In Loft Aerial

[richo106]

I am looking to mount a TV aerial in the loft, for ease of installation i thought to install a 360 one

 

I have found this one:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Freeview-SLx-Amplified-Directional-Powerful-White/dp/B09YRCBXNN/ref=asc_df_B09YRCBXNN/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=570367199670&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6964722877730676627&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006891&hvtargid=pla-1711546312247&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

 

I was just wondered if anyone on here has installed anything like this in their homes at all?

Or could recommend something similar?

 

Many Thanks

[TonyT]

Best find your nearest transmitter, find what band it is and buy that type of aerial.

a metal one

 

im sure it would be better than the plastic thing at £40 

[richo106]

  On 07/08/2023 at 16:27, TonyT said:

Best find your nearest transmitter, find what band it is and buy that type of aerial.

a metal one

 

im sure it would be better than the plastic thing at £40 

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Thank you, I will certainly look into and do that 

[Canski]

Most of the houses surrounding my plot have no aerials. I thought that they must have loft aerials. I doubt if they all have cable. 

[Onoff]

Masses of info here. Honestly go nowhere else. 

 

https://www.aerialsandtv.com/site-contents

 

To find your likely transmitter:

 

https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/atv-transmitter-map

 

Those houses that do have traditional roof top aerials in your area, look at which way the majority are pointing, that should give you a good idea.

 

If in a fringe reception area go for a band specific aerial rather than a wideband. 

 

They're very helpful on the phone too.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by Onoff

[Big Jimbo]

  On 07/08/2023 at 19:48, Canski said:

Most of the houses surrounding my plot have no aerials. I thought that they must have loft aerials. I doubt if they all have cable. 

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Easy... I spent all day fitting a huge aerial on the back of my daughters house when we bought it. After i finished the old boy across the road said i was wasting my time, only able to get 5 chanels with an aerial round here. It was true. Right down in a valley, (Chesham town centre, Bucks) Signal so bad that the repeater that was fitted on a distant hill, only re-broadcasts 5 chanels.......So, cable T.V is was then. Waste of my £150 quid.

[Onoff]

I'm down in a deep valley, extreme fringe area from memory. I have the biggest Band A Yagi aerial from the above link pointed at Crystal Palace. 

 

I've made a couple of corner reflector aerials for neighbours.  They work a treat but are big. One's in a hip end roof. 

[SteamyTea]

  On 08/08/2023 at 11:13, Big Jimbo said:

Chesham town centre, Bucks

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Move her to Amersham Old Town, the butler can hand deliver the TV signal.

 

 

This is an aerial, can see it from Bodmin, and Penzance, and Helston, and bits of Falmouth and Truro.

Luckily not St Awful, it is to discourage theft of TVs there.

 

[Temp]

Depends entirely on where the nearest transmitter is, how far away and how powerful. In some areas a length of wet string could probably be used. In others you need a tall pole and large aerial. In some cases you need a very directional aerial to prevent you picking up signals from the "wrong" transmitter.

 

Ask/look at what your neighbours are using and which way they are pointing.

 

In weak signal areas the the golden rules are..

 

Right type and size of aerial.

As high as possible.

If signal still weak only then use a mast head amplifier (goes at the top of the pole).

 

  On 07/08/2023 at 20:03, Onoff said:

Masses of info here. Honestly go nowhere else. 

 

https://www.aerialsandtv.com/site-contents

 

To find your likely transmitter:

 

https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/atv-transmitter-map

 

Those houses that do have traditional roof top aerials in your area, look at which way the majority are pointing, that should give you a good idea.

 

If in a fringe reception area go for a band specific aerial rather than a wideband. 

 

They're very helpful on the phone too.

 

 

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+1

 

Excellent site.

 

[Onoff]

Yes, as well as the biggest Band A aerial, on a mast, I have a masthead amp.

[MJNewton]

I always find the Wolfbane reception predictor an excellent tool - give it your postcode/coordinates and aerial height and it'll tell you what aerial type (group and polarisation) you need for each 'visible' transmitter along with the compass bearing to aim it.

 

We've got a loft aerial and, somewhat amazingly, it works fine despite being 35 miles from our transmitter. 

[Canski]

I think the transmitter is more than 35 miles away but the free view website says that the signal is good. I’ll ask the neighbours once I’ve stopped being a solo beam and block installer. 😜

[Dave C]

Might be worth bearing in mind that Freesat is a thing - I'm using Freesat currently because there was already a dish on the wall from the previous residents and Freeview reception isn't great for me. Also my (fairly new) TV has a satellite decoder built in, so no separate box required - plug dish into TV, done. Definitely don't watch enough TV to justify paying for cable or Sky

 

By no means always the easiest option, but if Freeview reception is marginal it can sometimes be a good workaround.

[MikeSharp01]

Once you get FTTP you begin to wonder why you would need a wireless terrestrial connection at all.

[shuff27]

  On 09/08/2023 at 04:39, MikeSharp01 said:

Once you get FTTP you begin to wonder why you would need a wireless terrestrial connection at all.

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Seconded. No aerial nor landline for me & don't miss either - fortunately my village got FTTP while I was during construction stage.  Getting Gigaclear to acknowledge that my house exists (their computer said no) was a painful process but all sorted now.

[Onoff]

  On 08/08/2023 at 22:15, Dave C said:

Might be worth bearing in mind that Freesat is a thing

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For me it was a mission to prove I/we could get a decent terrestrial TV picture.

 

When nextdoor's conifers briefly blocked good reception I did dabble with a dirt cheap FTA box and dish. The box was rubbish TBA, kept switching off. The neighbour sorted the tree and normal service resumed.

[ProDave]

  On 09/08/2023 at 04:39, MikeSharp01 said:

Once you get FTTP you begin to wonder why you would need a wireless terrestrial connection at all.

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No I don't. not in the slightest.  I only use catchup if I miss something or my PVR fails to record it.

 

Fringe area aerials are a black art.  At the previous house, I put an aerial on a pole on a shed while we were living in the static caravan.  It worked okay.  When the house was finished I moved the very same aerial onto a pole on the gable end of the house, higher and clearer view of the horizon.  I spent a whole afternoon trying and failing to get a decent signal, even trying different bits of coax in case I had a dud bit.  At the end of the day I put it back on the shed where it has continued to work for 20 years now.

[TonyT]

I’m with Dave on this.

 

I have an aerial and lots of points wired in the house, what do I need the internet for to watch terrestrial TV

[MJNewton]

  On 09/08/2023 at 04:39, MikeSharp01 said:

Once your get FTTP you begin to wonder why you would need a wireless terrestrial connection at all.

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One reason is surround sound on BBC as iPlayer still doesn't support it. But yeah, we definitely watch far more over the Internet than terrestrial these days.