While I love trees, my experience has been they never help TV reception. Many years ago I noticed pine needles in the forests north of Houston did an effective job blocking horizontally polarized TV signals. Recently I learned Ofcom technicians believe areas around Strichen, Scotland may have lost TV signals after a row of trees on top a hill were cut. Ofcom is the United Kingdom's telecommunications regulator.
I learned of this interesting effect in the article Tree felling blamed for poor Strichen TV pictures in the Buchan Observer. In the article, Ofcom Scotland Director Vicki Nash says, "For a number of years, reception facilities have been improved by the presence of trees on the hill modifying reception conditions in the village. Unfortunately, as these trees are being felled, this somewhat fortuitous reception is being adversely affected."
Community leaders are not convinced. Read the article for the rest of the story.
