DAB Help & advice sought, please

B

bmathieson

Member
My Satellite Setup
Sky+HD; Denon 5.1 amp, etc. 2x wireless laptops & 1 static pc feeding into Be ISP.
My Location
Plymouth, Devon, UK
I have recently moved to Plymouth from Scotland and I set up my DAB receiver in exactly the same way as before: I have a 3 element aerial in the loft space pointint in the same direction as all the tv aerials are pointing around here (towards the main transmitter at Saltash, I believe). I have it in horizontal position.

Here's the problem: I have used a UHF/VHF Antiference splitter to run the signal down a single cable before unsplitting it at a pair of sockets in my living room. This worked before, first of all with my FM aerial & radio years ago and more recently with my DAB aerial & radio in Scotland.

Currently, I am getting absolutely no signal from any station/group on DAB. Is the problem the position of the aerial or the use of the FM/UHF splitter, in which case, what should I be doing?

Your help would be appreciated.
 
I have recently moved to Plymouth from Scotland and I set up my DAB receiver in exactly the same way as before: I have a 3 element aerial in the loft space pointint in the same direction as all the tv aerials are pointing around here (towards the main transmitter at Saltash, I believe). I have it in horizontal position.

Here's the problem: I have used a UHF/VHF Antiference splitter to run the signal down a single cable before unsplitting it at a pair of sockets in my living room. This worked before, first of all with my FM aerial & radio years ago and more recently with my DAB aerial & radio in Scotland.

Currently, I am getting absolutely no signal from any station/group on DAB. Is the problem the position of the aerial or the use of the FM/UHF splitter, in which case, what should I be doing?

Your help would be appreciated.
 
Hi Brian welcome to the forum:)

Is the 3 element aerial in the loft actually a DAB aerial?

DAB aerials should be mounted vertically, if you are able to mount the aerial outside this will also help in receiving a stronger signal although it does look like there have been some recent issues with DAB transmissions in Plymouth see _http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=37040961
 
Hi Brian welcome to the forum:)

Is the 3 element aerial in the loft actually a DAB aerial?

DAB aerials should be mounted vertically, if you are able to mount the aerial outside this will also help in receiving a stronger signal although it does look like there have been some recent issues with DAB transmissions in Plymouth see _http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=37040961
 
Yes very much sounds like a 3 element FM aerial horizontally polarised.

Also make sure the UHF/VHF splitter/diplexer passes 174-230Mhz.
 
Yes very much sounds like a 3 element FM aerial horizontally polarised.

Also make sure the UHF/VHF splitter/diplexer passes 174-230Mhz.
 
satelliteman said:
Also make sure the UHF/VHF splitter/diplexer passes 174-230Mhz.
Click to expand...
A simple test would be plug the DAB receiver into the other outlet of the downstairs splitter and also removing it completely to test the downlead.

It might be a good idea to test the upper splitter by removing it temporarily and connecting the aerial directly to the downlead.
 
satelliteman said:
Also make sure the UHF/VHF splitter/diplexer passes 174-230Mhz.
Click to expand...
A simple test would be plug the DAB receiver into the other outlet of the downstairs splitter and also removing it completely to test the downlead.

It might be a good idea to test the upper splitter by removing it temporarily and connecting the aerial directly to the downlead.
 
satelliteman said:
Yes very much sounds like a 3 element FM aerial horizontally polarised.
Click to expand...

Easiest way is by the width of the aerial. FM is approximately 1.1 metre upwards, DAB is 60cms upwards.
 
satelliteman said:
Yes very much sounds like a 3 element FM aerial horizontally polarised.
Click to expand...

Easiest way is by the width of the aerial. FM is approximately 1.1 metre upwards, DAB is 60cms upwards.
 
Thanks for the responses to date. It's definitely a three element DAB aerial - about 60cm width. I've rotated it to vertical polarisation, but still no luck, despite getting adequate reception on 3 portable DAB radios in the house. It sounds like splitter issues. My next task is to try the aerial plugged directly into the tuner - I'll do that directly in the loft, in situ for the aerial.

If it's the splitter that's the problem, I see that Maplin have a UHF/VHF splitter and a three-way socket comprising Satellite, UHF and FM/DAB. Will replacing what I have with these help me any?

Cheers, folks.
 
Thanks for the responses to date. It's definitely a three element DAB aerial - about 60cm width. I've rotated it to vertical polarisation, but still no luck, despite getting adequate reception on 3 portable DAB radios in the house. It sounds like splitter issues. My next task is to try the aerial plugged directly into the tuner - I'll do that directly in the loft, in situ for the aerial.

If it's the splitter that's the problem, I see that Maplin have a UHF/VHF splitter and a three-way socket comprising Satellite, UHF and FM/DAB. Will replacing what I have with these help me any?

Cheers, folks.
 
I tried by-passing the splitter and got a perfectly good signal (now that I'm vertically polarised), so clearly the splitter - an Antiference UF21 - is the problem. It is intended to allow FM and UHF to combine in one down cable, so I guess DAB gets filtered out. What I need seems to be a splitter that combines DAB and UHF.

Any suggestions where I can get one?
 
I tried by-passing the splitter and got a perfectly good signal (now that I'm vertically polarised), so clearly the splitter - an Antiference UF21 - is the problem. It is intended to allow FM and UHF to combine in one down cable, so I guess DAB gets filtered out. What I need seems to be a splitter that combines DAB and UHF.

Any suggestions where I can get one?
 
As mentioned in post #3. You require a vhf/uhf diplexer covering a vhf of 88-240MHz.
 
As mentioned in post #3. You require a vhf/uhf diplexer covering a vhf of 88-240MHz.
 
The splitter is most likely from pre DAB days when Band III, which is now used for DAB, was used for TV.
 
The splitter is most likely from pre DAB days when Band III, which is now used for DAB, was used for TV.
 
bmathieson said:
I tried by-passing the splitter and got a perfectly good signal (now that I'm vertically polarised), so clearly the splitter - an Antiference UF21 - is the problem. It is intended to allow FM and UHF to combine in one down cable, so I guess DAB gets filtered out. What I need seems to be a splitter that combines DAB and UHF.
Click to expand...

You could get away with using a modern triplexed socket in reverse (just ignore the satellite part), or if really courageous, a simple two way splitter as the strength and bandwidth of the signals received by the DAB antenna is highly unlikely to muck up the TV.
 
bmathieson said:
I tried by-passing the splitter and got a perfectly good signal (now that I'm vertically polarised), so clearly the splitter - an Antiference UF21 - is the problem. It is intended to allow FM and UHF to combine in one down cable, so I guess DAB gets filtered out. What I need seems to be a splitter that combines DAB and UHF.
Click to expand...

You could get away with using a modern triplexed socket in reverse (just ignore the satellite part), or if really courageous, a simple two way splitter as the strength and bandwidth of the signals received by the DAB antenna is highly unlikely to muck up the TV.
 
Back
Top