Loft aerials

[Sam Gangee]

Freeview "FM" radio is not received on VHF FM frequencies. It uses the normal UHF TV aerial.

Aerial number 2 is a directional DAB aerial I think. A VHF aerial for FM would be much larger.

Aerial 1 is a standard "contract" Group B UHF TV aerial:
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/Aerial_Groups.htm
Your signal must be quite strong.

The museum piece is certainly unusual. You might like to donate it to a real museum (seriously).

http://www.rewindmuseum.com/

 

[Deleted2797112]

Thanks that's really helpful! I've found similar images for the DAB aerial:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...p=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B000NP9WEW

I think I'll hang onto it and store it on top of the rafters until I get the insulation and boarding done and then see if I can put it back.

Great minds think alike re aerial 3. When I was searching around last evening I came across a vintage TV/radio enthusiasts website and posted about it there. They replied with this:

"The aerial is known as an inverted 'T' BBC aerial, probably the old channel 3 [used on the original 405 line system] designed to fit in loft space. This is usually connected to what is known as a 'Diplexer' with three connections. One goes down from the loft to the receiver and the third is connected to the ITA aerial which is much smaller than the BBC array."

I've offered there to donate it and will have another look to see if I can find a suitable place, unless you know of somewhere?

Reception here does seem to be good. I'm near the top of a hill overlooking a valley and the transmitter is 9 miles away on the top of the hills at the other side of the valley. I haven't looked yet but suspect it might be visible on a really clear day (of which there haven't been many since I moved in!)

Thanks for the help - I'm a bit wiser about aerials now.

My house move was England to Scotland and one thing I found out yesterday checking all the channels was that the main BBC radio stations aren't on Freeview after 5pm in Scotland. They stopped them to make space for a Gaelic station - so no radio 4 on Freeview in the evenings. Boo hiss!

 

[Sam Gangee]

Rewind Museum (see my link, above) accepts donations of equipment.

BBC Radio 4 (and others) is receivable via iTunes - listed under "News / Talk Radio".

iTunes is a free download but there is other software that you can use instead. Or you can buy an Internet "radio", which can play from such streams.

If you want to learn more about Freeview etc. see http://www.The-Cool-Book-shop.co.uk/book.htm

 

[JohnD]

You can still get FM radio on FM, of course.

 

[Deleted2797112]

@Sam
Sorry, I missed the link in your post. Will contact them and see if they're interested. And thanks for the info for R4. I'll have a read of the link about Freeview.

@John
Thanks, yes. I've got a mini hi-fi with FM radio, it's just a loss of convenience really. I was able down south to have R4 on in any room that has a TV but now, at the moment, I can only have it in one.