405-Line VHF Aerials 2013 to the present day.

[SteveCG]

Re post no. 796:

That aerial is an Antiference combined Band I ('X') and III (cranked end dipole + 4 directors).

[Hybrid tellies]

It looks complete nd worth saving if you could.
My guess its Holme Moss on ch2 and Emley Moor on ch10.

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Hybrid tellies

Membury was an interesting transmitter extending the Midlands region way south into the London, West and some of the south regions. I think the ITA were more interested in providing an improved service to this area which was on the fringes of the service areas of Chillerton Down, Croydon, Lichfield and St Hilary rather than the regional programmes it carried.

Yes: there's a big chunk of central-south-western UK that was historically poorly-served by 405-line TV. We had signal-blocking by the Cotswolds to the North, the Chilterns to the North-East, the Ridgeway and the Marlborough Downs, Savernake forest and the high plateau of Salisbury Plain to the south.

BBC and ITV from London tended to get out along the Thames Valley as far as Newbury or - if you were lucky - Hungerford. Lichfield tended to get about as far as Swindon but didn't manage to get over the Ridgeway to viewers in Lambourn, Marlborough or the narrow valleys further South.

There were a bunch of 405-line low-power relays - Hungerford, Marlborough, Swindon - to provide infill. This still continued when 625-line UHF became the thing - the deep-shadow valleys around Ogbourne St.George, Chiseldon etc are still only getting "Freeview Lite" digital-TV, with most of the interesting channels missing - which is a real sales-opportunity for Sky!

Membury, I always thought, was a valiant effort by the IBA to cover these otherwise ITV-deprived communities - but I really think their choice of relaying ATV/Central 'Midlands' ITV coverage was a mistake: surely it would have made more sense to relay London?

[Andy Green]

Here's another one still surviving in Waterford. It's almost at sea level in the middle of the city. so I dont know what sort of reception would have been available, but I recall that 30 odd years ago there were many such examples in the city, so it must have been worth it.

[Mr Hoover]

Presumably it was aimed for Wenvoe Ch5?
A nice over the water type path virtually all the way.
North Hessary Tor Ch2 is another possibility but the elements look a little short to me for Ch 2.
It would have been great to have seen the results.
I remember seeing BBC1 405 in Dublin many many years ago and it was full of interference and weak, presumably from Divis?

[Richard_FM]

Parts of Dublin used to be a low flying hazards due to the amount of high mounted aerials to pick up signals from across the Irish Sea.

Eventually cable TV replaced the need for them.

[Andy Green]

Originally Posted by Richard_FM

Parts of Dublin used to be a low flying hazards due to the amount of high mounted aerials to pick up signals from across the Irish Sea.

Eventually cable TV replaced the need for them.

40 years ago it was not uncommon to see 100 foot guyed masts made of lightweight 2" steel pole even on ordinary domestic houses, with quad stacked and bayed yagis pointing either to Divis/Black Mountain, or East to Prescelli. A few are still up, although cable TV in the major urban areas which was introduced in the 70s, and later Satellite TV's introduction has made them redundant now.

[Jonster]

Here's a dual BI/III array I snapped in the centre of Blandford Forum, Dorset last week. It has lasted surprisingly well.

[Jonster]

Here's another fine dual BIII array spotted in West Street, Tavistock recently.

[Mr Hoover]

Presume that was aimed at Caradon Hill,
Ch 12..North Hessary Tor Ch 2 is quite near
so BBC might have needed an attenuator!

[SteveCG]

RE post no. 804:

Does the Irish Republic still broadcast its VHF/FM radio using vertical polarization? If so then I wonder whether the 4 element aerial was for FM reception, given the lengths of its elements?

[Peter.N.]

Both in pretty good nick the last two. There were hundreds down here a few years ago but most have dissapeared now.

A friend of mine who ran the TV shop in Lairg used to install passive repeaters in the mountains of Sutherland, they worked surprisingly well in bringing signals to otherwise dead low lying areas.

Peter

[kan_turk]

Originally Posted by SteveCG

RE post no. 804:

Does the Irish Republic still broadcast its VHF/FM radio using vertical polarization? If so then I wonder whether the 4 element aerial was for FM reception, given the lengths of its elements?

Ireland does use vertical polarisation (with some mixed & circular polarisation which are receivable with standard vertical antennas) - by the time Ireland introduced FM broadcasting requirements had evolved while GB was stuck with legacy horizontal polarisation which is unsuited to mobile reception although I understand that there has been the introduction of some ‘slant’ polarisation in recent years

Rgds
John

[EF80TVVALVE]

I don't know if I've shared this on here many years ago but this was originally fitted on one of the beams in the loft. It was made by Ekco, a few years ago it was possible to still see the Ekco emblem transfer but it has corroded further and dissapeard now, leaving just the outline of the emblem. Does anyone have any booklets or information on these, I can't seem to find anything relating to Ekco television aerials.

[G6Tanuki]

Sighted yesterday in Swindon -this 4-ele BI antenna [missing the bottom legs of the 2 directors] points due-East - suggesting it was used to receive London BBC.

[it's in one of the higher parts of town so had a sporting chance of getting a signal even though mounted rather low]

[Mr Hoover]

That must be very old, Wenvoe Ch 5 turned on
in 1952 and would have been much stronger
than Ally Pally there.

[Peter.N.]

I saw a very sound looking 'X' aerial the other day only I have forgotten where, will try and find it.

Peter

[slidertogrid]

I know this is a drawing rather than a photo but assuming that the drawing was of a real scene it looks as if TV was popular in the welsh mining villages !
I am surprised that so many could afford it back then as it looks as if it was early on pre ITV?

[Rich Woods]

Just spotted these two horizontally polarised B1/3 combined beauties in Cardigan, West Wales. The one on the right is pointed towards Blaenplwyf, but the one on the left is a bit of a mystery. Is it pointing at an English transmitter in the south west or perhaps it was just installed backwards?

[Rich Woods]

The UHF aerials on the above photo are pointing towards Preseli.