Freeview: Winter Hill (Bolton, England) Full Freeview transmitter
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Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter

Google StreetviewGoogle mapBing mapGoogle Earth53.625,-2.516 or 53°37'30"N 2°30'56"WBL6 6SL

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): C59: D3+4
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

WINTER HILL transmitter - Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. Digital tick


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The symbol shows the location of the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter which serves 2,690,000 homes.

Other maps:Winter Hill DABWinter Hill AM/FMWinter Hill regionBBC North WestGranada

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.


List by multiplex|List by channel number|List by channel name|See terrain plot

Winter Hill 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.

MuxAerial positionFrequencyHeightModeWatts
PSB1
BBCA
 horizontal max
C50 (706.0MHz)726m64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		100,000W
Channel icons
1 BBC One North West, 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

PSB2
D3+4
 horizontal max
C59 (778.0MHz)726m64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		100,000W
Channel icons
3 ITV (Granada), 4 Channel 4 North ads, 5 Channel 5 The North ads, 6 ITV 2, 13 Channel 4+1 North ads, 14 More 4, 28 E4, 33 ITV +1 (Granada),

PSB3
BBCB
 horizontal max
C54- (737.8MHz)726m256QAM 32KE 2/3
40.2Mb/s DVB-T2 MPEG4		100,000W
Channel icons
101 BBC One HD (England no regional news), 102 BBC Two HD (England), 103 ITV HD (ITV Granada), 104 Channel 4 HD North ads, plus 1 others

COM4
SDN
 horizontal max
C58 (770.0MHz)726m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		100,000W
Channel icons
10 ITV 3, 20 G.O.L.D. (not free), 25 Dave ja vu, 26 Home (not free), 27 ITV 2 +1, 30 5*, 31 5USA, 34 ESPN UK (not free), 38 Quest, 39 The Zone, 44 Channel 5 +1, 72 CITV, plus 22 others

COM5
ArqA
 horizontal max
C49 (698.0MHz)726m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		100,000W
Channel icons
11 PICK TV, 12 Dave, 17 Really, 29 E4+1, 32 Movie Mix, 46 Challenge, 48 Food Network, 82 Sky News, 87 Community Channel, plus 9 others

COM6
ArqB
 horizontal max
C55 (746.0MHz)726m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		100,000W
Channel icons
15 Film 4, 18 4Music, 19 Yesterday, 21 VIVA, 24 ITV 4, 41 Sky Sports 1 (not free), 42 Sky Sports 2 (not free), 47 4seven, 83 Al Jazeera English, 85 RT English , plus 21 others

MEN
 horizontal -20dB
C57 (762.0MHz)0mQSPK 8K 1/2
6.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		1,000W
Channel icons
51 Movies4Men, 52 Movies4Men +1, 53 Sony SAB TV Asia, 56 Capital TV, plus 2 others



Regional news from the Winter Hill transmitter


BBC North West Tonight 3.1m homes 11.7%
from Salford M50 2QH, 22km southeast
to BBC North West region - 90 masts.

ITV Granada Reports 3.1m homes 11.6%
from Salford M50 2EQ, 22km southeast
to ITV Granada region - 80 masts.

How the transmission frequencies change over time

years1956~851984-971997-981998-20092009-1310/4/13-2013-182019-
aerial groupVHFC/D EC/D EC/D EC/D EC/D EWK
C9ITV
C12BBCtv
C22SDN
C25ArqA
C28ArqB
600C31com7
C37com8
C39BBCB
C42D3+4
C45BBCA
C48C5C5
700C49 ArqAArqA
C50 BBCABBCA
C54-BBCB-BBCB-BBCB
C55BBC1BBC1BBC1ArqBArqBArqB
C56+1local
C57MENMENMEN
C58SDNSDNSDN
C59ITVITVITVD3+4D3+4D3+4
C60+C
800C61ArqA
C62BBC2BBC2BBC2BBCA
C63+D
C65C4C4C4
C66+2
C67+B
C68+A

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 4th November and 2nd December 2009.

  • Ofcom have projected that a local television service for Manchester including Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport could use an Interleaved Frequency on the Winter Hill transmitter using C56
  • Ofcom have projected that a local television service for Liverpool including St Helens, Widnes, Wigan, Wirral could use an Interleaved Frequency on the Winter Hill transmitter using C56
  • Ofcom have projected that a local television service for Preston including Blackpool could use an Interleaved Frequency on the Winter Hill transmitter using C56
  • COM7, COM8 projected for 2013-16. COM7 and COM8 to operate as Saddleworth,Storeton, Winter Hill SFN.

Comparison of old analogue and current digital signal levels

Analogue 1-4 500kW
SDN, ARQA, ARQB, com7, com8, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-7dB) 100kW
Analogue 5(-16dB) 12.5kW
Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D*(-17dB) 10kW
MEN(-27dB) 1000W

History of Channel 3 in the Winter Hill transmitter area

May 1956-Jul 1968Granada Television†
May 1956-Jul 1968Associated British Corporation◊
Jul 1968-Dec 2014Granada Television
Feb 1983-Dec 1992TV-am•
Jan 1993-Sep 2010GMTV•
Sep 2010-Dec 2014ITV Daybreak•
• Breakfast ◊ Weekends ♦ Friday night and weekends † Weekdays only.


Your comments: most recent posts are at the bottom

firstFirst comments prevEarlier comments  ◊  Later commentsnext Latest commentslast

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.

Briantist
Tuesday 29 May 2012 9:08AM
Keith Wright: You don't need an ombudsmen! You need to get rid of your boosters and use a small aerial. See www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice please.
Dave Lindsay
Tuesday 29 May 2012 10:26AM
Mrs Morris: What's the model number of the Sony? This may help us find the user manual so as to be more specific in suggesting a fix.

The problem is because it is picking up signals from one of the transmitters in Wales, probably Moel-y-Parc.

Could you describe what Sony instructed you to do?
Dave Lindsay
Tuesday 29 May 2012 10:29AM
Jeff: Perhaps the signal level is on the high side, verging on being excessive at times.

See here:

www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice

It might be worth fitting an attenuator. These are available for £3 or £4 from various online sources.
jb38
Tuesday 29 May 2012 4:14PM
Keith Wright: On having a quick study of your area I can immediately see one major problem that will no doubt be affecting reception for not only yourself but most Foxwood(?) residents receiving a signal from Winter Hill (@ 17miles / 38degrees) being, the somewhat dense range of trees that can be seen at the end of the incline on Cypress Gardens, and with the trees in question stretching far out to the left and right.

Trees as such do not always cause serious reception problems if they are located a few miles away along the signal path towards the transmitter, as elements of signal reflection along the way can help smooth the blocking out effect provided that a multi-element (sharp pick up) aerial is NOT being used as the reception aerial, albeit this negative characteristic not quite so important with analogue reception, but when trees are so close to the receiving aerial then its quite impossible to benefit from this sort of thing.

As you can probably imagine, reception under these circumstances is liable to fluctuate rapidly during windy conditions due to the density of the obstruction changing, and with wet weather bringing another factor into the equation as the leaves will act like multiple reflectors to the signal bouncing it in all sorts of directions, neither of being of any value to reception.

I cant honestly see you having really good reception at any time unless you have Freesat installed, it offering glitch free reception for 99.9% of the time, any time not being for only a few minutes during a really heavy thundery downpour.
Mark Fletcher
Tuesday 29 May 2012 6:00PM Halifax
Max Richardson,Middlewich.If you believe your aerial is pointed towards Winter Hill,then the polarisation of your aerial will be horizontal.If on the other hand your aerial is polarised vertically then it will be facing a nearby relay mast as such.If also your aerial is horizontally polarised as you stated to believe check the local news bulletins,if your news bulletins are both BBC North West tonight and ITV1 Granada Reports as well as Channel 4 being on programme channel No 4 on your device's EPG guide then it is facing Winter Hill.If on the other hand your horizontally polarised aerial picks up news bulletins from both BBC Wales and ITV1 Wales as well as S4C on programme channel 4 (Channel 4 on programme channel 8 in this case),then your aerial is facing Moel-Y-Parc transmitter instead.
Max Richardson
Tuesday 29 May 2012 10:14PM Middlewich
Mark.From what you describe we are definately receiving from Winter Hill, as we get Northwest News and Granada Reports. Nothing from the Wales transmitter at all. Still no signal here in CW10. All the tv's are dead, apart from the set in the lounge that is wired up to Sky. Dont know whats going on but, Digital is a non starter. No wonder so many people end up changing over completely to Sky. Analogue never ever gave us any problems at all, and we were receiving the signal from Winter Hill then too. So why has our reception always been poor on Digital with regular pixelation most nights, cumminating in no signal for the last 4 days now???
Mark Fletcher
Tuesday 29 May 2012 11:42PM Halifax
Max Richardson,Middlewich.
I would look up Freeview reception has changed?
There are so many possibilities,but i can confirm that in my location i did a test just recently and apart from BBCB (HD) on frequency 54 (my set-top box is non-HD,i did pick up ArqB on frequency 55,SDN on frequency 58,D3+4 on frequency 59,ArqA on frequency 61 and BBCA on frequency 62 all from Winter Hill with and without signal amplification as such.
Difficult for me to answer your question about why your freeview digital reception from Winter Hill is poor in your locality with regular pixellation on most nights you described which now culminates in no signal for the last four days or so but i reiterate if you look up Freeview Reception Has Changed there are many possibilities.
One other option you could consider is Freesat,if you find digital freeview TV signals from Winter Hill troublesome,either that or change the terrestrial aerial to either Moel-Y-Parc,The Wrekin or a nearby local relay if this suffices or barring these then its a case of making do with what you have got.
Keith Wright
Wednesday 30 May 2012 9:09AM
'jb38', many many thanks for your informed advice. We have looked into the possibility of having a satellite dish installed (cable does not currently cover our estate); Sky installers have twice visited our house to install a satellite dish but have been unable to obtain a signal on both occasions; so I suspect any TV service which relies on satellite dish reception is out of the question. As I keep saying, can I have analogue back please ? Our reception was so so much better in those days.
jb38
Wednesday 30 May 2012 8:35PM
Well, satellite reception and especially Freesat is definitely about the only choice that you have for virtually guaranteed glitch free reception, and indeed on further checking I see is already installed in the first three or four properties on your left hand side starting just across the footpath that leads to Buckthorn Gardens, the dishes being mounted on the rear of these buildings.

With regards to your own property, I just fail to see why the engineers could not obtain a signal, and quite frankly feel its a case that they either did not try hard enough or alternatively just wanted to make life easy for themselves and not be involved mounting a dish in an awkward position, that is for them! because as far as your property is concerned, and "if" I am viewing it correctly, then a dish mounted on the very rear of the left hand side wall (or just around it mounted on an angle arm) of your property should be able to have a sufficiently clear enough view to pick the signal up, or failing that at a position slightly down from the apex of the roof on the left hand side wall.

Just purely for information purposes, an approximate way for anyone to judge if they are able to get a signal is to stand with their back against a wall and be facing 28.2 degrees to the left of due South, and if they can look up at an angle of approximately 25 degrees from the horizontal and see an unobstructed view of the Sky then they will definitely be able to receive a signal.

That said, you have to transfer the fact of this being done standing on the ground to the higher up position that the dish would be installed at, as any obstruction seen at ground level is liable to clear when the dish is mounted higher up.

By the way, if you draw an imaginary line through your property running from the front right hand corner to the left hand side wall rear corner, then that line runs from North to South, unless Google has a serious error!

Anyway, hope the info may prove to be of assistance.


Les Nicol
Wednesday 30 May 2012 10:05PM
Keith - I concur with JB38 in his posting. I think you would be better in contacting a Local installer and going with a "Freesat" receiver, rather than than the contracted in SKY installers who for the most part work to a prscribed installation policy.
Mrs L Parry
Saturday 16 June 2012 7:02PM
Dear sir/madam
Could you please explain why when the weather is bad we loose our reception and the tv channels comes up with no signal or bad signal. Picture breaking up skipping through the program. After 2 years of the switchover we still have problems when the weather is bad can you please explain.
jb38
Saturday 16 June 2012 7:41PM
Mrs L Parry: This can depend on where you reside (which isnt known!) and the level of signal that you normally receive, a post code or one from nearby (a shop) being necessary to check on this, as the level received when all is working OK might not be that terribly much above the minimum threshold level thats required to resolve a picture, and if the signal you receive passes over areas where trees are located then that can have a very bad effect on reception, and especially so if its raining as nothing blocks signals more than wet leaves.

If you come back with the info on location further advice can then be given once checks have been carried out on the levels expected wherever you are, as well as the transmitter being used.
Mrs L Parry
Sunday 17 June 2012 9:24AM Blackburn
Dear sir/madam
Thankyou for your reply i live on housing estate near lower darwin my postcode is BB2 3UR when the weather is settle we normal do have a good signal only when the weather is bad it plays up.
jb38
Sunday 17 June 2012 10:40AM
Mrs L Parry: Indications based on that info provided are that you should be able to have excellent reception from either Winter Hill @ 8 miles away or from the Darwin PSB only relay @ 4 miles away, however having a study around the area I cannot see any aerials installed on any of the properties, only a few satellite dishes, this making me wonder if either some form of communal aerial system is being used or that everyone has loft aerials? maybe you could clarify as to what the situation is as this will enable further appropriate advice to be given.

Mrs L Parry
Sunday 17 June 2012 12:41PM Blackburn
Dear sir /madam
We do have a loft aerial but we have not use for about 20years we have a digital aerial on the gable end of the house.
jb38
Sunday 17 June 2012 3:15PM
Mrs L Parry: In that case then it can indicate the possibility of a faulty / corroded connection where the co-ax cable joins into the aerial and with this deteriorating in rainy conditions, or alternatively that even although your reception might appear to be OK in better weather, that the signal level received is running at a level that's not that terribly far above the level necessary to resolve a picture, as in cases like that a slight reduction in strength will kill reception.

You can verify either situation if when all is OK you carry out a signal level check on BBC mux Ch62 making a note of the level seen, then carry out the same check on SDN (ITV3 etc) on Ch58, once again making a note of the indication.

That completed, the next time that you lose reception use exactly the same procedure as though they were there by selecting these channels (in turn) again, because even although the screen might be blank the signal will "still" be there but likely hovering at just under the reception threshold referred to, and if whilst viewing the indication you witness the level fluctuating up and down, then although this is usually always caused by the signal path being intermittently blocked by trees, it can however also be an indication of a bad connection on the aerial.

By the way the channels referred to is on the assumption that you are receiving from Winter Hills full Freeview service and not Darwin's PSB only programmes (no ITV3 etc) because if its Darwin then the BBC is on mux Ch45 and thats all you can test, as ITV3 will not exist.

jb38
Sunday 17 June 2012 3:22PM
Mrs L Parry: Please also be aware that over the next coming week that Freeview is liable to suffer from interruptions to its service due to work at the transmitter.
Transmitter engineering
Monday 18 June 2012 11:28AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Monday 18 June 2012 11:28AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 19 June 2012 3:28PM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 19 June 2012 3:28PM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Mike Ollier
Thursday 21 June 2012 6:57AM
Max Richardson,Middlewich. I live and install in Middlewich and we never have a problem with the signal unless trees are in the way, if you would like me to come and take a reading of exactly what signal is coming into you house just let me know (no charge of course).
Helen
Saturday 14 July 2012 6:37PM Manchester
Hi,

We have lost all signal for our freeview..have checked this on 2 tv's and both saying "no signal"..
the aerial is on the roof & looks in tact.

Are there any transmission issues in the Whalley Range, south Manchester area?
andy
Saturday 14 July 2012 8:43PM Chester
Helen do you have a signal booster for your Tv's. If so check if it turned on and make sure if any cables are in
Mark Fletcher
Sunday 15 July 2012 4:59PM Halifax
Helen,Manchester.If you are referring to the main Winter Hill transmitter then from my location which i can receive Winter Hill programming (to some degree being a marginal signal area in HX2 9JY,number 3 location due to the Pennine Hills) there are no problems as they're booming where i reside. (With signal booster plugged in my set-top aerial). Have you checked for water ingress in your aerial cable and rust stains on your aerial plug plus aerial socket as such,etc. As Winter Hill being currently a group C/D transmitter (using normally green tipped group C/D antennas) transmits on the higher frequencies and these are most often affected by low/no signal quality due to water ingress by rain.
If that is the case the aerial co-ax cable and aerial co-ax plug definitely needs substituting,and even the aerial itself if it is old or the wrong type.
Richard
Tuesday 24 July 2012 10:56PM
I kept getting messages about retuning on the bbc due to the olympics. I have retuned now will I stop recieving those messages now?
Briantist
Tuesday 24 July 2012 11:02PM
Richard: I think it says "press yellow"
Richard
Tuesday 24 July 2012 11:55PM
Will it keep saying the message even tho I have returned. When I record a programme I won't be able to take the message off when I want 2 watch it or is there a way? because it will record the message
Joe
Friday 27 July 2012 11:30PM
I've just moved to a new location and my current terrestial aerial only lets me receive Freeview Lite from, I assume, the Darwen Transmitter. I'm not bothered about my main TV because that's on Freesat. Will I be able to receive from Winter Hill if I put up a new aerial aimed in its direction? My postcode is BB2 4TX. I also want to be able to split the feed to two bedroom TVs.
jb38
Saturday 28 July 2012 12:16AM
Joe: Winter Hill is located 9 miles away from your location @ 184 degrees and uses (H) polarity signals, whereas Darwin is at 4 miles 147 degrees (V) polarity, and so should you be able to access it you could swing your aerial around clockwise (from above) to the 184 degree position and alter it to horizontal polarisation and see how that goes.

Unfortunately I cant check the predictions for reception for Winter Hill as DUK's predictor refuses to accept the code provided.

By the way Winter Hills channels are : 62 - 59 - 54(HD) - 58 - 61 - 55.
Joe
Saturday 28 July 2012 10:59AM Blackburn
Thanks jb38. Sorry postcode should have read BB2 4TS.
jb38
Saturday 28 July 2012 11:54AM
Joe: Just checked again using the new info and which hasn't really made that much of a difference, insomuch that Darwen is still at 4 miles but at 132 degrees but with Winter Hill being slightly closer than before @ 7 miles / 183 degrees.

By the way Darwen is only a 100 watt station whereas Winter Hill is 100Kw, so I would be inclined to do as suggested using the same aerial albeit that it "might" be one group low depending on what had been fitted.

If you try as was suggested check what colour the plastic end plug is that's fitted at the front end of the horizontal support arm that the elements are fitted on to, as that indicates an aerials band grouping.

Only asking this out of interest!
Joe
Sunday 29 July 2012 10:41PM Blackburn
JB38: I can't tell the colour until I get a ladder up. Would love to get the terrain view between my location and Winter Hill but I don't know how to do it. I suspect there may be too much hill between the two points to get a satisfactory picture.
jb38
Monday 30 July 2012 8:28AM
Joe: You can get this by clicking on "terrain" seen at the top of the list seen to the right hand side of your posting, but!! this will not show properly with certain types of browsers like IE8 etc albeit it will do perfectly OK on Firefox to name but one.

The link below is to the Megalithia terrain indicator, although its far more trouble entering the info required in this compared to the comparative ease when using the link next to your posting, but though always remember with these terrain indicators that they only take account of natural landscapes and totally exclude forests or anything man made no matter how large.

As far as the aerial is concerned you have nothing really to worry about as far as the colour is concerned, as "if" an aerial is one group out its always better if its lower rather than the higher one required as it has less of an effect in that direction than if the other way, although you might not have a dedicated group anyway.

Just in case you cannot manage to view it, the predictor on this page only indicates a clear path between Darwen and your location, although the reception predictor does indicate that Winter Hill is possible but not quite at the level of Darwen.

Click on "Digital UK tradeview" on the same list as terrain and you can see what DUK predicts as being possible, of course taking the indications with the usual pinch of salt!


www.megalithia.com link icon Terrain - shows radio profile between two UK sites to optimise you DTT, Freeview, DAB or analogue TV reception
Ken Clay
Tuesday 31 July 2012 9:44AM Warrington
I've just installed a Humax Fox t2 box for HD Freeview reception. The signal is usually at 70% strength and 100% quality but frequently drops (about every 10 mins) giving pixelated picture and sound muting. My arial is a high gain in the loft (under a slate roof). I can see Winter Hill from the roof. My postcode is wa42pg. What is the reason for these fluctuations? Also my box can show strengths for channels 54-60 but doesn't tune in channels 55-60. Should I attempt to tune in 55-60 manually and would that fix the problem?
I had no trouble on non-HD digital on my system
Mark Fletcher
Tuesday 14 August 2012 6:48PM Halifax
Ken Clay,Warrington.One possible reason for your fluctuating signals on the BBCB (HD) multiplex from Winter Hill on frequency 54 is the siting of your aerial,in the loft under a slate roof.And it is common for BBCB (HD) multiplexes anywhere in the UK to suffer picture pixellations more so than the normal SD multiplexes which are often unaffected as such in normal conditions.
You may have to consider either moving your aerial within the loft to alleviate the difficulties you stated or to relocate the aerial externally onto the roof.
As for manual tuning or scanning this is highly recommended as auto tuning or scanning often picks up weaker transmissions on the lower frequencies while more often occasionally failing to pick up stronger transmissions on the higher frequencies,and believe me Winter Hill currently uses the higher frequencies and these transmissions can be omitted when the weaker Moel-Y-Parc transmisions lower down the frequency bands (middle bands) are often picked up first during automatic tuning/scanning around Warrington,Liverpool and South Manchester conurbations,etc.
Joe
Saturday 18 August 2012 9:33PM
JB38 I've not got round to doing anything with my aerial yet. I'm tempted to swing it round and point it to Pendle Forest rather than try for Winter Hill.

Thanks for your suggestions.
jb38
Sunday 19 August 2012 12:20AM
Joe: Well if you can carry out this task yourself then you have nothing to lose by trying a few experiments, although unfortunately Digital UK's reception predictor is down and so its impossible at this present time to be able to assess the results you are liable to get by swinging your aerial around to Pendle Forrest, albeit that its not shown as being possible to receive on this sites terrain indicator, of course neither is Winter Hill!

However the differences between each of the stations are /

Pendle Forrest (100W full Freeview) located @ 12 miles 53 degrees (V) polarisation, (A) group aerial. BBC1 Ch28 / ITV1 Ch25.

Winter Hill (100Kw full Freeview) located at 7 miles 183 degrees (H) polarisation, (C/D) group aerial. BBC1 Ch62 / ITV1 Ch59.

Darwin (100W Freeview Light PSB only) located @ 4 miles 133 degrees (V) polarisation, (B) group aerial. BBC1 Ch45 / ITV1 Ch49.

BBC & ITV only mentioned to enable you to carry out a manual tuning test on each station, also if you have a wide band aerial (black blanking plug on end of elements support) then disregard the aerial groups given.
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 22 August 2012 4:52AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 today to 02:41 today [BBC] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 22 August 2012 4:52AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 today to 02:41 today [BBC] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 22 August 2012 9:10AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 today to 02:41 today [BBC] ter Hill Transmitter works 23 August 2012: Engineering transmitter work will take place between 00:01hrs and 06:00hrs. TV services that will be disrupted: Analogue services - n/a Digital services - PSB1, PSB2, PSB3, COM4, COM5 and COM6 will be subject to periods of shutdown. [DUK] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 22 August 2012 9:10AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 today to 02:41 today [BBC] ter Hill Transmitter works 23 August 2012: Engineering transmitter work will take place between 00:01hrs and 06:00hrs. TV services that will be disrupted: Analogue services - n/a Digital services - PSB1, PSB2, PSB3, COM4, COM5 and COM6 will be subject to periods of shutdown. [DUK] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 23 August 2012 4:52AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 yesterday to 02:41 yesterday [BBC] ter Hill Transmitter works 23 August 2012: Engineering transmitter work will take place between 00:01hrs and 06:00hrs. TV services that will be disrupted: Analogue services - n/a Digital services - PSB1, PSB2, PSB3, COM4, COM5 and COM6 will be subject to periods of shutdown. [DUK] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 23 August 2012 4:52AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 yesterday to 02:41 yesterday [BBC] ter Hill Transmitter works 23 August 2012: Engineering transmitter work will take place between 00:01hrs and 06:00hrs. TV services that will be disrupted: Analogue services - n/a Digital services - PSB1, PSB2, PSB3, COM4, COM5 and COM6 will be subject to periods of shutdown. [DUK] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 23 August 2012 11:10AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 yesterday to 02:41 yesterday [BBC] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 23 August 2012 11:10AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 yesterday to 02:41 yesterday [BBC] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Friday 24 August 2012 5:03AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 on 22 Aug to 02:41 on 22 Aug [BBC] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Friday 24 August 2012 5:03AM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 on 22 Aug to 02:41 on 22 Aug [BBC] Over the next week Winter Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Friday 24 August 2012 6:10PM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 on 22 Aug to 02:41 on 22 Aug [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Friday 24 August 2012 6:10PM
WINTER HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 01:33 on 22 Aug to 02:41 on 22 Aug [BBC]
Joe
Friday 24 August 2012 9:14PM Blackburn
JB38: One site I looked at suggests that Pendle Forest is a possibility but this site shows insufficient coverage. I personally doubt that I will be able to 'see' Winter Hill from my location. Darwen Light is not sufficient for my needs.

Unable as yet to check the plug colour, but I suspect it's black. I've never seen any other colour bar black. :-)
Mark Fletcher
Friday 24 August 2012 11:29PM Barnsley
Joe.Blackburn,BB2 4TS.If as you state your aerial has a black bung,it denotes a group W wideband aerial and although perfectly okay for Winter Hill main transmitter itself which uses high frequencies,and group W wideband aerials perform well on the higher frequencies,it is however not a type of aerial to be used on an all group A mast,main transmitter or relay mast in a poor/marginal area due to their poor perfromance as such.My best advice either retain your group W wideband aerial and use this polarised horizontally for Winter Hill main transmitter,or change your group W wideband for preferably a group A aerial (red coloured tip/bung),or a semi-wideband group K aerial (grey coloured tip/bung) polarised vertically for all group A Pendle Forest major relay which carries all six multiplexes between frequencies 21-28.Bear in mind Pendle Forset major relay is only 100w and at your location from abode to that mast is effectively a poor/marginal signal area,and your current group W wideband aerial switched vertically to all group A Pendle Forest will most likely give a poor result possibly only picking up two or three multiplexes and with considerable pixellating pictures in the process.The decision is entirely up to you Joe.



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