bilsdale aerial burnt out

[brightspark]

literaly thousands of houses with no tv signal; apparently stuck by lightening and set on fire hardly likely its been there donkeys years . more like lack of maintenance . might take a year to get replaced . ive been putting a few aerials up and re pointing them to pontop pike at newcasle and getting a few people back on and re tuning there tv its a shame for housebound and old folk no tv

 

[Kayos]

They reckon 1 million, mostly older people will be missing out

 

[Ubique]

Have you watched terrestrial TV recently? hardly missing out...

 

[Dave-sparks]

Being there donkeys years doesn't stop it from being hit by lightening does it?

 

[brightspark]

its a strange one im not covered for installing aerials on my public liability insurance

 

[brightspark]

Being there donkeys years doesn't stop it from being hit by lightening does it?

its been struck many times in over 70 years and hasn't effected it its 1.000foot high

 

[Dave-sparks]

its been struck many times in over 70 years and hasn't effected it its 1.000foot high

So? Every lightening strike is unique, they are a force of nature.

Yes it could be that the LPS hasn't been maintained, or has been damaged by previous strikes. Or it's equally possible that this strike was bigger than previously experienced and overwhelmed the LPS.

 

[optima21]

about 50 years ago the Emely Moor transmitter collapse, aparently due to a build up of snow and ice.

and how they made a new one

the "new" transmitter regularly gets hit by lightening

 

[striker]

I'm in Thornton, we are pointed at Bilsdale. Can get some terrestrial channels but we have virgin TV too, so not too much of a problem to us fortunately.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Have you watched terrestrial TV recently? hardly missing out...

Chopped through my Aerial with the hedgecutter 7 years ago. Still haven't fixed it

 

[Parm]

I don’t have an aerial

 

[Kayos]

Have you watched terrestrial TV recently? hardly missing out...

For some, it is their only option

Imagine not understanding new tech and your only source of news etc was taken away from you

 

[Ubique]

The internet etc. is hardly 'new tech', it's trivial to connect a smart tv to a router - i'm sure the 'blitz spirit' is still alive and well, neighbours will help neighbours, the village pub could at a pinch change the channel from sky sports occasionally...
Could be a good sales opportunity for Sky too - and there's always the 'wireless'.
Yes, it may be an inconvenience for some, it's hardly plunged a million or so people back into the dark ages though.

ETA - They could always brave a trip to the local shop for a newspaper too... I'm sure that most of the demographic you're referring to will be able to remember the black days of the 70's with regular power cuts, there was no public internet back then and no whining about lack of TV, life goes on.

 

[Kayos]

The internet etc. is hardly 'new tech', it's trivial to connect a smart tv to a router - i'm sure the 'blitz spirit' is still alive and well, neighbours will help neighbours, the village pub could at a pinch change the channel from sky sports occasionally...
Could be a good sales opportunity for Sky too - and there's always the 'wireless'.
Yes, it may be an inconvenience for some, it's hardly plunged a million or so people back into the dark ages though.

ETA - They could always brave a trip to the local shop for a newspaper too... I'm sure that most of the demographic you're referring to will be able to remember the black days of the 70's with regular power cuts, there was no public internet back then and no whining about lack of TV, life goes on.

You tell my grand parents how "trivial" it is to connect a router up, or ask them to fork out for a smart TV

How about just walk to the shop? Sorry it closed down but the big tesco is £7 each way in a taxi

And according to the reports I have read, it has affected a million people, hardly trivial

I think you need to adjust your perspective, not everyone has access and the mobility to do as you suggest.

On another note, im visiting my also elderly dad on Monday. I spent several hours on the phone last night talking him through something a younger man may also find trivial, however for him it was difficult and has caused him weeks of upset

 

[Ubique]

...And according to the reports I have read, it has affected a million people, hardly trivial

There may well be a million people in the transmitter coverage area, not all of them will be affected, as I said, internet, Sky etc.- most will already be using these sources to supplement or replace terrestrial broadcasts anyway. It's slightly ironic that the people least likely to be 'connected' to an always-on information source are the ones you claim will 'suffer' without it.
BTW, you have no idea of my age, let's just say I can remember the power cuts in the 70's very well - and i'm far from being a 'townie' too.

 

[reb78]

How has this thread turned into an argument?! FWIW I agree with Kayos but its not worth falling out over!

 

[bricol]

The internet etc. is hardly 'new tech', it's trivial to connect a smart tv to a router - i'm sure the 'blitz spirit' is still alive and well, neighbours will help neighbours, the village pub could at a pinch change the channel from sky sports occasionally...
Could be a good sales opportunity for Sky too - and there's always the 'wireless'.
Yes, it may be an inconvenience for some, it's hardly plunged a million or so people back into the dark ages though.

ETA - They could always brave a trip to the local shop for a newspaper too... I'm sure that most of the demographic you're referring to will be able to remember the black days of the 70's with regular power cuts, there was no public internet back then and no whining about lack of TV, life goes on.

Hmmm.

You've not had much exposure to the older generation have you?

My mum struggles with her TV, the simplest one I could find, when it needs retuning as they've shifted a channel somewhere. Never mind when she accidently presses a button she didn't know about and it goes into some other screen. She will turn if off for fear of doing something and breaking it. Reading a newspaper is hard work - cataracts . . . something recently put all non-essential medical activity to the back of the queue - I've forgotten what world wide thing that was . . .

She hasn't stepped in a pub for 40 yrs . . . infact, stepping the length of the hall is a bit of a task. For the last 18mths she's been under an advisory to not go anywhere anyway for fear of something going around . . . wonder what that was . . . as she has no computer, no smart phone (just getting her to use a conventional mobile phone is a next to impossible task - even the land line one causes issues most weeks. I have to take her shopping order over the phone and order on-line.

I've tried many times to get up set up with all the above - but for a lady who could melt manual typewriters with speed, take pitman shorthand dictation at warp factor 9, do company accounts, force local authorities to get their act in gear by going way above their pay grade, even to the WHO, the modern world is a button press too far with arthritic fingers, gammy knees, hips, wrists,elbows, etc

 

[500e]

its a strange one im not covered for installing aerials on my public liability insurance

Quite a standard exclusion BS, we had problems had to hunt around for cover.

 

[brightspark]

doing another aerial tomorrow to see if i can get a signal from newcastle she has cable tv to the downstairs one but wants the conservatory and bedroom of the aerial some old folk are funny as she could pay virgin to install extra points but wont fork out the extra monthly cost even though she is loaded we will see how it goes tomorrow or maybe wont

 

[mike os]

So, basically the quality of life and TV has improved dramatically for all affected?