Has anyone else lost Channel 4 on analogue?

[flobadob]

Channel 4 on analogue reception seems to be really distorted since yesterday and unwatchable. I've tried to retune it but to no avail. Has this happened to anyone else. We are on a Northern Ireland transponder.

[4getmenot]

is it because you have changed to digital in your area now?

[Hopkirk]

It might be due to increased solar activity - they did say it might disrupt communications.

Incidentally, aren't you watching on digital yet? Analogue is SO last millennium.

[redman41]

Digital switchover takes place in Ulster in 2012.

[Hopkirk]

Yes, but surely digital is already being transmitted .

[4getmenot]

think redman was clarifying it for me hop

[redman41]

flobadob needs to get a digital Freeview Box even though some Channels will be on reduced power until next Year

[flobadob]

We are on digital but also can get analogue. The reason I was asking is only because we can still get BBC 1 & 2 and UTV and the RTE and other Irish channels fine. It is only Channel 4 which is playing up, which I found odd.

[AlBags]

Usually interference from 'out of group' transmissions.
The poorer the performance of your existing antenna, the more of a problem you are likely to have.
Solution? A Directional High-Gain quality antenna like a Triax Unix 32 .. 52 would probably sort it.

[squarebear]

Who stills watches analogue?

[DTCwordfan]

possibly the Borealis effect with bthe sun spewing out its guts - 2 more to hit us shortly as well...........

[Buenchico]

Ideally, the lengths of the elements on a TV aerial should be exactly matched to the frequency of the incoming signal. Since every channel is on a different frequency, you theoretically need a different aerial for every channel you watch. Obviously that's not practical, so all TV aerials have elements with lengths which are only a 'rough match' to each of the channels its designed to receive. That means that any particular aerial is likely to be better at receiving some channels than others.

Your aerial seems to be weakest at receiving Channel 4. However, because the signal strength is usually strong enough, that's not normally a problem. But if the incoming signal strengths are reduced by some form of interference, then it will be Channel 4 which you'll lose first.

As Hopkirk mentions, there's a high probability that your current problem is related to solar activity:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...ld-us-canada-12516918

Chris

[flobadob]

Yes, I keep forgetting to pop out and watch the aurora borealis.

[flobadob]

By the by, Ch4 is back again, so maybe it's too late to see them Norn Lights.