Norwich Aerials

Scroll down the page for the following aerial trade news.

4G interference problems in Norwich 19/02/15

New stack strap system 26/11/2013

Water logged tv cables 26/11/2013

New aerial by Optima 14/04/2013 (updated 25/10/2016)

Norfolk 4G interference update. 02/03/2013 (updated 24/07/2013)

Freeview viewers to face further costs ? 18/07/2012 (updated 25/10/2016)

Aerial installer rip off. 01/11/2011 (updated 25/10/2016)

4G Interference problems in Norwich

As of 16th February 2015, 4G transmissions have been causing loss or interference to digital tv reception in some areas of Norwich. Parts of Costessey are experiencing problems due to the fact that digital tv signals are weaker there than other parts of the city. Many installations in Costessey use an amplifier, older amplifiers will boost the unwanted 4G signal.

It was previously thought that ITV (Anglia), Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV 2, Channel 4 +1, More 4, Film 4, E4, ITV +1 could suffer from 4G interference. Infact, the BBC services and others are also being affected . Filters alone are not enough to solve the problem in some cases. If an amplifier is present in your tv aerial system, it may need to be removed or updated. Using the very latest design of tv aerial may also help. 19/02/2015

Stackstrap system

In answer to the poor quality galvanisation of some chimney lashing wire now being imported into the country (the traditional way of mounting tv aerials) we are now stocking the new stack strap system. Industry testing carried out by continued exposure to salt spray fog suggests that in the real environment under UK weather conditions, the lifespan of the strap could be around 20 - 25 years.

Available as an option at additional cost, full installations using this system come with a written 5 year guarantee. 26/11/2013

4G 800mhz services are now up and running in Norfolk. This may cause reception problems for some Freeview viewers. With this in mind, Optima have released an aerial that is tuned to reject interference from 4g mobile phone transmissions and is now in stock. The main advantages over group c/d tv aerials which were previously used in the Norfolk area prior to digital switch over and also wide band aerials which have been used since, is high out-of-band rejection and high directivity. The problem for Freeview viewers is that the engineering teams which assigned the 4G signals to 800MHz didn't leave a large enough guard interval between the bottom of the 800MHz band (previously used for tv but has now been sold off by the government for mobile phone use) and the top of the 700MHz band which is used for freeview in our area. Radio and tv signals always overspill a little from their assigned frequencies.

So why such poor planning? the suspicion is that they were all mobile communications experts, and nobody bothered to consult a broadcast tv engineer.The new 4g mobile phone signals are likely to leak across from 800Mhz and interfere with Freeview at the top end of 700Mhz. In some cases the fitting of a simple filter will solve the problem, but in others the interference will be too strong, and tv's will lose some but not all of their Freeview channels.

Should you suddenly be affected by reception problems anytime after 01/05/13 and it mainly affects itv1, ch4 and ch5 plus a few others, it could possibly be due to a new 4g mobile phone mast nearby. Norwich Aerials will be supplying the Optima 4g aerial and filters at a very competitive price to get your Freeview reception back to normal.

14/04/2013 (updated 25/10/2016)

Norfolk 4G interference update

Some homes in our area may experience problems due to new 4G mobile phone services. As long as your tv aerial does not have a signal booster or distribution amplifier, it is unlikely you will have any problems. The 4G mast would need to be fairly close to your location and in the line of sight between the Tacolneston transmitter and your aerial. However, If your tv aerial has an amplifier/booster fitted, or possibly low grade downlead or connecting cables, then you are likely to need to protect from interference if you have a 4G phone mast nearby.

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer loss of reception or picture break up after the launch of 4G, the fitting of a special filter and possibly the upgrading of down leads / fly leads used to connect your aerial to the set top box or tv should solve the issue. please contact us if you need further help.

02/03/2013 (Updated 24/07/2013)

Aerial installer "rip off"

45% of aerial installers a 'rip-off' A national newspaper reports that almost half of all the installers contacted are charging for an aerial their customers do not need.

One installer told the reporter "You will definitely need a new aerial after the switchover - everybody will. You might be able to pick up bits of channels with your existing aerial and set top box but you won't be able to watch most of them" and another "You're going to need a digital aerial".

But eleven of the twenty contacted gave the correct advice, echoed by Digital UK, "In most cases, if your current aerial is in good condition, you should be able to receive the digital transmissions." And Tim Jenks, chief executive of the C.A.I, the recognised body for the aerial and satellite industry, agreed that householders should not be hoodwinked into splashing out for a new aerial. He said: "There are definitely profiteers out there" he said. "It's simple - get a Freeview box and plug it in. If it doesn't work you have a problem with your aerial. Anyone who says you would need a new one if your set-top box is working is being ridiculous." "I can understand why people are easily misled"

The Tacolneston transmitter which covers the Norwich area has required the use of a 'group C/D' aerial since the introduction of 625-line colour television in the late 1960's. When terrestrial digital television (Freeview) was introduced, these new signals were also in the C/D range. The transmitter had the analogue services removed and replaced with high-power digital signals in November 2011, most were in the range for a C/D aerial, but some commercial channels are just below in group B. However digital tv signals were boosted by ten times their previous levels so this shouldn't be a problem for the vast majority.

Norwich Aerials can definitely say that most people served by Tacolneston will not need a new aerial for digital tv as long as their current installation is in good condition and they live in a good to normal reception area. Those living in weaker reception areas may require an aerial upgrade.

01/11/2011

UPDATE. As of 6th June 2018 our local Tacolneston TV transmitter underwent further frequency changes and as a result all digital TV channels are now out of the intended range of older group C/D aerials. Basically for most people this means that if your TV aerial is more than 15 to 20 years old, it is most likely a group C/D aerial.