Category Archives: Military

DEFENCE chiefs have today (TUE) denied they are using equipment which
could cause interference to satellite TV reception in the Western Isles.

Many householders living on high ground on the Isle of Lewis looking
onto the international forces taking part in Joint Warrior 112 say their
TV pictures have been freezing and breaking up for several days.

The Ministry of Defence, who on Monday were forced to turn off the
jamming of GPS satellite navigation systems after complaints over safety
from fishermen, insist all the householders should contact their
providers, who say they will investigate for a fee of £65 per
householder.

Suspicion is now mounting that the TV subscribers are the latest victims
of the electronic warfare being waged by the war games of NATO and other
international forces which have been on manouevres in the area since the
middle of last week until Thursday.

Former mariner Philip Macleod of Branahuie, a village close to the sea
between Stornoway and the Point peninsula, said he and several of his
neighbours were suffering the same kind of severe interference problems
for the last few days.

Gordon Maciver said: “I’m almost certain this MoD exercise is the cause. I currently pay £50.75 per month for Sky
TV alone and was told an engineer call-out would be chargeable at £65.
“Compensation should be offered to all island Sky subscribers if it’s
proven that this problem is through no fault of the individual’s Sky
equipment.”

Offshore worker Chris Murray, of Newmarket, said he had been on the
phone to Sky TV for more than hour last night only to be told there was
a fault with his digibox. He was told an engineer should call for which
he would be charged £65. He was also advised to pay for a new
maintenance contract.

“I said no. Since adjusting my dish, it seems to be better now,” he
said.

Another householder living near Stornoway harbour said it got so bad
that he had to switch back to using the terrestrial system.

Other satellite TV subscribers in the Garrabost, Newmarket and Back area
said they were suffering similar problems for much of the day and that
Sky had also recommended that they send an engineer at a cost of £65.

Over on the mainland at Aultbea, near where part of the exercise is
based at Loch Ewe, a hotelier confirmed she was getting interference on
her Sky system. “We often get TV interference when the military are
here on exercise but we are not complaining because many of the
personnel are staying here. In the last 15 years, we have also been
getting interference because of weather.
“Having the military here is a big help and a source of income,” she
said.

It is understood that minehunting exercises are continuing in the Broad
Bay area off the east of Lewis. It is not known if the interference to
satellite TV is coming from the ships there or from vessels further out
in the Minch where GPS jamming over the last few days had crippled many
vessels’ navigation systems.

Meanwhile a MoD spokesman at Faslane today (TUE) denied it was the
military’s fault. He said: “Jamming operations have been suspended for
the remainder of the exercise and no jamming was conducted yesterday at
all.
“Satellite TV subscribers in the area who have experienced problems
should therefore contact their provider to see if there are other issues
which could have affected their service.”