Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

In a couple of months we will loose Crystal Palace Analog for good. :'(

Since the TX companies don't appear to be doing anything special at the final switch off I thought that I would get my spectrum analyser out and take a couple of screen shots of the signal in my workshop.

I have marked the current situation and shown this below. It is my intention to move to the house and take further pictures just before, during the interim and after the DSO takes place in April. This should show a more level signal spectrum as I wont have so much cable attenuation. Ch 34/Mux5 is not showing.

Just to remind us of the signals that have served us well for many years.

Hopefully if all goes to plan this will illustrate the change in signal levels of the digital signals during the move.

Steve.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

As I'm sure all of you in the London area know, Digital UK are mounting an extensive advertising campaign.

Had an unexpected call from one of their people today asking if I was willing to be interviewed on Radio London. Don't know the date yet or the exact nature of the programme but apparently I'll be putting DSO in historical context. Probably for the benefit of older folk who can remember the start of BBC2 and the somewhat younger ones who can remember the 405 switch off. I think it may also be part of the promotion of the fixed cost assistance scheme for older viewers.

My spectrum analyser only goes up to 500Mhz so I can only see the very bottom of Band IV.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

It's a long time since I've seen the Crystal Palace signals displayed like that....4 years in fact when I left Philips. Why is your BBC2 analogue signal so low? Most places within the service area normally show a fairly balanced level.

Rich.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

My workshop is at the end of a long cable and the aerial is on the house. However if you look at the level of the CH5 signal it appears there is a notch in repsonse. Guess there is a mismatch in the cabling etc...

Just before the DSO I will take the spectrum analyser into the house so i'll get a more balanced reference point. The HP8558B is a tad fragile and I don't want to move it around too often.

PPP Let us know when you're on and we'll have a listen :)

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

On another forum some people have been saying analogue reception from crystal palace has been variable over the past couple of weeks and it's not been as good here.

Incidentally crystal palace is off air in the early hours tomorrow so they may be testing the new muxes but during the tests you can only look at the signal strengths as there is no data transmitted.

Andy

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

Hello
Out of interest what is the DSO schedule for Crystal Palace? I still receive analogue from Divis NI and I wonder if it may actually be the very last region to go fully digital.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

We also have a couple of months down on the south coast before DSO.
I use the Rowridge transmitter on the Isle of Wight.

:beer:
Mark

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

NI is the last region to go digital. CP is scheduled for 18/4/12

http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/d...switchover.htm
http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/f...ents.htm#table

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

Next month a bit further north (Hannington)
http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=SU527568

Have to confess to not having watched analogue fro a while - Even my Aurora is fed from a set top box.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

DSO in the North-East of England is said to be September or October this year.

DFWB.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

NI dso's in oct 2012 so trevor you will enjoy analogue untill then.

I will enjoy analogue until bilsdale goes in sept 2012.

Andy

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

I stand corrected, DSO from Rowridge is Wednesday, 22nd February.
The end of an era....
:beer:
Mark

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

I though that Rowridge would go the same time as us (Hannington). ISTR that the 2 are linked with a microwave link - I might be wrong though:-/

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

Chris, you are correct, I was reading the wrong info :-[
DSO is Wednesday, 21st March.
Hannington goes DSO on the 22nd Febuary.
:beer:
Mark

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

BBC2 in one of our rooms is quite noticeably grainy so perhap BBC2is level is down.

Does anyone know what time the analogue transmissions are set for switch off? And what time the new arrangement of MUX's will start?

Does anyone know what will happen to the small relay transmitters which at the moment only transmit analogue?

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

This is really making me sad. It is like an old friend turning and walking away and you know you will never see them again. While others seem happy with 'more channels' each day counting down is a gloomy feeling and I can' really think beyond it at the moment.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

Here near Bristol I can receive snowy analogue pictures from Hannington so will be monitoring these signals over the next few weeks. During lift conditions I can sometimes get surprising good analogue pictures from Crystal Palace and CH5 from Croydon. Hopefully we will get a decent tropo lift before Crystal Palace/Croydon DSO.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

It is suggested that at the moment some of the analogue CP channels are being broadcast from Croydon while they do last minute aerial changes at CP. That would explain the weak signals, BBC1 is quite weak here in Bracknell.

Another little anomaly is that at the first stage of switchover ITV analogue will move to the old BBC2 frequency (c33) as the BBC digital multiplex moves to c23 at that time. Not mentioned in any of the publicity and will confuse some..

Despite Hannington first stage being just a week away there has been virtually no publicity here in Bracknell apart from an occasional small mention in the local rags. Terrestrial reception is split 50/50 between that and CP but with many people being on cable or satellite not that many will even notice.

Dave

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

I've noticed BBC1 showing a very bad signal on sunday so that explains it.

Re: Crystal Palace DSO is looming...
 

Some very good techincal info on this web site. (I'm in no way connected to it)

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/