Long distance television

I don’t see how that would be the case though as nearly every house in town has one combined with a UHF antenna.

That’s why I thought it was for these analogue stations

ABSV2 64.26 National V
BCV10 209.25 Commercial V
SBS44 639.224 National H
AMV47 660.224 Commercial H
VTV50 681.224 Commercial H

Talking to some people who’ve lived in Devonport, Burnie etc., it sounds like the reception was only in when there was atmospheric enhancement about, so hardly worth installing an aerial for it. On those days when it was about, the existing VHF equipment for 3 & 9 was generally sufficient to get the Melbourne channels anyway (with the exception of GTV obviously)

And yeah, I had forgotten about eastern SA and the solus market there. The Mt Gambierians certainly do aim for Victorian TV, and to my understanding have pretty good success with it.

1 Like

The lower profile ones certainly would be for those I’d think, but the query was regarding the high triple-stack combo which seems excessive in a good signal area like Kerang. The UHFs I guess would have been added later on once aggregation came

And on an unrelated note, is it just me that finds vertically mounted TV antennas to look a bit strange? Perhaps it was growing up near a cap city where there weren’t any, but I remember even when I was younger going to places like Bendigo or Warrnambool and wondering why the TV antennas on the houses were all sideways

1 Like

An interesting fact: Canberra is the only capital city where its VHF TV transmissions from a main transmitter broadcasts in Vertical polarisation.

1 Like

With Digital 31 closed in Brisbane now, I’ll be interested to see if the now free channel 28 delivers any long distance catches.

3 Likes

Yes, I did think vertical VHF antennas looked a bit odd.

And here in Newcastle, being halfway between Sydney and Taree, we have a mix of the two, though 95% of them were set up for Sydney.

And that most of them were phased array (like one of the ones in the triple stack picture). Yagis weren’t very common here to get Sydney TV, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a high gain vertically mounted Yagi anywhere.

1 Like

Looks like the ABC is on 28 in Mackay.

https://ozdigitaltv.com/transmitters/QLD/166-Kuttabul

2 Likes

That and Mt Dowe would be the closest high power to Brisbane

2 Likes

Interesting. Thanks for that. :slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like

Am staying at an apartment hotel in Chatswood, and I did a very geeky thing and brought my STB and Antsig indoor antenna with me, and I have scanned in the Wollongong channels.

Below is a pic of my set up… the antenna is on the black chair near the window taking in the nice view :grin:

13 Likes

Interested to see what antennae people have to receive long distance TV and how is it mounted?

Do you live in a regional location and need a high gain antenna to avoid the irrelevance of VAST or simply prefer the polish of the metro channels?

Do you live in a metro market and are curious of regional TV?

Love to see your photos.

1 Like

Here in Coffs Harbour, I’ve spotted a few houses with Band 3 VHF’ers aiming south for reception of Taree. One of the pubs in town has an ancient looking double stacked band 3 yagi antenna aimed north which would be for Lismore. Must have been installed in the days prior to local TV in town as Lismore got TV in 1962.

3 Likes

Here you go…

Pointing north a UHF antenna for Sunshine Coast etc also receives some Gold Coast off the back. Also FM antenna aimed north.

At the bottom an all frequency (0-69) antenna including band II FM. Aimed roughly SE, sl off beam from Mt Coot-tha, so it picks up Breeze, Rebel and GC FM stations plus Sunshine Coast and delivers them plus standard TV to multiple outlets.

Also, not pictured, lower down is a second FM pointed south plus another phased array UHF pointed at Gold Coast - this is low and below roof line to avoid co-channel reception with Nambour.

10 Likes

Always wondered how you received Nambour and the Gold Coast

2 Likes

Here is my setup:

  • Bottom: Combo VHF/UHF aerial – picks up the main Sydney transmitters + off-axis reception of the Kings Cross translator signals
  • Middle: UHF yagi – picks up the Illawarra stations (Knights Hill) + off-axis reception of Sydney South West transmitters but not at a decodable level
  • Top: Omni-directional 1090 MHz antenna – normally pulls in signals from up to about 425 km away.

4 Likes

Out of curiosity, Central Coast and Wollongong reception in Sydney are common, does any here know of any Sydney setups that regularly get signals from other out-of-area transmitters? (e.g. Mount Sugarloaf, Mount Canobolas, etc.)

Hell Yeah, but how would a ADS-B antenna help with UHF TV?

It doesn’t, but since it’s on the antenna pole, I thought I might as well say what it is before someone asked.

1 Like

Apparently, areas on the southern shores of Pittwater in the suburbs of Bayview & Church Point in Sydney’s Northern Beaches have UHF aerials pointed north with a horizontal polarisation, which can either be used for picking up signals from the Gosford translator (which retransmits the Sydney channels + Prime7 + 9NBN) and/or Mt Sugarloaf.

1 Like

I thought the Central Coast transmissions were vertically polarised? Or does it come in well enough at that location to still work despite the incorrect polarisation?