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Better Freeview reception after switchover

Existing Freeview signals will increase in power after the analogue signals shutdown

Existing Freeview signals will increase in power after the anal
Published on by on UK Free TV

The plans for digital switchover will allow the existing Freeview signals to be replaced with higher-power signals. These will be at the old analogue signal strength, less around 10dB, which means about one tenth of the power.

The improvement in signal strength for the existing Freeview transmissions is impressive. Given that concerns over poor Freeview receptions are one of your most common issues.

The higher the figure given for the predicted improvement to Freeview signals, the better.



To 62.5kW

Sutton Coldfield +8.9dB, Sandy Heath +5.3dB, Crystal Palace +4.9dB

To 54kW

Emley Moor +8.2dB

To 31kW

Divis +10.9dB, Caradon Hill +9.1dB, Caldbeck +8.7dB, Bilsdale +7.3dB, Wenvoe +7.2dB, Belmont +6.3dB, Oxford +5.9dB, Winter Hill +5.3dB, Mendip +5.3dB, Pontop Pike +5dB, Durris +4.9dB, Rowridge +2.3dB, Black Hill +1.9dB

To 16kW

Stockland Hill +7.9dB, Waltham +5.4dB, Sudbury +4.9dB, Tacolneston +3.6dB, Hannington +1.9dB

To 6kW

Moel-Y-Parc +11.7dB, Brougher Mountain +10.9dB, Limavady +8.9dB, Eitshal (Lewis) +8.9dB, Presely +8.7dB, The Wrekin +7.9dB, Llanddona +7.9dB, Knock More +7.9dB, Keelylang Hill +7.9dB, Dover +7.9dB, Beacon Hill +7.9dB, Heathfield +7.1dB, Midhurst +6.9dB, Rumster Forest +6.7dB, Blaen-Plwyf +5.7dB, Redruth +5.2dB, Ridge Hill +4.9dB, Darvel +4.9dB, Craigkelly +4.9dB, Carmel +4.9dB, Huntshaw Cross +2.3dB, Chatton +1.7dB

To 1kW

Torosay +10dB

To 625W

Fenton +10.9dB, Keighley +8.3dB, Tunbridge Wells +7.9dB, Guildford +7.9dB, Brierley Hill +7dB, Lancaster +5.3dB, Rosneath +4.9dB, Hemel Hempsted +4.9dB, Brighton (Whitehawk Hill) +2.3dB, Kilvey Hill +2.1dB

To 213W

Sheffield +7.9dB

To 215W

Fenham +7.9dB, Saddleworth +5.4dB, Chesterfield +5.4dB, Nottingham +5.2dB

To 63W

Kings Weston Hill +1.4dB

To 31W

Ilchester Crescent +1.9dB

To 16W

Idle +4.9dB (Figures corrected 8-Mar-06)





Your comments: most recent posts are at the bottom


Your comments are always welcome. Please use the form below to add your thoughts or questions to this page. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Tony Moore
Friday 3 March 2006 9:31AM
I'm having trouble with your maths here.... Mendip currently transmits dtt at 10kw. you suggest it's going up to 31kw, i.e a multiplier of 3, yet you say it will increase by 12dB, a multiplier of 16?
Steve Gold
Tuesday 7 March 2006 7:01PM Blaenau Ffestiniog
I've seen some rubbish in my time, but these figures are all made up.

We're in Maentwrog (LL41 4HN) where the community repeater is due to sut in July 2009 - Freeview basic starts in Dec 2009. No TV for five months.

What a mess:(
Briantist
Tuesday 7 March 2006 11:40PM
Steve. The red box on this page www.ukfree.tv link icon http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=SH656406 says that the "This is a provisional schedule showing the most likely dates and channels. This page will be updated as soon as more information is published.". The actual shutdown period will be around one month. If you look, it shows that only BBC TWO will disappear during the transition period. The exact dates will not be published until nearer the time.
Briantist
Wednesday 8 March 2006 12:28AM
Tony: I've fixed the figures! Mendip was 9.166kW (5@10kW, 1@5kW), will be 31.250 (all 6 @ 31.250kW). This is +5.3dB, the multiplier being 3.41. Sorry about the earlier figures!
James G.
Friday 7 April 2006 5:16PM
Please check out these links, which include Arqiva and NGW's offer to multiplex customers and the power outputs at each transmitter post switchover:


www.arqiva.com link icon www.arqiva.com/upload/pdf/PROVISION_OF_NETWORK_ACCESS


www.uk.nationalgridwireless.com link icon www.uk.nationalgridwireless.com/downloads/NGW Reference Offer Television Multiplex Services published 30 December 2005 v1


Crystal Palace and Sutton Coldfield, for example, are shown as 200kW ERP, so a fair bit higher than your figures above
Briantist
Saturday 8 April 2006 1:41PM
James. Thanks for the information. This all looks very interesting, but I do note that it is marked "SUBJECT TO CONTRACT" and "Estimated Transmitters Power for purposes of Indicative Offer".
Briantist
Saturday 8 April 2006 5:51PM
I've had a look at these figures and NGW seem to have ignored the "analogue signal strength less 10dB" that was specified by the government.


This was to reduce the carbon emmissions produced by the transmissions, as per the Kyoto protocol.
Paul N
Saturday 6 May 2006 12:53AM
Will the null to the east of Hannington be removed after switchover (when Guildford analogue disappears)?
Mark
Monday 4 December 2006 2:15AM Swansea
Can someone help me do the maths?

Mendip : +5.3db

What would that translate to for me signal wise? If someone wants to tell me how to work it out, so that I can do it myself, that would be great...if not..I'm currently as follows...

Ariel : W, gain 12db (I think..it may be 12.5)
Booster : gain +7.5db
Postcode : SA2 0PX

Analogue signal : 65-70% (VERY slight fuzz on picture, otherwise, sharp & perfect)
Freeview : 35%* (see below)

What sort of increase am I likely to see on my Freeview signal?

*

I am using a Sagem ITD 62.
For GUARANTEED reception, it seems to need 60% or above digital signal, although, it has brought in Freeview from as low as 30%.

Also note, on the signal meter in my box, once it gets above 35%, it seems to jump to around 54%. Between 35 % 54 it is very jumpy, and will not settle on a figure between these two, below 35, and above 54, fluctuations in signal are only very minimal (1-2%).
Briantist
Saturday 9 December 2006 7:09PM
Mark: the 'signal strength' which are displayed by Freeview boxes are very unscientific, and very from box to box. Is there any reason you are using a very distant transmitter as Kilvey Hill, Huntshaw Cross and
Carmel transmitters are much closer?
Mark
Sunday 10 December 2006 1:18AM
I use Mendip as I want the English BBC1 & BBC2. Note also that down here, almost all the ariels are pointing towards Mendip.

If I swing my ariel round, I am within range of....

Caradon Hill - I used to use before dual running. Co-channel interference from Kilvey Hill now blocks the signal.
Reception wise, this is the strongest from here, and gave crystal clear pictures on all analogue channels...

Huntshaw Cross - Watchable, but, fuzzy. Too weak for freeview.

Porlock - With V. Polarization, a good, clear strong signal. Slight rippling (co-channel interference?) effect. No freeview channels found.

Mendip - Slight fuzz, but good picture on analogue. Freeview is perfect under high pressure, although some pixellating/blocking under low pressure.
Signal quality bar is variable.
Briantist
Sunday 10 December 2006 2:16PM
Mark: I don't think you will have any problems using Mendip once switchover is complete, but until then the digital signals are at such low power that you will have problems using distant transmitters. This problems are combined with the interference you get from high-powered analogue transmitters. As I always say, the strength of an analogue signal from a transmitter is no guide to the strength of digital signal you can get from the same transmitter.
graham hankin
Monday 8 January 2007 11:43AM
can you help please.ihave just bought a freeview digital tv and after completing the automatic tuning,channels 3 and 4 are not programmed in.i was informed by currys that this is due to work being done on the winter hill transmitter.is this correct and if so when will it be remedied? my postcode is wa11 bp.hope you will be able to help.
Briantist
Tuesday 9 January 2007 12:00AM
graham hankin: there is no work on Winter Hill at the moment. The most likely explanation for missing multiplex 2 channels (itvs and C4s) is that you are using a loft-mounted aerial.
Phil Waterhouse
Thursday 29 March 2007 7:10PM
Having just bought a new digital TV with an inclusive free view service TV, I am finding that having auto configured as per the TV Instructions all is working well with the exemptions of the BBC channels; these are shown as a poor signal from the Bluebell hill transmitter and drops in and out every one to two minutes.

Any solutions or kn0w probems?
Postcode TN288RD New Romney South coast.
Briantist
Thursday 29 March 2007 7:55PM
Phil Waterhouse: The transmitter's page lists no engineering work at the top of the page ... www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview on Bluebell Hill TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - get free UK television - if you have no wideband aerial you would be missing Mux 2 and Mux A... Drop outs every two minutes could be mobile phone interference (don't keep a phone by a set top box, digital TV or aerial). If you were using the www.ukfree.tv link icon Heathfield - aerial group W in a horizontal position (also known as wideband) for all Freeview channels | ukfree.tv - get free UK television then you would get the problem you describe. Don't believe your set-top box about the transmitter name, www.ukfree.tv link icon Find a freeview transmitter by frequency | ukfree.tv - get free UK television
Dave
Thursday 24 May 2007 7:10PM
Bluebell Hill transmitter is not shown to have a power increase after switchover. If the BBC have to then use 64QAM then the reception will become as poor quality as the current ITV, CH4, CH5 etc
Briantist
Thursday 24 May 2007 8:39PM
Dave: They will go from 2,000W or 3,000W to 20,000W. That's six to ten times stronger.
iain davies
Saturday 23 June 2007 10:40PM
Looking good!!!
Jay
Thursday 3 April 2008 2:15PM
Why with the DSO are we still only going to get 6 muxes.. when there is 21-68 (except 35) available. they could use the high band and allow for extra muxes.
Briantist
Thursday 3 April 2008 8:18PM
Jay: It takes five frequencies per multiplex to do the coverage as SFN (single frequency networks) are not suitable for the UK (we are told, not that anyone has tried). The rest is being sold off the highest bidder.
Edward Thomas McCormick
Monday 20 October 2008 2:59PM
Mt freeview signal for BBC is poor, with picture breaking down into rectangular portions. Am I correct in thinking that BBC signals will be better when the switch off of analogue occurs ? If so, can you please tell me when this is scheduled to happen ? My location is DY8 in the West Midlands.
Briantist
Monday 20 October 2008 3:57PM
Edward Thomas McCormick: Yes, all Freeview services will have stronger signals after switchover.

Please put your full postcode into the box at the top right to find your switchover dates.
Mike Bannister
Saturday 22 November 2008 10:29AM Wolverhampton
Postcode WV2 4QB ariel pointing at Sutton Coldfield
i have lost all my signals on freeview first bbc channels, itv c4 etc no signal then nothing - when i rescan i get plug ur antenna in which it is. Ariel is fine on analogue why does this happen? ( WV24QB)
Briantist
Saturday 22 November 2008 12:58PM
Mike Bannister: Your box could have failed, but also see www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002 for other help.
Mike Bannister
Sunday 23 November 2008 1:22PM
i have a dta tv and three boxes they cannot all fail!
Briantist
Sunday 23 November 2008 3:01PM
Mike Bannister: They can if they are all the same brand and don't support split-NIT... but it is a common issue then Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002 might help.
DA JONES
Saturday 12 September 2009 8:03PM
Can you help.I receive my digital transmission from Pontardawe mast ( Kilvay group)Can receive the channels ok but experiencing freezing of picture for about 3 seconds frequently also pixellating.
I have a new top box
Hope that you can help.
R PROBERT
Wednesday 7 April 2010 9:50PM Radstock
can anyone help me, am 79 years old and i
cannot get bbc1 or2 with humax box on auto
search or manual.
regards ray probert
Briantist
Thursday 8 April 2010 6:24AM
R PROBERT: Please follow the instructions for your device on the 30 September Freeview Retune - list of manuals | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
John Palmer
Friday 22 October 2010 6:01PM Ludlow
Hi, I have an elderly relative who lives in SY8 2PY. As both her TV's have died recently, we have got her replacements with built-in Freeview. However, in that location there is no Freeview until analogue is switched off in April (Ludlow Transmitter). Will digital be broadcast from the Ludlow mast, or do we have to line the aerial up with one of the main transmitters (Wrekin or Ridge Hill) and swap from V to H?
Briantist
Saturday 23 October 2010 7:29PM
John Palmer: Yes, the public service multiplexes will start broadcast from the transmitter from Wednesday 6th April 2011 with the final date being Wednesday 20th April 2011.

Unless the analogue signal was awful, you just plug in a Freeview box on the day, there is no need to move the aerial.
bpoley
Wednesday 4 April 2012 7:01PM Wrexham
Have just bought Meos DVD/FREEVIEW for car (grandkids really) when analogue goes off will the signal boost help reception of CBeebies (especially on the move)?
Briantist
Thursday 5 April 2012 5:09PM
bpoley: There has been no analogue signal for quite some time now in your area.

Freeview is not designed for mobile reception.
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