Aerial Installation Report

The Wrong Advice

At the time of installation I was shown a receipt from XXXXX Aerials dated some 5 weeks prior to my visit, I felt there were several discrepancies in what the engineer had written in relation to the installation, the existing equipment and the reception area.

The top left hand box marked ‘TV Aerials’:

Whilst I do not think that there is any connection between ‘Standard’ and ‘Non-Standard Fittings’ in this instance, I believe that what the engineer had written has just taken up more than the lines permit. But I do question the words ‘digital cable to existing downlead’. **What ‘digital cable’?**

Fig. 9 The top left hand box marked ‘TV Aerials.

The cable installed by the engineer has been constructed in the following order, 1.00mm copper centre conductor, plastic over covering, an aluminium foil covered by aluminium braiding, and a plastic outer covering. I believe that it might be what is known as RG6, one of the cheapest coaxial cables on the market.

The 100 type Benchmarked cables are constructed using a 1.00mm copper centre conductor, a plastic or foam over cover, and copper foil over cover, a copper braid covering that and finally the plastic outer cover. The only metal used in a Benchmarked cable is copper. There are no Benchmarked cables that contain aluminium.

To my knowledge, there is no such thing as a ‘digital coaxial cable’.

Middle box ‘Other work carried out’:

‘Various signal tests carried out on existing aerial system’. ‘System’ would indicate that there was more than just an aerial. In this case there was also a Labgear Cablevision MSE110 Set Back Amplifier, which Mr Dxxxxx showed to me.

‘Set Back’ meaning that there is one cable in, and one cable out and it is positioned behind the television set. ‘Amplifier’ means that by using this component it will amplify the signals i.e. increase the signal level.

Fig. 10 Other work carried out.

‘Found aerial needed upgrading’ I hardly consider changing a 30 year old, 14 element aerial which had spent its entire life in a loft unexposed to the outside elements, and therefore had little to no deterioration, for a new 15 element non-benchmarked aerial an ‘upgrade’, especially since the results were little, and in some ways no better than the original.

Engineers Remarks:

The second sentence contradicts the first. ‘Signals tested ok for area’ followed by ‘Used customers old booster, a new digital booster / amp may improve signal level as customers booster is weak’

Fig. 10 Engineers Remarks.

If the ‘Signal tested ok for area’ why would you need a ‘booster’? Why would you need to ‘improve’ the signal level if it has been already tested and found to be ‘ok for the area’?

Contrary to the engineers statement that the ‘customers booster is weak’ I tested the customers booster, the Labgear MSE110, it had a ‘gain’ of 13.1dB, an equivalent model today has a documented ‘gain’ of 14dB


Fig 12a Before applying the ‘booster’ 72.7dBµV	Fig 12b After applying the ‘booster’ 85.8dBµV

‘Customer aware of poor signal in area in general’ Apart from being totally incorrect, because this address in Send near Woking is not in a poor reception spot, it is in fact, in a perfect reception spot.

How does the ‘customer’ know that they are in a generally poor signal area, unless they were lead to believe that?

An Aerial View:

Fig. 13 View from the chimney on the roof, not a single obstruction in sight.

The direction for Crystal Palace is between the two pylons in the distance, (2/3rd of the way across the picture). Notice that there are no obstructions and the property is elevated on higher ground than the houses in the direction of Crystal Palace.

I now refer to XXXXX Aerials website and the information it displayed regarding the DM15 aerial, my comments / observations are emphasised.

Guidelines for the best TV Aerial Reception

Install a wideband TV aerial with a balun and digital (twinscreen) cable.

Difficult to say for sure but I think the way the elements are spaced the aerial is ‘wideband’ although I have yet to find a ‘digital’ cable in the marketplace.

The more elements a TV aerial has the better its directivity. This can reduce or eliminate pixilation (mosaic effect) and picture freezing.

The next step, and only step, down from a DM15 element is a 10 element, but there are several aerials with more elements going bigger and better, why was a 15 element aerial used in this instance when it is obviously unsuitable and not ‘fit for purpose’?

Site the TV aerial externally, preferably with a clear view to the transmitter

With such poor results from the aerial fitted in the loft and the recommendation of a new ‘digital’ booster, why was the aerial fitted in the loft in the first place?

Where possible avoid siting the TV aerial indoors

But ‘one of your experienced and professional engineers’ did just that.

Basic TV Aerial DM15
We offer a Budget DM15 TV Aerial for analogue and Digital TV. Installed where the signal and reception quality is strong and free of defects i.e. ghosting, weak and distorted signal.

But the ‘experienced and professional engineer’ obviously decided that the signal and reception was strong and free of defects, although he did advise that ‘a new ‘digital booster / amp may improve the signal level’

First option;

If you are on a budget, and really want to save some money, you can have a TV Aerial upgrade. This means than instead of a complete installation, we simply replace your existing TV Aerial only. So we will use all the existing fittings already attached to your wall or Chimney. To have the DM15 TV Aerial installed on existing fittings means you also get 1 years parts and labour guarantee on the TV Aerial upgrade.

I can't see how the First Option can apply to Mr Dxxxx being as they also supplied a bracket and a mast.

Option 2 is to have the DM15 TV Aerial Installation.

This means that our engineer will install the aerial on a mast up to 6 feet in length. The mast will be mounted either on the Roof, Wall or in your loft, although we tend to recommend that wherever possible, the TV Aerial is Roof Mounted for optimum quality. This includes a 2 years parts and labour guarantee.

‘…although we tend to recommend that wherever possible, the TV Aerial is Roof Mounted for optimum quality’. So why did the ‘experienced and professional engineer’ decide that the ‘optimum quality’ in this instance was to install the aerial in the loft where the stored content can reflect signals and the roof covering will attenuate signals?

Rule number one of any aerial installation is, ‘the aerial should be sited clear of all obstructions’.

The roof in itself is an obstruction.

Page 1. Installation Report.

Page 3. Signal Analysis, The Results.

What they said about us.....

"The robust installations are a good advert. A no-nonsence approach."

Tim Jenks Senior Executive Confederation of Aerial Industries

Chris Glover Inspector Confederation of Aerial Industries

"This assessment was carried out as an NVQ assessment session. I observed Alan, visit a domestic property, qualify the customer, fault find/diagnose the reception issue, and install a complete new aerial system. This was done to an exceedingly high standard."

Kevin Dawson Assessment & Training Executive Confederation of Aerial Industries

Kevin has been the UK TV expert for ITV's 'House of Horrors' & BBC's 'Rogue Traders'

Aerial Installation Report

The Wrong Advice

At the time of installation I was shown a receipt from XXXXX Aerials dated some 5 weeks prior to my visit, I felt there were several discrepancies in what the engineer had written in relation to the installation, the existing equipment and the reception area.

The top left hand box marked ‘TV Aerials’:

Fig. 9 The top left hand box marked ‘TV Aerials.

To my knowledge, there is no such thing as a ‘digital coaxial cable’.

Middle box ‘Other work carried out’:

‘Various signal tests carried out on existing aerial system’. ‘System’ would indicate that there was more than just an aerial. In this case there was also a Labgear Cablevision MSE110 Set Back Amplifier, which Mr Dxxxxx showed to me.

‘Set Back’ meaning that there is one cable in, and one cable out and it is positioned behind the television set. ‘Amplifier’ means that by using this component it will amplify the signals i.e. increase the signal level.

Fig. 10 Other work carried out.

Engineers Remarks:

The second sentence contradicts the first. ‘Signals tested ok for area’ followed by ‘Used customers old booster, a new digital booster / amp may improve signal level as customers booster is weak’

Fig. 10 Engineers Remarks.

If the ‘Signal tested ok for area’ why would you need a ‘booster’? Why would you need to ‘improve’ the signal level if it has been already tested and found to be ‘ok for the area’?

Contrary to the engineers statement that the ‘customers booster is weak’ I tested the customers booster, the Labgear MSE110, it had a ‘gain’ of 13.1dB, an equivalent model today has a documented ‘gain’ of 14dB

Fig 12a Before applying the ‘booster’ 72.7dBµV

Fig 12b After applying the ‘booster’ 85.8dBµV

‘Customer aware of poor signal in area in general’ Apart from being totally incorrect, because this address in Send near Woking is not in a poor reception spot, it is in fact, in a perfect reception spot.

How does the ‘customer’ know that they are in a generally poor signal area, unless they were lead to believe that?

An Aerial View:

Fig. 13 View from the chimney on the roof, not a single obstruction in sight.

The direction for Crystal Palace is between the two pylons in the distance, (2/3rd of the way across the picture). Notice that there are no obstructions and the property is elevated on higher ground than the houses in the direction of Crystal Palace.

I now refer to XXXXX Aerials website and the information it displayed regarding the DM15 aerial, my comments / observations are emphasised.

Guidelines for the best TV Aerial Reception

Install a wideband TV aerial with a balun and digital (twinscreen) cable.

Difficult to say for sure but I think the way the elements are spaced the aerial is ‘wideband’ although I have yet to find a ‘digital’ cable in the marketplace.

The more elements a TV aerial has the better its directivity. This can reduce or eliminate pixilation (mosaic effect) and picture freezing.

The next step, and only step, down from a DM15 element is a 10 element, but there are several aerials with more elements going bigger and better, why was a 15 element aerial used in this instance when it is obviously unsuitable and not ‘fit for purpose’?

Site the TV aerial externally, preferably with a clear view to the transmitter

With such poor results from the aerial fitted in the loft and the recommendation of a new ‘digital’ booster, why was the aerial fitted in the loft in the first place?

Where possible avoid siting the TV aerial indoors

But ‘one of your experienced and professional engineers’ did just that. Basic TV Aerial DM15 We offer a Budget DM15 TV Aerial for analogue and Digital TV. Installed where the signal and reception quality is strong and free of defects i.e. ghosting, weak and distorted signal.

But the ‘experienced and professional engineer’ obviously decided that the signal and reception was strong and free of defects, although he did advise that ‘a new ‘digital booster / amp may improve the signal level’

First option;

I can't see how the First Option can apply to Mr Dxxxx being as they also supplied a bracket and a mast.

Option 2 is to have the DM15 TV Aerial Installation.

Rule number one of any aerial installation is, ‘the aerial should be sited clear of all obstructions’.

The roof in itself is an obstruction.

Tim Jenks
Senior Executive
Confederation of Aerial Industries

Chris Glover
Inspector
Confederation of Aerial Industries

"This assessment was carried out as an NVQ assessment session.

I observed Alan, visit a domestic property, qualify the customer, fault find/diagnose the reception issue, and install a complete new aerial system.

This was done to an exceedingly high standard."

Kevin Dawson
Assessment & Training Executive
Confederation of Aerial Industries

Fig 12a
Before applying the ‘booster’ 72.7dBµV

Fig 12b
After applying the ‘booster’ 85.8dBµV

But ‘one of your experienced and professional engineers’ did just that.

Basic TV Aerial DM15
We offer a Budget DM15 TV Aerial for analogue and Digital TV. Installed where the signal and reception quality is strong and free of defects i.e. ghosting, weak and distorted signal.