News: Sudbury (Suffolk, England) full-Freeview transmitter
Site settings
For an enhanced Freeview reception
prediction please enter your
full postcode, a national grid reference or
a UK latitude and longitude pair. 
Most popular
On other sites

Freeview on the Sudbury (Suffolk, England) transmitter

Google StreetviewGoogle mapBing mapGoogle Earth52.005,0.786 or 52°0'17"N 0°47'8"ECO10 5NG

4G at 800MHz (at800) Freeview reception issues

When 800MHz 4G mobile broadband services start there will be 1 multiplex in the higher risk range (C21-23, C30, C59-60): C60: ArqA
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



map is loading, please wait...

The symbol shows the location of the Sudbury transmitter which serves 440,000 homes.

Other maps:Sudbury regionBBC EastAnglia (East 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.

Sudbury 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		100,000
Channel icons
1 BBC One East, 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 C44 (658.0MHz) from 229m datum.
PSB2
D3+4
 horizontal
Maximum64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		100,000
Channel icons
3 ITV (Anglia (East 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),
• as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C41 (634.0MHz) from 229m datum.
PSB3
BBCB
 horizontal
Maximum256QAM 32KE 2/3
40.2Mb/s
DVB-T2 MPEG4		100,000
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 C47 (682.0MHz) from 229m datum.
COM4
SDN
 horizontal
Maximum64QAM 8K 2/3
24.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		100,000
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 C58 (770.0MHz) from 186m datum.
COM5
ArqA
 horizontal
Maximum64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		100,000
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 C60- (785.8MHz) from 228m datum.
COM6
ArqB
 horizontal
Maximum64QAM 8K 3/4
27.1Mb/s
DVB-T MPEG2		100,000
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 C56 (754.0MHz) from 228m datum.


Regional news from the Sudbury transmitter


BBC Look East (East) 0.8m homes 3.2%
from Norwich NR2 1BH, 77km north-northeast
to BBC East region - 27 masts.

ITV Anglia News 0.8m homes 3.2%
from NORWICH NR1 3JG, 78km north-northeast
to ITV Anglia (East) region - 26 masts.

Self-help relays

Felixstowe WestTransposer1000 homes +1000 or more homes due to expansion of affected area?
WithamTransposer14 km NE Chelmsford.118 homes

How the transmission frequencies change over time

years1984-971997-981998-20112011-132013-182013-18
aerial groupB EB EEEEW
600C31com7
C35C5C5
C37com8
C39B
C41ITVITVITVD3+4D3+4D3+4
C44BBC2BBC2BBC2BBCABBCABBCA
C47C4C4C4BBCBBBCBBBCB
C48+A
700C49+1
C50+D
C51BBC1BBC1BBC1
C54C
C56ArqBArqBArqB
C58SDNSDNSDN
C60-ArqA-ArqA-ArqA
800C682

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 July and 20th July 2011.

  • COM7, COM8 projected for 2013-16. COM7 and COM8 to operate as Sudbury, Tacolneston SFN.

Comparison of old analogue and current digital signal levels

Analogue 1-4 250kW
SDN, ARQA, ARQB, com7, com8, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-4dB) 100kW
Analogue 5(-7dB) 50kW
Mux 2*(-14.9dB) 8.1kW
Mux B*(-15.2dB) 7.5kW
Mux 1*(-15.5dB) 7kW
Mux A*(-17dB) 5kW
Mux C*(-22.2dB) 1.5kW
Mux D*(-23.6dB) 1.1kW

History of Channel 3 in the Sudbury transmitter area

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

PETER HUGHES
Monday 25 February 2013 3:50PM Clacton-on-sea
Today, Monday 25 February, 2013, at approximately 3.15 pm, I was watching BBC ONE, from the Sudbury transmitter (UHF Channel 44) when suddenly sound and vision went blank, leaving the dark screen, with just the set's back screen illumination present. Within about 15 seconds music was playing but screen remain dark / blank.
My immediate thought that this might be a local Clacton pirate radio station, over powering the Sudbury signal. When the record finished, BBC presenter's voice (Stewart Mc Connie) started talking. The "replaced" sound was, in fact, BBC Radio 6 Music channel (which is also part of the BBC MUX on UHF Channel 44) I then pressed channel 1 on the Freeview remoote and on screen it showed BBC ONE AUDIO, CH. UHF 44.
Then about a minute later, the radio sound was replaced by BBC ONE sound plus return of vision. Did anybody else witness this? I assume that someone at Sudbury station "got their lines crossed" ???
peter parker
Monday 4 March 2013 2:58PM Ipswich
hello,
i have 2 separate teles one on a lft aerial and one on a highgain gable end erected aerial,but am unable to receive channels yesterday,dave and quest ect,
help. my arerials are tuned to the sudbury transmitter
peter parker
Monday 4 March 2013 3:09PM Ipswich
I have 2 teles ,one on a loft aerial and the 2nd on a highgain gable end external aerial tuned to sudbury transmitter,but cant receive the yestrday,dave,really channels etc.,
help is their a reason for this.
peter
Dave Lindsay
Monday 4 March 2013 3:33PM
peter parker: Suffolk One College appears to be close to the signal path. Also, you are not the only person to have issues with COM5 (C60) from Sudbury. Nick in Hollesley finds it to be intermittent, and you are on the same bearing from the transmitter.
KMJ,Derby
Monday 4 March 2013 4:29PM
peter parker: Is that a daily problem with C60 or one which became apparent today? If the latter the tropospheric ducting forecast for midday today shows a fair chance of ducting in Suffolk, which could result in interference from out of area transmissions. Conditions should return to normal later today.
Nick
Thursday 7 March 2013 11:26PM
Dave, Nick has another problem. He goes away a few days, returns and finds his box has lost all the BBC channels but none of the others and has to retune. Please, any ideas?
Dave Lindsay
Friday 8 March 2013 12:04AM
Nick: Watch ITV instead?
Dave Lindsay
Friday 8 March 2013 12:09AM
Nick: I was going to suggest that you wait until the BBC programmes are shown on Dave, but maybe not.
Nick
Sunday 10 March 2013 10:57PM
OK, Dave, sense of humour appreciated. Only the BBC channels disappear.
jb38
Sunday 10 March 2013 11:37PM
Nick: When you say that you find you have lost all of the BBC channels, are you meaning that although they are still seen listed in the EPG listings when one is selected it results in a blank screen, or is it the case that they have disappeared from the EPG listings?
Nick
Tuesday 12 March 2013 6:49PM
JB, when I press channel one, it says '1,' but is blank.
I am also puzzled by the fact that I am currently not getting pixellation, or something similar, ie a few small 'boxes' briefly dotting the screen now and then on the two strongest muxes, ITV and BBC. If you recall it was suggested this paterning could be the effect of too large a signal since erecting an almighty aerial, at height, with 28 db booster, to pull in the naff mux on c60
jb38
Tuesday 12 March 2013 7:53PM
Nick: In that case you should use the manual tuning procedure on mux Ch44 (BBC1) but NOT pressing search or scan after having entered the channel number, because if the signal is actually weak it will generally be indicated as such accompanied by varying quality, whereas if the signal is over the top then its liable to indicate 100% strength but with zero quality.

At least thats whats indicated on most devices when operating in these type of situations, although not guaranteed to be applicable in every case as its dependant on the equipment being used.
Nick
Thursday 14 March 2013 6:39PM
JB,
if I was using the Icecrypt box this would be useful, but I am using the pvr, Tvonics which does not have signal strength/quality bars, just sig qual which always says 'very good,' and sig level where the bar is always solid green.
Would you have any idea why periodically I lose these channels on the tuner? I switch the box off at the mains at night, but only the BBC channels, and occasionally the ITV channels disappear.
jb38
Thursday 14 March 2013 8:43PM
Nick: TVonics is one of these brands that does lend itself to being used for experiments, and in your type of situation this is a must!

However with reference to your query, what is the model number of your PVR, and if it only has auto-tuning and not manual as well, then during an auto-tune can you see the names of the programmes being picked up? or if not then does it show a progress bar during the scan? as there is a test I would like you to try but this is dependant on the answers to the aforementioned questions.

Nick
Thursday 14 March 2013 9:10PM
DTR 2250, JB.
I don't believe it shows the stations it is finding. It does have manual tuning. Progress bar during the scan. I disconnect aerial till nearly half way through to stop it logging onto channels from local relay, 23 and 28.
Thanks
jb38
Friday 15 March 2013 12:40AM
Nick: Although I have the manual for that particular box (also known as a Logic LDV2250) the information supplied therein is very limited in the technical sense, but I would like you to go into the main menu and select "reset set top box" to make sure that everything already stored in the EPG list will be deleted, that is excluding any programmes that you have already recorded and stored on the hard drive, as these are quite safe.

Once done then go into the manual tuning screen then enter and scan on BBC's mux Ch44 storing anything found, then change the search channel to 41 (ITV 1 etc) and carry out the same procedure as before.

Have a look at the EPG listings and you should only see BBC and ITV group channels being listed, once this is observed put the box into standby and then switch it off altogether to simulate it being switched off overnight.

Leave it that way for about an hour or so before switching it back on again then check the EPG programme listings and see if BBC is still being seen, if it is then just click on it to see if this results in normal reception, if though the screen is still blank then go into the tuning menu again and enter BBC Mux Ch44 but do NOT press search or scan as this action should result in the signal level being seen, make a note of the level and then compare it with that obtained whilst on ITV1, giving an update on results.
Nick
Friday 15 March 2013 5:35PM
JB,
thank you very much, will try this.
Sorry to be thick, but just wondering what we are proving here. Are you suggesting I might have actually lost the signal when I turn on to a blank screen? It does not say 'no signal.'
I will tune it to channels 41 and 44, only as you say, although what gets me is that these strongest channels are the ones that disappear.
[I know which are the strongest channels thanks to Icecrypt box.]
Nick
Friday 15 March 2013 10:18PM
Please does anyone know why when I use a digibox with crt 12 inch screen tvs I get a buzz on the sound, but not with larger sets?
jb38
Saturday 16 March 2013 7:27AM
Nick: I am really trying to determine as to whether or not your problem is simply being caused by your box picking up more channels during an auto-scan than the tuners memory capacity allows hence the ones picked up first are dropping out, this excluding the possibility of the tuners memory IC having developed a fault.

Of course it could also be found that the problem is being caused by one of the most common reasons of all, and being that the signal level is dipping under the reception threshold for the tuner, although to reiterate on a previous comment I made with regards to the box, insomuch that by it not having separate strength and quality indicators then this is a serious impediment to it being used for any form of meaningful tests, as when dealing with DTT signals a quality indicator is an absolute must.

And on that subject of quality, it would be advantageous if you had a variable attenuator in line with the boxes aerial socket albeit with it normally being kept set for zero attenuation, because going by what you have reported with regards to receiving a strong signal from the BBC mux, if indeed you are then what "might" be happening is that the signal is occasionally peaking over the top and causing intermittent blocking of that mux, as signals received at distances can rapidly fluctuate upwards as well as the reverse and if the former was applying then this is where the in-line variable attenuator would be handy, because should you find that the picture had vanished you could instantly verify (or not) if the problem was being caused by an intermittent signal level excess.

By the way the other reason for suggesting the variable attenuator is that it might be somewhat easier to use that rather than temporarily bypassing the booster.
jb38
Saturday 16 March 2013 7:40AM
Nick: I would say that the size of the screen is not really connected in any way to the problem, but though does this buzz change in pitch with the content of the picture? insomuch varies with the intensity of the picture but with it generally being worse on a whiter screen likewise fades or darker ones, or is the noise constant no matter what the content of the picture is?

Is this being connected to the box via a scart lead?

Nick
Saturday 16 March 2013 5:10PM
JB,
You are a marvel.
Yes, connected by scart to small set, buzz does change pitch according to brightness, but only marginally. Have another small set, ancient Fergusson without remote facility connected by aerial socket to Icecrypt, no problem.
I think you may be barking up the right tree re too much signal on BBC/ITV. I have a whopping homemade aerial and booster to be able at last to pull in the naff mux on c60. Fortunately I also have a 'homemade' booster, it is one of those behind the set ones. I have split it, with the gubbins on the mast, powered by a cable, to the transformer in the attic. I will remove the transformer and replace with 6 volts, as I found during testing I could reduce the gain that way. What a palaver over a rotten mux on c60! If I lose c60 doing this, I will swear!
I will also do your experiment.
Nick
Saturday 16 March 2013 5:30PM
JB, just to clarify.
Only my tvonics is on Sudbury. It is not overstretching itself with channels. I only connect the aerial when it looks close to channel 41, a trick difficult to achieve. If I do not do this, it logs onto the local Aldeburgh channels.
All small sets are on Aldeburgh.
Are you saying that if the BBC signal from Sudbury peaks too high it can cause the picture to vanish...and not be restored without a retune?
jb38
Saturday 16 March 2013 6:32PM
Nick: Basically yes! this based entirely on what you have reported with regards to the signal being strong etc.

But as far as the PSB channels being lost are concerned, if the action of selecting BBC1 results in a blank screen then the "only" way of determining the cause is by following (exactly) the manual tune test procedure as described in my reply on the 12th @ 07.53PM.
jb38
Saturday 16 March 2013 7:31PM
Nick: Re: your 05.10PM posting concerning signal strength reductions etc, I would strongly recommend that you keep the test as simple as possible by "only" using an attenuator in line with the aerial socket as was described, because if you attempt to reduce the signal by changing the voltage being fed to the home made booster then you are effectively bringing something else into the equation thus making it difficult to evaluate the results as its effectively dealing with the unknown as far as signal attenuation is concerned.

Another problem that could be introduced by this action being, that there is always the possibility of the signal passing through the amplifier becoming corrupted due to the RF transistor being used for amplification becoming unstable because of insufficient voltage on its collector compared to that of the high level of RF on its base.
Nick
Saturday 16 March 2013 10:47PM
Thank you, JB, I will do your tests.
Did you have any conclusions re the sound buzz with small tvs/ brightness etc?
jb38
Sunday 17 March 2013 8:32AM
Nick: Sorry, meant to add this to my reply.

However, put simply as it can involve a lengthy explanation, but what you refer to is actually something that was quite frequently heard in a large number of older CRT sets of the somewhat less costly types when the contrast was set on the high side, and with the problem basically being caused by poor design of the power supply allowing the effects of the "maximum current drawing" white level pulses of the video signal to be introduced into the audio circuitry by insufficient levels of filtering, this being why you hear the buzz level changing with the content of the picture.

This type of problem was not really noticed quite so much when the TV was being used for analogue reception via an aerial as the sets auto-gain circuitry kept this level under an element of control, but when a video signal is being fed into the set via the scart socket this control is bypassed thereby placing the circuitry at the mercy of the incoming signal level, and because a Freeview boxes video output is not adjustable in the same way as can be done with a Sky box (three choices of contrast) the only way of compensating for this is on the TV is by reducing the contrast level of the picture, unfortunately on some sets this resulting in the picture having a slight wishy-washy appearance.
Nick
Sunday 17 March 2013 7:57PM
Thanks JB,
seems not to affect bigger sets, and even Sony trinitron portables buzz via scart.
jb38
Sunday 17 March 2013 8:58PM
Nick: Possibly not, but as I previously mentioned it is something that is not exactly uncommon if the intensity of the buzz varies with the content of the signal but somewhat subsides if the TV's contrast is reduced, because if it doesnt then the problem can be caused by defective earth continuity between both devices (try another scart lead) or possibly a dry joint on the ground connection from the rear of the boxes scart socket to PCB (or even on the PCB) as in that case the buzz heard "is" the video signal and not a representation of it as applies in the case of a poorly designed power supply.


Nick
Sunday 17 March 2013 10:48PM
thanks JB,
This problem seems common to several small tvs, scart leads and boxes I have tried, and avoidable only with boxes which will feed via aerial, including my Digital Vision AD-BEAV....which brings me to yet another problem. That box is useful as it can connect via the aerial. However, the speech is often slurred and slow, as if drunk, or a 45 rpm record playing at 33. It is remedied by switching it off at the mains once or twice. Any ideas please?
Alexa
Friday 22 March 2013 9:40PM Aldeburgh
at 11pm EVERY night my signal is lost until the next day. no amount of re-tuning works.can anyone offer an explanation?
Nick
Friday 22 March 2013 11:54PM
Alexa, whereabouts, roughly, in A? Are you on the Aldeburgh tx, limited channels, or Sudbury?
jb38
Saturday 23 March 2013 12:01AM
Alexa: Does the aerial system being used belong to you or are you on some form of communal system? although should it be yours then if you have any form of booster installed then it has possibly been accidentally connected into a mains supply thats used a timed circuit such as communal lighting or cheap off peak electricity.

Have you made any enquiries with your neighbours to determine as to whether or not the problem is solely confined to yourself? or that others are being similarly affected?
Nick
Saturday 23 March 2013 7:38AM
JB,
do you have any idea about the slurred speech on one of my boxes, please?
Sound has now gone on tvonics box, replaced scarts etc, def the box. That did not last long.
jb38
Saturday 23 March 2013 12:21PM
Nick: If you are referring to slurred speech in the same way as say a slowed down gramophone record, then to be perfectly honest about it its something that I have never at any time experienced with digital equipment, stuttering speech yes! but not anything that could be described as an analogue type slur.

If you have completely reset the box then that's about the only thing that you can do, however I believe that software updates were available for some models although I am not able to check on this as I am unaware of the model you are referring to, although as the company went into administration the link I am thinking about may no longer exist.

Anyway, if you come back with the model number of the PVR in question I will have a check.

By the way, the undermentioned link is for a company that any enquiries concerning TVOnics devices should be addressed to, clicking on "contact us" seen on the left hand side of the page.

www.pulse-eight.com link icon 
Pulse-Eight



Nick
Saturday 23 March 2013 5:49PM
JB, the tvonics pvr, which has lost its sound, is DTR2250
The box with the slurred speech, which appears slow and deeper voice yet pic is in sync, is Digital Vision AD BEAV
Which of these two companies is in administration?
Many thanks
jb38
Saturday 23 March 2013 7:20PM
Nick: Thanks for the clarification on that, and in answer to your question its TVonics.

Will check up on both devices mentioned.
Nick
Sunday 24 March 2013 8:20AM
Thanks JB,
I went on that pulse site and told them what I think of their product.
Nick
Saturday 6 April 2013 7:56AM
where has JB gone?
jb38
Saturday 6 April 2013 11:54PM
Nick: Should you be referring to me then I am still around, but though with this being totally dependant on work commitments and which may at times involve me working over night at short notice should I be required to assist some other engineer, as indeed has recently applied.
Nick
Sunday 7 April 2013 7:46AM
Understood, JB. Just wondered if you had managed to find info on the two devices.
Kind regards.
Kevin Hodges
Wednesday 10 April 2013 2:13PM Chelmsford
This is boring. No Engineering works, no re-tunes required and all muxes received loud and clear. What is a man to do?
jb38
Wednesday 10 April 2013 4:59PM
Nick ; Apologies for delay in replying, but with regards to the answer to your question, although I did make enquiries / checks on the database during my usual Friday stint at the service depot it didn't actually reveal anything more than I already knew, insomuch that the only action you can take that might hopefully rectify the problem complained of is by carrying out a software update on the box, but though with major stumbling block to carrying this action out being the fact of every web link associated with TVonics software updates being inoperable.

This somewhat leaving the situation in limbo, as the only chance that anyone would have of being able to update their box is if some TVonics enthusiast (as they do exist!) had made personal copies of the completed downloads prior to the companies link having been broken, however no amount of searching by me has as yet been able to find anyone that could maybe oblige, and so the situation does not look very promising.

Apart from that though, maybe you could inform me as to the software version fitted in your particular model, as this would enable me to cross check it against others in the series thereby giving me an idea of the level your box is sitting at, the software version installed in your box being found by pressing: Menu / Service / Manufacturers details.

As far as the other box (AD-BEAV) referred to is concerned, unfortunately its really a case of grinning and bearing it as no info was seen mentioned about this model, therefore with it being assumed that no fixes are available for this device, the link below when opened giving an example of the prices that these boxes were being sold off at, or at least attempted to as the only offer I seen was half of the asking price.


web-lb.e-tradergroup.com link icon Digital Vision Freeview Box AD-BEAV with Twin Scart | 78907 | Stockshifters

Nick
Wednesday 10 April 2013 11:33PM
Thank you, JB.
I will have a look for the software version on the tvonics box and get back to you....so in layman's terms, there might not be a faulty component making it lose sound, it just needs updating but such would be difficult?
I do not understand why these modern devices need to be updated just to keep them doing the basic things they were purchased for.
Next door is a freesat box, it comes up with all sorts of reasons why it won't go, mostly lies, but that one is easy to fix, just switch off at mains.
Nick
Friday 26 April 2013 8:12AM
JB, apologies for the delay.
Software version.
V1.3.A1208.M1319

One day the sound worked, the next not. Scarts played with, replaced, no effect.

Thanks.
updates
Automatic update every 1 minute



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.

UK Free TV is here to help people. If you are rude or disrespectful all of your posts will be deleted and you will be banned.







Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.