Aurora activation is not a problem with a Mount Isa address ... as it is for most of WA (WIN and GWN instead of Imparja and 7) except for Perth and environs.

Options ... options.

Alanh,

The links were for edification. They're meticulously maintained and accurate, unlike the Fox and Austar sites which are at best ... misleading. For Foxtel subscribers, commercial channels are only activated for customers with service addresses in the specific capital city channel licence area.

A state capital city friend who signs up for a second satellite Foxtel stb subscription .... is indeed a friend.

Yes it's a slightly more expensive solution, but then as a simple comparison a good DVB-S and a quality DVB-T stb are pretty line ball ($90 - $100). You do a satellite install (labour, time and materials) cheaper than a terrestrial install once you're into higher gain antennas & amplifiers. However satellite installations cost more; don't they ... Win win

Edited by wahroonga farm, 31 May 2009 - 06:13 PM.

[aequitas]

well i know its been a while, but i have been too busy to get anything done.

have called the tv shop and never ever get an answer.

but i heard from the guy who installed another austar box, u can get an adapter or cable to plug the sat cable straight into the tv and get the fta channels. only u need to unplug and plug other cable in if u want to watch one or the other. we r happy to do that, does anyone know what adapter/cable i need please?

cheers

[RooBoy73]

Yesterdays rag, I cannot seem to find any other references though:

North West Star

Quote

HDTV not for Mount Isa
NICOLA GAGE
20 Nov, 2009 08:48 AM
MOUNT Isa will be left behind when digital television is introduced in three years’ time.

While other parts of country are already experiencing five extra digital channels, locals will have to install a satellite in their home to get the same services.

The North West Star understands Mount Isa will switch to digital next year, however analogue would continue to run until the end of 2013.

While the region would receive a complete standard service, the city will not have all the digital benefits that would be available to people in major cities and on the east coast.

The city will miss out on six digital channels, which will only be obtainable if a satellite dish were installed.

Under legislation that has yet to be passed, Mount Isa would only get signal for various Standard Definition (SD) channels from commercial stations and miss out on three High Definition (HD) channels as well as three SD channels.

Although nothing has been set in concrete, Imparja chief executive officer Alistair Feehan said any other service in the city that would include the six channels had not been discussed.

The station, who owns the local transmitter, will convert the local area to digital as well as 27 other sites.

“The only thing we are obliged to do is put one Standard Digital channel on in both Mount Isa and Alice Springs, the government is just looking for a cheap fix in these areas I think,” Mr Feehan said.

He said at the moment, it looked as though Mount Isa would receive nine channels out of the 15 available.

Each commercial station will have a SD channel and two HD channels, as well as the government channels, ABC and SBS.

Channel 10 will also be available from a joint venture between Imparja and Macquarie Media who will establish a channel together.

A spokesperson from the government said a pilot program established in the Mildura and Sunraysia switchover area would be used to approach the broader digital switchover program around the country “including regional and remote areas such as North West Queensland”.

“The government’s Digital Switchover Taskforce is working very hard and strategically to ensure no Australian will be left without access to digital television when the final analogue signal is turned off at the end of 2013,” the spokesperson said.

[Alista]

That's really disappointing for the region. If Imparja and SCTV don't need to provide the extra channels (only the main ones) how would they be available on satellite?
Who would broadcast them up on satellite when they don't have to provide them???
Doesn't quite make sense...

Time will tell I suppose, Make sure keep us to date RooBoy73!

[alanh]

All,
There is a new Optus D1 satellite which has just been brought on line. Elsewhere in the world and with Foxtel, DVB-S2 is used for HD, as are all satellite receivers advertised as HD. This system also uses HD MPEG-4 which is 30 - 50 % more efficient than MPEG-2 used now for Aurora.

Aurora provides the signals to all satellite fed free to air transmitters and many homesteads.

The problems outline also can apply to all of WA (except Perth) as well, as inland NSW, SA, NT and small areas of Victoria & Tasmania.

AlanH

[Alista]

alanh, on Nov 22 2009, 05:06 AM, said:

There is a new Optus D1 satellite which has just been brought on line.

Last time I checked it was Optus D3 which has been co-located with C1 to expand it's capacity.  

alanh, on Nov 22 2009, 05:06 AM, said:

Aurora provides the signals to all satellite fed free to air transmitters and many homesteads.

I'm happy to be corrected but I think most transmitters are fed from D1 as Aurora is for direct viewing.

[alanh]

Alista,
A typo, yes I agree it's D3 for new services, the older satellites are used at present.
We will have to await to see what happens in the Mildura trial to answer your questions.

AlanH