Aerial refitting - Staines TW18

[jumbo123]

Hi

Locations: Staines - TW18


I am looking for an installer to help put back an aerial that has come off its fixing.

I live in a block of flats (2 floors) with a tiled roof. The aerial has been fitted to a chimney and has come off its fixtures and sort of toppled over.

I use it with a HUMAX PVR for Freeview and reception quality has not been affected so my guess is that it needs to be fitted back once again.

I am also looking to get some advice on other options on getting either a dish fixed for FTA channels - specially S Asian/Indian channels. If the costings for such a setup are reasonable when combined with the aerial re-setting I might opt for getting such a system installed at the same time.

Any questions, let me know and thanks for reading.

jumbo

 

[Channel Hopper]

How old is the aerial and does it supply signals to both flats, or just yours ?

A large number of older aerials were damaged by the snow that fell last month

(see the Batten down the hatches thread)

and the aluminium on some brackets broke completely owing to the weight and cold.

Can you post a picture ?

 

[jumbo123]

Don’t remember the precise date but the aerial is under 5 yrs or so. I don’t remember what sort it was but was one which was on the more “powerful” side (as the installer said)

The aerial is my personal one and not a communal one. The block of flats does not have any communal aerials and most owners have their own aerials.

Actually, the problem has been there for the last 2 months or so – before the snow. But the snow seems to have got it further down and its now almost on the roof and think the brackets are almost all off. I cannot see it clearly and I will take a look through binoculars and also take a picture tomorrow.

Thanks for taking the time to post

 

[Channel Hopper]

No problem. Are you on the ground, or first floor ?

 

[jumbo123]

First floor. Forgot to mention that access to the roof/chimmney is quite straight forward welll ... except for the height ;)

 

[jumbo123]

Hi I have taken a few photos and can now see the problem. It appears that the pole has snapped at the brackets itself. The actual aerial itself is not visible but should hopefully be fine.

Take a look and see if this helps you ascertain what the job entails.


Images uploaded onto our server - admin

 

[Channel Hopper]

What appears to be worse is the bracket is bolted into the chimney, and the top two bolts are already coming out. The cable may also be letting in water at the point of breakage.

Once the pole is reinstalled (simply removing the lower foot from the clamps and slotting the remainder in) the wind loading could force them out completely.

I am surprised you are still getting a good signal, as the aerial would almost certainly be facing the other way.

Are you sure it is just two storeys ? I looks like a scond floor balcony system, in which case three ladders may be required.


Nice pictures though, a pity you cant see the aerial as it is.

 

[jumbo123]

I think my post with the image links is still awaiting clearance from a mod. and I will PM you a Google Streetview link that you can see. Its ground + 2 storeys and I am on the first floor.

And I do think the entire aerial might be better of being refitted as you correctly said that the current brackets are not on right. I do not know the type of aerial but do recollect the installer saying it was good enough to be used as a communal one so guess its heavier than most.

But basically, I want to get it sorted out --- ideally reuse the aerial. If its not useable then get a standard one that will give me a good strong Freeview signal.

cheers

_http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&q=tw18+1al&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Staines,+Middlesex+TW18+1AL,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.428849,-0.497196&spn=0.007653,0.022724&z=16&layer=c&cbll=51.429351,-0.496481&panoid=eKfRA4fDxkYAllykQwrH8A&cbp=12,311.36,,0,-4.86"]Google Streetview link

--- realised there is no PM feature here so posting the streetview link which I will remove later.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Well, the aerial looks large enough, but since it is a three storey building, I can't get up there with the equipment I have.

_http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&q=tw18+1al&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Staines,+Middlesex+TW18+1AL,+United+Kingdom&cbll=51.429591,-0.49639&panoid=Qrt6HIkGRx1klJP2sQdxcg&cbp=12,223.53,,2,-18.65&ll=51.430528,-0.496506&spn=0,359.997943&z=19&pw=2

Additionally the shape of the chimney makes a standard lashing kit almost impossible to fit, there will be two places where the corner plates (out of six) cannot be secured without a ridge ladder on both sides, (or a secondary ladder installed on the first floor parapit, extended over the guttering at a shallow angle, probably to full height).

What happened to the original installer ?

 

[jumbo123]

The original installer appears to have stopped trading as no one asnwers the number on the invoice.

As for your details about ladders/lashing kit - not sure I understand but the last installer used just a single ladder. They were put up against this side to gain access _http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae44/jumbo123/Clipboard01.jpg

Can you also please let mek now if you can do this job or recommend someone who can? If you prefer to talk then please let me know of a number.
thanks

 

[Channel Hopper]

There was a company working with extra long ladders in your region - Aerial Solutions.

_http://www.aerialsolutionslimited.co.uk/domestic-tv-aerial-installations.htm

I don't carry anything that goes much above the top of a gutter on the second floor (treble 12's), plus a double cat, and you certainly need something taller to reach the chimney in a single span, so make sure you employ somebody that has insurance and tools to go further. They will also need to drill a new bracket into the chimney, or as I mentioned earlier , go for a large lashing kit and cradle lashing.

Good luck

 

[rolfw]

Looks like a normal two storey height on the right hand side, then up a gully to get behind the chimney.

 

[hexah]

If the signal is that strong, why not install the aerial in the roof space?

Where it is now it is getting a reflection, and maybe a weak signal through two sets of tiles. Shows how good the error correction and signal combining is with the digital signals, if it was analogue the ghosting would make it hard to watch.

If you can't use the roof space, how about inside the parapet on the right below the chimney, and use a short decent gauge 1.5" pole?

 

[satelliteman]

Wouldn't recommend loft aerials even in strong DVB-T reception areas. Yes TK and mast on the side wall would be a neat install although chimney would be better.

 

[jumbo123]

Hi all - thanks for the responses. There is no option of a loft install and the aerial has to be put up on the roof - ideally at the same current spot (chimmney) or failing that on another part of the roof (towards one edge).

I think the strong signal strength it due to the quality of the aerial -- only today is my PVR refusing to tune in to certain channels after a few weeks of the aerial being down.

In a nutshell, I would like the aerial to be sorted in a good professional manner (hence my posting on here) and not trying my luck in the yellow pages. I would appreciate if any of you can do this job or recommend me someone who will do a decent job.

thanks

Also I think my posts are getting queued in the moderation so hopefully this goes through earlier.

 

[jumbo123]

Hi all - so is anyone interested in helping me sort this out? Or shall I resort to calling the Yellow pages?

 

[Channel Hopper]

I did suggest Aerial Solutions a couple of posts back. I have no reason to doubt their workmanship.