Freeview on the Belmont transmitter

if your getting good strength on mux 1 and quality and on mux 2 (itv c4 c5 etc..) you've got good strength and poor quality ,sounds like you may have a group a aerial normally this is shown by having red ends

BELMONT transmitter - Over the next week Belmont main transmitter: TV (analogue) Possible weak signal, TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]

Hi! Been looking at this site and seen some very interesting reading. The digital signals here in bridlington (yo16 7sy) are all but non exsistant and only usable with an aerial booster at the mast. One question I pose is, why don't they supply a transmitter near bridlington? I've looked at a transmitter map and there is nothing around here. I read that they are going to increase the power once the analog transmittions stop, but i'm sure this will not improve matters here a great deal. I've got over the problem by installing a freeview box that uses a satellite dish. Fortec Star FS 4200. I bought mine at B&Q for £50 complete with dish (not sure if they are still doing them) and although I did have a small problem of low signal from the sat, this was resolved by rotating the LNB. I know this is not a solution for people with in-built freeview boxes in the tv but i'm sure it would work out cheaper in the long run (aerial fitter said to put aerial, mast and booster up would be £90+) Keep up the good work on a very informative site. (map)

a follow up to my previous message, this is the map i looked at! mb21 - Transmitter Information - All Stations In Database on slower systems, may tkae a bit of time to load! have fun!

kevin smith: You will have better digital signals at switchover, from July 2011.

Getting no Mux A or B at all here in Hull, checked on Topfield PVR, set-top Box & PC Freeview card. Only getting mux's 1,2,C & D. (map)

Steve: Please can you have a look at Two frequency interference
| ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice ?

Why when I set my recorder on a series setting the channel no does not come up the next time it is on I have spoken to top up TV and they say it is the transmitter
Help

Sylvia Lavender: It's NOT the transmitter, please ask Top Up TV to sort your problem out, given that you pay them....

Yeah, read that Brian...
There are two main causes of this type of intermittent interference:

* Transmission mode problem (I think this is the cause)

* Non-wideband aerial in some areas ( The aerial has been perfect for the last five years, so dont think this is the problem)

Steve

(map)

Steve: If you've not had problems in the past, it is most likely be damage to the aerial.

Dont think so Brian, Im getting the same results on a different Aerial in the bedroom, AND on my PC's Freeview card at work.
Steve (map)

Steve: Very strange, if that's the case, you might need to contact Ofcom? Broadcaster complaints details | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice for their details.

For 2 days now we've been unable to receive most of the freeview channels, even when rescanned.
Any ideas? (map)

Nige: It might possibly be What is the Inversion Effect and why does it effect my Freeview TV reception?
| ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice - if not please see Freeview reception has changed? | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .

Just recently had my aerial changed,to a 40 element log periodic type,getting very good digital reception throughout the mux's.Quite a few of my neighbours have also had their aerials changed,& had log periodics fitted.Worth considering this type of aerial if renewing.(logs are the only aerial to be classed as true wideband,according to a certain engineer in sheffield!!) (map)

Des Collier: I suggest you don't listen to some who says things like that, all wideband aerials are wideband, hence the name.

Des Collier: very likely Mr Aerials and TV himself (Justin Smith). He's actually tested the aerials he stocks plus a few of those stocked by the superstores.

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/atvstockaerialtests.html

The log periodic was designed by BBC Research and is frequently what's used as the receiving antenna on the relay transmitters which simply pick up the signal off-air and retransmit it. Each element on the antenna is a slightly different length which causes it to pick up a specific frequency - or harmonics of that frequency - well, and the one in front and behind have the right properties to act as directors and reflectors. It's similar to having about 40 highly-tuned three-element Yagi antennas all connected up together.

The tribooms aren't actually very good at any frequency, but make up for it with a lot of gain, through having more elements.

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/aerials.html#LogPeriodicTheory (map)

BELMONT transmitter - Over the next week Belmont main transmitter: TV (analogue) Liable to interruption, TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) working normally, Radio (digital) working normally. [DUK]

Mike Dimmick- Thanks for the info,have read Justin's tests on the website,which had brought me to buy one of these aerials(Vision LOG 40),which is performing spot on!!. (map)

Hello. Recently our work has had an aerial installed to watch Freeview in the office, pointing towards the Belmont transmitter. But the signal breaks up all the time and there are loads of missing channels, as well as weak signals froom Sandy Heath in the 800s. What's going on? (map)

Dennis: It doesn't really sound as if the aerial is installed very well, in particular if you can pick up both Belmont and Sandy Heath badly.

Briantist: Oh, man! That's just typical. One of the lads at work installed it, because the company didn't want to spend money on a professional. Looks like we'll have to just pay it ourselves. Thanks for the information! (map)

Dennis:Sometimes penny-pinching can prove to be more expensive!!.I've seen the consequences of it,especially where I work. (map)

BELMONT transmitter - Over the next week Belmont main transmitter: TV (analogue) Possible weak signal, TV (digital) working normally, Radio (analogue) Possible weak signal, Radio (digital) Possible weak signal. [DUK]

Hi being a fool and buying freeview hd player for th eworld cup on to discover we don't yet receive freeview, what date will freeview hd be turned on in 2011

Paul: The specific dates for 2011 have not yet been announced.

Need some advice. Moving to DN15 9ES next week the property has no antenna.
I'm not sure what transmitter is best Belmont or Emley Moor?
I have BT Vison so need a good strong signal.
What is the best Antenna recomended? I have a 2" 3mt Mast and will also be using a loft distrubution box poss a Labgear HDU681 all being connected with WF100 coax & F-Plugs.
Is a masthead amp ness as well?
I realy want to get all this right 1st time
So any help / advice would be appreicated
Brian Burton-upon-Stather Nth Lincs (map)

Brian Norris: Belmont is a better choice at the moment, as Emley Moor has reduced output at the moment. However, Belmont has no Freeview HD service until 2012.

You are in the primary service area for both transmitters, so a rooftop aerial should be OK without amplification - use satellite grade coaxial cable.

You need a wideband aerial for Belmont, choose the type that is suitable for normal signal strength areas.

Hi Briantist, Thanks for the advice
I can wait for HD I guess.

Just to clarify then. Would there be any advantage or dissadvantage in fitting a quality 48 element High Gain WB antenna, as opposed to a cheaper smaller normal/med gain one.

I'd rather fit the best now, whatever the best is!!

Brian

Brian: I would probably go for the quality aerial with satellite cable. This shouldn't overload after switchover.

Brian Norris: do NOT fit a high-gain antenna. These are for people on the very fringes of reception. For people in strong to medium signal areas, a high-gain antenna will produce received signal strength that is too strong, and cause cross-modulation interference. This causes patterning on analogue and errors on digital.

Megalithia's field strength calculator gives a range of 60.1 dBuV on Mux C now (worst case) to 68.2 dBuV on Mux 2 (highest power), and on analogue 84 (C4) to 85.3 dBuV (BBC One), using a 7.3 dBd aerial (10-element Contract or 26-element log periodic). Real-world values are expected to be at least 10 dB lower. You should aim for 60-80 dBuV on analogue AND NO MORE and 45-65 dBuV on digital, before switchover, to get a clear picture without cross-modulation.

After switchover you would get from 71.1 (Mux SDN) to 80.1 dBuV (BBC A) using the 7.3 dBd aerial.

Given that Belmont will require a wideband design before and after switchover I'd recommend a log periodic, which have good impulse interference suppression characteristics. See ATV Stock Aerial Tests for their frequency responses. The 'DM Log' (which I think is Blake UK's DigiMaster DML26WB) is probably just suitable as it has 6-7 dBd of gain, but if it turns out to produce slightly low levels, try a 40-element version ('Log 40' at that page).

I would definitely recommend satellite cable as it has lower losses than regular 'TV coax' and better screening, so shouldn't pick up electrical noise.

Given you're in the area, you could do worse than contacting ATV. (RG47SH)

Sorry, meant to leave a link to Megalithia's Field Strength Calculator:

http://www.megalithia.com/elect/fieldstr.html

You're 48.4km away from Belmont according to this site. (map)

Brian,I live in Scawby,i am on Belmont & use a log periodic aerial,& works really well,if you decide to use Emley Moor,you need a GROUP B aerial (map)

Des Collier: You're in a well placed area, it's triple-overlap.

This is great thanks Briantist & Mike for all your help.
So I've checked the Links that you posted Mike, and it seems that I have a lovely clear line of sight! So If i'm reading all this right? The A nice DM Log Perodic £25 from ATV Aerials & Televisions (Sheffield) will do the trick, along with some quality cable.
Can anyone recomend a resonable priced signal meter so I can alight it nice and accurate?

Brian

I guess

Notsure if this is the right forum?

Can I install a DAB Dip pole aerial on the same mast? if so and guide to the space between them.
Also I have three DAB radios (Greedy) two only have the extenting anntenas and the other one is a personal one that uses the heatset wire as an antenna (Crap)Is there a way of conecting them to the dip pole, I can take the back off the bigger ones and solder if required, or just wrap the copper core around? as for thehead set one I was woundering if it.s the common wire that's used for reception?
I hope this is as clear as mud?

Brian

PS just ordered my Labgear distribution loft box (8-way) and a Labtech signal meter & 100m of top quality cable, F plugs.
The fun begins on Saturday!! (map)

Brian,best of luck!!!

HELP!

No one seems to be able to tell me

1) when Belmont transmitter is due, or even likely, to change to digital. Appart from the year and an indication on your site.

2) What power in watts or Kw. Belmont is now transmitting the digital channels.

3) Are the Watts given on your site before or after changeover.

Hope you can help.

Thanks

Chris: 1) July 2011 as it says above, 2) see the top of the page where there is a chart with the values clearly shown 3) 150kW PSB1/2/3, 100kW COM4/5, 50kW COM6.

BELMONT transmitter - Over the next week Belmont main transmitter: TV (analogue) Liable to interruption, TV (digital) Liable to interruption, Radio (analogue) Liable to interruption, Radio (digital) Liable to interruption. [DUK]

When will Spalding, Lincs. go digital ?

Haggis Hunter: for this I've used the postcode PE11 2DS. Please provide your postcode for a better assessment.

You should be able to get a good signal from the Belmont transmitter on Mux 1, 2 and B now, and an acceptable one on Mux A and D. Mux C is poor.

Switchover is happening at Belmont in July 2011. This will have the initial effect, for you, of making Mux ArqA and ArqB (replacing C and D) poorer as the frequency allocations clash with transmissions from Tacolneston in Norfolk. When that switches over, the performance from Belmont is expected to be good. (map)