What type of digital aerial

A grouped aerial will only cover a proportion of the overall TV spectrum and a wideband cover it all. Which would lead to the question why would you use a grouped TV aerial? Well because they are only designed to pick a smaller range of frequencies, it helps maximise signal gain with a far smaller aerial and reduce unwanted signals outside that aerial group which it is designed to serve.

If you had unwanted signals drifting in from nearby transmitters which you are not using, then a grouped aerial can dramatically reduce these signals and any problems they may create. This changed after the digital switchover where it became a group B transmitter. Because there are overlapping between the two groups many services were not affected, but many services were pushed to lower frequencies than what the aerial is designed to receive.

The amount of signal that an aerial picks up when compared to other aerials is referred to the forward gain and it is represented in dB. The aerial types with the highest forward gain maximise the signal that is being received and are referred to as high gain aerials.

But this is only where the frequency response is at its highest at around Mhz. Log periodic aerials work differently to other Yagi types of antenna and deliver a much flatter response across the whole of the UHF frequency band. Although the forward gain is advertised as being around So, you can on occasion be better off by choosing a log periodic aerial instead of using a high gain aerial, especially when aligning the aerial to group A transmitter like the Crystal Palace transmitter in London or the Rowridge transmitter on the Isle Of Wight.

These are far smaller and far less expensive and of course a group A aerial would trump both of these in terms of performance when using a group A transmitter.

Even when you point an aerial in one direction, it will not completely limit the signal pick up from other directions. So, care should be taken to reduce the signals from neighbouring transmitters which are not in use as these also could problems.

To improve the front to back ration modern aerial designs have implemented large back reflectors which help improve the front to back ratio of an aerial. I would say personally that the most important features that a good suitable TV aerial for digital TV has is an , a screened connection, 4G rejection, 5G rejection in the near future and a double screened connecting coaxial cable.

A good quality double screened coaxial cable will minimise interference pick up and signal loss to help preserve a good reliable digital TV or Freeview reception. A screened connection on the aerial will also prevent interference from entering the system at the aerial itself. A balun, which is short for balanced to unbalanced transformer matches the balanced aerial to the unbalanced coaxial cable. Because the cable screen which is protecting interference from reaching the centre conductor of the coaxial cable is still picking up interference.

This has the ability at the aerial to feed back into the system. The balun will help fizzle most of the out and really help improve the reliability of the signal and potentially get rid of any pixilation. Picking an aerial that has either 4G rejection and 5G rejection will help reduce the effects the 4G an 5G interference which could cause loss of TV signal. Its built-in amplifier features a filter to block out interference from 4G signals, and the design is very forgiving when it comes to positioning and angle.

It works well too. We found the One for All picked up all the channels available in our area, with more consistent HD reception than the cheaper, unamplified models: the only time we saw blocking was on the SD channel, 4Seven. Buy now from Currys PC World. Sign up for our daily newsletter Newsletter. Stuart Andrews. Tom Bruce. Digital Satellite and Virgin users are not affected. FM radio at Holme Moss has been undergoing antenna re-engineering works since the 29th June.

Since the start of the re-engineering works BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been operating at reduced power. The work is complex and services will continue to be transmitted at reduced power for a further period.

We do not as yet have a date when services will to revert to full power. Please keep checking back to our website for further updates. Platforms affected include Freeview. Viewers may have difficulty with reception, however they can still watch their favourite programmes by using BBC iPlayer. The government set a target of switching off FM radio services after a set of criteria on digital radio listening had been met.

The criteria has recently been met but as yet the government have not undertaken a review of FM radio nor given any indication of when or if FM switch off will happen.

This normally happens in the summer months, due to high pressure weather conditions in the atmosphere, allowing radio signals to travel further. The cause is an atmospheric effect known as Sporadic-E and can last from a few seconds up to an hour or more. For more information on how weather can affect your Radio services, please see our guide. At night medium wave radio signals can travel much further than during the day.

This means your radio is able to receive more radio channels either using the same frequency as the service you are listening to or adjacent to that frequency. The result is a higher level of interference and a deterioration in both the sound and coverage.

B asic Installation. It is important to check your installation is working properly and that your radio is in the best possible position.

We have a basic installation guide to help you with this. Works and warnings. Check whether there are any known works or warnings that may be causing the problem. Transmitter faults and frequencies. Use our Transmitter Checker to check the transmitter is not undergoing any work and to see which FM radio services you can receive from your location. Hi-Fi radios. If you are using a Hi-Fi tuner and stereo reception is hissy, but mono is fine, your aerial may not be powerful enough.

You may need to consider a loft or external aerial to solve your reception problem. FM radio signals can be affected by fine weather including high pressure and the only solution is to wait for the weather to change, you should not re-tune during this time. Our information on how clear skies and fine weather can affect your radio reception may be useful, please see our Weather Guide. Pirate Radio. In some urban areas Pirate Radio can be a problem.

Distorted S and Z sounds sibilance. This can happen when your radio receives more than one signal. The second signal is picked up by the radio moments after the first. For example you receive one signal directly from the transmitter and another is being reflected off a nearby hill.

Try moving the radio or tuning to a different frequency. Twittering and whistling. This often sounds like birds tweeting and happens if there is another frequency being transmitted near the one you are listening to.

This can commonly be caused by high pressure when, during fine weather, radio signals can travel much further than normal. These signals can be both UK and foreign stations. There is nothing that can be done and the problem will go away when the weather changes. Hissing and fading. This normally means that the signal you are receiving is not strong enough. See our guide on Hissing and Fading. Buzzing, clicking and pops. This may mean an electrical item in your home or nearby, is interfering with the reception of your FM radio and is causing the buzzing, clicking or pops you can hear.

See our guide on Buzzing and Clicking. Distortion - fuzzy, gritty, scratchy sound. This is commonly caused by the FM signals being bounced off objects or hillsides and reaching your radio by different paths. Its technical name is multipath distortion.

It is often worst in hilly or heavily built-up areas. Indoor portables are especially susceptible. Distorted sound can also occur if your radio is off-tune. This can increasingly happen if your batteries are beginning to fail. Ensure your radio is correctly tuned-in, and check that your batteries are in good condition, or use mains power. If you are hearing a hum it is often linked to an issue with your mains adapter.

You may need to check that all parts of your receiving system are fully earthed. The telescopic aerial fitted to stereo portables is a compromise and the radio will often only give really good results if connected to an external aerial. Some sets do this automatically. Make sure you are tuned to the best frequency for your area, as you can often pick up more than one signal.

Use our Transmitter Checker to find the best frequencies for your location. The CAI Confederation of Aerial Industries is a recognised trade body which can put you in touch with one of its members in your area. It is important to check your installation is working properly and that your radio is in the best possible location. We have a basic installation guide you can read. AM reception can vary a great deal from day to night because of differences in the atmosphere.

You may get good, clear reception during the day, but after sunset the signal may fade or become distorted. This is why you can often hear radio stations from outside the UK at night. This is causing the buzzing, clicking or pops sounds you can hear. If you are still having problems see our sister site RTIS for further information.

Effect of Weather on Reception. Weather-related problems tend to happen mainly in the summer, when high pressure can cause a radio signal to travel further than it would normally. If this distant radio signal is on the same frequency as the one you are listening to it can cause a reception problem.

This is because your radio will struggle decoding two radio stations on the same frequency. This is known as co-channel interference.

The effect can last from a few hours to a few days and can cause intermittent effects on the service during that time. The effect that causes radio signals to travel further than normal is known as tropospheric ducting. For more information see our guide on tropospheric ducting. What to do:. There is nothing that can be done but to wait until the weather changes. We have no control over it. If your problem is due to the weather, it should go away once the weather changes.

Check our works and warning page to see if there any current weather problems. The most common FM radio aerial on a portable radio is a telescopic one.

To get the best reception extend the aerial fully and move the aerial and radio around until you get the best reception. If using a hi-fi with a wire aerial, again extend as much as possible to get the best signal. External aerials are also available for FM radio and will significantly improve reception. The aerial and cables need to be well maintained and you will need a radio that has an option to connect an external aerial. A radio which can tune to medium and long wave services usually has an aerial built in, which you cannot see.

As the aerial is directional, by simply turning the radio you will be able to get the best reception. AM does not use the telescopic aerial. This needs to be rotated to find the best signal. External aerials are also available for DAB and will significantly improve reception. The aerial and cables need to be well maintained and you need a radio with the option to connect an external aerial. Unlike the other services, all the predictions of DAB coverage are for indoor coverage.

Fading and Hissing. If you normally can receive a service, but you are now finding it is fading, or you can hear hissing, this could be down to one of three things. The first is a fault with the local FM transmitter. If not, then you will need to check the radio and aerial to confirm they are both working properly. However, if you are using a frequency you have preset and there is no radio service on that frequency in your location, then the RDS may not work.

At that point you will need to tune your radio until you find a signal. If you are having continuous reception problems check your car aerial for damage. If you have an extendable aerial make sure it is fully extended to give the best possible reception. Local Radio Travel News.

The RDS system is set up to detect local radio travel news. The way to turn traffic announcements on and off on varies between radios. Check you car manual for yours. Electrical Interference. Interference to MW or LW reception in a car can sometimes happen when the engine is running.

This can be due to various things including poor earth connectors, faulty or corroded HT leads and uncompressed spark plugs. This can cause whining on the radio, which rises and falls with engine speed. It has also been known for the engine management system EMS to cause problems. The simplest test is to turn off your engine and see whether it goes away.

The buzzing and clicking lasts from a few seconds to a minute at a time. Switch off heating systems and see whether the problem goes away. If the problem persists when you turn the heating system back on, the problem could be with the thermostat, which may need to be repaired or replaced. To find out if a particular switch is causing the problem, try turning the lights off one at a time.

Many people are now using low power LED lights instead of the more traditional varieties. However, if the original light used a transformer rather than directly running off the mains, it is possible the transformer is causing the interference. This is because the transformer would have been designed to operate at the higher power and not the lower power the LED lights use.

This has the potential to cause electrical interference. Street lamps. Street lamps can sometimes cause buzzing and crackling sounds on your FM radio. Our full review reveals why it deserves our recommendation. Ticking all the boxes from signal reception to its 4G filter and HD compatibility, this aerial was a winner in our tests.

To find out which aerial it is, read our full review. Looking for an aerial that's good at picking up strong and weak signals? This one could be the one for you. It might be a bit pricey but its performance proved to be worth it in our tests. Even Best Buy indoor aerials sometimes can't get good TV reception in your home. This can be down to a number of external factors, such as the position of your home in relation to other buildings.

See our guide on how to set up an indoor aerial for tips on placement and troubleshooting. You get a good range of SD and HD channels, but you'll need to have a satellite dish installed on your home to receive the service if you don't already have one.

For more information, check out our What is Freesat? Digital TV channels and radio stations are grouped into six bundles, called multiplexes, that are transmitted at different frequencies across the TV band. Poor reception in one part of the TV band could mean you miss out on some, if not all, channels carried on a multiplex.

Best Buy indoor aerials perform well across the whole TV band, so you should receive the channels available on every multiplex. A good aerial should give you at least the first three channels, although the latter three can depend on where you live.

The Digital UK website has a useful guide showing what reception you can expect in your area, or check the Freeview website for Freeview channels at your address.

Due to the way some 4G and 5G mobile services are delivered in the UK, there's a chance — albeit a very small one — that they could interfere with your Freeview TV picture.

This disruption is possible because the MHz band now used for 4G sits right next to the spectrum used for Freeview and the MHz band for 5G is the same one used for Freeview. Homes in areas that use higher frequencies to deliver TV channel multiplexes, notably channels 59 or 60, are most susceptible to interference from 4G and 5G.

Many indoor TV aerials that we test come with a 4G filter already fitted. If you want to check whether you could be affected by 4G and 5G interference, Digital UK has a postcode coverage checker that shows if your area uses channels 59 or