The Julie Rose Stadium - Radio Communications

Coming toward the end of 2015, and I was asked to perform an installation for a local radio communications company - JCS Kent Ltd.

The Julie Rose Stadium now has control over the Conningbrook Lakes, and needed to have radio coverage over this area.
There was an existing TV aerial mast that needed swapping due to the existing one being bent. The new mast had a radio repeater mounted on the end, and the TV aerial was reinstalled and pointed to the Dover transmitter to ensure continued TV reception.

www.ashfordvision.co.uk

Dunsten Hall - The Old Wye College Site

This week saw my second visit to the old Wye College site in Wye, Kent. This time it was Dunsten Hall - which has a total of 36 rooms that were in need of a decent TV signal.

Dunsten Hall had an existing install that was just not up to the job. It had two aerials that were pointing to the local Wye Freeview Light transmitter, and they could only receive about 10 TV channels if they were lucky and if weather conditions would allow it.

The old aerials were feeding two separate sides of the building and it was requested that this was replicated in the revamp.

Two new 4G/LTE filtered aerials were installed and mounted on a non penetrating roof mount that was weighed down with 4 paving slabs. This avoids drilling into the roof, and eliminates leaks. The new aerials were successfully aligned to the Heathfield transmitter, and are receiving the full Freeview line up.

Two new 4G/LTE filtered 47db gain launch amps replaced the existing under-powered domestic masthead amps.

I made use of the existing internal wiring, but swapped out all of the internal screw-down splitters for shielded tap plates and connectors. This cuts out the ingress of noise, and the egress of good signal.

All 36 rooms are now receiving a great DVB-T/T2 signal that is at the higher end of the specified tolerance, and I have had reports back that Withersdane Ltd's clients are very pleased with their new available selection of reliable TV channels. 

There will be a video posted shortly to our Facebook page that will show how we got the paving slabs, bracketry, aerials and tools up to the roof!

www.ashfordvision.co.uk

Withersdane Hall - The Old Wye College Site

Today saw me carrying out works at Withersdane Hall, which is located on the old Wye College site in Wye, Kent. This is the first of 2 installs that I am carrying out for Withersdane Ltd.

 
After installing a new 4G/LTE filtered TV aerial on an existing chimney bracket and mast, and successfully finding a good signal that was being transmitted from Heathfield, it was time to install a new launch amplifier that would push enough signal to pass through a series of existing RG6 cabling and RF tap plates to then feed 16 rooms. If I find any existing equipment that is up to the job, why change it for new? It eliminates the cost for unnecessary replacement parts and the time to install them.

One of the rooms (no. 14) that is now fed with a decent DVB-T2 (Freeview HD) signal, was once occupied by Princess Anne. She would be quite impressed that it is now hooked up for the full Freeview channel line-up, including HD.

 

The site is no longer a College. It is now a private residential and outpatient treatment facility for alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders, depression, gambling and other behavioral health disorders.

All of the rooms have been tested for clean signal quality and strength, and are now ready to have the TV's installed for their future service users.

www.ashfordvision.co.uk

We Are Now A Partner of Virgin Media Business!

It did seem like it was time to add another string to our bow, and 'Virgin Media Business' is the latest to be added.

No matter what your business requirements are for your Telco and/or Broadband needs, 'Virgin Media Business' has a solution to suit.

Here at Ashford Vision, we believe in top quality and value for money that you pay. We can get a perfect deal for you via 'Virgin Media Business', so what are you waiting for?


With broadband speeds currently up to 152Mbps, your business can benefit from the fastest wideley-available fibre business broadband in the UK today and a totally unlimited phone package which gives you UK local, regional, national, 0845/0870, mobiles AND 24 international locations!

Just register your interest by getting in touch. Sending an email to virginmedia@ashfordvision.co.uk is the perfect way to do so, but don't forget to include your contact details, and your full business address so we can see if you are in a cabled area.

A Return Visit to Highworth Grammer School

Highworth Grammer School have some building work going on, that looks like it may be close to completion.
They are building a new main reception and performance area, and are having a TV on the wall in the reception. As I have been there a couple of times before, and carried out works for the student canteen known as The Hub, they didn't hesitate to get me back in to get the main reception's TV a feed for Freeview.

Due to the new building not being attached to the one that their current aerial in installed on, a new 4G/LTE filtered unit went up. They are now all ready for the grand opening!


www.ashfordvision.co.uk

VJ Technology Suffers from 4G/LTE Interference

I had a call from Mark at VJ Technology who said that they had been suffering with a poor service on their radio stations being received via DVB-T / Freeview.

Upon inspection, it was clear that even though they were able to view the available Freeview channels, the radio channels were being affected by 4G/LTE interference that is being transmitted from a 4G mast just down the road (outside Leverton Cat).

Once I had rectified the issue, the office staff now have their radio back (Kiss FM seemed to be the preferred option), and they are happy workers once more.

www.ashfordvision.co.uk

The Norton Knatchbull School - Staff Room

Another school, another TV aerial.

This time not for a canteen, but for the new school staff room at the Norton Knatchbull School.
The outside of the school has been clad with metal sheeting, which made it quite an interesting cable route from the TV aerial to the TV. But after drilling some holes, weaving in and out of classrooms and trunking along corridors, Ashford Vision succeeded with the task in hand.

At first, the signal levels achieved were actually too high to run without issues, but after attenuating the levels so they were within tolerance, all was working perfectly.

The teachers can now watch Jeremy Kyle in HD on their newly installed system, whilst downing that hard earned cup of tea!

Sky Service Call at The Ashford International Hotel

I was recently contacted by the Ashford International Hotel.
They have a twin screen Sky HD set-up in their sports bar, and it was becoming a very poor viewing experience for their customers with a blocking and freezing picture.

Upon checking the signal quality and strength with my meter, it was low and fluctuating.
I made my way up to the roof where the 15yr old dish was sited and checked the signal at source. All seemed OK, and the dish was aligned 100%. I did try another LNB, which did give me more signal from the dish (which was in surprisingly great condition considering it's age), and changed the connector for one that eliminates signal egress and the ingress of interference.

Back at the Sky HD box, I removed a non-shielded socket and replaced with a straight through connection by using some more connectors.
When checking the signal for a second time at the back of the Sky HD box, we were looking in spec with the quality and strength, and it was stable with zero fluctuation.

When reconnected, the TV picture looked great. And considering that this was on the 5th June at the exact time of a massive downpour and thunder storm, that was fantastic to see!

Since that day there have been no further reported issues, so whether it was something within the hotel that was interfering or just low signal at the box after it had been attenuated over the massive cable run. All is now fixed, and happy customers will be once more.



www.ashfordvision.co.uk

Highworth Grammer School, Ashford, Kent - Additional TV Aerial Socket

Last year, I installed a TV aerial at Highworth Grammer School in Ashford, Kent.

The aerial was installed externally in an inconspicuous spot, and the cabling was run into the school's cafeteria; which is known as 'The Hub'.

I was asked to come back to do some more work, so today I was back at the site installing an additional TV aerial point into 'The Hub', for a second TV.

www.ashfordvision.co.uk

TV Aerial at Ashford Police Station - Victim Support

Today was the day when I installed a TV aerial and distribution unit at Ashford Police Station's Victim Support building, which is the Old Police Station building that is located in Tufton Street, Ashford, Kent.

The TV aerials and distribution units that Ashford Vision supply and fit are all filtered against 4G/LTE interference. The distribution units carry a 1yr guarantee, and the TV aerials (along with our cabling) carry a 3yr guarantee against functional breakdown.

www.ashfordvision.co.uk

Freesat Install at Shepway Youth Hub, Folkestone, Kent

I have not posted for quite a while. Not because I can't be bothered, but because I have not had the time!


My services were called upon by the Shepway Youth Hub in Folkestone, Kent.

They wanted me to install an aerial at the site, but due to the height of the building, we would have needed scaffolding to be erected before an aerial could be installed. This would obviously not have been a cost effective option, so I suggested the installation of a Freesat dish. After getting the go-ahead to get the job done, the dish went up.

It was a bit on the windy side today, but at least the sun was out!

www.ashfordvision.co.uk