I was in Surbiton over the weekend at the in-laws. At a birthday get 
together I got chatting to their elderly neighbour who several months ago 
had a shiny new Triax Unix 52A on a 10' mast fitted to his chimney. The mast 
has a Fringe box which I has assumed was a splitter or filter as signal 
strength is high there, being barely 10 miles from Crystal Palace.

My in-laws are still using an Aerialite 10A on their chimney with the 
original 40 year old co-ax. Sometimes there's an odd blip but 99% of the 
time DTTV reception is rock solid.

Ghosting is an issue here on analogue, and the neighbour had an Aerialite 
Supreme group A directed at CP and a large Wolsey B (the one with the bow 
tie shaped elements) directed at Guildford. When those were removed, the 
neighbour told the rigger that the chimney they were on had offered much 
better reception in the past, and the chimney above the lounge had provided 
poor reception. Mr Rigger (who was recommended by the local Panasonic 
dealer) assured neighbour that he can get him perfect digital pictures for 
his new Panasonic TV with decoder on the lounge chimney. This chimney offers 
much easier access (although he had to remove the scrap from the other one) 
and a much easier cable run to the TV.

Two hours later Mr Rigger is struggling with ghosty analogue, and severe 
pixilation on DTTV. He blames it on traffic, as from this chimney the aerial 
looks along the A3 (from almost the same height) straight at CP. Mr Rigger 
still claims this is the best chimney to use, although as far as neighbour 
could see no readings were taken anywhere else on the house. Mr Rigger then 
fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some solid DTTV. He 
claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from neighbour and scoots.

Neighbour then spends some time setting up his new TV and discovers dreadful 
analogue with severe patterning and unwatchable DTTV on four muxes. I got 
dragged away from chatting at this stage of the sorry saga and paused only 
to offer assistance when we are next visiting to have a look at what can be 
done. Amazingly, AFAIK Mr Rigger has not been asked to return and neighbour 
is back to watching the free channels provided by his old cable (Telewest, 
now Virgin) socket.

When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be 
overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV problem 
is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at 3am when 
traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in attenuator which 
he had left from years ago although I presume this will not be a valid test 
after all that amplification?

"Doctor D"  wrote in message 
news:4amdndnOOvHys0TVnZ2dnUVZ8qDinZ2d@posted.plusnet...
> Mr Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some 
> solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from 
> neighbour and scoots.

This is a case for Consumer Protection, surely?

Bill

"Doctor D"  wrote in message 
news:4amdndnOOvHys0TVnZ2dnUVZ8qDinZ2d@posted.plusnet...
> When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be 
> overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV 
> problem is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at 
> 3am when traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in 
> attenuator which he had left from years ago although I presume this will 
> not be a valid test after all that amplification?

I wouldn't get involved as you will be the person they blame and phone every
time something goes wrong or they can't play a DVD, or the doorbell goes
funny.  Tell them to call the person who installed the aerial and also tell 
them
to complain to the CAI (they are rubbish anyway) and Trading standards.
Never get involved with other peoples problems!

"Bill Wright"  wrote in message 
news:N_edna_WSfyaokTVnZ2dnUVZ8vGdnZ2d@pipex.net...
>
> "Doctor D"  wrote in message 
> news:4amdndnOOvHys0TVnZ2dnUVZ8qDinZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>> Mr Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some 
>> solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from 
>> neighbour and scoots.
>
> This is a case for Consumer Protection, surely?
>
> Bill

Quite. But they have to be notified before they can offer any assistance.
This is an intelligent, coherent chap and I didn't get to the stage of 
finding out why they hadn't sought redress or rectification from the 
perpetrator. However, he asked some very basic questions, and now he knows 
close neighbours are getting perfect DTTV, I'm pretty sure he'll pursue 
this.

As for Ian's comment about not getting involved; I always help people where 
I can, and they deserve it. I've never yet been "the person they blame and 
phone every
time something goes wrong or they can't play a DVD, or the doorbell goes 
funny."
If you never get involved when people have problems, I'm glad you're not my 
neighbour :-)

I also know as this is just up the road that high buildings like Tolworth 
tower contribute to the ghosting in that part of the world.
I think trading standards, or what they now call consumer direct, might be 
interested in the details of this rigger. Not called bodgit and run are 
they?

Around here you actually get a less multipath ridden signal on a lowish 
aerial screened by buildings  except in the desired direction.

Brian

-- 
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
 graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________


"Doctor D"  wrote in message 
news:4amdndnOOvHys0TVnZ2dnUVZ8qDinZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>I was in Surbiton over the weekend at the in-laws. At a birthday get 
>together I got chatting to their elderly neighbour who several months ago 
>had a shiny new Triax Unix 52A on a 10' mast fitted to his chimney. The 
>mast has a Fringe box which I has assumed was a splitter or filter as 
>signal strength is high there, being barely 10 miles from Crystal Palace.
>
> My in-laws are still using an Aerialite 10A on their chimney with the 
> original 40 year old co-ax. Sometimes there's an odd blip but 99% of the 
> time DTTV reception is rock solid.
>
> Ghosting is an issue here on analogue, and the neighbour had an Aerialite 
> Supreme group A directed at CP and a large Wolsey B (the one with the bow 
> tie shaped elements) directed at Guildford. When those were removed, the 
> neighbour told the rigger that the chimney they were on had offered much 
> better reception in the past, and the chimney above the lounge had 
> provided poor reception. Mr Rigger (who was recommended by the local 
> Panasonic dealer) assured neighbour that he can get him perfect digital 
> pictures for his new Panasonic TV with decoder on the lounge chimney. This 
> chimney offers much easier access (although he had to remove the scrap 
> from the other one) and a much easier cable run to the TV.
>
> Two hours later Mr Rigger is struggling with ghosty analogue, and severe 
> pixilation on DTTV. He blames it on traffic, as from this chimney the 
> aerial looks along the A3 (from almost the same height) straight at CP. Mr 
> Rigger still claims this is the best chimney to use, although as far as 
> neighbour could see no readings were taken anywhere else on the house. Mr 
> Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some 
> solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from 
> neighbour and scoots.
>
> Neighbour then spends some time setting up his new TV and discovers 
> dreadful analogue with severe patterning and unwatchable DTTV on four 
> muxes. I got dragged away from chatting at this stage of the sorry saga 
> and paused only to offer assistance when we are next visiting to have a 
> look at what can be done. Amazingly, AFAIK Mr Rigger has not been asked to 
> return and neighbour is back to watching the free channels provided by his 
> old cable (Telewest, now Virgin) socket.
>
> When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be 
> overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV 
> problem is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at 
> 3am when traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in 
> attenuator which he had left from years ago although I presume this will 
> not be a valid test after all that amplification?

Yup get onto Ted Forsyth at Kingston Council. I certainly would.

Brian

-- 
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
 graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________


"Bill Wright"  wrote in message 
news:N_edna_WSfyaokTVnZ2dnUVZ8vGdnZ2d@pipex.net...
>
> "Doctor D"  wrote in message 
> news:4amdndnOOvHys0TVnZ2dnUVZ8qDinZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>> Mr Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some 
>> solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from 
>> neighbour and scoots.
>
> This is a case for Consumer Protection, surely?
>
> Bill
>

Blimey, and I thought bah humbug was my reputation at Christmas!

Brian

-- 
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
 graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________


"Ian"  wrote in message 
news:gbbirb$842$1@news.albasani.net...
>
> "Doctor D"  wrote in message 
> news:4amdndnOOvHys0TVnZ2dnUVZ8qDinZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>> When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be 
>> overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV 
>> problem is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at 
>> 3am when traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in 
>> attenuator which he had left from years ago although I presume this will 
>> not be a valid test after all that amplification?
>
> I wouldn't get involved as you will be the person they blame and phone 
> every
> time something goes wrong or they can't play a DVD, or the doorbell goes
> funny.  Tell them to call the person who installed the aerial and also 
> tell them
> to complain to the CAI (they are rubbish anyway) and Trading standards.
> Never get involved with other peoples problems!
>
>

...snip...

"Brian Gaff"  wrote in message 
news:xwmCk.62101$E41.81@text.news.virginmedia.com...
> I also know as this is just up the road that high buildings like Tolworth 
> tower contribute to the ghosting in that part of the world.
> I think trading standards, or what they now call consumer direct, might be 
> interested in the details of this rigger. Not called bodgit and run are 
> they?
>
> Around here you actually get a less multipath ridden signal on a lowish 
> aerial screened by buildings  except in the desired direction.
>

Or there's Bill's "2 aerials, carefully aligned to cancel ghosting" 
article - would that help where you are?

Paul DS

"Doctor D"  wrote in message 
news:AYGdnWf1krJKfETVnZ2dnUVZ8v-dnZ2d@posted.plusnet...
> If you never get involved when people have problems, I'm glad you're not 
> my neighbour :-)

I agree with this, but unfortunately people can sometimes get the wrong 
idea. I did a favour for a housebound person, went to the shops and got her 
DVD player and set it up for her. Now it seems to be under guarantee to me! 
I suppose I'll have to explain the facts, gently of course.

Bill

"Brian Gaff"  wrote in message 
news:xwmCk.62101$E41.81@text.news.virginmedia.com...
> Around here you actually get a less multipath ridden signal on a lowish 
> aerial screened by buildings  except in the desired direction.

I had to do this at my second house. It looked very odd. See
http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/albertsattic/056.html
For Brian's benefit this shows me looking like Che Guevara in glasses 
messing about with a home made aerial on my back wall. God, it makes me 
cringe! The past should be abolished!

Bill

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:30:25 +0100, Bill Wright 
wrote:

> For Brian's benefit this shows me looking like Che Guevara in glasses 
> messing about with a home made aerial on my back wall. God, it makes me 
> cringe! The past should be abolished!

I'm not too keen on the present. The future looks a bit bleak as well.
What to do?

"Paul Ratcliffe" <abuse@orac12.clara34.co56.uk78> wrote in message 
news:slrngdlsiq.cps.abuse@news.pr.network...
> I'm not too keen on the present. The future looks a bit bleak as well.
> What to do?

The present is the best time I've ever been in. I would hate to go back to 
the 60s and 70s, with two and a half TV channels mostly in black and white, 
gramophone records and dodgy reel to reel tape, no internet, no computers, 
cars that broke down every verse end, Post Office monopoly on 
communications, trying to make catalogues using lettraset and glue, fog so 
bad you had to stop driving and walk, no central heating, corporal 
punishment in schools, little or no nursery provision for the under 5s, 
dreadful road accident statistics, almost no motorways, medical science far 
less advanced from now, no routine screening for breast cancer, inflation 
touching 26%, etc.

The good old days? Old people who talk about the good old days are talking 
out of their arses.

Bill

"Doctor D"  wrote in message 
news:4amdndnOOvHys0TVnZ2dnUVZ8qDinZ2d@posted.plusnet...
>I was in Surbiton over the weekend at the in-laws. At a birthday get 
>together I got chatting to their elderly neighbour who several months ago 
>had a shiny new Triax Unix 52A on a 10' mast fitted to his chimney. The 
>mast has a Fringe box which I has assumed was a splitter or filter as 
>signal strength is high there, being barely 10 miles from Crystal Palace.
>
> My in-laws are still using an Aerialite 10A on their chimney with the 
> original 40 year old co-ax. Sometimes there's an odd blip but 99% of the 
> time DTTV reception is rock solid.
>
> Ghosting is an issue here on analogue, and the neighbour had an Aerialite 
> Supreme group A directed at CP and a large Wolsey B (the one with the bow 
> tie shaped elements) directed at Guildford. When those were removed, the 
> neighbour told the rigger that the chimney they were on had offered much 
> better reception in the past, and the chimney above the lounge had 
> provided poor reception. Mr Rigger (who was recommended by the local 
> Panasonic dealer) assured neighbour that he can get him perfect digital 
> pictures for his new Panasonic TV with decoder on the lounge chimney. This 
> chimney offers much easier access (although he had to remove the scrap 
> from the other one) and a much easier cable run to the TV.
>
> Two hours later Mr Rigger is struggling with ghosty analogue, and severe 
> pixilation on DTTV. He blames it on traffic, as from this chimney the 
> aerial looks along the A3 (from almost the same height) straight at CP. Mr 
> Rigger still claims this is the best chimney to use, although as far as 
> neighbour could see no readings were taken anywhere else on the house. Mr 
> Rigger then fits a Fringe masthead amplifier and shows neighbour some 
> solid DTTV. He claims £550 (yes, five hundred and fifty pounds) from 
> neighbour and scoots.
>
> Neighbour then spends some time setting up his new TV and discovers 
> dreadful analogue with severe patterning and unwatchable DTTV on four 
> muxes. I got dragged away from chatting at this stage of the sorry saga 
> and paused only to offer assistance when we are next visiting to have a 
> look at what can be done. Amazingly, AFAIK Mr Rigger has not been asked to 
> return and neighbour is back to watching the free channels provided by his 
> old cable (Telewest, now Virgin) socket.
>
> When I do get to look at it, I suspect that the patterning will be 
> overloading due to the masthead amplifier, and I wonder if the DTTV 
> problem is also due to high signal levels? I did advise trying the TV at 
> 3am when traffic on the A3 will be negligible, and to try a plug in 
> attenuator which he had left from years ago although I presume this will 
> not be a valid test after all that amplification?

Unbelievable. I've seen this before too. An old guy local to me had a huge 
wideband high gain stuck up by another firm who charged him about £500, and 
it was hopeless. Analogue not even watchable, and barely one mux coming 
through properly. He didn't call them back or even ring to complain. He just 
called me out.

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:30:25 +0100, "Bill Wright"
 wrote:

>
>"Brian Gaff"  wrote in message 
>news:xwmCk.62101$E41.81@text.news.virginmedia.com...
>> Around here you actually get a less multipath ridden signal on a lowish 
>> aerial screened by buildings  except in the desired direction.
>
>I had to do this at my second house. It looked very odd. See
>http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/albertsattic/056.html
>For Brian's benefit this shows me looking like Che Guevara in glasses 
>messing about with a home made aerial on my back wall. God, it makes me 
>cringe! The past should be abolished!
>
>Bill 
>
That pic is bloody hilarious!!!!!!!!!!

And BTW, the past technically is abolished, as it has already
happened.  And there is no present, only past and future.

Marky P.

On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:15:59 +0100, "Bill Wright"
 wrote:

>
>"Paul Ratcliffe" <abuse@orac12.clara34.co56.uk78> wrote in message 
>news:slrngdlsiq.cps.abuse@news.pr.network...
>> I'm not too keen on the present. The future looks a bit bleak as well.
>> What to do?
>
>The present is the best time I've ever been in. I would hate to go back to 
>the 60s and 70s, with two and a half TV channels mostly in black and white, 
>gramophone records and dodgy reel to reel tape, no internet, no computers, 
>cars that broke down every verse end, Post Office monopoly on 
>communications, trying to make catalogues using lettraset and glue, fog so 
>bad you had to stop driving and walk, no central heating, corporal 
>punishment in schools, little or no nursery provision for the under 5s, 
>dreadful road accident statistics, almost no motorways, medical science far 
>less advanced from now, no routine screening for breast cancer, inflation 
>touching 26%, etc.
>
>The good old days? Old people who talk about the good old days are talking 
>out of their arses.
>
>Bill 
>
I do believe that the times now are the best we've ever had, but i'm
sorry, reel to reel tapes were the best format ever!  And what about
the 8-track tape?  Songs fading out, 'kerchunk', fading back in again,
bad wow & flutter.... Ah, fantastic :-)

Marky P.

In article , Marky P
 scribeth thus
>On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:30:25 +0100, "Bill Wright"
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Brian Gaff"  wrote in message 
>>news:xwmCk.62101$E41.81@text.news.virginmedia.com...
>>> Around here you actually get a less multipath ridden signal on a lowish 
>>> aerial screened by buildings  except in the desired direction.
>>
>>I had to do this at my second house. It looked very odd. See
>>http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/albertsattic/056.html
>>For Brian's benefit this shows me looking like Che Guevara in glasses 
>>messing about with a home made aerial on my back wall. God, it makes me 
>>cringe! The past should be abolished!
>>
>>Bill 
>>
>That pic is bloody hilarious!!!!!!!!!!
>
>And BTW, the past technically is abolished, as it has already
>happened.  And there is no present, only past and future.
>

This is why Doctor Who and his Tardis are a complete fraud, if they
existed in the future then they'd be here now in the past relative to
the future;!..

-- 
Tony Sayer

"tony sayer"  wrote in message 
news:J+lRRaLxAS3IFwB1@bancom.co.uk...
> In article , Marky P
> This is why Doctor Who and his Tardis are a complete fraud, if they
> existed in the future then they'd be here now in the past relative to
> the future;!..

Nice drop of whisky Tony?

Bill

They were certainly streets ahead of audio cassettes in terms of
quality.

On Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:15:26 +0100, Marky P
 wrote:

> On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:15:59 +0100, "Bill Wright"
>  wrote:
> >
> >dodgy reel to reel tape
>
> i'm
> sorry, reel to reel tapes were the best format ever!

In article , Bill Wright
 scribeth thus
>
>"tony sayer"  wrote in message 
>news:J+lRRaLxAS3IFwB1@bancom.co.uk...
>> In article , Marky P
>> This is why Doctor Who and his Tardis are a complete fraud, if they
>> existed in the future then they'd be here now in the past relative to
>> the future;!..
>
>Nice drop of whisky Tony?
>
>Bill 
>
>

Nah bruvver!! it stands to yer actual reason dunnit!..

Think abaht it. If them time machines are around they'd be coming back
from the future to the past i.e. now!...
-- 
Tony Sayer

"tony sayer"  wrote in message 
news:zPOPt4AdCh3IFw0q@bancom.co.uk...
> In article , Bill Wright
>  scribeth thus
> Think abaht it. If them time machines are around they'd be coming back
> from the future to the past i.e. now!...

Ohhh arr! I sees what you mean. So them time traveller blokes would clean up 
at the bookies for a start!

Bill

In article , Bill Wright
 scribeth thus
>
>"tony sayer"  wrote in message 
>news:zPOPt4AdCh3IFw0q@bancom.co.uk...
>> In article , Bill Wright
>>  scribeth thus
>> Think abaht it. If them time machines are around they'd be coming back
>> from the future to the past i.e. now!...
>
>Ohhh arr! I sees what you mean. So them time traveller blokes would clean up 
>at the bookies for a start!
>
>Bill 
>
>

Well no .. cos the bookies have time machines already;!...
-- 
Tony Sayer

On 27/09/2008 14:56, tony sayer wrote:

> In article , Bill Wright
>  scribeth thus
>> "tony sayer"  wrote in message 
>> news:zPOPt4AdCh3IFw0q@bancom.co.uk...
>>> In article , Bill Wright
>>>  scribeth thus
>>> Think abaht it. If them time machines are around they'd be coming back
>>> from the future to the past i.e. now!...
>> Ohhh arr! I sees what you mean. So them time traveller blokes would clean up 
>> at the bookies for a start!
> 
> Well no .. cos the bookies have time machines already;!...

which they use to travel into the past and kill each person who invents 
time travel.

On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:53:17 +0100, tony sayer wrote:
> Think abaht it. If them time machines are around they'd be coming back
> from the future to the past i.e. now!...
So why apart from the Jon Pertwee era, which was set in the future,
is current Dr Who always set contemporaneously with the BBC audience time 
frame?

Since Davies took over, all of the companions have been 
a) from Greater London
b) from the current time period

obviously reflecting Davies' and BBC's notion of the target viewer.

Previous script writers were much more imaginative with companions
from ancient Troy, the distant future of earth, the Jacobite uprising,
an Australian etc etc

In article ,
   J G Miller  wrote:
> Previous script writers were much more imaginative with companions
> from ancient Troy, the distant future of earth, the Jacobite uprising,
> an Australian etc etc

C'mon. Who would believe an Australian?

-- 
* I like you. You remind me of when I was young and stupid

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 19:31:29 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
   > C'mon. Who would believe an Australian?

QUOTE
Janet Fielding (born Janet Mahoney, 1957, Brisbane, Queensland) is an 
Australian actress, known for her role in the BBC science fiction 
television series Doctor Who as Tegan Jovanka.
UNQUOTE