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

Feb 1956-Jul 1968Associated TeleVision†
Feb 1956-Jul 1968Associated British Corporation◊
Jul 1968-Dec 1981Associated TeleVision
Jan 1982-Dec 2014Central Independent Television
Feb 1983-Dec 1992TV-am•
Jan 1993-Sep 2010GMTV•
Sep 2010-Dec 2014ITV Daybreak•
• 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  ◊  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.

lee
Thursday 1 September 2011 7:45PM
as Eliza it should still be on lichfield until 21st sept, then moves over to sutton.
with more power iirc?
Richard S
Thursday 1 September 2011 7:47PM Chesterfield
I get Freeview from Chesterfield transmitter (Derbyshrie) and its missing off of mine now - may be more of widespread problem?
lee
Thursday 1 September 2011 7:49PM
waits for the "freeview" is no longer free announcement pmsl
Briantist
Thursday 1 September 2011 7:51PM
Anyone who seems unable to get Freeview HD from the Lichfield transmitter - can you please see if you can also receive Channel 5 on analogue from the transmitter? Thanks.
Eliza Doolittle
Thursday 1 September 2011 7:52PM
C5 from Lichfield on Analogue is fine so the mast is still up
Harvey
Thursday 1 September 2011 7:54PM Solihull
Channel 5 on Analogue is fine her (B92) but all HD channels are missing
SimonW
Thursday 1 September 2011 7:55PM
Yep - I can get a grainy ch5 on analogue
Reg
Thursday 1 September 2011 8:05PM Halesowen
Yes Brian, analogue C5 in Halesowen (B62). Does this mean I have to watch Big Brother? lol
Eliza Doolittle
Thursday 1 September 2011 8:08PM
All back now, power problems allegedly
Reg
Thursday 1 September 2011 8:14PM Halesowen
Yep, all good here again :)
JohnPlus
Thursday 1 September 2011 8:16PM Tamworth
The problem has been since early afternoon. Checked first with neighbours and as they were also not getting HD knew the problem was elsewhere and not with me. Spent a lot of time this afternoon trying to find a contact point to report the fault to, no luck. Who owns and operates the Transmitter?
Charlie Claridge
Thursday 1 September 2011 8:35PM
No HD Channels Nuneaton
lee
Thursday 1 September 2011 8:46PM
not back on here B77@8:45pm
retune needed?
Mike O'Pray
Thursday 1 September 2011 8:53PM Daventry
Mike O'Pray:

Thanks Mike. ITV4 and Film4 did get better later in the evening but still "blocky" too frequently for enjoyable watching.It sounds as if I should be OK reception-wise after Sept 14th with a further improvement in some more channels after 23 Nov

lee
Thursday 1 September 2011 8:55PM Tamworth
wrong thread mike? i know our "no hd" is actually lol
Ezrapound
Thursday 1 September 2011 9:11PM
Lichfield HD Mux Back on 9:00 PM
Lesley
Thursday 1 September 2011 9:11PM Sutton Coldfield
Mine back now too. Johnplus - mast owned by Arqiva, both Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield, was going to try calling them tomorrow, if not back. Arqiva.com website
lee
Thursday 1 September 2011 11:03PM Tamworth
just as another confirmation on from 9pm ish tamworth
Chris Onion
Thursday 1 September 2011 11:12PM Derby
Back to DE1 1PY: Digital UK have told me that the switch over at Waltham is causing my problem. Because Sutton Coldfield is still broadcasting analogue the stronger digital signal from Walthan is being picked up rather than the one I should be getting from Sutton Coldfield and when Sutton Coldfield is switched I should get my missing Sky Sports back.

Is this likely to be correct? My frequencies at the moment are defo Waltham frequencies but the aerial must be pointing to Sutton Coldfield as some other aerials point this way and other aerials are about 90 degrees eastwards (Waltham).

Could the Derby relay of Waltham be causing these issues which is why I am picking up Waltham frequencies?

Or is what UK Digital told me about the Waltham digital signal over riding the Sutton Coldfield analogue signal rubbish?

The irritating thing is there were no problems until the Waltham switch over - why mess with things that are already working and why have Waltham shoved Sky on Arqb where half the region can't get decent recption of? Stupid - bloody stupid!
jordan
Friday 2 September 2011 12:15AM
chris onion the analogue signals off sutton coldfield are not the same frequency's as derby
transmitter or the waltham transmitter
Briantist
Friday 2 September 2011 7:33AM
lee: Arqiva do not take calls from the public, if you wish to report problems do it via the BBC Reporting tool, see www.ukfree.tv link icon Broadcaster complaints details | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
Briantist
Friday 2 September 2011 7:39AM
Chris Onion: If your TV aerial is pointing southeast towards Waltham, you will get signal from there.

If it points southwest towards Sutton Coldfield, you will get signals from there.

In addition, you will get signals from the Derby relay, which is also to your southwest.

Derby has only ever transmitted two channels: BBC One East Midlands and ITV1 East Midlands, it is a "filler" service for Derby.

At the East Midlands switchover, it now carries ONLY TWO mulitplexes: BBCA and D3&3, and will only have the third, the BBC HD service from next month.

So, reception of BBCA will not stop reception of the Multiplex B with Sky Sports 1 and 2 on it from Sutton Coldfield.

If you have problems, do this - www.ukfree.tv link icon My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound or the channel line up is wrong | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .

The ArqB multiplex after switchover will cover almost all homes within the transmitter range, and will not be on the current "low power" configuration.
Briantist
Friday 2 September 2011 7:40AM
Reg: I only ask about Channel 5 on analogue as it provided from the same mast as the pre-switchover HD service, Litchfield. It is a good guide as to if the Litchfield transmitter is operational.
Dennis
Friday 2 September 2011 9:12AM
''Arqiva do not take calls from the public'' Well they took one from me last night :)
Nigel
Friday 2 September 2011 11:54AM
Our PVR just "lost signal" and all channels. We re-tuned and got everything back except HD, re-tuned this morning and all channels are back.

Is this because of the switch over, ie, are they fiddling with things now before the main switch over date?

Thought I'd ask before going down the route of returning the box as faulty...only a month old!

Cheers...Nige
Chris Onion
Friday 2 September 2011 12:37PM Derby
Have reported via the BBC reporting tool and recived this:

"We cannot answer every query or technical problem, however there are a number of places where you can go for technical information:

If your area is undergoing Digital Switchover, please contact Digital UK with your query since it could be related to transmitter work preparing your area for the switch to digital. You can find them at www.digitaluk.co.uk or by calling 08456 50 50 50.

For advice about your equipment or its configuration please contact your manufacturer."

So basically the buck has been passed back to BT and UK Digital again after UK Digital passed the buck to BT and BT back to them and then UK Digital to the BBC.

Why can't you actually speak to a proper person who knows what is going on and can explain why we are having these problems? Why does nobody really give a stuff? None of us asked for this switchover - it was forced on us. If there is a problem then someone should deal with it!
Billy
Friday 2 September 2011 3:10PM
Chris my sympathies, sincerely, having had nothing but trouble many many years back with digital, on-digital kind I might add.
Anyway, assume paying for something, top-up tv not now getting, annoying, not fair, however and dare I say it, cause I'm so not patient, try waiting least until Wed 7th, see what happens then, though saying that, not until 2 weeks after that they switch them all, and then you still might be in bother.

Erm, pity you are in Derby, not a little closer, cause I love to see it all, see if I can help, I love tinkering, :).

So not sure what to suggest, assume your antenna is fixed, no way to easily move it, tinker with it and it is horizontal of course, any relays be vertical, so only be the main big ones.
I am not sure why Waltham switched at that time, been better to have done closer or same time as Sutton to save any of this aggro that you are clearly getting.

Maybe joining something like, think it is digital spy or something like that forum, taking pics of your set up, outside on roof and in and explain in as much detail as possible might get some technical answers and maybe others that are also in the same boat, so try googling it as well. And good luck.
Graham Medley
Friday 2 September 2011 7:34PM Solihull
Why does my Freeview tuner suddenly switch to Rabbit channel without it being selected.
I cannot get rid of it through EPG retuning so I have to switch it off and unplug the box.
this has happend twice recently.
Aerial is in loft with signal booster - we get excellent reception.
KMJ,Derby
Saturday 3 September 2011 7:11PM
Chris Onion: When the Housing Association altered the aerial feeding your block did they provide a new aerial point to connect your equipment to, or did they feed the signal to the original outlet? If you have an older outlet that you are not currently using it will supply Sutton Coldfield signals, as long as it is still connected up! I still think your current feed comes from the new Waltham aerial on Abbey Street, if there is an overhead cable linking the two blocks it will suggest that this is the case. After 21st September 2011 it is likely that the Sutton Coldfield signal will be strong enough to be received irrespective of the direction of the aerial.
Paul
Sunday 4 September 2011 9:20PM Solihull
Over the last two weeks approx. I have noticed my DVB digital TV signal is getting very bitty when the camera views the person of object on the TV at a longer distance. For example when the news starts the camera is right in there faces and the picture is crisp and clear. However, has the camera pulls away from them there face starts to go bitty and slight blurred. On HD its fine, on freesat it’s not brilliant but I have seen better. What is causing this, and when will it stop. I live on a private estate with a communal Arial, and dish. Is anybody else having these problems, as it is a nuisance?

Transmitter engineering
Monday 5 September 2011 10:30AM
SUTTON COLDFIELD transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Weak Signal from 11:51 on 03 Sep to 14:52 on 03 Sep [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Monday 5 September 2011 10:30AM
SUTTON COLDFIELD transmitter - Analogue BBC ONE Weak Signal from 11:51 on 03 Sep to 14:52 on 03 Sep [BBC]
Matt
Monday 5 September 2011 5:15PM Godalming
Paul:How close are you sitting next to the TV. Also remember DTV uses quite powerful compression to save space and artefacts could come in.
Briantist
Tuesday 6 September 2011 8:23AM
Paul : The problem you have is often caused by turing on (or up) the "sharpening" setting on the television set.

"Sharpening" was fine for poor analogue signals, with pictures provided by the digital systems (all of them) it will simply cause visual artefacts to appear in the picture.

If your TV set has a "sharpening" setting in the menus, turn it off.
Briantist
Tuesday 6 September 2011 9:01AM
mike fisher: You don't point an aerial at it?
gbhall
Wednesday 7 September 2011 9:14AM
Well this switchover is going to cause phenomonal chaos, and here is why.

Because of the higher power on all transmitters it will mean possibly hundreds of thousands, even millions of sets will pick up signals from adjascent areas as well as their local area, when they do a 'reinstall' process.

This is already happening - it happened to me - and the result can easily be the tuner 'box' is overloaded with channels, locks up, and the initial installation process cannot be completed.

Here is my solution. From Sutton Coldfield transmitter, I should only get 5 channels, but I am also getting a weak signal on channel 26 which is added in by my freeview box, with fatal consequences as above.

The way I had to tune in this morning was to start the reinstall and immediately cancel it, after which I was able to do a manual install channel by channel. I just have two programmes with different numbers now.

I would welcome comments on this overlapping signal problem and how to reinstall 'next time'
MR. N. A. APPLEBY
Wednesday 7 September 2011 10:22AM
I Live in Stafford ST16 area and use a Freeview set top box . My aerial receives transmissions from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter. After re-tune to-day (7th September 2011) I still get a poor or no signal on UHF 55 a medium signal on UHF 52 and maximum signal on all the other UHF channels. Is it possible to boost the signal
transmitter power on UHF 55 and UHF 52?
Thanks in anticipation of a resolution to this problem.
Briantist
Wednesday 7 September 2011 10:24AM
MR. N. A. APPLEBY: All you have to do is wait two weeks.
Bob
Wednesday 7 September 2011 10:27AM
This morning after the switch off, September 7th, my Freeview TV did not pick up BBC channels on channel 43 and instead was finding them on channel 26 from Cambridgeshire. To fix this, I stopped using the signal booster that I have been using for years. Unfortunately, I have now lost a few channels including Film4. I hope these will come back when the Sutton Coldfield switchover is complete....
Sylvia
Wednesday 7 September 2011 10:43AM Mansfield
I try to re-tune my Freeview box has no signal at all, and says dont find any chanel. Can someone help me? It`s a quite old box(Durabrand PSTB1), but it was all right at the last switchover. I don`t know what`s up with it. :(
AB
Wednesday 7 September 2011 10:50AM
Hi
Today I've lost BBC1,2,3 (not 4) BBC News channel etc. Are there any problems that I've missed. Happens on two different sets connected to two different aerials.
Live about 4 miles from Transmitter
Thanks
AB
Wednesday 7 September 2011 10:55AM
Just checked again now got BBC etc back without changing anything - strange!
graham
Wednesday 7 September 2011 11:09AM
when will H D start from sutton coldfield
gbhall
Wednesday 7 September 2011 11:40AM
Bob, may I suggest the solution I found to the 'extra channel 26 problem' (post immediately above yours).

For film 4 you need to tune just Mux D, which from Sutton Coldfield is currently ch55.

Without your amplifier, you may not be able to, but as I described, until 21st you could if you can, do as I do and just manually tune channels 41,43,44,51 and 55

What will happen come 21st I dread to think.
john
Wednesday 7 September 2011 12:05PM
i live in cannock,and over the past 2 yrs all i've done is re-tighterned the areal mast,fitted a six-way booster to all 5 tv's...plus still using a areal i bought 8yrs ago...come sept 7th guess what!!! no problems at all,so i guess all you need to really do is just double check all equipment is in good working order,please note i was not one of these ppl who've got conned into buying a new areal
john
Wednesday 7 September 2011 12:21PM
just a quick note on my first comment though,i have found over the past few months that keeping the coax away as far as posible from electrical cables,does improve the pic quality,and stops the picture from blocking out... hopes this helps
Janet White
Wednesday 7 September 2011 12:36PM
I have a One for All indoor aerial SV9020 on my small bedroom TV which is only 1 couple of years old (LG). We have no signal after the switchover. It does have Freeview but we tend to stick to the "normal" channels. I am not technical and thought I needed another aerial or booster but on reading the spec on my aerial it says it is analogue and digital. Can you tell me what to try ?
Paul Kelly
Wednesday 7 September 2011 1:03PM
Hi all, retuned my box today (7th) and have lost Ch85 RT completely, worked fine before I retuned, Any ideas? Also I only bought a HD box because The freeview site said I could pick up HD from SC from March 2010, and it still doesn't work, when does HD from SC start?
Joanne
Wednesday 7 September 2011 1:48PM
I have a phillips tv with built in freeview.. It has been popping up telling me I need to retune the tv today (7th Sept), so I have - well tried. My problem is that I have lost BBC1, BBC2, BBC3 and BBC News 24. I am in the B14 area, Birmingham. Signal strength says good. I have unplugged the tv numerous times, retuned & tried just adding channels more than once too. Nothings working.. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance :)
AB
Wednesday 7 September 2011 1:59PM
Joanne - If it's only the BBC channels I had a similar problem earlier today, waited 20 mins came back by itself, may help.
Mike Dimmick
Wednesday 7 September 2011 2:00PM
john: New satellite-grade - dense copper braid over copper foil outer conductor - cables should sort out pick-up of electrical noise.



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.

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