Freeview: Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter
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 Ashbourne
TV Off Air from 14:26 today to 1...
 Belmont
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak ...
 Blackwaterfoot
TV Reduced Quality from 02:26 to...
 Buxton
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Off A...
 Dolgellau
TV Off Air from 07:10 today to 0...
 Drumcarrow Craig
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Off A...
 Eglwysilan
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak ...
 Heathfield
DAB: BBC National DAB Radio Weak ...
 Kingskerswell
TV Off Air from 11:10 today to 1...
 Kinlochbervie
TV Reduced Quality from 01:55 to...
 Llwyn Onn
TV Off Air from 07:10 today to 0...
 Stagshaw
AM: Radio 5 Live Weak Signal from...
 Tacolneston
Freeview: HD Digital TV Weak Sign...
 Wells next the Sea
TV Off Air from 09:02 today to 1...
Click here to see all transmitters with faults and engineering

Full Freeview on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter

Google StreetviewGoogle mapBing mapGoogle Earth52.130,-0.242 or 52°7'47"N 0°14'33"WSG19 2NH

4G at 800MHz (at800) Freeview reception issues

Tests now show that SOME households that use masthead amplifiers (and some communal aerial systems) AND are in poor signal areas AND that are very close to a 4G phone mast MAY have their Freeview service disturbed: C21: BBCB
See Expecting 4G interference? Tests now show that you have a one in 300 chance.

This transmitter has no current reported problems

The BBC and Digital UK report there are no faults or engineering work on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter. Click to recheck

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The symbol shows the location of the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter which serves 920,000 homes.

Other maps:Sandy Heath DABSandy Heath AM/FMSandy Heath regionBBC CambridgeAnglia (West micro region)

Is the transmitter output the same in all directions?

Radiation patterns withheld

What do the colours on the map mean?

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

Which Freeview channels does the Sandy Heath transmitter broadcast?

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 -0.5dB
C27 (522.0MHz)291m64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		180,000W
Channel icons
1 BBC One Cambridge, 2 BBC Two England, 7 BBC Three, 9 BBC Four, 70 CBBC Channel, 71 CBeebies, 80 BBC News, 81 BBC Parliament, 301 BBC Red Button 1, plus 12 others

PSB2
D3+4
 horizontal -0.5dB
C24 (498.0MHz)291m64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		180,000W
Channel icons
3 ITV (Anglia (West micro region)), 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 (Anglia east),

PSB3
BBCB
 horizontal -0.5dB
C21+ (474.2MHz)291m256QAM 32KE 2/3
40.2Mb/s DVB-T2 MPEG4		180,000W
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, 303 BBC Red Button HD, plus 1 others

COM4
SDN
 horizontal -0.7dB
C51 (714.0MHz)291m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		170,000W
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 21 others

COM5
ArqA
 horizontal -0.7dB
C52 (722.0MHz)289m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		170,000W
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, 302 BBC Red Button 2, plus 9 others

COM6
ArqB
 horizontal -0.7dB
C48 (690.0MHz)289m64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2		170,000W
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 22 others



Which BBC and ITV regional news can I watch from the Sandy Heath transmitter?


BBC Look East (West) 1.0m homes 3.7%
from Cambridge CB4 0WZ, 29km east-northeast
to BBC Cambridge region - 4 masts.
70% of BBC East (East) and BBC East (West) is shared output

ITV Anglia News 1.0m homes 3.7%
from Norwich NR1 3JG, 119km east-northeast
to ITV Anglia (West) region - 5 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 80% evening news is shared with Anglia (East)

How will the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmission frequencies change over time?

years1965~851984-971997-981998-20112011-132013-182013-18
aerial groupVHFA KKWWWW
C6ITV
C21C4C4C4+BBCB+BBCB+BBCB
C24ITVITVITVD3+4D3+4D3+4
C27BBC2BBC2BBC2BBCABBCABBCA
600C31BBC1BBC1BBC1
C32com7
C34com8
C39C5C5
C40+C
C42-1
C43+Alocal
C45-2
C46+D
C48ArqBArqBArqB
700C51SDNSDNSDN
C52ArqAArqAArqA
800C67B

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 30th March and 13th April 2011.

  • Ofcom have projected that a local television service for Bedford including Sandy could use an Interleaved Frequency on the Sandy Heath transmitter using C43
  • COM7, COM8 projected for 2013-16.

How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?

Analogue 1-4 1000kW
com7, com8(-7dB) 200kW
BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-7.4dB) 180kW
SDN, ARQA, ARQB(-7.7dB) 170kW
Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D*(-17dB) 20kW
Analogue 5(-20dB) 10kW

Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Sandy Heath transmitter area

Oct 1959-Feb 2004Anglia Television
Feb 2004-Dec 2014ITV plc
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.

J
Jack
Tuesday 19 April 2011 2:50PM
Thanks Briantist.
Yes its definitely 'single frequency interference' as those other channels on the list have gone as well.
Coming up is lawn mower and motorbike season which are usually random channel killers.
J
Jack
Tuesday 19 April 2011 3:03PM

Just checked at see that the mux is on ch67, right at the end of the spec for the aerial
-and then transmitted on a low power-
So not much hope at all then till September?
ITV4 will not be missed as they been showing the same programmes for 7 years.
C
chris
Tuesday 19 April 2011 3:08PM
Re powers from Sandy Heath. Russ your comments support what I see, come spring 2012 we'll see who is right.
On another subject, wrong aspect ratio on BBC HD on Samsung TV. I have done some research and found the BBC are switching between 1080i and 1080p on BBC HD. This is causing Sony Bravia TVs to suffer audio drop out and seems to be making my Samsung switch to 4:3 when 1080p tx'd
Chris
D
d shannon
Tuesday 19 April 2011 8:10PM
there seams to be a reduction on the sandy heath transmitter over the last 2 to 3 weeks, and my digital signals are playing up really badly since the switch off.
how long is this going to last for
Briantist
Tuesday 19 April 2011 8:27PM
d shannon: A reduction? The signals are considerably stronger (they have gone from 20kW to 180kW).

If you are having problem you probably have overloaded your system.

If you have a booster or amplifier, remove it, this will clear any problems.
Briantist
Tuesday 19 April 2011 8:49PM
Dominic: As above, some people will be unable to receive ArqB until 14 Sept 2011.
Briantist
Tuesday 19 April 2011 8:51PM
Jack: The higher power signals will probably hold better against induction interference from 2 stroke engines, but better aerial positioning can also deal with this, as well as using satellite-grade coaxial cable to connect to the aerial.

Yes, you will probably have to wait for 14th September.
J
JohnB
Wednesday 20 April 2011 12:00PM Peterborough
In the six mux lists of channels transmitted there is no mention of ESPN, SkySp1 or SkySp2 being transmitted. I can actually receive ESPN, why is it not in the lists? Could you also confirm if SkySp1/2 are being transmitted, but as BTVision suggest I possibly need a booster to pick them up.
These channels are not listed on the Waltham transmitter either and BTVision say I will receive them from there as the transmitter is closer.
Briantist
Wednesday 20 April 2011 12:04PM
JohnB: this site is about free tv, subscription channels are not shown. ESPN is on SDN, Sky Sports 1&2 are on ArQB (or Mux B pre-switchover).
M
Mike Dimmick
Wednesday 20 April 2011 12:51PM
JohnB: The transmitter being closer or further away often has little to do with it, because the transmitters have different power levels. Once switchover completes you have three options: Belmont, which transmits Yorkshire/Lincolnshire regional programmes, Waltham, which broadcasts East Midlands, and Sandy Heath which broadcasts East programmes. Of those, Sandy Heath is the most powerful for ArqB, then Belmont, then Waltham.

The Sky Sports channels should still appear in a Freeview box's programme guide, at channels 41 and 42, even though they're scrambled. It's possible that your box has tuned in a weak version of Mux D from another transmitter, because that multiplex is on a higher frequency than Sandy Heath at the other nearby transmitters. Try deleting all the channels carried by ArqB and then manually tuning C67.

Once you've got Sky Sports 1 and 2 in the EPG, check the reception of other channels on ArqB, such as ITV4, Film4 and Yesterday, to see if Sky Sports will be reliable.
P
peteroz
Wednesday 20 April 2011 3:54PM
Regarding BBC HD I am grateful to chris for raising the issue of the signal continually switching from 1080i to 1080p. This only seems to happen on Preview and I thought it must be a problem with my Sony Bravia. Is this a transmission problem?
Briantist
Wednesday 20 April 2011 4:30PM
peteroz: No, it is not a transmission problem, it is a receiver problem. Please contact Sony for an firmware upgrade.
M
Martin
Wednesday 20 April 2011 7:47PM Bedford
I moved during the digital switchover from 9.5 miles from Sandy Heath to 9.9 miles as the crow flies.

I now find that I've gained a much better quality BBC4 but lost Film4 and a number of other channels altogether.

I see from your excellent site that some channels have 'excellent' power and some are 'very low'. Any ideas when the 'very low' ones will strengthen?
Briantist
Wednesday 20 April 2011 7:50PM
Martin: As above, "The commercial multiplexes at Sandy Heath will remain on their pre-switchover channels and powers for a period after digital switchover. SDN will then temporarily move to channel 31 (at 20kW ERP) on 31 Aug 2011, before adopting its final allocation of channel 51 on 18th April 2012. Arqiva A will adopt its final allocation of channel 52 on 23 Nov 2011. Arqiva B will temporarily move to channel 67 (at 20kW ERP) at switchover and then it will adopt its final allocation of channel 48 on 14 Sept 2011."
S
Steve, Peterborough
Wednesday 20 April 2011 10:30PM Peterborough
I'm now picking up everything except ArqB. I understand it's on ch67, and needs a wide band aeriel. My aeriel is in the loft, how can I tell if it's a wideband?
Briantist
Thursday 21 April 2011 4:35AM
Steve, Peterborough: See www.ukfree.tv link icon Freeview reception - all about aerials | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice . Your should really relocate your aerial to the roof.
C
Colin
Thursday 21 April 2011 10:36AM Milton Keynes
I have noted that the power on CH67 seems to have crept up a bit in the last few days. I can now receive ARQ B MUX albeit a bit patchy at times. I would suggest that those who failed to get the MUX on 13th try another retune. You never know, it worked for me.
C
chris
Thursday 21 April 2011 1:29PM
Briantist Re 1080i/1080p switch.
If you go to the BBC R & D blog it appears there is no firmware update for this from Sony yet. Toshiba & Samsung sets also are affected in different ways.
I expect it will be a drawn out discussion as to wether or not the set manufacturers are implimenting the freeview spec.
Chris
N
Nathan
Thursday 21 April 2011 6:26PM Cambridge
I'm in Cambridge, and I've lost all but one set of channels since Madingley switched off.


I can only get Mux C (Pick, Dave, Sky news, etc). The reception on these channels is fine, no problems seen so far. I haven't moved the antenna, but the reception I am getting is fine, and there's only 12 degrees difference.

I've got an old telly, a Sony KV28DX20U, with a built in digital tuner.

I've noticed that mux C is the only one using 16QAM-2k. Is this just that my TV is too old?
S
Steve
Thursday 21 April 2011 7:46PM Wrexham
Nathan - IIUC you know that your Ae is 12 degrees off target. The Mux you CAN receive is the very highest frequency, so may be the one least affected by the wrong direction.

12 degrees is a lot unless you are VERY close to a very powerful sender.
N
Nikki Desborough
Thursday 21 April 2011 10:57PM
For the past three nights I have lost all signal and therefore have had no TV whatsoever for most/all of the evening. I did the rescan as required but this week have had nothing during the evening. Tonight for example, I came in at 8pm and now at nearly 11pm I still have no tv reception at all. It's really annoying. During the morning all is well so I don't think it is my arial, digibox or tv. Until this week reception has been fine. Any advice/suggestions keenly sought before I go dotty without telly.
S
Steve
Friday 22 April 2011 1:46AM Wrexham
Nikki - read and follow the instructions in the yellow posting box

Were you previously using analogue or digital?
M
Mike Dimmick
Friday 22 April 2011 3:48AM
Nathan: yes, I'm afraid the Sony 28DX20 is on the list of equipment that doesn't support the 8K mode. You'll have to add a Freeview box.

You could try complaining to Sony, see if they'll give you a free box.
D
Derek Dodsworth
Friday 22 April 2011 1:31PM
Since latest stage of switch over at Sandy Heath signal on channel 67 has dropped to poor (other channels still good). Affected broadcasts (Yesterday, Film4, ITV4 etc) could not be received because my tv was retuned as advised. These broadcasts could still be seen on freeview+ boxes as they were not retuned but the signal strength was showing weak with poor quality.
Phoned help line but advice to remove signal amplifier resulted in no signal at all but a broken amplifier which had to be repaired to get any signal (but still no channel 67). Assistance during second call was rather poor in customer care values, he was more keen on tell than ask. Rescans were of no use.
Had to work out the solution myself. Reroute the uhf signal through a further amplifer. Frequent advice that a stronger signal is being blanked out by amplifiers does not seem logical, what about circuit Automatic Gain Control (AGC). Postcode PE28.
T
Tony Healy
Friday 22 April 2011 3:01PM Rushden
Hi,Since the change over at Sandy Heath, I am receiving 100% signal and quality on all channels,but channel 50-53 HD 100% on signal, but only 50% on quality. Please explain why this is.My post code NN10 8ND.
Thank you.
Regards.
Tony Healy.
D
David
Saturday 23 April 2011 2:30AM Colchester
Sandy ch21
I get HD Channels clear, signal 95 Quality 100, Has anyone else noticed only standard Audio ...Should be seeing Dolby D 2ch or 5ch depending which HD channel.
Can someone please confirm NO DOLBY on HD SANDY
Briantist
Saturday 23 April 2011 7:43AM
David: There is no Dolby Digital on Freeview HD, due to the provision of Audio Description.
Briantist
Saturday 23 April 2011 8:07AM
Derek Dodsworth: You will simply have to wait until September 2011 for the signal to be increased in power.
J
JohnB
Saturday 23 April 2011 6:17PM Peterborough
Mike Dimmick and Briantist
Thanks for all you help. I've given up on Sandy Heath till Sept'11. Switched aerial to Waltham and now get 104 channels. Think missing Mux D though. Just pleased to get my sport back.
Plenty enit!!
I'll still monitor this site though.
I've read somewhere boosters amplify the interference and can make things worse, is that right?
Briantist
Sunday 24 April 2011 5:40AM
JohnB: Yes, that is correct, amplifiers usually make things worse for digital reception.
R
ray bayes
Sunday 24 April 2011 6:27PM
perhaps a silly question but is the freeview signal in kettering running at maximum power now that analogue has been totally switched off... is the picture quality at maximum aswell.....my freeview picture quality is very good but even more quality is always welcome.
Briantist
Sunday 24 April 2011 10:09PM
ray bayes: The signal strength and picture quality are quite unrelated - see www.ukfree.tv link icon How digital television works | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
L
Lou
Tuesday 26 April 2011 8:38AM St. Neots
Bought a Panasonic tv with inbuilt freeview in December, since when have rarely switched on the Virgin box. Yesterday removed the Virgin box and installed a freeview+ recorder. The Teknika tv with inbuilt freeview we bought on 1st April for the bedroom now receives 0 signal! We tried it in the kitchen, where the Samsung tv with inbuilt freeview works fine.

Any idea what's gone wrong? Neither of us are particularly good at this kind of thing.

Many thanks.
S
Steve
Tuesday 26 April 2011 11:21AM Wrexham
Lou - Did the Teknika previously work? If so try again same place. Remember to connect the aerial lead!

Have you retuned it?

Does it recognise any channels?

M
Michael Jeffries
Wednesday 27 April 2011 3:52PM
Can youexplain why BBC channels keep breaking up and going off air ssince switching Sandy Heath to digital. All other stations have a clear reception,
Michael
S
Steve
Wednesday 27 April 2011 5:48PM Wrexham
MJ - If you have any amplifiers try without them. Signals can be TOO strong.

Do you have more than one set/ariel? If so, all same or various?

What do neighbours experience?
N
Nathan Quinn
Wednesday 27 April 2011 10:35PM
Rather annoyed here. I can't store the multiplex with Film4, Yesterday etc channels on it because that mux is identified as "Cambs & Beds." instead of "Cambs & Beds.." (two dots instead of one). My box doesn't like one transmitter having two different identifiers and there is no manual tune option, so that multiplex is now off limits to me. The signal quality is fine, as I can watch it on my old box. I've read another account like mine on Digital Spy, so I know I'm not alone. Most will probably think the signal quality isn't good enough and that's why they can't receive channels on the multiplex, but it's more likely due to the identifier typo. My old box didn't care, but my new one does, so that silly type needs fixing NOW.

Who should I tell? Can you pass this info on?

Cheers.
N
Nathan Quinn
Wednesday 27 April 2011 10:40PM
*silly typo

I made a typo with the word typo. Great.
N
Nathan Quinn
Wednesday 27 April 2011 11:43PM
Apparently it was the Dave, Sky, etc mux that was named wrong. Can't figure out what's wrong then. If I use my other box with the same aerial I can watch the Film4 mux easily. Can't even pick it up all pixelated with this new box, even though signal quality is much better in general.
Briantist
Thursday 28 April 2011 7:32AM
Nathan Quinn: As above, "The commercial multiplexes at Sandy Heath will remain on their pre-switchover channels and powers for a period after digital switchover. SDN will then temporarily move to channel 31 (at 20kW ERP) on 31 Aug 2011, before adopting its final allocation of channel 51 on 18th April 2012. Arqiva A will adopt its final allocation of channel 52 on 23 Nov 2011. Arqiva B will temporarily move to channel 67 (at 20kW ERP) at switchover and then it will adopt its final allocation of channel 48 on 14 Sept 2011."
D
DAVE
Friday 29 April 2011 9:40AM Bedford
Pre the digital switchover all digital programs were perfect, but from that day on I get picture freeze (and no sound) 2 to 5 times an hour,lasting a second or two.
Nothing has changed at all at home - IT MUST BE SANDY HEATH !! my post code is MK45 3HD.
What do you think ?
S
Steve
Friday 29 April 2011 12:13PM Wrexham
Dave - on all muxes or some?

See my previous post.
M
Mike Dimmick
Saturday 30 April 2011 12:08AM
Dave: I think you have too much signal. Remove any boosters or amplifiers; if that doesn't help (or there aren't any) add an attenuator.
S
Sally
Saturday 30 April 2011 10:43AM Letchworth Garden City
My Thomson Freeview box in the kitchen lost all BBC last night. Have tried re-scanning with connected both to main house aerial and it's own loop aerial but still not finding them. Thomson Freeview Recorder normally connected to house aerial has no problem and I'm not going to re-scan that incase I lose BBC on that one!
S
Steve
Saturday 30 April 2011 1:00PM Wrexham
Sally - does/did it still have BBC1,2 on button 1,2 and the rest where they should be, but show "no signal"; or did it not have anything on 1,2 but still got ITV on 3; C4 on 4 , 5 on 5, etc?

Have you retuned from scratch, or Add programmes?

Nothing else connected to incoming aerial when you tuned?

Do you know which transmitter you use? Feasible it is faulty, and might differ from one TV to the other if different aerials.

Is your box on the list of boxes that won't work after various changes?
S
Sally
Saturday 30 April 2011 1:50PM Letchworth Garden City
Hi Steve, Absolutely nothing on 1,2 or any of the other BBC channels, radio included. By Thomson DTI 1000 doesn't appear to be on the "won't work after" list. Got loads more "Adult" channels though! Their drama's aren't quite up to BBC standard lol!
S
Steve
Saturday 30 April 2011 6:07PM
Sally - try rescanning "Installation" or "All new" options, using just the (proper rooftop) aerial into the box and box into TV. Other kit can confuse.

Watch as it does it and note which Channeel numbers things happen at. That will confirm what you are receiving.

If still no go, work thrrough 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 (LL145HD)
S
stephen Hall
Sunday 1 May 2011 10:20AM Northampton
Prior to digital switchover I had intermittent picture breakup, pixalating and sometimes loss of signal. I understood that the digital signal was going to be substantially increased at switchover and assumed these issues would disappear. Sadly inspite of numerous re-tunes I still have the same reception problems! Has the signal actually been increased? I have a recent roof arial and live in nn4
J
John
Sunday 1 May 2011 11:07AM
I have a new Sony HD tv which showed the HD channels listings but when selected there was no service/pic.
I rang Comet who said do a factory reset since then I get no HD channels/listings for the HD channels I have tried several times and the result is still the same



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.

If you have no satellite signal, see Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault'

If you have other problems, please provide a full (not partial) postcode (or preferably enter it in box at the top right) and indicate where if aerial is on the roof, in the loft or elsewhere.

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