TV aerial repairs in Ely
Very little stands between an Ely rooftop and the next weather front. Wind crosses miles of open fen before it reaches the city, and TV aerials take the full force of it. Over the years that loosens clamps, wears through cable where it rubs on a gutter, and turns aerials a few degrees away from Sandy Heath. You notice it as a picture that pixelates on windy evenings, a channel that comes and goes, or a ‘no signal’ message after a storm.
Most of these faults can be repaired. We measure the signal at the TV, at the wall plate, at any amplifier and up at the aerial, so the fault shows itself on the meter. Then we fix that one thing, whether it’s a connector, a length of cable, a bracket or the aerial’s alignment, and show you the before and after readings.
Fault finder
What’s wrong with your picture?
Pick the closest match to see what usually causes it, what to try first, and how we’d fix it.
Common TV aerial faults in Ely
Wind and storm damage
Exposed homes on the edge of the city and out on the fen roads around Prickwillow and Little Downham get the worst of the gales. We straighten or replace bent aerials, replace snapped poles, refit chimney lashings and make a leaning mast safe.
Water in the cable
Rain finds its way into a split outer sheath or a badly sealed plug at the aerial, and the picture starts breaking up, often worst after wet weather. We cut back to dry cable, fit weatherproof connectors and replace runs that have soaked through.
TV aerial knocked off Sandy Heath
An aerial only needs to swing a little before the weaker multiplexes drop out. We realign it on a meter, aiming for the best signal quality on every multiplex, then lock the clamps down so it holds.
Failed amplifiers and splitters
When every TV in the house fails together, look first at the amplifier in the loft or under the stairs. Power supplies fail, and amplifiers turned up too high can make a good signal worse. We test, replace and set the gain correctly.
Missing channels and 4G/5G interference
If a retune leaves you short of channels, the aerial may be the wrong group for today’s frequencies. If the picture glitches at busy times of day, mobile signals may be getting into the amplifier. We identify which and fit the right aerial or filter.
One TV or one room playing up
If the other TVs are fine, the fault is close to the one that isn’t: a crushed fly lead, a loose wall plate or the cable to that room. We test each part in turn and replace what has failed.
Should you repair or replace?
We repair whenever a repair will last. A new TV aerial makes sense when the elements have corroded or snapped, when the aerial was made for a channel group that no longer covers all of Freeview from Sandy Heath, or when the mast and bracket need replacing anyway and the aerial is old. We’ll show you the readings and talk you through both options so you can decide.
Slide the signal on the screen below to see how each kind of fault looks, and what usually causes it in Ely.
Open fen, chimneys and old buildings
Ely’s older streets have tall chimneys, steep roofs and close neighbours, and many cottages around the cathedral and the river are listed. Out on the fen edge, homes stand alone with nothing to break the wind. Both make TV aerial work trickier. On an old chimney we check the brickwork and mortar before trusting a new lashing to it, and we will suggest a wall bracket or a loft aerial if the stack isn’t sound. On isolated houses we use heavier brackets and shorter, stiffer poles so the aerial stays on line through the winter. If an aerial or mast has come down and is hanging over a path or drive, keep clear and call us. We make it safe first, and we can write up what we found for your insurer.
Areas we cover in and around Ely
Repairs across Ely and every village around it, whether or not we fitted the aerial.
Ely and its edges
- City centre
- Waterside
- Palace Green
- West End
- Lynn Road
- Downham Road
- Highflyer Farm
- North Ely
- Chettisham
- Prickwillow
- Queen Adelaide
- Stuntney
- Mile End
Villages around Ely
- Littleport
- Little Downham
- Witchford
- Sutton
- Haddenham
- Stretham
- Wilburton
- Coveney
- Little Thetford
- Witcham
- Mepal
- Soham
- Wicken
- Isleham
Nearby towns we also cover
Ely questions
Every TV in my Ely house says ‘no signal’. What should I check?
Check that any amplifier in the loft or by the TV has power and its light is on, then try a retune. If nothing changes, the likely causes are a failed amplifier, a damaged main cable or an aerial blown out of line. That needs a meter to find, so give us a call.
Why is my picture worse on windy days?
An aerial that moves in the wind changes its signal from second to second. Loose clamps, a flexing pole or a cracked bracket are the usual causes in Ely, where there is little shelter. We tighten or replace the fixings and realign the aerial.
Can my TV aerial be repaired, or do I need a new one?
Most faults are repairs. We suggest a new aerial only when the old one is corroded, broken, or built for channels that Sandy Heath no longer uses for all of Freeview.
Do you repair TV aerials you didn’t install?
Yes. We repair aerials, cables, amplifiers and sockets regardless of who fitted them.
My TV aerial is on a listed building in Ely. Can you still repair it?
Yes. Repairing or realigning an existing aerial is routine. If we need to move it or fit something new, we’ll suggest the least visible option and you can check with the council if your building is listed.