Freeview: Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) Full Freeview transmitter
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Full Freeview on the Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmitter

Google StreetviewGoogle mapBing mapGoogle Earth52.600,-1.835 or 52°36'1"N 1°50'5"WB75 5JJ

Transmitter faults and engineering works

SUTTON COLDFIELD transmitter - Over the next week Sutton Coldfield main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) Possible weak signal, Radio (digital) working normally. Digital tick


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The symbol shows the location of the Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmitter which serves 1,870,000 homes.

Other maps:Sutton Coldfield DABSutton Coldfield AM/FMSutton Coldfield regionBBC West MidlandsCentral (West 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.


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

Sutton Coldfield 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
C43 (650.0MHz)433m64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		200,000W
Channel icons
1 BBC One West Midlands, 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
C46 (674.0MHz)433m64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		200,000W
Channel icons
3 ITV (Central (West micro region)), 4 Channel 4 Midlands ads, 5 Channel 5 Part Network ads, 6 ITV 2, 13 Channel 4+1 Midlands ads, 14 More 4, 28 E4, 33 ITV +1 (Central west),

PSB3
BBCB
 horizontal max
C40+ (626.2MHz)433m256QAM 32KE 2/3
40.2Mb/s DVB-T2 MPEG4		200,000W
Channel icons
101 BBC One HD (England no regional news), 102 BBC Two HD (England), 103 ITV HD (ITV Central West), 104 Channel 4 HD Midlands ads, plus 1 others

COM4
SDN
 horizontal max
C42 (642.0MHz)433m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		200,000W
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
C45 (666.0MHz)403m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		200,000W
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
C39+ (618.2MHz)433m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		200,000W
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



Regional news from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter


BBC Midlands Today 2.9m homes 10.9%
from Birmingham B1 1RF, 15km south-southwest
to BBC West Midlands region - 66 masts.

ITV Central News 2.6m homes 9.9%
from Birmingham B1 2JT, 15km south-southwest
to ITV Central (West) region - 46 masts.

Self-help relays

Burton (shobnall)Transposer1 km W Burton-on-Trent60 homes
CoalvilleTransposer18 km NW Leicester600 homes
SolihullTransposerLand Rover building400 homes

How the transmission frequencies change over time

years1950s~851984-971997-981998-20112011-132013-182013-18
aerial groupVHFB EB EEB E KB E KW
C4BBCtv
600C33com7
C35com8
C39+ArqB+ArqB+ArqB
C40BBC2BBC2BBC2+BBCB+BBCB+BBCB
C41+1
C42SDNSDNSDN
C43ITVITVITVBBCABBCABBCA
C44+2
C45ArqAArqAArqA
C46BBC1BBC1BBC1D3+4D3+4D3+4
C47+A
700C50C4C4C4
C51+Blocal
C52+C
C55D

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 7th September and 21st September 2011.

  • Ofcom have projected that a local television service for Birmingham including Greater Birmingham area, part of Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley could use an Interleaved Frequency on the Sutton Coldfield transmitter using C51
  • COM7, COM8 projected for 2013-16. COM7 and COM8 to operate as Bromsgrove,Sutton Coldfield, The Wrekin SFN.

Comparison of old analogue and current digital signal levels

Analogue 1-4 1000kW
SDN, ARQA, ARQB, com7, com8, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-7dB) 200kW
Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D*(-21dB) 8kW

History of Channel 3 in the Sutton Coldfield transmitter area

• Breakfast ◊ Weekends ♦ Friday night and weekends † Weekdays only. Sutton Coldfield 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

firstFirst comments prevEarlier comments  ◊ 

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.

Watt
Sunday 31 March 2013 11:32AM Warwick
jb38: Many thanks for your continued interest. The TV is a Philips 37PFL5522D/05

Looking at Lark Stoke vs Sutton Coldfield, I'm loath to move to LS because - according to my calculations - the signal strength which I'm likely to receive (1,260 watts at 23.3 kM vs 200kW at 38.4 kM) would be lower by a factor of 60! Also, we seem to be line for some additional HD muxes from SC in a year or two, but I'm not sure when - if ever - LS will carry those.

I suppose that I could hedge my bets by investing in a Group K aerial, which should work for either.

Ian: I've just tried what you suggested. When I plug the downlead directly into the TV, the picture is fine and it reports "excellent" quality on the same channels which are poor, with picture breakup, on the Humax.

I would have been surprised if the Humax provided a better signal to the TV than it used for its own purposes - added to which, "quality" implies signal to noise ratio rather than just signal level. It looks to me as if the Humax is seeing some noise which the TV isn't seeing!

The distribution amp is a Wickes CM7297 (probably made by Labgear) which I've had since Adam was a lad. It claims to have a gain of 6dB on each of its 6 outlet ports.
jb38
Sunday 31 March 2013 2:17PM
Watt: Thanks for the update, but just a little query regarding the signal passing through the Humax and which I am not quite sure about the answer.

If you view the TV whilst its aerial is being looped through the Humax is this when reception on the TV is poor? because if it is then have you tried using another jumper lead between both? because the signal from the aerial passing though the Humax should not really be that much different (if at all) to when its connected directly into the TV, maybe you could clarify on that point.

Secondly, although you may have already done this, but go into the Humax's power management settings and make sure that the "power saving on standby" is switched off, because if not that kills the aerial loop though facility when the Humax is sitting on standby.

On the subject of the power levels between Lark Stoke a Sutton Coldfield, although a massive difference does exist between the two it has to be looked at in another way, insomuch that the signal from Lark Stoke (@ 14 mls) is relatively line of sight as well as being nearly 10 miles closer than Sutton C at nearly 24 miles away, but with the signal path from it travelling close to the ground in the latter stages of its travel.
Watt
Sunday 31 March 2013 3:28PM Warwick
jb38: Thanks for your further input.
I'm not sure I totally understand your first question, but here goes. When I'm viewing TV using the TV's own tuner, the picture is perfectly ok regardless of whether the downlead is plugged directly into the TV or looped via the Humax. It's only when viewing (or recording) using the Humax's tuners that breakup occurs. Removing the RF lead between Humax and TV makes no difference to this.

Power saving on standby is definitely turned off. But, in any case, that would only affect trying to use the TV's own tuner with the Humax on standby - which I don't ever do. And, as I've said, I haven't got a problem with the TV's tuner.

I understand what you're saying about uninterrupted signal path being more important than power output, but there are limits! For example, I can SEE the Leamington Spa transmitter from my house but it wouldn't be any use to me because - besides only carrying a few channels - its power output is diddly sqat. Having said that, about 20% of my neighbours have their aerials pointing at Lark Stoke (the rest being SC) so there must be an acceptable signal.

Thye more I think about it, the more convinced I'm becoming that something changed last December. Prior to that, the first Humax had worked perfectly ok for 15 months or so - and then suddenly this problem started happening. I've tried to eliminate everything I might have done to cause it - for example, by removing my power-line ethernet adapters. So what sort of external factors might there be? Some equipment or other installed by a neighbour? A new building along the signal path? [To have any effect, that would probably need to be within the final 3 or 4 miles where the ground clearance is low, and I'm not aware of anything.
jb38
Sunday 31 March 2013 6:25PM
Watt: That's OK, as my query was only really concerned with that mentioned in the first paragraph of my reply, and which you have now clarified.

As far as the power saving in standby is concerned, the only reason I mentioned this is because most people leave their PVR box in standby when its not actually being used, and which in most boxes does not kill the aerial loop through whereas it will in a Humax "if" the power save is on.

Regarding external factors, I very much doubt if anything external is responsible for the problem if your TV is capable of receiving the same mux "glitch free" that the Humax has difficulty with, as otherwise I would not really consider that any problem exists, and especially so with knowledge of S.C's signal path routing, but though by the fact of you having observed that a number of aerials are seen to be facing towards Lark Stoke (same programmes as Sutton.C) is strongly inclined to indicate that your area is one where reception can vary quite considerably within relatively short distances, hence the reason for an aerial installer possibly deciding that Lark Stoke is a better bet for reliability.

On a lighter note though, I think that the problem is really caused by that "super tuner" used in your Philips, something that I intend to check on at the first opportunity I get, because I feel that even if you temporarily installed the Humax on one of your extension TV's (even using a scart) its liable to perform just the same.

Watt
Sunday 31 March 2013 8:11PM Warwick
jb38: I think we may be getting somewhere. I have also been discussing my problem on one of the Humax-related forums, and some of the people there have been suggesting that I may have too much or too little signal, and that some experimentation with additional amplifiers and/or attenuators may shed some light on the matter. Some were also pointing the finger of suspicion at the Wickes distribution amp.

The first thing I did was to connect an additional Micromark 12dB booster immediately before the Humax. This had the effect of raising the signal level from 55% to 72%, but made no difference to the quality. I then took the Wickes distribution amp out of circuit, joining its input and (the appropriate) output cables with a passive co-ax coupler. This reduced the signal level to about 60% BUT the quality was now rock steady at 100%, even on the troublesome muxes. I then removed the booster which I had just inserted. The signal level went down to 40-odd% BUT the quality remained at 100%

I've now installed the Mircomark booster in place of the Wickes amp for the Humax and main TV (with another output from the Micromark going into the Wickes amp for the other TVs). Incidentally the only other TV in frequent use is a 26" Philips with virtually identical innards to the main TV - and that had always been ok, and continues to be ok despite getting its signal from the Wickes amp.

So although I need to run with it for a bit longer and, in particular, give SWMBO a chance to break it ('cos it seems more likely to fall over when she's watching it!) before being sure that I've fixed it, I'm moderately optimistic.

If this turns out to be the case, it leaves the unanswered questions:
1. What is the Wickes amp doing which the Humax doesn't like but the Philips TVs don't mind?, and
2. Why did it suddenly start doing it only recently (after upwards of 25 years of faultless operation?
jb38
Sunday 31 March 2013 9:23PM
Watt: Now you have just touched on something I was going to ask about regarding that Wickes unit as I was unable to find out any details about it, as I wanted to find out if its a self contained unit or powered by an external power supply via its coax downlead from one of the outputs, because a fault condition on this type of system can cause a DC voltage to appear on the aerial output socket and which can cause problems on receivers not fitted with an isolation capacitor behind the aerial input socket.

Although judging by your latest reports it would appear that the device is working by the fact of the signal being reduced if its bypassed, pity that you dont have a simple test meter though as you could measure if there was any voltage (approx 9 volts DC) across the coax connector that plugs into the Humax.
Watt
Sunday 31 March 2013 11:06PM
jb38: The Wickes distribution amp is extremely similar to one currently available from Screwfix, and has a lead which plugs directly into the mains. See:
www.screwfix.com link icon Labgear MSA262/S Distribution Amplifier 2 Input 6 Output | Screwfix.com

I'm not sure why you assume that I don't have a simple test meter - I have several! I have just plugged a flylead into the (now vacant) outlet socket to which the Humax had used to be connected, and applied my digital multimeter to the other end. On either AC or DC it reads 0.00 mV

I guess that I would need a very high frequency scope (which I don't have!) to be able to look for noise on the output signal. Is it possible that a capacitor in its power supply could have gone tits up after 25 years and started to generate noise? (CV358SE)
jb38
Monday 1 April 2013 12:15AM
Watt: If the distribution amp referred to is similar to that shown in the illustration then you can safely disregard any concerns that I may have expressed regarding the possibility of a DC voltage appearing across the coax connector, as I am acquaint with that model.

Can it be assumed though that you are not using the full output facility? because if you are then there is always the possibility of overloading the input on whatever its connected into.

With regards to the possibility of noise being generated from within the amplifier, although that there is always a chance of RF instability occurring in any RF amplification device, this can usually be killed off by varying the loading on the circuitry, and so try connecting the lead that goes to the Humax on a different output on the amp (not full) and with the Humax being the only device connected into it.

Also, some SMPS (switched mode) supplies are capable of creating considerable noise on a system, but I believe that this unit uses a standard older fashioned (but safer) double wound transformer power supply, you can check by setting your meter on say 10K ohms (or more) range and connecting it across the 13 amp power connector, if its a transformer supply it will read roughly the same with the test leads connected both ways around whereas NOT if SMPS.
ian from notts
Monday 1 April 2013 9:15AM Nottingham
Watt- looks like its sorted an a 25 yr old distributor wants to retire ?
just to ask, why is there a 6 way feed in the loft for 2 tv points ?
and do you need a powered distributor foe 2 tv points ?
if ive read this right you now have 2 devices plugged into the elec supply in your loft ?
Watt
Monday 1 April 2013 2:01PM Warwick
jb38: I don't think there was any risk of the Humax input being overloaded. The gain of the Wickes amp is only 6dB. The Humax was reporting 50-55% signal strength. The amp which I'm now using is 12dB and the Humax is reporting 72% And the quality is a rock-steady 100% on all muxes (which it was, even at a lower signal level once I had removed the Wickes amp from the equation)

Ian: The amp is actually in an upstairs bedroom/office rather than the loft, but that's not important. It has both TV and FM radio inputs, which it distributes to various points around the house - hence the 6 outputs. Two of these are currently used for TVs and two for radios, and the others are in position where we might want one or the other at various times.

And yes, I'm now using two amps. The additional amp has one input and 3 outputs - 2 of which are in use. The input is connected to the aerial. One of the outputs goes to the Humax and its connected TV, and another output goes to the Wickes amp's UHF input - so that will continue to do everything it's always done EXCEPT for supplying the Humax.
jb38
Monday 1 April 2013 3:19PM
Watt: I only mentioned what I did purely on the basis of the Labgear device shown in link that you provided as being an example of what your Wickes looked like, and of course that model shown in the example has a socket whereby you can use the unattenuated output of 18dB as well as the normal outputs.

However apart from that, although I fully realise that you now have everything set up to your liking, it would though have been interesting to know what the result would have been if you temporarily rigged up the offending Wickes near to the Humax just to find out if it acted in exactly the same fashion to when it was installed in the loft, because by it being installed at a jumper lead length away the Humax it would have been relatively easy to carry out some experiments with it, such as for example trying each of its outputs in turn whilst observing the effect, or in the case of RF instability being suspected watching for any minor changes in the signal quality if you clamped your hand over the casing etc, to name but just a couple of tests.

Still, I suppose as you have now found a use for the amp that does not involve the Humax then that's all that matters.
Watt
Monday 1 April 2013 4:03PM Warwick
jb38: Yes, there are lots more things I COULD do but - having been tearing my hair out for 3 months, and having now found what seems to be a solution - I want to move on to other things!

Anyway, many thanks to all who have held my hand along the way.
P Silverman
Friday 5 April 2013 10:13AM
Will BBC be dismantling the "Temporary" mast at SUTTON COLDFIELD or is it now permanent?
Mike Dimmick
Friday 5 April 2013 6:44PM
P Silverman: The masts are owned by Arqiva, the BBC no longer owns any of its own transmission infrastructure (it was sold off in around 1995).

The mast is, as far as I know, temporary. Arqiva recently applied for, and were granted, a variation of the planning permission under which they extended the permanent mast. That variation (number 2012/05959/PA) says they must remove the temporary mast and its access road by 28 February next year. In practice that means it will come down this summer.

Arqiva asked for the extension of time basically because Ofcom are threatening to reorganize the TV spectrum once again, which could mean further changes to the antennas on the permanent mast. The current plan for launching the interim multiplexes in the 600 MHz band does not require any changes, however. www.arqiva.com link icon http://www.arqiva.com/cor….pdf
jack
Thursday 11 April 2013 3:06PM Birmingham
what is going on now

for about 2 weeks we've been getting random break-ups on multiple channels
This morning every mux except 1 went dead for about 2 minutes - no signal nothing

is freeview EVER going to be a service that can be relied on?
What are they playing around with now?
Sally Clayton
Thursday 2 May 2013 1:04PM Leicester
Hello

My mother gets wonderful reception all day then at 7pm her picture breaks up for the rest of the night this has just started happening 3 nights ago. There is nothing new in the house that switches on at that time. It is really maddening as she relys on her TV. It is always 7pm on the dot.
She has an ariel on the roof that has been checked. We have also taken her Freesat box off to see if that makes any different.
Do you have any suggestions?
Dave Lindsay
Thursday 2 May 2013 1:11PM
Sally Clayton: It sounds like there is some source of interference in the form of a noisy electrical appliance that cuts in by timer. It could be in a neighbour's house.

See here for a suggestion to someone else encountering a similar issue:

Feedback | Feedback | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice
jb38
Thursday 2 May 2013 7:41PM
Sally Clayton: In addition to that already said by Dave Lindsay, in cases such as you have described its always advisable (and without exception) to make a few checks with others around your locality (or mothers anyway) for the purpose of finding out if the problem is solely confined to your mothers installation or if others are also being affected, because if its found out that they are then there is obviously no point in making needless checks within your mothers household.
Transmitter engineering
Sunday 12 May 2013 11:41AM
SUTTON COLDFIELD transmitter - Over the next week Sutton Coldfield main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) Possible weak signal, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Monday 20 May 2013 4:32AM
SUTTON COLDFIELD transmitter - Over the next week Sutton Coldfield main transmitter: TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) Possible weak signal, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
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