Just been quoted £254 + VAT for a "DMX5" 32 element "high gain" X type
aerial from Skyforce!! I nearly wet myself....

Apparently, where I live (WA6 6 - Frodsham) I'd need a wideband aerial
- I told him that the transmitter says I need a grouped one (C/D), but
apparently "wideband aerials are recommended for digital" and "I
wouldn't be able to get channels 40 and 43 which I'd need for radio. I
pointed out that I already got all of the muxes, range 56 - 68, so he
muttered something about group C/D was opened up a few years ago to add
channel 48 too. At that point he'd lost the job anyway.

Signal meter was used to test my existing. He got 40db on channel 66
apparently. "Tested" what he could get by standing in the garden with
an aerial (with half an element missing) over his head, with his signal
meter round his neck (using co-ax as his neck strap!), and got 45db
apparently on that one. He estimated "add 15db" for putting it up on
the roof, but I'd need about 70db for digital. I want to split the
signal, so he said add another 8-10db for splitting.

Whole quote was £168+VAT for the aerial (fitted), £38+VAT for each
extra output and £10 for a 4 way splitter on the mast.

Now I am making a lot of assumptions here, 'cause I don't know much
about aerials etc, but I get the distinct impression that this is all
way over-charged ********. Comments? Bill - care to libel Skyforce?

Matt

"larkim" wrote in message
oups.com...
Just been quoted £254 + VAT for a "DMX5" 32 element "high gain" X type


Whole quote was £168+VAT for the aerial (fitted), £38+VAT for each
extra output and £10 for a 4 way splitter on the mast.

Leaving aside the technical side, you do seem to be haveing quite a bit of
work and a large aerial so maybe not that expensive.
My car was at the garage for less than an hour for its annual service and
cost £125.
Caravan annual service cost about the same.

--
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group.

Can you not do the job yourself ?

I avoided the problem of getting on the roof by using wall brackets which I
screwed onto the gable using strong rawl bolts, this now means the aerial
can be accessed without ever going on the roof again, and it is a far
stronger job than a chimney lashing.

Then it's a simple matter of a length of mast with the aerial attached,
alignment is again so simple just ring your wife in the lounge using a
mobile phone, and twiddle the thing around whilst she watches the signel
strength...

Ken

"David" wrote in message
...

"larkim" wrote in message
oups.com...
Just been quoted £254 + VAT for a "DMX5" 32 element "high gain" X type


Whole quote was £168+VAT for the aerial (fitted), £38+VAT for each
extra output and £10 for a 4 way splitter on the mast.

Leaving aside the technical side, you do seem to be haveing quite a bit of
work and a large aerial so maybe not that expensive.
My car was at the garage for less than an hour for its annual service and
cost £125.
Caravan annual service cost about the same.

--
However at £10 I would assume it to be a passive splitter feeding four
outlets directly from the aerial, and unless there's a damned good signal to
start with it doesn't sound to me like a particularly good idea. Maybe a
decent four way distribution amplifier would be the way to go.


Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group.

But the aerial is only a small 30 cm job, and the "extra outputs" ath
£38 + VAT each consisted of running some cable outside the house and
shoving a hole through the wall - no chasing, no end plates (not that
they are a good idea anyway), just lashing cable round the exterior of
the house. £38+VAT each!?!?

The aerial at £168+ VAT fitted is an affordable price (ish). But I
don't think what I'm wanting is that much work!

Matt

That's what my research was telling me - to be honest, I'm getting
quotes to make sure that it is worth not doing myself instead. But at
the prices I'm being quoted, I think a job done myself might be the
best route.

Another guy just came round to quote me £372, without even looking at
the existing signal.

Next stop is a local (non-0800) installer.....

Matt

"Ken Williams" wrote in message
...
Can you not do the job yourself ?

I avoided the problem of getting on the roof by using wall brackets which
I screwed onto the gable using strong rawl bolts, this now means the
aerial can be accessed without ever going on the roof again, and it is a
far stronger job than a chimney lashing.

Then it's a simple matter of a length of mast with the aerial attached,
alignment is again so simple just ring your wife in the lounge using a
mobile phone, and twiddle the thing around whilst she watches the signel
strength...

Ken

What if you don't have a wife? : - )
Do you then have to play with it yourself?

see my Freeview aerial guide at
http://www.satellites.co.uk/php-bin/...ad.php?t=43646 .

Apparently, where I live (WA6 6 - Frodsham) I'd need a wideband aerial
- I told him that the transmitter says I need a grouped one (C/D), but
apparently "wideband aerials are recommended for digital"

A lot of them only carry wideband. It makes their lives more simple.

Signal meter was used to test my existing. He got 40db on channel 66
apparently. "Tested" what he could get by standing in the garden
with
an aerial (with half an element missing) over his head, with his signal
meter round his neck (using co-ax as his neck strap!), and got 45db
apparently on that one. He estimated "add 15db" for putting it up on
the roof,
That's absurd. There's no fixed (or even approximate) relationship
between reception in the garden and on the roof.

but I'd need about 70db for digital. I want to split the
signal, so he said add another 8-10db for splitting.
That's absurd as well. No way would you install a big aerial and then
**** away the signal by using a splitter. Use an amp.


Whole quote was £168+VAT for the aerial (fitted),
We charge £150 + VAT for a TC18 on a 12ft mast with two chiney kits,
cable, etc. Without a full spec the quote is meaningless.


£38+VAT for each
extra output
That's about right, but you do want outlet plates. Forget all this
nonsense about running the cable direct to the receiver. If you're that
short of signal you should have an amplifier. The thro' loss on two
'f's and a barrel can't be measured. The VSWR is virtually perfect.

Now I am making a lot of assumptions here, 'cause I don't know much
about aerials etc, but I get the distinct impression that this is all
way over-charged ********.
Well it's certainly ********.

The firms in the Yellow Pages with the big ads listing lots of diverse
areas covered are franchises. In some cases you're paying a £50
introduction fee.

Bill

"David" wrote in message
...

"larkim" wrote in message
oups.com...
Just been quoted £254 + VAT for a "DMX5" 32 element "high gain" X type


Whole quote was £168+VAT for the aerial (fitted), £38+VAT for each
extra output and £10 for a 4 way splitter on the mast.

Leaving aside the technical side, you do seem to be haveing quite a bit of
work and a large aerial so maybe not that expensive.
My car was at the garage for less than an hour for its annual service and
cost £125.
Caravan annual service cost about the same.

--
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group.

Hello,

We're not talking about cars or caravns, it's about TV aerials. The quote
is not too bad for the aerial which includes fitting, cable and VAT. For
Winter Hill you do need a Group C/D horizontally polarised aerial. You
shouldn't have too much difficulty from where you are - I know the area
well. Just take a look outside, how many aerials do you see that are
massive or have preamps? Then make your own decision!
You would be better ordering a Group C/D and seeing if you can put it up
yourself. Then get a distribution amp, not one of the cheap B&Q ones. Save
a fortune.

The main problem is that this new digital stuff has given some people an
excuse to charge what they can get away with. Most fitters will not even
guarantee their own work by guaranteeing their installation can provide a
good enough signal so the picture will not break up. Some will say they
only fitted the aerial and are not responsible. Some will fit small aerials
slightly off and try to sell a preamp, or fit an aerial ad a preamp. There
are a lot of cowboys, so watch out. One I got a quote from was a member of
a recognised institute but tried ripping me off. He went outside to look at
what others were using and which way they pointed. Mad!

If you're interested in Skyforce, have a look on the Companies house website
to check they are a VAT registered company, then look at the turnover etc,
or see how long they have been established and whether they have traded
under different names or had directors associated with companies no longer
around.