A number of West End residents who live close to the Tay Rail Bridge (to its west) have contacted me as they are having television reception problems caused, they think, by the canvass canopies on the bridge as part of the current works, that they understand may be interfering with the TV signal. These constituents receive their TV signals from the Tay Bridge relay transmitter in NE Fife.
I contacted the Community Relations Manager, Scotland, at Network Rail who advises :
"The map below shows the position of the TV Transmitter in Tayport (Tay Road Bridge); the top of the mast is 142M above sea level. The highest point of the rail bridge is 32.3M above sea level.
As you can see on the map below unless there are houses in the middle of the estuary it is impossible for the encapsulation to be affecting the TV signal, even ignoring the fact that the TV signals will pass through PVC.
The steel structure itself is far more likely to affect a TV signal and as that has been there since 1887 I doubt that would be the cause either."
Further investigation indicates that the interference may actually be caused by new 4G mobile phone services.
4G signals at 800Mhz can interfere with Freeview signals and the mobile phone industry has a helpline (0808 13 13 800) which can provide a filter for your TV (and engineering support) to resolve the problem. More information can be accessed here.