The similarities between the two aerials make sense when you know that Optima is a brand owned by Vision and used for their budget-level products. Like the Optima, this aerial covers channels 21 to 60 and, in principle, can be installed without tools. While the Optima Aerial is a wideband aerial which looks like a group aerial, this is a group aerial which looks like a wideband aerial. The build quality is excellent and it comes a centre mounted boom arm, which means the weight of the aerial can be distributed evenly in other words, it makes the aerial less likely to slide forwards over time.
All it takes is a bit of common sense and a basic toolkit, namely a 10mm spanner, a 13mm spanner, a Phillips screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Build quality is superb and installation is surprisingly easy given its size and weight. As before, you just some common sense and a few, basic tools. Buying the right digital TV aerial for Freeview gets you off to a flying start, but it will only do you any good if you mount it properly.
The theory is simple, you want it pointing directly towards your transmitter of choice which will usually be your nearest one, but not always. The practice, however, can be a bit more challenging, especially if you are surrounded by trees.
Katie is the Editor here at Poshh Living and is a well-respected voice in the world of design and home improvement. Katie has a first-class Hons degree in Journalism and is proud to say that she has written many leading entries in the biggest media outlets including Ideal Home, and Good House Keeping. Lover of the great outdoors and mother of two, Katie is 'down to earth', knowledgable and a great asset to the team.
Product Features. Last update was on: November 11, pm. More Details. Branded Product Weight: 1. Length mm Forward Gain There are three types of amplifier — masthead, set-back and distribution. All these need a power supply to work. These fit directly under an outside aerial and usually the best type of amplifier to fix weak signals.
These fit between the aerial socket in the wall and your television. These split the TV signal from a single aerial and allow the signal to be sent to several different televisions in the building.
Combined amplifiers. Some amplifiers are a mix of the above. For example, some masthead amplifiers are also distribution amplifiers. Some can also combine television and FM radio signals. When to use an Attenuator. If you are experiencing pixellation or picture break up, it may be that your signal is too strong as this often presents itself similarly to a weak signal.
This is likely to happen if you live close to a transmitter. Attenuators can be used to decrease the incoming signal if it is too strong without distorting it. It is effectively the opposite of an amplifier, though the two work by different methods. While an amplifier provides gain, boosts the signal, an attenuator provides loss, reduces the signal.
Attenuators are always a compromise and should only be used if absolutely necessary. They come in a variety of powers; in most cases a small reduction is all that is needed.
It may take a little trial and error to find the most suitable one for your installation, and it is worth taking the advice of a local aerial contractor to select the correct one for the installation.
A fire at the transmitter site has caused disruption to all services from the site. The process to restore services using a combination of temporary structures and existing infrastructure elsewhere in the region has started. This incident is being managed by our suppliers Arqiva and we are working with them to ensure services in the affected area are resumed as soon as possible. For details on how Arqiva are planning to restore services, including the latest plans and timescales for the temporary transmitter, please see bilsdalemast.
On the 13th October Arqiva successfully switched on a new 80 metre temporary mast close to the original Bilsdale mast site. This brought back signal to thousands of homes across the region. In addition, two small relay transmitters were just added in the Loftus 30th October and Thirsk 31st October areas. If you are in an affected area you should retune to help restore channels. For help retuning try this retune guide on Arqiva's Bilsdale website.
Arqiva is offering a help scheme which includes tuning advice, a voucher scheme and help with aerial installations. This scheme is available to all viewers who continue to experience reception problems since the incident at the transmitter. More detail about the scheme can be found here.
If you are still experiencing problems you can log an enquiry by entering your address into the postcode checker on the Arqiva help scheme website. There is also a Freephone number available on The line is prioritising calls from people over 65, to the clinically vulnerable and other vulnerable people with carers. BBC Radio Tees. If you had previously lost DAB services we recommend you rescan your radio, as the new temporary mast won't appear in the Transmitter Checker tool yet.
See our help guide to get the best reception, What is a good FM radio installation? Placing near the window can help as that will minimise the impact to the signal from building materials. Digital Satellite and Virgin users are not affected. FM radio at Holme Moss has been undergoing antenna re-engineering works since the 29th June. Since the start of the re-engineering works BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been operating at reduced power.
The work is complex and services will continue to be transmitted at reduced power for a further period. We do not as yet have a date when services will to revert to full power. Please keep checking back to our website for further updates. Platforms affected include Freeview. Viewers may have difficulty with reception, however they can still watch their favourite programmes by using BBC iPlayer.
The government set a target of switching off FM radio services after a set of criteria on digital radio listening had been met. The criteria has recently been met but as yet the government have not undertaken a review of FM radio nor given any indication of when or if FM switch off will happen. This normally happens in the summer months, due to high pressure weather conditions in the atmosphere, allowing radio signals to travel further.
The cause is an atmospheric effect known as Sporadic-E and can last from a few seconds up to an hour or more. For more information on how weather can affect your Radio services, please see our guide.
At night medium wave radio signals can travel much further than during the day. This means your radio is able to receive more radio channels either using the same frequency as the service you are listening to or adjacent to that frequency. The result is a higher level of interference and a deterioration in both the sound and coverage. B asic Installation. It is important to check your installation is working properly and that your radio is in the best possible position.
We have a basic installation guide to help you with this. Works and warnings. Check whether there are any known works or warnings that may be causing the problem. Transmitter faults and frequencies. Use our Transmitter Checker to check the transmitter is not undergoing any work and to see which FM radio services you can receive from your location.
Hi-Fi radios. If you are using a Hi-Fi tuner and stereo reception is hissy, but mono is fine, your aerial may not be powerful enough. You may need to consider a loft or external aerial to solve your reception problem. FM radio signals can be affected by fine weather including high pressure and the only solution is to wait for the weather to change, you should not re-tune during this time.
Our information on how clear skies and fine weather can affect your radio reception may be useful, please see our Weather Guide. Pirate Radio. In some urban areas Pirate Radio can be a problem. Distorted S and Z sounds sibilance. This can happen when your radio receives more than one signal. The second signal is picked up by the radio moments after the first. For example you receive one signal directly from the transmitter and another is being reflected off a nearby hill.
Try moving the radio or tuning to a different frequency. Twittering and whistling. This often sounds like birds tweeting and happens if there is another frequency being transmitted near the one you are listening to. This can commonly be caused by high pressure when, during fine weather, radio signals can travel much further than normal. These signals can be both UK and foreign stations.
There is nothing that can be done and the problem will go away when the weather changes. Hissing and fading. This normally means that the signal you are receiving is not strong enough. See our guide on Hissing and Fading. Buzzing, clicking and pops. This may mean an electrical item in your home or nearby, is interfering with the reception of your FM radio and is causing the buzzing, clicking or pops you can hear.
See our guide on Buzzing and Clicking. Distortion - fuzzy, gritty, scratchy sound. This is commonly caused by the FM signals being bounced off objects or hillsides and reaching your radio by different paths. Its technical name is multipath distortion. It is often worst in hilly or heavily built-up areas. Indoor portables are especially susceptible. Distorted sound can also occur if your radio is off-tune. This can increasingly happen if your batteries are beginning to fail. Ensure your radio is correctly tuned-in, and check that your batteries are in good condition, or use mains power.
If you are hearing a hum it is often linked to an issue with your mains adapter. You may need to check that all parts of your receiving system are fully earthed. The telescopic aerial fitted to stereo portables is a compromise and the radio will often only give really good results if connected to an external aerial. Some sets do this automatically. Make sure you are tuned to the best frequency for your area, as you can often pick up more than one signal.
Use our Transmitter Checker to find the best frequencies for your location. The CAI Confederation of Aerial Industries is a recognised trade body which can put you in touch with one of its members in your area. It is important to check your installation is working properly and that your radio is in the best possible location. We have a basic installation guide you can read.
AM reception can vary a great deal from day to night because of differences in the atmosphere. You may get good, clear reception during the day, but after sunset the signal may fade or become distorted. This is why you can often hear radio stations from outside the UK at night.
This is causing the buzzing, clicking or pops sounds you can hear. If you are still having problems see our sister site RTIS for further information. Effect of Weather on Reception. Weather-related problems tend to happen mainly in the summer, when high pressure can cause a radio signal to travel further than it would normally. If this distant radio signal is on the same frequency as the one you are listening to it can cause a reception problem. This is because your radio will struggle decoding two radio stations on the same frequency.
This is known as co-channel interference. The effect can last from a few hours to a few days and can cause intermittent effects on the service during that time. The effect that causes radio signals to travel further than normal is known as tropospheric ducting. For more information see our guide on tropospheric ducting. What to do:. There is nothing that can be done but to wait until the weather changes.
We have no control over it. If your problem is due to the weather, it should go away once the weather changes. Check our works and warning page to see if there any current weather problems.
The most common FM radio aerial on a portable radio is a telescopic one. To get the best reception extend the aerial fully and move the aerial and radio around until you get the best reception. If using a hi-fi with a wire aerial, again extend as much as possible to get the best signal. The former, along with an Active Noise Filter, helps to keep the signal clear from interference, while the latter is constantly checking the gain levels and adjusting where necessary.
It weighs just 21g and comes with a tiltable antenna to help you get the best possible position. Arguably not the prettiest option on this list, the Philex SLx Gold RG is the best indoor aerial you can get if you live in a bad signal area. This log periodic aerial needs to be aimed in the direction of the nearest broadcast tower for the best results, but once you do that, it is capable to pick up on weaker signals, even in HD.
Just make sure you are aiming the aerial to your nearest broadcast tower. Small enough to carry in a handbag, this antenna is ideal for both Freeview and DAB broadcasting. Its magnetic base means it can be easily fixed to the side or roof of cars, caravans and even boats, while its long cable helps you run the antenna a greater distance, increasing your chances of finding the best signal.
Its detachable stand means it can be placed upright, or you can lay it flat. A built-in amplifier gives a gain of 20dB and its range reaches up to 20 miles.
This slightly quirky aerial has the same features as the Pro Flat with the added ability to adjust the loop element to boost reception. A futuristic-looking concentrate of features, the One for All SV is not cheap, but you pay for quality here.
The aerial is housed in a beautiful flat-bottomed sphere that you can place on any surface and looks more like an Amazon Alexa product than an aerial. The One for All SV LED bar lights up in the direction of the strongest signal so that you can place the device in the best possible spot in the house.
It is quite pricey, compared with other aerials with similar features, but its design and hardware make the One for All SV a compelling option for anyone looking for a stylish and performant aerial. Wrapped in grey fabric and resembling a smart speaker, the SLx R Pillar is arguably the most stylish aerial you can get. Unfortunately, this aerial does not have a built-in amplifier, and its maximum range is 15 miles, so if your house is far away from the nearest broadcast tower, you may want to consider other alternatives.
Still, SLx also sells the device with a separate USB signal booster, which is strongly recommended for optimal performance. Like many of the models in this list, the SLx R Pillar features a 4G interference filter, which is useful to optimise the incoming broadcasting signal. With over 70 standard channels and 15 HD channels, through your TV aerial, for no monthly cost. One For All offers a wide range of powerful indoor and outdoor aerials ensuring perfect reception of digital TV.
Every product is designed with maximum performance in mind. Whether you need an amplified or non-amplified aerial depends on the area you live in. If you live in an area near a transmitter with little interference, a non-amplified aerial will do.
However, when living further than 3 miles away from the nearest transmitter or in areas with a lot of signal disturbance caused by Wi-Fi or mobile phones, then an amplified aerial is the best option for you. You can use our aerial advisor with postcode checker to find the nearest transmitter from your location immediately.
0コメント