Freeview: Chartham (Kent, England) digital TV transmitter
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Chartham (Kent, England) digital TV transmitter

Google mapBing mapGoogle Earth51.265,1.013 or 51°15'55"N 1°0'47"ECT4 7LP

4G at 800MHz (at800) Freeview reception issues

When 800MHz 4G mobile broadband services start there will be 1 multiplex in the higher risk range (C21-23, C30, C59-60): C21: BBCA
See How do I know if the 4G broadband will overload my Freeview? and Full UK map of 4G issue areas for details.

Transmitter faults and engineering works



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The symbol shows the location of the Chartham transmitter. The Chartham transmitter covers 4,900 homes.

Other maps:Dover regionBBC South EastMeridian (East micro region)

Radiation patterns

Radiation patterns withheld

Map key

The bright green areas shown where the signal from this transmitter is strong, dark green areas are poorer signals. Those parts shown in yellow may have interference on the same frequency from other masts.

Chartham transmitter Freeview broadcasts

If you have any kind of Freeview fault, follow this Freeview reset procedure first.

Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below. The rating shown takes in account the output power level and the various Freeview transmission modes and do not indicate an ongoing fault.

MuxEffective power level, aerial positionRatingModeWatts
PSB1
BBCA
 vertical
Below average64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		50
Channel icons
1 BBC One South East, 2 BBC Two England, 7 BBC Three, 9 BBC Four, 70 CBBC Channel, 71 CBeebies, 80 BBC News, 81 BBC Parliament, 301 301, plus 12 others
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C21 (474.0MHz) from 115m datum.
PSB2
D3+4
 vertical
Below average64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		50
Channel icons
3 ITV (Meridian (East micro region)), 4 Channel 4 South ads, 5 Channel 5 Part Network ads, 6 ITV 2, 13 Channel 4+1 South ads, 14 More 4, 28 E4, 33 ITV +1 (Meridian south coast),
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C24 (498.0MHz) from 115m datum.
PSB3
BBCB
 vertical
Below average256QAM 32KE 2/3
40.2Mb/s
DVB-T2 MPEG4		50
Channel icons
101 BBC One HD (England no regional news), 102 BBC Two HD (England), 103 ITV HD (ITV Meridian Southampton), 104 Channel 4 HD South ads, plus 1 others
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C27 (522.0MHz) from 115m datum.


Looking for these 26 channels?



The Chartham (Kent, England) mast is a public service broadcasting (PSB) transmitter, it does not provide these commercial (COM) channels: 4Music, 4seven, 5*, 5USA, Al Jazeera English, Challenge, Channel 5 +1, CITV, Community Channel, Dave, Dave ja vu, E4+1, Film 4, Food Network, ITV 2 +1, ITV 3, ITV 4, Movie Mix, PICK TV, Quest, Really, RT English , Sky News, The Zone, VIVA, Yesterday.

If you want to watch these channels, your aerial must point to one of the 80 Full service Freeview transmitters. For more information see the will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? page.

Regional news from the Chartham transmitter


BBC South East Today 0.8m homes 3.2%
from Tunbridge Wells TN1 1QQ, 55km west-southwest
to BBC South East region - 45 masts.

ITV Meridian News 0.8m homes 3.1%
from Maidstone ME14 5NZ, 33km west
to ITV Meridian (East) region - 39 masts.

How the transmission frequencies change over time

years1984-971997-981998-20122012-132013-182013-18
aerial groupA KA KA KA KA KA K
C21BBC1BBC1BBC1BBCABBCABBCA
C24ITVITVITVD3+4D3+4D3+4
C27BBC2BBC2BBC2BBCBBBCBBBCB
600C31C4C4C4

orange background for multiplexes names moregreen background for transmission frequencieslilac background for power levels in watts800MHz band: 4G mobile to start in 2013700MHz band: possible 4G in 2019 more600MHz band: new or moved digital TV services more
Notes: + and - denote 166kHz offset; aerial group are shown as A B C/D E K W
Italics for analogue, digital switchover was Wednesdays 13th June and 27th June 2012.

Comparison of old analogue and current digital signal levels

Analogue 1-4 250W
BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-7dB) 50W

History of Channel 3 in the Dover transmitter area

Aug 1958-Jan 1992Southern Television
Jan 1982-Dec 1992Television South (TVS)
Jan 1993-Feb 2004Meridian
Feb 2004-Dec 2014ITV plc
• Breakfast ◊ Weekends ♦ Friday night and weekends † Weekdays only. Chartham was not an original Channel 3 VHF 405-line mast: the historical information shown is the details of the company responsible for the transmitter when it began transmitting Channel 3.


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.

Steve Voller
Thursday 18 October 2007 2:06PM Canterbury
I'm staggered that because I can only point at the Chartham transmitter, I have to wait another 5 years before getting digital signal!!

I'd like to know what the delays are in getting this transmitter switched over since it affects an awful lot of people who are stuck having to pay Sky for any Digital TV?

Briantist
Thursday 18 October 2007 2:25PM
Steve Voller: There are over 3,500 transmitters on 1073 masts to be done, it takes time. This region will switch late because it borders non-UK areas (France, Belgium, Holland). See www.ukfree.tv link icon Free satellite | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV and switchover advice for details of Freesat.
Steve Voller
Friday 7 December 2007 8:17AM
Thanks for the reply, you said "this region will switch late because it borders non-uk areas (France, Belgium, Holland).

So who moved Dover?

Dover is digital and certainly borders non-uk areas a lot more than Chartham so that argument doesn't really hold a lot of water???
Briantist
Friday 7 December 2007 8:50AM
Steve Voller: Dover has not switched over and will not until 2012.
Steve Voller
Wednesday 19 December 2007 10:23AM Dover
Now I'm confused?
How come then Freeview is available from the Dover transmitter, as reported on this website as well?
ian
Thursday 4 September 2008 11:03PM
dover main still icloser to other countries , than chartham
Briantist
Friday 5 September 2008 7:32AM
ian: Being located higher up, the signals (and interference) can travel further!
Shaun
Thursday 22 January 2009 2:57PM
Looking at all the conversation and whilst realising it won't make it happen any quicker, if you're saying Chartham won't be done early because it's high up (higher up than Dover Main according to you) and close to Europe, well it still will be in 2012 when you finally get around to doing it. So what's the difference then to now?
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 11 November 2009 11:34AM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Failure - From 1000 [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 11 November 2009 11:39AM
CHARTHAM transmitter - BBC One,BBC Two Failure - From 1000 [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 11 November 2009 3:39PM
CHARTHAM transmitter - BBC One, BBC Two Failure - From 1000 [BBC]
Raymond Allcorn
Thursday 19 November 2009 7:13PM
We live in Canterbury. The Chartham transmitter went off last week. Since it returned the signal is much weaker. We had it measured today(19.11.09) Is this temporary please ? Raymond Allcorn
Briantist
Thursday 19 November 2009 8:03PM
Raymond Allcorn: The fault is listed as being cleared. Is the problem on all channels?
t atkins
Sunday 19 September 2010 9:51AM Canterbury
can you still get anologue freeveiw from chartham transmitter before changeovor date
Briantist
Sunday 19 September 2010 10:21AM
t atkins: The four analogue channels will be broadcast until the first DSO date, when BBC TWO closes, with the final three analogue channel shutting down at the end of the period.
Raymond Allcorn
Tuesday 29 March 2011 8:18PM Canterbury
Chartham transmitter..the analogue signal is poor on my only possible aerial(loft)..when digital arrives will the signal be better?.(we are unable to erect a dish due to siting and the age of property) Thanks
Briantist
Wednesday 30 March 2011 8:28AM
Raymond Allcorn: It is not likley that a loft aerial will provide good digital reception.
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 23 August 2011 9:35PM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Over the next week Chartham relay: TV (analogue) Service Shutdowns, no digital TV, Radio (analogue) working normally, no digital radio. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 15 September 2011 12:28PM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 today BBC TWO Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 today [BBC] Over the next week Chartham relay: TV (analogue) Service Shutdowns, no digital TV, Radio (analogue) working normally, no digital radio. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 15 September 2011 5:31PM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 today to 13:30 today BBC TWO Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 today to 13:30 today [BBC] Over the next week Chartham relay: TV (analogue) Service Shutdowns, no digital TV, Radio (analogue) working normally, no digital radio. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Friday 16 September 2011 10:32AM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 yesterday to 13:30 yesterday BBC TWO Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 yesterday to 13:30 yesterday [BBC] Over the next week Chartham relay: TV (analogue) Service Shutdowns, no digital TV, Radio (analogue) working normally, no digital radio. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Saturday 17 September 2011 4:33AM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 on 15 Sep to 13:30 on 15 Sep BBC TWO Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 on 15 Sep to 13:30 on 15 Sep [BBC] Over the next week Chartham relay: TV (analogue) Service Shutdowns, no digital TV, Radio (analogue) working normally, no digital radio. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Monday 19 September 2011 10:32AM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 on 15 Sep to 13:30 on 15 Sep BBC TWO Off Air; DSO related from 09:00 on 15 Sep to 13:30 on 15 Sep [BBC]
Steve
Sunday 6 November 2011 8:42PM
Hi

When digital switch over occurs in 2012 for the Charham transmitter will the signal be improved for the area? At present we can't get freeview, Satellite for the property is still an issue with trees and banks, so need to know whether I need to persevere with Satellite or wait until transmitter updated?

Thanks
jb38
Sunday 6 November 2011 9:19PM
Steve: Its quite impossible to say, as where you are located in relation to the transmitter has to be known, your post code enabling your reception possibilities to be checked out.

It should be said though when the Freeview service does start it will be on "light" basis, that is a PSB only station with limited programmes over that obtainable from a main station, and if this proves unsatisfactory then its best persevering with Freesat.
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 13 December 2011 3:31PM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air from 23:58 yesterday BBC TWO Off Air from 23:58 yesterday [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 13 December 2011 6:32PM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air from 23:58 yesterday to 15:33 today BBC TWO Off Air from 23:58 yesterday to 15:33 today [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 14 December 2011 4:29AM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air from 23:58 on 12 Dec to 15:33 yesterday BBC TWO Off Air from 23:58 on 12 Dec to 15:33 yesterday [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 15 December 2011 4:29AM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Off Air from 23:58 on 12 Dec to 15:33 on 13 Dec BBC TWO Off Air from 23:58 on 12 Dec to 15:33 on 13 Dec [BBC]
ringo
Monday 26 December 2011 1:33AM
chelmsford i lost the best channels , itv4,yesterday,film4 etc when i will get this channels please
KMJ,Derby
Monday 26 December 2011 9:52AM
ringo: Details of your postcode, so that a check on predicted reception can be made, also details of your aerial/transmitter would be useful in order to give more specific advice. Basically Chelmsford is served by Crystal Palace and Sudbury. For Crystal Palace check for single frequency interference around C29, for Sudbury C63. It should be noted that C63 from Sudbury is on abnormally low power for a main station and is this causing problems for many viewers. You could try clearing the channel list and then doing a manual tune on the frequencies for your chosen transmitter if your receiver has a manual tune option.
Ertriad
Sunday 6 May 2012 9:40AM
So by 28th June 2012, 34 digital channels will be available. What about the remaining 43 ?
Dave Lindsay
Sunday 6 May 2012 11:56AM
Ertriad: That's the lot from Chartham; it isn't likely that there will be more. This is because the Commercial broadcasters only wish to stick with 81 of the largest transmitters (largest by population). Evidently they have decided that the cost to include the 1,000 or so small transmitters like Chartham outways the benefit (to them). That cost would roughly equal that of the 81 main/large transmitters whilst only adding less than 10% to the potential viewer base.

See here for a more in-depth explanation: www.ukfree.tv link icon Will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice

The only thing you can do with regards receiving the Commercial terrestrial channels is to investigate the possibility of receiving from one of the transmitting stations that carry them. This will, of course, mean you having to have another aerial and is also not guaranteed.

The other main option for additional free-to-air channels is Freesat.
Peter
Tuesday 3 July 2012 8:31PM Canterbury
I'm at river level in centre of Canterbury. My basic roof aerial gave very poor analogue signal from Chartham but Freeview (incl HD) is as good as Sky (who may be losing a customer). I'm delighted.
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 15 January 2013 8:02PM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Freeview - No reported problems -. [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 15 January 2013 8:50PM
CHARTHAM transmitter - Freeview No problems on any service. [BBC]
Ellie
Thursday 21 February 2013 9:37AM
I have a high gain aerial receiving transmission from the Dover transmitter, but I live very close to the Chartham transmitter. My existing aerial is some 8ft above my house and I want to get it removed as it causes a lot of vibration in the wind. I intend to have a loft aerial to pick up transmission from Chartham transmitter (use to have this for anologue TV and had brilliant reception) however I have been told I wont get all channels from Chartham. Which channels can I pick up from Chartham?
Dave Lindsay
Thursday 21 February 2013 9:46AM
Ellie: Chartham only carries PSB (Public Service) channels. See this page for a full list of Freeview services:

www.dtg.org.uk link icon DTG :: DTT Services by Multiplex

You will receive only those in PSB1, PSB2 and PSB3 tables. PSB3 is the HD one, so if you don't have a HD receiver, you will only get PSB1 and PSB2.
Dave Lindsay
Thursday 21 February 2013 10:01AM
Ellie: Now that the power of the digital transmitter at Dover has been increased, at switchover, you may find that you can get away with a smaller aerial and/or shorter pole for Dover. A smaller aerial will have a lower wind-loading.
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Please post a question, answer or commentIf you have Freeview reception problems before posting a question your must first do this Freeview reset procedure then see: Freeview reception has changed, Single frequency interference, and Freeview intermittent interference.

If you have no satellite signal, see Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault'

If you have other problems, please provide a full (not partial) postcode (or preferably enter it in box at the top right) and indicate where if aerial is on the roof, in the loft or elsewhere.

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