Freeview: Stockland Hill (Devon, England) full-Freeview transmitter
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Freeview on the Stockland Hill (Devon, England) transmitter

Google StreetviewGoogle mapBing mapGoogle Earth50.807,-3.106 or 50°48'25"N 3°6'20"WEX14 9EP

4G at 800MHz (at800) Freeview reception issues

When 800MHz 4G mobile broadband services start there will be 2 multiplexes in the higher risk range (C21-23, C30, C59-60): C22: ArqA, C23: 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 fauls and engineering works



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The symbol shows the location of the Stockland Hill transmitter which serves 120,000 homes.

Other maps:Stockland Hill DABStockland Hill AM/FMStockland Hill regionBBC South WestWest Country

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.

Stockland 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. 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
 horizontal
Maximum64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		50,000
Channel icons
1 BBC One South 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
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C26+ (514.2MHz) from 463m datum.
PSB2
D3+4
 horizontal
Maximum64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		50,000
Channel icons
3 ITV (West Country), 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 (West Country),
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C23+ (490.2MHz) from 463m datum.
PSB3
BBCB
 horizontal
Maximum256QAM 32KE 2/3
40.2Mb/s
DVB-T2 MPEG4		50,000
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 C29+ (538.2MHz) from 463m datum.
COM4
SDN
 horizontal
Above average64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		25,000
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
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C25- (505.8MHz) from 463m datum.
COM5
ArqA
 horizontal
Above average64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		25,000
Channel icons
 TV News,  TV Stars, 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
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C22- (481.8MHz) from 463m datum.
COM6
ArqB
 horizontal
Above average64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		25,000
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
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C28- (529.8MHz) from 463m datum.


Regional news from the Stockland Hill transmitter


BBC Spotlight 0.8m homes 2.9%
from Plymouth PL3 5BD, 86km west-southwest
to BBC South West region - 107 masts.

ITV West Country News (West) 0.8m homes 2.9%
from Plymouth PL7 5BQ, 80km southwest
to ITV West Country region - 107 masts.

Self-help relays

BickleighTransposer15 km N Exeter25 homes
Freshwater C/pActive deflector2 km SE Bridport, Dorset250 homes (caravans)
Ladram BayTransposer15 km SE Exeter400 homes (caravans)

How the transmission frequencies change over time

years1961~851984-971997-981998-20092009-132013-182013-18
aerial groupVHFA KA KA KA KA KA K
C9ITV
C22-1-ArqA-ArqA-ArqA
C23ITVITVITV+D3+4+D3+4+D3+4
C25-A-SDN-SDN-SDN
C26BBC2BBC2BBC2+BBCA+BBCA+BBCA
C28-2-ArqB-ArqB-ArqB
C29C4C4C4+BBCB+BBCB+BBCB
C30+C
600C32-B
C33BBC1BBC1BBC1
C34+D

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 6th May and 20th May 2009.

Comparison of old analogue and current digital signal levels

Analogue 1-4 250kW
BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-7dB) 50kW
SDN, ARQA, ARQB(-10dB) 25kW
Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*(-17dB) 5kW
Mux C*, Mux D*(-20dB) 2.5kW

History of Channel 3 in the Stockland Hill transmitter area

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


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.

Transmitter engineering
Monday 16 April 2012 3:32PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview HD Digital TV Weak Signal from 11:00 today to 11:39 today [BBC] Over the next week Stockland Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 17 April 2012 4:30AM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview HD Digital TV Weak Signal from 11:00 yesterday to 11:39 yesterday [BBC] Over the next week Stockland Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 18 April 2012 4:29AM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview HD Digital TV Weak Signal from 11:00 on 16 Apr to 11:39 on 16 Apr [BBC] Over the next week Stockland Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Frustrated in Culmstock
Wednesday 18 April 2012 9:01PM
What is going on with the stockland hill mast? Had no problems until last night when I had next to no reception. Tried a retune could only find 10 channels. Tonight tried another retune and found 35 channels. Went on the roof to check the connection to the aerial, decided to reconnect the cable to the aerial. Had to come down to get a tool whilst the cable was not connected to the aerial. Without the aerial the signal was showing signal quality of 85! Went back on roof and before connection the strength and quality were very low - Current readings (after reconnecting aerial) - Signal strength (34) and quality (5).
Briantist
Wednesday 18 April 2012 9:05PM
Frustrated in Culmstock: Hi. Given that Stockland Hill increased the power levels a lot overnight, your descriptions suggest this might be your problem - www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
Frustrated in Culmstock
Wednesday 18 April 2012 9:35PM
But my signal was bad when I checked about 7.30pm last night? Also I can now only get channels from PSB1 BBCA? Signal quality for bbc1 currently 14, strength 30 both out of 100. I am using a wide band high gain aerial as I do not have direct line of sight to stock land hill.
Frustrated in Culmstock
Friday 20 April 2012 7:23PM
Briantist, I have done nothing to the aerial etc since your last post. Right now, my signal could not be much better on most channels/mux (almost 100) except the HD ones (com6) which varies between 0 and 60. The sky is clear as opposed to it being a bit wet/windy the other night. Any thoughts?!
Dave Lindsay
Friday 20 April 2012 7:43PM
Frustrated in Culmstock: In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the power of Stockland Hill's COMs went up. However, Rowridge began transmitting on the same three channels.

Rowridge is in the same direction as Stockland from Culmstock.
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 22 May 2012 1:28PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 10:28 today to 10:29 today HD Digital TV Off Air from 10:28 today to 10:29 today [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 22 May 2012 5:28PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview BBC Digital TV Off Air from 10:28 today to 10:29 today [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Monday 18 June 2012 11:28AM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Over the next week Stockland Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK] Over the next week Stockland Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Ben
Sunday 24 June 2012 8:26PM
Hi. Since several retunes over very few days at the end of May-beginning of June 2012 COM 4,5 and 6 are now very weak. COM6 so weak cannot receive, COM5 comes and goes and COM3 just about holds up most of the time. PSB 1 and 2 are fine. Using Stockland Hill transmitter from North Dorset. Reception was all fine until this happened. Any suggestions. I've done the obvious.
Thanks Ben
Transmitter engineering
Monday 25 June 2012 12:28PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Over the next week Stockland Hill main transmitter: TV (digital) Possible weak signal, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]
Sticks
Sunday 1 July 2012 11:51AM Honiton
Hi. We bought a new Panasonic TV this week which has Freeview HD. We are getting fluctuating signal quality on HD transmissions of 30%-100% - all SD channel quality is 100%. Signal strength is 80%. We sometimes get a "no signal" message - other times we get pixellation for a few seconds - most of the time it is fine. Have done all the usual checks. Thinking of getting a freeview HD PVR but not confident it will work. Our aerial is tuned to Stockland but there is a nearby relay mast - can you advise please.
Dave Lindsay
Sunday 1 July 2012 12:29PM
Sticks: It could be that, having completed its automatic tuning scan, it decides to tune to the adjacent Honiton relay which only carries the three PSBs.

See here for the six multiplexes; each is carried on one signal:

www.dmol.co.uk link icon DMOL Post-DSO Multiplex Channel Allocations

This page shows the three PSBs and three COMs.

The automatic tuning process scans UHF channels (frequencies) 21 to 69.

Due to the fact that Stockland's six multiplexes are on channel numbers are all in the 20s and Honiton's three PSBs are in the 40s, the aerial lead can be unplugged at about 30% of the scan.

Confirm by viewing the signal strength screen what each is tuned to:

PSB1 | BBC One | Stockland=C26 | Honiton=C42
PSB2 | ITV1 | Stockland=C23 | Honiton=C49
PSB3 | BBC One HD | Stockland=C29 | Honiton=C45

Check to see what each is tuned to and only perform a re-scan if one or more are tuned to Honiton. If they are all tuned to Stockland, then it isn't a tuning problem.

If you do scan and unplug the aerial after 30%, hold the plug away from the socket (not within a few inches) so as to avoid any possibility of the signal being transferred.

There is always the possibility that the signal from Honiton is so strong where your receiver is located that it could pick it up even without the aerial plugged in, so check that they are all tuned to Stockland. If this does happen, then you will have to see if there is somewhere else that you can take the receiver when there might be less Honiton signal, but where you will have access to an aerial connection. That, or if you can wipe it and manually tune to Stockland, although not all receivers allow this; they vary by design.
Sticks
Sunday 1 July 2012 4:11PM Honiton
Thanks Dave - you were spot on - the set was tuned to the Honiton relay on the HD channels. I re-tuned to Stockland (Ch29) and unplugged the aerial as you suggested but the signal quality and strength is now worse with quality going into the red quite often. Would re-tuning to honiton with a properly oriented aerial (vertical) help?
Dave Lindsay
Sunday 1 July 2012 4:36PM
Sticks: Perhaps the poor HD mux on 29 from Stockland is why it decided to go with Honiton; i.e. the latter is the better of the two.

Whilst receiving from Honiton is a possibility, it will mean that you will then not have any of the COM services (see DMOL link I provided above).

However, as you are just less than four miles from the transmitter, I wonder if your receiver is being overwhelmed by signal and it is distorting, hence the poor quality (HD signals suffering from this before any other).

See here for an explanation and possible remedy:

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

The COMs are at half power with respect to the PSBs from Stockland, so it is to be expected that if you do have too much signal that it will be one of the PSBs that will be affected.
Sticks
Sunday 1 July 2012 5:38PM Honiton
Thanks again Dave for your help. The situation is that, when tuned to Stockland, HD channels get 75% strength and quality varies from red to 100% very frequently. On Honiton (with the currently mounted horizontal aerial)they get 90% strength and quality goes from 25%-100% but drops less frequently.I'm not fussed about the COMs channels. If I introduce an RF attenuator should I tune to Stockland or Honiton?

Presumanly if we go Honiton and I re-orientate the aerial vertically (as spec'd for Honiton)then I will strengthen the signal even more and make it worse.

In auto-tune, the TV tunes in to all the channels from both transmitters and then sorts them "geographically" thus using Honiton first. So if I revert to this method of tuning, we should get the channels on the 3 PSBs from Honiton and then those on the COMs from Stockland - or doesn't it work like that??

What strength attenuator should I get?
Dave Lindsay
Sunday 1 July 2012 6:59PM
Sticks: The suggestion of trying an attenuator was to reduce the signal levels from Stockland, with a view to getting its HD watchable.

I suggest a 20dB variable one so it can be adjusted. Here is one such example (other sellers and outlets are available):

www.ebay.co.uk link icon VARIABLE ATTENUATOR TV SIGNAL REDUCER 20dB 3 5 6 9 10 12 15 18 DIGITAL FREEVIEW | eBay

If you have a Group A aerial (red tip) for Stockland, then you should be aware that Honiton is Group B. See here for aerial groups:

www.aerialsandtv.com link icon Aerials, TV Aerial and Digital Aerial

However, group aerials don't receive nothing outside of group. You may argue that the Honiton signal is so strong due to the close proximity that it is OK, afterall, you have already picked up a strong signal from it with the aerial in opposite polarity...

See here for some gain curves which show sensitivities on different channels (these are just examples to illustrate a point):

www.aerialsandtv.com link icon Gain (curves), Again

You may find that even with what may be an out of group aerial for Honiton, it still picks up too much signal and needs attenuating.


As for tuning, I said to unplug the aerial at 30% to get Stockland and miss out Honiton. So if you start the scan with the aerial unplugged and plug in at 30% you should get Honiton and miss out Stockland.

Remember that the TV only stores channels it "sees" during the automatic tuning process. If you prevent it from "seeing" the ones you don't want, then it won't store them!
Sticks
Sunday 1 July 2012 7:25PM Honiton
Thanks again Dave - I have ordered a variable attenuator and will try it on Stockland. If that doesn't improve things then I will try Honiton with cutrrent aerial set up. It is red tip Group A but, from what you say, worth a try.
Sticks
Tuesday 3 July 2012 2:43PM Honiton
Hi Dave - I have tried a variable attentuator but as soon as it starts to cut in it makes the signal worse - so I guess a signal overload is not the issue. Ant other ideas??
Dave Lindsay
Tuesday 3 July 2012 3:44PM
Sticks: It could be water in the cable.

HD from Stockland is on C29 which is what Channel 4 analogue used to use. Did you have any issues with reception of that channel?

The only other observation I can make is that despite being so close to the transmitter, you don't have line of sight to it.

The terrain drops down and there are two brows over which the signal is having to go to get to you:


Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location

These correspond approxiamately to the areas of around about St Michael's Church and Manor House School and both of these areas have trees. So on the brow of those "hills" (shown in the terrain plot above) it would appear that there are objects (trees).
Dave Lindsay
Tuesday 3 July 2012 3:47PM
Sticks: I have just noticed that there is a message at the top of this page about engineering works at Stockland Hill and the possibility of it being "liable to interruption".

I would ask, has this always been an issue? But if it has been tuned to Honiton for HD all along, then results may be poor or intermittent.
Dave Lindsay
Tuesday 3 July 2012 3:52PM
Sticks: About possible water in the cable, check for damage to the insulation, such as chafing on a roof tile IF you can work safely at heights and have the appropriate ladders and knowledge to do so.
Sticks
Wednesday 4 July 2012 6:20PM Honiton
Thanks for all that Dave - I have booked a diagnostic visit with an aerial fitter as even the local relay isn't giving a wholly reliable signal.Will let you know what he finds. Can't do ladders myself.........
Dave Lindsay
Wednesday 4 July 2012 11:33PM
Sticks: Thanks for the update.
Ben
Thursday 5 July 2012 1:28PM
Hi. Does anybody know if and when the work on Stockland Hill transmitter will be finished? We have been getting various messages about interruptions and low signal for some weeks now.
Since approx start of June our COM channels have been much weaker with COM6, Channel 28, so low we cannot receive it. PSB 1 and 2 are fine , full strength. We do not use HD. We are in North Dorset, a fair way from the transmitter I know but all has been well since the digital swichover until recently. Have checked all I can think of this end. Thanks, Ben
Sticks
Thursday 5 July 2012 2:59PM Honiton
Hi Dave - the aerial fitter moved the aerial from one side of the chimney to the other, got a 10db improvement in signal from Stockland, and we are getting good quality uninterrupted HD now. So it was topography -let's hope the trees don't grow too quickly. It wasn't expensive, a genuine guy. Thanks again for your help - back to Wimbledon now.........
Dave Lindsay
Friday 6 July 2012 4:20PM
Sticks: Good to hear you got it sorted, that's quite an increase!

Perhaps your aerial was in a shadow.
Al
Thursday 12 July 2012 10:15AM Exeter
Hello. Hoping someone could confirm if the engineering works on the transmitter are still ongoing and if so when are they due to be finished by. I have been without any channels since Thurs 5th July. A retune/reset with actually find channels belonging to a single random multiplex and the 'electronic program guide' will work for those channels, but there is no picture or sound with the message 'Selected program is not tuned'. Thanks in advance.
M S Hahn
Monday 15 October 2012 7:20PM
A message was displayed tonight saying a re-tune is required on 17th October 2012.
Checking I find that "What's On TV" and this website now show Dave on Channel 12 and Yesterday on Channel 19 whereas they are still being received the other way round. Is this re-tune to bring the transmitter into line with What's On TV and this website?
Also, has the transmission power of the MUX on the Channel 28 carrier been increased since June 2011? In June 2011 (when I wanted to watch the Isle of Man TT races) I couldn't receive ITV4 (Freeview 24) or any of the others programmes on the Ch 28 MUX. Tonight I can receive Freeview 24 and Freeview 19 - probably the others too but can't check until the boss' soaps finish.
DR Tucker
Saturday 10 November 2012 4:07PM
In the last 24 hours I have lost all HD stations. I have all normal Freeview stations, but all the HD stations have disappeared. I have retuned twice, but the result is the same - all normal digital stations, but all HD vanished?
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 28 November 2012 1:50PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview HD Digital TV Very Weak Signal from 11:24 today [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 28 November 2012 4:50PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview HD Digital TV Very Weak Signal from 11:24 today to 14:03 today [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 29 November 2012 4:49AM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview HD Digital TV Very Weak Signal from 11:24 yesterday to 14:03 yesterday [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Friday 30 November 2012 10:49AM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview HD Digital TV Very Weak Signal from 11:24 on 28 Nov to 14:03 on 28 Nov [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 15 January 2013 8:02PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview - No reported problems -. [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 15 January 2013 8:50PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - Freeview No problems on any service. [BBC]
M K Helliar
Wednesday 6 March 2013 2:00PM
Why have I lost several free view channels in the last few weeks.

Nothing has changed in me Aerial or TV set up

I have tried a retune and the channels no longer appear.

Film 4 is one example
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 19 March 2013 10:32AM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak Signal from 10:04 today. [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Tuesday 19 March 2013 1:31PM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak Signal from 10:04 today to 12:10 today. [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Wednesday 20 March 2013 4:31AM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak Signal from 10:04 yesterday to 12:10 yesterday. [BBC]
Transmitter engineering
Thursday 21 March 2013 4:32AM
STOCKLAND HILL transmitter - DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak Signal from 10:04 on 19 Mar to 12:10 on 19 Mar. [BBC]
George Moor
Monday 22 April 2013 12:10PM
EX175HG

TV is Toshiba TL96 3months old with integral freeview receiver. good signal, Have set up several times to see if any effect on lip synch problems. These are confined to HD programmes - the worst being ITV. Sound ahead of vision by ms but sufficient to prevent watching unless it's a commentary.
I am qualified in R & TV so have discounted my hardware now as the problem - is this a case of distance and the fact that there are two transmitters in the SW that give good signal here. I plan a visit to my local stores and will check if they have same problem.

Any advice appreciated. eg Which t/x should I be targeting for this postcode.
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