Local Businesses, Clubs and Organisations

Every other week I see a new antenna pointing the wrong way. It would really be a worry if they got good reception.
People are having antennas installed or upgraded without any results due to installation error not signal error. When it can be visible from the street that basic rules of antenna alignment have not been followed there is very likely several other factors that have been done incorrectly. This is a low signal area not a poor signal area. A low signal can be stable and reliable if handled correctly.The government installers were wrong. Without local knowledge the whole thing was just a big scam. This can be further confirmed by close look atthe antennas they installed a short time ago and are now falling apart.Installers boasting about using the highest quality parts often don’t know how to use them. Part time installers will little experience also considerthe cheaper antennas to work just as good as the expensive antennas. In Myall street we can see approx. 50% no attempt at upgrading for digital, 40% cheap antenna and or pointing the wrong way (this is not to say they won’t work 40% will work most of the time). Less than 10% have a good quality installation and correct alignment.One person who has been very vocal about the governments  digital failure has an antenna designed for Sydney (VHF not UHF) that is pointing the wrong way and over 20 years old…The fact that they have some reception is a feather in the hat of digital signal.Reception trouble can be directly related to the installation error or signal obstruction.Clear sky bad reception-bad weather good reception is not a mystery this is just a clear sign nobody has opened an antenna related text book.Not all electrical contractors are qualified to install an antenna, not all electrical engineers are qualified to install antennas. I do training for a tv company and these are often my students who don’t pick up the topic quick as they should.All antennas are the same they just need to be “digital” this is very untrue and a good reason why buying an antenna from a retail outlet is a bad idea. I tell customers to return antennas and parts that the sales person “guaranteed would work” they are not suited for all areas and some designs work better in different terrain and are better matched for different transmitters. The packaging will always say suited for all areas and use various buzz words like “digital”, “high gain”, “broadband” but this is just good marketing.

Professional installers will often use very specific products for specific areas, not a product that just “works” but the product that “works best”.It is common for people to expect we have the same signal as city people. We are in some cases 100 times lower again this doesn’t mean it’s “worse” but the installer has to factor this in.My experience is corporate and my work is scrutinized by broadcast engineers mostly now I work from home training, supervising and auditing other installers. Not being tied to a specific area that’s how we ended up here

My work has forced my standards much higher as I have to fix the mistakes of other installers (100+ in AU & NZ). I was also the first, only and last government endorsed installer to live in the tea gardens area. This was a free certification that required only an online exam but it seems nobody was able to pass the exam. The certification also delivered some high paying work so there was plenty of incentive for all installers. Installers were also treated to beer and food at information nights so I am very suspicious of any installer who didn’t get their certification. “It’s just a piece of paper” someone once said but I doubt that’s the reason, clearly they must hate money, beer, food and a few but notable free product samples from leading suppliers.I believe 4 key factors are needed for an installer in this area. 1. A topic specific education in digital broadcasting 2. Experience doing the work full time not related work (electrical?) 3. Local knowledge. This area as a unique signal profile that the non-local installer seem to stumble all over. When I first moved here I guessed the profile based on my experience all around AU and NZ but it was a little different again.It is possible this area due to its low population has been unable to sustain a professional antenna installer, with many back yard experts using very cheap parts and tools getting the work. Non-local installers also need to make up travel costs by using cheaper products or doing a hit-n-run style of install where no time is taken to peak the available signal levels and do the little things. If the customer has a problem they just use the good old “ITS JUST THE AREA”I have only found a few bad signal locations that affects a very few houses in our area and in a few cases my choice to provide a cheaper solution has caused some signal issues later corrected by doing the job right it was my fault for not insisting on the right solution and not the “signal”.I recommend people get more than one quote and don’t go cheap or for a good story. Use a local guy so if they have a problem he will come back for any big or small reason. Use an antenna company that is directly responsible for their work. Retail outlets use sub-contractors and when there is a fault each declines responsibility (From time to time I get a call from a frustrated person in exactly this case, they have to pay again for someone to fix what they just paid for).Also attached is a handout I have given to real estates and strata just more about me and my products for 2014. Trying to build up some business momentum in the quiet times.