please help:- MUX A - mayhem!

[mrspaces]

Well well well.
MUX A has suddenly started letting me watch its channels. They are breaking up every so often but a 95% improvment on last night and today when there was nothing.

This is all just so luck driven as even though the rain was bad last night, it has not been too bad in the North West today and up until now MUX A was dead so it cant blame it on bad weather.

The confusing thing is that as I have said... MUX A & MUX 2 are the same power and the same setup - yet MUX 2 seemed ok.

Anyway, actually got the channels back for now but fully expect some to disappear again soon. Lets hope that the tinkering in November and December finally gets some stability to UK freeview in the North West.

Our aeriel setup in the loft ACTCMS is on a powered box. The aerial on our house did serve the other 2 houses on the block many moons agoo but they all have their own now. When we bought the house we were given persmission to keep the equipment so we basicly now have a great booster system getting fed from the aerial that allows us the get freeview in various rooms. If that makes sense.

Anyway, dont know how reliable the Haupage ScanChannelsBDA_UK program is at it cant see the weak MUX A or MUX 2... but also cant see my full strength MUX B after a full UK scan.

Network/Region Name = North West.
Freeview Multiplex = Mux D
# Signal Strength = 41
# Signal Quality = 40%

Network/Region Name = North West.
Freeview Multiplex = Mux C
# Signal Strength = 48
# Signal Quality = 63%

Network/Region Name = North West.
Freeview Multiplex = Mux 1
# Signal Strength = 55
# Signal Quality = 65%

Hey Graham,
I have just put my house on the market because I cant get Virgin1 - I just cant live like this ;-)
Think I will see how things have changed after December to be honest, not worth the hassle at the moment without buying new aerials (etc) as you say.
Cheers everyone!

[ACTCMS]

You don't say how old your antenna is, but since the problem could now be described as intermittent, it seems like your reception is marginal.

I solved all my reception problems about two years ago - installed a brand new antenna, air free co-ax, new co-ax ends, the lot. Since you've not got too long to go till switchover, it's probably not worth the expense of a new aerial until you've seen how it works on full power. Might still be worthwhile checking your co-ax ends though - also moving your PC cable to a different 'port' on your splitter.

I've always found ScanChannelsBDA to be reliable. The signal quality is the most important - I get strengths between 56 and 66 depending on which mux, but the quality is always 100%

[mrspaces]

The antenna is hmmmn, about 8 years old probably. It is old but has always been very reliable.

Did a bit of coax ends work a short while ago but agree that the only way to be sure you done the job properly is to go the whole hog like you have done.

That is a VERY good idea to move the PC cable to a different port on the splitter, think I will give that a go. Will leave it a few days though I think to just see how things work out during the next few days.

It is strange that I only got ScanChannelsBDA to find 3 muxes. Run it twice now and only found the 3 - yet I am currently watching one of the ones it didn't find. Very odd indeedy.

Cheers ACTCMS :-)

[martint123]

Just another couple of thoughts to throw in the air.

(1) Switch everything off and see if the mux appears through the murk of ch68 - and I mean switch right off, rather than standby or what the box calls "off".

(2) cart a portable analogue TV to where the PC is and plug it in and see what it tunes in on ch68 to try to identify a video, sky box, or other STB.

[mrspaces]

Great ideas martint123 the first of which is on my long list of 'things to try' in a few days.
Gonna see how things go through to mid next week and may even wait until new year if channels stay on for a decent amount of time.
Thanks again to everyone for all the support and great ideas - it is VERY much appreciated folks!

mrspaces

[ACTCMS]

It looks like you've got a plan then... don't forget to let us know how you get on...

[mrspaces]

Will do ACTCMS - stay tuned (excuse the pun) ha ha ha ;-)

[ACTCMS]

Will do ACTCMS - stay tuned (excuse the pun) ha ha ha ;-)

There's nothing wrong with the odd punny remark here and there...