Melbourne Reception Into Ballarat

[redsmeg]

Just wondering what the chances of getting melbournes digital transmissions in Ballarat are?

I know years ago a lot of houses had Melbourne aerials up and could pick up melbourne stations in analogue depending on weather.

My house has an old melbourne aerial on it, which I think is stuffed, maybe the amplifier I'm unsure.

What I would like to do is install a new aerial specifically for digital so I can get 5.1 sound (which WIN is the only regional broadcaster using) and also the new Ten HD Channel. Oh and to get rid of those horrid country ads too!

Whats the chances of this working and any idea on cost involved?

I already have a fairly high mast from the old Melb aerial.

[JK200SX]

Just wondering what the chances of getting melbournes digital transmissions in Ballarat are?

I know years ago a lot of houses had Melbourne aerials up and could pick up melbourne stations in analogue depending on weather.

My house has an old melbourne aerial on it, which I think is stuffed, maybe the amplifier I'm unsure.

What I would like to do is install a new aerial specifically for digital so I can get 5.1 sound (which WIN is the only regional broadcaster using) and also the new Ten HD Channel. Oh and to get rid of those horrid country ads too!

Whats the chances of this working and any idea on cost involved?

I already have a fairly high mast from the old Melb aerial.

What part of Ballarat are you in? Depending on the area?signal strength, you may not even need an amplifier for digital TV.

[mtv]

You'd need a site test to measure the signals available at your location.

Whilst antenna height can be important, sometimes digital reception can be ok at lower heights.

The same goes for the requirement for an amplifier, which for digital, should only be used for distribution losses, not to try & compensate for a poor signal at the antenna.

Once again, only accurate measurements with a digital field strength meter can determine what is required, or if you can receive Melb digital at all.

If the mast is an old telescopic type (which from your post, it sounds like it is) it may be rusted and not be able to be lowered to fit the new antenna, so you may need to replace it too, or if it's still safe to use, an elevated work platform may be required for access to the top of the mast.

As the existing amp is probably old, it will most likely not be suitable for digital use.

IF you can receive Melb digital, I'd recommend just a VHF antenna, as you could combine a UHF antenna with it for local SBS, as they have identical programming in Ballarat & Melbourne. This would also give you all the regional networks as well.

Impossible to provide costing as it's unknown what you require.

[redsmeg]

What part of Ballarat are you in? Depending on the area?signal strength, you may not even need an amplifier for digital TV.

Im in the older part of Alfredton not far west of the Arch of Victory.

I have a friend that installs for Austar and has a strength meter, would this work for DTV as well or would it be of a different kind?

Im guessing he'd have to plug it into the existing antenna?

If I need a new aerial any suggestions on what brand/model would be best for the area or would that depend on meter results?

Cheers,

Rob

[mtv]

I have a friend that installs for Austar and has a strength meter, would this work for DTV as well or would it be of a different kind?

Austar is satellite, but if your friend's meter is also designed to measure DVB-T signals with channel power and BER, then it will be fine.

Installing and aligning terrestrial antennas is entirely different to installing satellite dishes, so hopefully your friend is also fully conversant with RF principles for terrestrial reception.

Im guessing he'd have to plug it into the existing antenna?

You said in your original post that you think the existing antenna is 'stuffed', so measuring off this antenna will probably be of little use, but no harm trying.

Having the old amplifier in circuit will also affect the readings, which should always be made from the antenna with nothing else in circuit.

A site test usually involves trying different antennas at multiple positions on your roof/mast, to obtain the best result

If I need a new aerial any suggestions on what brand/model would be best for the area or would that depend on meter results?

Yes, selection of antenna will depend on meter readings, however, the most likely antennas would be Hills DY14 or CA16.

[Andyt30]

how about Wendouree ? buying a house in Wendouree hopefully be moving their in around 3 months going to Ballarat over the weekend will have a look at what kind of Antenna they have got be good if can get melbourne for shows that Regional stations don't show eg Melbourne HD Channels if Ballarat can get them ?

cheers

[mtv]

how about Wendouree ?

I haven't tried Melbourne digital reception from Wendouree, but analogue is reasonable with a tall mast, high-gain antennas and masthead amp.

Digital can be surprisingly good in some 'out-of-area' fringe reception locations.

Only one way to find out.

The best Ballarat location for Melbourne reception is east Ballarat/Black Hill.

[Andyt30]

I haven't tried Melbourne digital reception from Wendouree, but analogue is reasonable with a tall mast, high-gain antennas and masthead amp.

Digital can be surprisingly good in some 'out-of-area' fringe reception locations.

Only one way to find out.

The best Ballarat location for Melbourne reception is east Ballarat/Black Hill.

eg if your on a Hill might as the lady when we have a look getting over a cold so not sure if i'll be going this weekend or leave til the tuesday

looks like what i can make out on the photo a tall Poll a antenna looks like it has a VHF Antenna and below it uhf

I could ask the lady the house were bying from her if she gets Melbourne or just Ballarat

might be worth asking someone who knows i saw a place just a few streets away

and check out if the house has more then 1 antenna point some don't would save money if my brother can do it

My aunt can get Melbourne from her place not so much now but she did get good reception she in Soldiers Hill akka North Ballarat.

I want it for programs that win prime or 10 don't show eg HD programs that we dont get

hard to tell if its pointing to Melbourne or its the old VFH for Win that

I'll take a decent Photo of it so i Can show ya what I mean front of the house faces the direction of Lake wendouree

cheers

[mtv]

Andyt30,

To determine which transmitters the antennas are pointing to:

From Wendouree (Gillies St, near the lake) Ballarat (Lookout Hill) transmitters are WNW 295 deg and Melbourne (Mt Dandenong) is ESE 105 deg, so the antennas will be almost in the same line, so check which end the dipole is (if it's a yagi type) it will have the director elements in front of it, which will be pointing to the transmitters. If it's a phased array type, the driven elements will be closest to the transmitters.

Many years ago when I lived in Ballarat, (pre-digital) I could receive all Melbourne channels reliably with an indoor antenna and no amp. That was in the area of East Ballarat, known as the "Golden Mile" named for the stretch or road that obtained "golden" TV reception.

After that, I moved to Sebastopol and even with a 50ft mast on the roof, with two stacked VHF phased arrays and masthead amp, Melbourne reception was very unreliable.

That was analogue and digital signals behave quite differently and not having seen anyone with Melbourne digital reception in Ballarat, it's difficult to say if it's possible or not and if it is, there's no guarantee that just because someone may receive it perfectly, that the house next door will too.

I'll be interested to hear how you go with this.

Good luck.

[Andyt30]

from what i can see on the photo the UFH antenna looks like its set up for bendigo comapred to next doors? so yeah be interesting having both worlds might even check up with the local tv Antenna Installer eg set up our tv systems and retune if needed I got a HD tv in My room but might put it in the Lounge room when we Move its a nice tv

loved the HD channels I'll take notes of neighbouring antenna setups dosn't melbourne need a double VHF antennas which i've seen around Ballarat or just the single as what we had In Melbourne we brought it up when we moved up to the Wimmera?

hopefully be right to go this weekend so hopefully start moving around October 7uly-oct = 3 months as the owner building a unit so no hurray really won't be far from Stockland and Lake Wendouree stones throw you can say if ya feel like walking

be interesting to see if the VHF is the old Ballarat VHF or towards Melbourne

cheers

[mtv]

The 'double' or stacked VHF arrays are from the analogue days, for Melbourne reception, but if the digital signals are good, they may still work.

[Andyt30]

The 'double' or stacked VHF arrays are from the analogue days, for Melbourne reception, but if the digital signals are good, they may still work.

it would save having to update it if it works it be good to get both Local and Melbourne eg programs Melbourne gets that we don't in the country

even if its not alot the different except miday they have movies and we have mornings with kerrie anne funny having her at Midday lol

I know Bacchus marsh Gets melbourne my brother lives at Hopetoun park and he gets melbourne digital

i'll experiment anyway when we move in going to have fun setting up our tvs and videos, dvds from scratch i'll do a scan and see what i Pick up

even here at Brim when we use to have a VHF antenna on good days we could pick up Melbourne

and were like 3-4 hours north west its going to be good only being and hour and half away My dad he use to like experimenting with differnt Antennas

he'd have one pointed towards Horsham, one towards Bendigo and one towards Goshen Swan Hill he did alot for people around town he knew what he was talking about

he use to work in that field.

[Andyt30]

I went past and had a look it has a few antennas photo of the Antennas at my new house

not sure if that VHF Antenna is facing Mount Cole which would be left of the photo

then has another VHF one below it then i think another one lower down \then we get to the

UHF one then under neath a dish not sure what thats used for theirs quite a few around Ballarat

not sure if its ADSL or what not sure who would know ?

cheers

Edited August 17, 2008 by Andyt30

[tamago_otoko]

I went past and had a look it has a few antennas photo of the Antennas at my new house

not sure if that VHF Antenna is facing Mount Cole which would be left of the photo

then has another VHF one below it then i think another one lower down \then we get to the

UHF one then under neath a dish not sure what thats used for theirs quite a few around Ballarat

not sure if its ADSL or what not sure who would know ?

cheers

My guess is the top two (the VHF array and yagi) are both for Melbourne, the mid-way up vertical VHF is for Bendigo (back in the days of BCV-8 this would have been good) and the small UHF is for Ballarat from Lookout Hill. Don't know about the dish though.

What's weird is, for an antenna of that vintage, I don't see anything for BTV-6 from Lookout Hill. Unless the reception provided for the two Melbourne aerials was good enough too for BTV?

[mtv]

The top antenna is a Hills CA16 VHF phased array pointed to Melbourne (Mt Dandenong).... this is the antenna most likely to work for Melbourne reception, providing the balun and cabling is suitable and in good condition. (It depends on how good the signals are in the area too of course).

The larger band 1 yagi beneath it is a very old Channel 0 antenna, also for Melbourne. Channel 0 changed to channel 10 in the 1970's.

As mentioned, the vertical band 3 yagi is for BCV-8 (Bendigo - Mt Alexander) analogue.

Below that is the horizontal log-periodic (Fracarro LP345 or similar) pointed to Lookout Hill, for Ballarat. BTV-6 became VIC-TV then WIN, which now only transmits on UHF from Lookout Hill. This antenna should work well for all Ballarat digital channels.

The grid antenna was used for terrestrial pay TV, now redundant.

[tamago_otoko]

The top antenna is a Hills CA16 VHF phased array pointed to Melbourne (Mt Dandenong).... this is the antenna most likely to work for Melbourne reception, providing the balun and cabling is suitable and in good condition. (It depends on how good the signals are in the area too of course).

The larger band 1 yagi beneath it is a very old Channel 0 antenna, also for Melbourne. Channel 0 changed to channel 10 in the 1970's.

As mentioned, the vertical band 3 yagi is for BCV-8 (Bendigo - Mt Alexander) analogue.

Below that is the horizontal log-periodic (Fracarro LP345 or similar) pointed to Lookout Hill, for Ballarat. BTV-6 became VIC-TV then WIN, which now only transmits on UHF from Lookout Hill. This antenna should work well for all Ballarat digital channels.

The grid antenna was used for terrestrial pay TV, now redundant.

So, if you were going to try for digital, the top VHF Phased Array (for Melbourne reception) and the bottom UHF log-periodic (for Ballarat reception) would be good. The rest are useless nowadays

All Ballarat channels are now UHF (both analogue and digital) so there's no need for the big monster VHF antennas unless you want metro TV. My point earlier was just back in the pre-aggegration days of the 60s through 80s, you would have needed a VHF Band III antenna for Channel 6 Ballarat. Now, it doesn't exist, so it's not an issue.

You don't see many of those monsters around any more (after aggregation there wasn't much need to pick up metros when regionals were the same). However, driving around Traralgon and Ballarat etc, they're still there (even if not in use). You'd hate to be a bird flying around one of those towns

[mtv]

You'd hate to be a bird flying around one of those towns

Actually, the birds love them.... lovely high perches from where they 'decorate' your roof.

[Andyt30]

The top antenna is a Hills CA16 VHF phased array pointed to Melbourne (Mt Dandenong).... this is the antenna most likely to work for Melbourne reception, providing the balun and cabling is suitable and in good condition. (It depends on how good the signals are in the area too of course).

The larger band 1 yagi beneath it is a very old Channel 0 antenna, also for Melbourne. Channel 0 changed to channel 10 in the 1970's.

As mentioned, the vertical band 3 yagi is for BCV-8 (Bendigo - Mt Alexander) analogue.

Below that is the horizontal log-periodic (Fracarro LP345 or similar) pointed to Lookout Hill, for Ballarat. BTV-6 became VIC-TV then WIN, which now only transmits on UHF from Lookout Hill. This antenna should work well for all Ballarat digital channels.

The grid antenna was used for terrestrial pay TV, now redundant.

not sure if I'll bother getting them removed the Grid Antenna or just leave it up

I seen quite a few around Ballarat

local tv reception is Good so when we move in I'll rescan and see what i Pick up at home when we use to have the old VHF we could on certain days pick up Melbourne .

so being under 2 hours from Melbourne should make a difference.

Settlement day is the 24th of October it will go Quick wonder if it be worth asking an installer there or get my brother to do it he's done his own so would save money not sure what professionals would charge? and the roofs tiled would be easier then climbing on a slanty tin roof would that Pick up metro Digital or would ya need a new Antenna.

metro do have some HD programs differ to Country

cheers

[mtv]

local tv reception is Good so when we move in I'll rescan and see what i Pick up at home when we use to have the old VHF we could on certain days pick up Melbourne .

so being under 2 hours from Melbourne should make a difference.

Travel time/distance from Melbourne is no indication if it will work or not. There are areas in the Dandenongs, just minutes from the main transmitters, with very poor reception.

wonder if it be worth asking an installer there or get my brother to do it he's done his own so would save money not sure what professionals would charge? and the roofs tiled would be easier then climbing on a slanty tin roof would that Pick up metro Digital or would ya need a new Antenna.

Cost would depend on what work was required.

Any roof can be dangerous, tiles can break and be have moss growing on them (especially around Ballarat) making them slippery, etc.

A tall guyed telescopic-mast, with several antennas can be very difficult to work on, especially if it has to be lowered.

The age of that particular mast is probably over 30 years (based on the old channel 0 antenna) so it may be rusted. The condition of the antenna/balun/cabling won't be known until it can be inspected.

If you are really lucky, just connecting a STB may work... only one way to find out.

If your brother has the experience, knowledge, a digital-signal meter/analyser height-safety gear, insurance, etc.. yes... he can save you $$... if not... best to leave it to the pro's.

[Normandy]

it would save having to update it if it works it be good to get both Local and Melbourne eg programs Melbourne gets that we don't in the country

even if its not alot the different except miday they have movies and we have mornings with kerrie anne funny having her at Midday lol

I know Bacchus marsh Gets melbourne my brother lives at Hopetoun park and he gets melbourne digital

i'll experiment anyway when we move in going to have fun setting up our tvs and videos, dvds from scratch i'll do a scan and see what i Pick up

even here at Brim when we use to have a VHF antenna on good days we could pick up Melbourne

and were like 3-4 hours north west its going to be good only being and hour and half away My dad he use to like experimenting with differnt Antennas

he'd have one pointed towards Horsham, one towards Bendigo and one towards Goshen Swan Hill he did alot for people around town he knew what he was talking about

he use to work in that field.

So how is reception in Bacchus Marsh these days? Do you need a booster? are there shadow areas?

[Normandy]

So how is reception in Bacchus Marsh these days? Do you need a booster? are there shadow areas?

BUMP!