Chris Burroughs, a TV aerial installer based in Bridgnorth

Is Shropshire ready for the digital TV switchover? BEN BENTLEY visits Bridgnorth to see what preparations are already under way.

Chris Burroughs is known as “the aerial man”. It’s 8am and Chris is on his first job of the day, helping to get Shropshire ready for the digital switchover.

The 49-year-old from Bridgnorth is one of an army of installers operating in Shropshire who is approved by the Registered Digital Installer – Licensing Body or RDI-LB for short.

And by the end of his day he will have fitted up to five new wideband aerials which will enable his customers’ televisions to receive all services from local TV transmitters.

Trading under the name Tele-Satt Aerials Ltd, he’s been installing aerials for 25 years but in the countdown to the first stage of the 2011 switchover, he could not be busier.

“People are aware of the digital switchover but some are frightened of it. I want to help inform people that it does not have to be difficult.

“When the Wrekin transmitter goes digital you will need a wideband aerial to pick up all the services. If you have not had an aerial changed for digital,you will need a wideband aerial.”

He added: “People are buying sets and realising that the set won’t work unless the aerial is changed.

“We have been HD ready for ages but any set that is not HD Freeview ready will not transmit an HD picture through the aerial. They will need a set-top box.”

Our confusion about the digital switchover keeps life interesting for Chris.

“No two jobs are the same and that keeps it interesting,” he says. “There are always reception issues to keep you on your toes. Inevitably people have been struggling with getting a constantly good signal.”

After the switchover, to get all the channels available people will need a wideband aerial, although many viewers are being advised by Digital UK to wait until after the switch before updating.

“Once the analogue signal is switched off, the digital signal will be much, much stronger and by the third and final stage of the switchover on September 28 there will be high-powered omni-directional signals from The Wrekin and Sutton Coldfield so there won’t be any anomalies,” he said.

“Shropshire should be on a level playing field.”

• For more information on registered installers in your area visit www.rdi-lb.tv/identify.html or visit www.tele-sattaerials.co.uk