TV still dropping out months after digital retune
BUNDABERG residents are still having television reception issues more than two months after the digital retune for the region.
In October, many of the region's free-to-air channels changed frequency to free up the broadcasting spectrum so it could be used for new services such as mobile broadband.
North Burnett Mayor Don Waugh said regions such as Eidsvold, Monto and Mundubbera continued to have issues since the retune and the North Burnett Regional Council was working to address these problems after being inundated with calls.
Cr Waugh said the council had investigated the Eidsvold Transmission Tower and found that on Saturday, December 13, the Channel 7 antenna sustained damage causing the surrounding area to lose Channel 7 reception.
It has also investigated the Bancroft-Bukali transmission tower and found there were ongoing issues with it that have been remedied.
"Monto has been worked on and seemed to improve the situation out there," he said.
"The engineers have checked the tower at Eidsvold and found no issues."
Bundaberg Home Theatre owner Tony Buckholz said he has had a few call-outs with some residents unsure how to retune their TV.
"I'm finding at the moment that the issue is tending to be with people's antennas," he said. "Some of the older antennas, the signal starts to roll off at the VHF channel 11 mark."
Mr Buckholz said faults with antennas and cabling should be checked by a qualified technician.
The NewsMail asked its Facebook friends if they were still having issues with TV reception and the answer was a resounding yes.
"No ABC at all. Kids miss ABC 4 Kids," Mitchell Grotherr said.
"(In the) Avenell Heights area, can barely watch TV most days, it's so pixelated or sometimes I just get no signal at all," Malissa Ferrara said.
"We keep losing Channel 7 every afternoon," Emma McCarthy said.
Cr Waugh said he could understand residents' frustrations.
"There is nothing worse of course than watching a show and have it drop off in the middle of it," he said.
Cr Waugh advised Monto residents still having issues with the Bancroft-Bukali transmission tower to phone 1300 696 272 to lodge a service request.
Residents must provide name, address, contact number, channels impacted and when the issues are happening.
The Munduberra transmission tower is not managed by council and residents should contact the TV networks responsible.
WHERE TO REPORT ISSUES
WIN Services on 07 4150 1799
Seven Services on 07 4197 9777
ABC Services on 1300 139 994
SBS Services on 1800 500 727
Southern Cross Ten Services on 07 4121 2209