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ComReg advises consumers on television reception being affected by roll out of TETRA mobile radio service
Fri, 13th Feb 2009
TETRA, the new mobile radio service for use by the emergency services, is currently being rolled out nationwide. People who live in close proximity to a Garda station or another facility where a TETRA base station is installed may have their television reception affected if they have an unfiltered wideband masthead amplifier installed with their television aerial.
Typically such an amplifier is used for one of three purposes:
1. For receiving television stations that come from outside the Republic of Ireland, usually when the television user lives near the border of Northern Ireland or along the east coast.
2. In remote rural areas where Irish television signals are dissipated and need to be amplified to improve television reception.
3. Where the user splits the television signal received so that it can be distributed to several television sets.
Please note that within the Republic of Ireland no protection is afforded to television services originating from outside the Republic of Ireland such as BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
To increase the strength of a television signal, the television user can take one of two measures:
1. Remove the masthead amplifier. This will allow Irish television stations to be received without degradation of picture quality, however weaker signals from stations outside the Republic of Ireland will no longer be able to be received. This option may not be viable if the user lives in a remote rural area where signals from Irish television stations are weak and a masthead amplifier is required to improve reception.
2. Have a "TETRA reject" or "bandpass" filter added between the aerial and the masthead amplifier. This will prevent unwanted nearby signals such as TETRA, mobile phones and private mobile radio from overloading the masthead amplifier. It should be noted that all filters placed in a television system must be place *before* amplification and that placing a filter *after* a masthead amplifier will not improve television reception.
These filters are available from electrical suppliers who stock television aerial related equipment. If more than one aerial is installed additional filters may be required if such additional aerials use masthead amplifiers.
As access to a rooftop will be required to install the filter in most cases, television users may wish to obtain the services of a television aerial installer or another competent person to fit the filter for them, however an installation fee may be charged if applicable.
Typically such an amplifier is used for one of three purposes:
1. For receiving television stations that come from outside the Republic of Ireland, usually when the television user lives near the border of Northern Ireland or along the east coast.
2. In remote rural areas where Irish television signals are dissipated and need to be amplified to improve television reception.
3. Where the user splits the television signal received so that it can be distributed to several television sets.
Please note that within the Republic of Ireland no protection is afforded to television services originating from outside the Republic of Ireland such as BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
To increase the strength of a television signal, the television user can take one of two measures:
1. Remove the masthead amplifier. This will allow Irish television stations to be received without degradation of picture quality, however weaker signals from stations outside the Republic of Ireland will no longer be able to be received. This option may not be viable if the user lives in a remote rural area where signals from Irish television stations are weak and a masthead amplifier is required to improve reception.
2. Have a "TETRA reject" or "bandpass" filter added between the aerial and the masthead amplifier. This will prevent unwanted nearby signals such as TETRA, mobile phones and private mobile radio from overloading the masthead amplifier. It should be noted that all filters placed in a television system must be place *before* amplification and that placing a filter *after* a masthead amplifier will not improve television reception.
These filters are available from electrical suppliers who stock television aerial related equipment. If more than one aerial is installed additional filters may be required if such additional aerials use masthead amplifiers.
As access to a rooftop will be required to install the filter in most cases, television users may wish to obtain the services of a television aerial installer or another competent person to fit the filter for them, however an installation fee may be charged if applicable.
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