Cable and connectors. A television signal will always lose some of its strength as it passes along the cable and through the connectors.
Therefore it is important to minimise the loss by using good quality cable and connectors. These are not recommended unless absolutely required as they can introduce unexpected reception problems. See our help guide on the different types of amplifiers available.
Depending on the transmitter you are using, your aerial elements will need to be mounted flat horizontal or on its side vertical. We cannot recommend individual installers. However the CAI Confederation of Aerial Industries is a recognised trade body which will be able to put you in touch with one of their members in your area. Basic Installation. It is important to check that your installation is intact.
For example all the cables between your television equipment and aerial are connected securely and none is damaged. Further information is available in our Freeview installation guide. Check our Works and Warnings section to see whether there are any known problems. Using our Transmitter Checker , check your transmitter is not undergoing any work.
Television signals can be affected by fine weather including high pressure atmospherics and the only solution is to wait for the weather to change, you should not retune during this time.
See how weather can affect Freeview reception. During wet weather, when covered in moisture, all trees can have an appreciable effect on signals. As trees sway in windy weather the screening effect varies, leading to fluctuations in the quality of reception.
To rule this out see our guide on cables and water damage. A manual retune is more effective than an auto-retune as it only tunes your television to the transmitter your aerial is pointing towards.
For more information on how to retune manually see our manual re-tuning page. For information on the symptoms of interference see our other site, RTIS , for further information. We cannot recommend individual Installers. When to use an amplifier. A signal amplifier should only be used as a last resort when the television signal is weak. A good amplifier should have a filter built in that only allows the signal you want to be boosted and not any unwanted signals.
Otherwise, all the unwanted signals will also be boosted, which can cause pictures to break up. Problems using amplifiers. Amplifiers themselves are a common source of reception problems. For example, if water were to get into a masthead type, they can start to boost the result of the fault.
This could be unwanted signals and result in picture loss on your own television and, maybe, those living nearby. To check, remove the power from the amplifier and see whether the problem goes away. There are three types of amplifier — masthead, set-back and distribution. All these need a power supply to work. These fit directly under an outside aerial and usually the best type of amplifier to fix weak signals.
These fit between the aerial socket in the wall and your television. These split the TV signal from a single aerial and allow the signal to be sent to several different televisions in the building.
Combined amplifiers. Some amplifiers are a mix of the above. For example, some masthead amplifiers are also distribution amplifiers. Some can also combine television and FM radio signals. When to use an Attenuator. If you are experiencing pixellation or picture break up, it may be that your signal is too strong as this often presents itself similarly to a weak signal.
This is likely to happen if you live close to a transmitter. Attenuators can be used to decrease the incoming signal if it is too strong without distorting it. It is effectively the opposite of an amplifier, though the two work by different methods. While an amplifier provides gain, boosts the signal, an attenuator provides loss, reduces the signal. Attenuators are always a compromise and should only be used if absolutely necessary. They come in a variety of powers; in most cases a small reduction is all that is needed.
It may take a little trial and error to find the most suitable one for your installation, and it is worth taking the advice of a local aerial contractor to select the correct one for the installation. A fire at the transmitter site has caused disruption to all services from the site. The process to restore services using a combination of temporary structures and existing infrastructure elsewhere in the region has started.
This incident is being managed by our suppliers Arqiva and we are working with them to ensure services in the affected area are resumed as soon as possible. For details on how Arqiva are planning to restore services, including the latest plans and timescales for the temporary transmitter, please see bilsdalemast. On the 13th October Arqiva successfully switched on a new 80 metre temporary mast close to the original Bilsdale mast site.
This brought back signal to thousands of homes across the region. In addition, two small relay transmitters were just added in the Loftus 30th October and Thirsk 31st October areas. If you are in an affected area you should retune to help restore channels. For help retuning try this retune guide on Arqiva's Bilsdale website. Arqiva is offering a help scheme which includes tuning advice, a voucher scheme and help with aerial installations. This scheme is available to all viewers who continue to experience reception problems since the incident at the transmitter.
More detail about the scheme can be found here. If you are still experiencing problems you can log an enquiry by entering your address into the postcode checker on the Arqiva help scheme website. There is also a Freephone number available on The line is prioritising calls from people over 65, to the clinically vulnerable and other vulnerable people with carers.
BBC Radio Tees. If you had previously lost DAB services we recommend you rescan your radio, as the new temporary mast won't appear in the Transmitter Checker tool yet. See our help guide to get the best reception, What is a good FM radio installation? Placing near the window can help as that will minimise the impact to the signal from building materials. 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. Keeping a note of when each lamp comes on and goes off will help to identify whether this is the cause of your interference. If it is, contact your local council. Passing traffic.
A faulty or uncompressed engine can cause a distinct buzzing 'whine' which varies with engine speed - motorcycles tend to be the worst. Try to move your radio away from the street or use an external aerial. Electric motor. An electric motor is used in many appliances such as electric lawnmowers, washing machines, drills and hairdryers etc. A faulty motor can cause electrical interference. Check any appliance with an electric motor by moving your radio away from it to see whether the sound improves.
If you have several appliances with electric motors you may need to turn them all off and try the above one at a time. With all of these potential causes, it is worth keeping a log for at least two weeks to determine whether there are any patterns or trends to the interference. This can be due to:. Reduced transmitter power. Use our transmitter tool to see whether your local transmitter is currently affected by maintenance work.
Stereo Signal. Try moving the radio to another position, such as near a window, higher up, or another room. If you get hiss when listening to a stereo signal try switching to mono. Stereo reception needs a stronger signal than mono. If you have a portable radio you will be able to pick up more of the receivable signal if your telescopic aerial is fully extended. If you have an external or loft aerial check they are functioning correctly. Tuning to the wrong transmitter.
Use our transmitter tool to check you are tuned to the best frequency for your area, as you can often pick up more than one signal.
Very occasionally, the weather, usually high pressure, can result in a weakened signal. There is nothing anyone can do about this and the only answer is to wait for the weather to change. For more information see our guide on how weather can affect radio reception.
Help receiving TV and radio. Reception and interference main navigation Menu. To reset: 1. Check out our tools Use our problem assistant to help you diagnose problems with reception and interference View tool. Check the status of the transmitter you are using and find out TV and radio channels and frequencies View tool. My DAB reception has started to drop out, is this due to poor reception? How can weather affect DAB reception? Tuning Most DAB radios can be tuned easily at the touch of a button.
Telescopic aerials Telescopic aerials on portable radios should be fully extended to receive a good signal. Outdoor aerials An externally mounted aerial can be attached to many types of DAB portable radio and hi-fi systems. Cables and Connectors If you have an external aerial, a radio signal will always lose some of its strength as it passes along the cable and through the connectors. Works and Warnings Check whether there are any known works or warnings that might be causing the problem.
Tuning DAB uses multiplexes to group services together. External aerials It is important to check the cables and the aerial for damage and that they are operating correctly. Damaged Cables Water can get into external cables and can cause reception problems. Car Radios Radio reception can drop out when on the move due to changes in topography.
Weather Radio signals can be affected by fine weather including high pressure. Lost reception of one or more station within a multiplex If all other stations are working ok and you have just lost one station. If your car radio is showing no signal or no service for a station you usually receive, this could be down to one of the following things: DAB Transmitter Fault If you know your location, you can use our transmitter checker to see whether there is a problem.
Interference Poor DAB reception can also be caused by equipment used in the vehicle. Topography When travelling in the car, your signal can be affected by natural features of the land, for example, hills, valleys, rivers, etc. How to find these services It is best to re-tune your radio when they are broadcasting, so it will store the station in its memory. Checking for problems Check cables and leads within your property to ensure the problem is not a simple installation fault.
Electrical interference There are differences between a reception problem and one caused by electrical interference. Why is this? My Television reception is usually good in the day, so why does my television reception sometimes deteriorate in the evenings? Why are subtitles sometimes delayed or out of sync? Why am I receiving a voice commentary over my picture. What is this, and how can I turn this off?
Freeview Help Guides What is a good Freeview installation? Aerials There are all kinds of aerials available on the market and some which are specific to certain frequencies. Height Your aerial should be as high as possible pointing towards the transmitter with the best signal. Loft and indoor aerials If you live close to a transmitter or can get a strong TV signal, then it could be possible to use an aerial in your loft or an indoor portable aerial.
Cable and connectors A television signal will always lose some of its strength as it passes along the cable and through the connectors. Amplifier These are not recommended unless absolutely required as they can introduce unexpected reception problems.
Polarisation Depending on the transmitter you are using, your aerial elements will need to be mounted flat horizontal or on its side vertical. Qualified Installer We cannot recommend individual installers. Troubleshooting your Freeview Television reception Basic Installation It is important to check that your installation is intact. Works and Warnings Check our Works and Warnings section to see whether there are any known problems. Transmitter faults Using our Transmitter Checker , check your transmitter is not undergoing any work.
Both types will detract from the look of your car interior, and can make it look cluttered. This approach uses the same technology as plug-in-and-play solutions, converting the digital signal to FM. However, they look far better, with only a new antenna visible. However, they are complicated to install, and need to be put in by a trained professional, which increases the cost.
If they are installed correctly, your vehicle interior will look unchanged, and they have much better antennas, so you will get a much more stable radio signal. Again, there are two different types:. With this type, the only visible change to your car will be a new antenna.
DAB radio information is displayed on your existing vehicle radio display, and you control the radio via your existing dash or steering wheel buttons. For this reason, they are suitable only for cars with dash or steering wheel controls available to be adapted.
You also may find with fully integrated conversion kits that the labels for buttons on your dash or steering wheel do not correspond logically with the radio controls, as they were never designed to be used in that way. Instead, you are supplied with a wireless remote to control the radio. Good kits will include a remote that does not need to be pointed at the control unit. This solution will work in any car, and installation is cheaper than with the fully integrated type.
Since the dedicated remote is designed for radio use, it often gives a better user experience than a fully integrated kit. This is generally not possible with more modern cars, as dashboards now vary greatly in design. But if you have a car considerably more than 10 years old, it could be relatively easy to take out your existing radio and replace it with a new one, with a wide range available from brands such as Alpine, JVC, Kenwood, Panasonic, Pioneer and Sony.
If you drive a newer car, it can require a lot of additional parts to make these new radios fit in your car, adding lots of extra hidden costs. It can also be difficult to maintain a nice interior look to your car. Listening to the radio for one hour every weekday for a month will use around 1GB of mobile data. Look for the digital radio tick mark shown below to ensure you are buying a future-ready digital car radio.
All AM stations are due to convert to digital or FM channels. Test score. Don't have a digital radio in your car? Check out our handy guide to see what options are available to you ahead of the digital switchover. Oliver Trebilcock. In this article 1. Plug-in-and-play car radio adaptors 2. Digital radio conversion kit 3.
Replacement radio 4. Use your smartphone Buying a digital radio. Product Description. Related articles Best cheap record players and turntables for Wireless, smart and Bluetooth speaker reviews Which? Best Buy headphones Car reviews. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share by email.
0コメント