Sudbury Arqiva multiplex B changes 16 November - retune required
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV After 6am 16th November 2011, viewers in Suffolk and Essex who receive the full Freeview service from the Sudbury transmitter will need to do a full retune of their Freeview boxes - you must perform a "first time installation" retune (sometimes "Factory Reset" or "Shipping Condition") to ensure you can watch the all the available Freeview channels on the correct channel numbers.
The ArqB multiplex is moving from C50 to C63 for seven months. There will be no changes to the power level or transmission mode parameters of the service. C50 is required for the ArqB at the Tacolneston transmitter digital switchover next wednesday.
Sudbury not see the commercial multiplexes operating at their final power levels until 27th June 2012. On this date SDN will move to C58, ArqA to C60 and ArqB to C56. Until this time some viewers on the edges of the service area for the transmitter will be unable to receive the commercial services.
Help with Freeview, aerials?
In this section
Friday, 18 November 2011
Tim CO14
4:15 PM
Walton On The Naze
4:15 PM
Walton On The Naze
Update: By removing an aerial splitter, I've now got ArqA channels back. It just means I can't have TV and PC (via an August DVB-T205 USB stick) connected at the same time if I want to watch Dave, Sky News etc. But it just shows what a big difference a small sacrifice can make. In my case, it was around a 15% increase in signal strength.
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Tim's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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dave9:48 PM
Had similer problems on my tv's in sudbury, try Alpha aerials on 01787 312822, simon came out and sorted the problem for me, know got all channels back, he was very helpful and very reasonable
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Saturday, 19 November 2011
A
Alan6:21 AM
If you look at the MUX chart for Sudbury, ArqB is only pushing out 1,100 watts.
Compare that to the BBC Mux at 100,000 watts.
No wonder we have problems
Freeview on Sudbury TV transmitter | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice (CO85LH)
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drgeoff10:13 AM
Be aware that the page pointed to by the link in the immediately preceding post is out of date. It does not have the changes that were made on 17 November.
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Dale
10:16 AM
10:16 AM
Why has ArqB not been pushed up to 2,200 W as promised? Or has it? (in which case why all the problems?)
http://stakeholders.ofcom….pdf (IP29XY)
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yes11:03 AM
Dale, I think it has been pushed up to 2.2kW. I don't understand why most people could get it before when it was broadcasting on just 1.1kW though. I know it was on a channel in the 50s then, and now it's moved to the 60s, but I think we've established that those affected have got wideband aerials, so the frequency's not an issue.
I think the most plausible theory is that ArqB's not being broadcast in an omnidrectional and/or if it is, then the fact it's on a smaller mast now (and is therefore lower down, presumably) is meaning it's difficult to pick up.
Digital UK and/or Arqiva don't seem to care, and are erroneously suggesting people get their aerials replaced when they already have new wideband aerials (maybe they don't care because they want to generate some business for the aerial business, who knows). I guess those without ArqB will just have to hope that they can get it back when the COM muxes get moved onto the main mast - and are broadcast at full power - from next June.
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alan2:47 PM
I telephoned Digital UK just now and asked why the loss of C63.
I was given the stock answer "In every case the problem is caused by the customer not having a wideband aerial"
I then told him I had two separate 36 w/b element aerials pointing to the Sudbury mast 2.3km away.
Nice man then used the postcode checker to inform me "that I was getting 100% signal strength"
When I mentioned mast power levels I was then told "we are not told any details of power"
He then asked where did I get the aerials from - when I said "Screwfix" he said "That`s your problem"
But there are LABGEAR" I replied
I left no wiser than when I started the call
Agreed, my earlier comment about the MUX having an output of 1,100 watts looks to be an old page - whoops
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Alan. So Digital UK are saying that Screwfix equipmenmt is inferior are they? I would think Screwfix would be a little annoyed at that particularly as they are retailing Labgear equipment.
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Heinz's: mapH's Freeview map terrainH's terrain plot wavesH's frequency data H's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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drgeoff6:15 PM
@ alan
I can believe that the differences in both an aerial's gain (even a wideband one) and propagation effects between 738 MHz and 810 MHz could make the former receivable and the latter not out at the fringes.
But I do find it very difficult to understand why a 36 element aerial only 2.3 km from the transmitter cannot deliver an adequate signal.
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Dale
7:12 PM
Ipswich
7:12 PM
Ipswich
alan : I find the 'help' you got from Digital UK absolutely disgusting : I'm glad I didn't make that call because I would have been unable to control my temper! This clearly shows that the big-wigs at Digital UK are taking the view that there are simply a load of moaning minnies trying to use crappy aerials around here! Since the media (TV / press) have also declined to take up this issue on our behalf, then Digital UK get away with it : my guess is that 'yes' is pretty close to the truth with his comments.
drgeoff : not knowing much about how UHF waves behave, your comments interest me, because I was starting to wonder about whether higher frequencies at the same power might 'propogate' less well. When I was first married, in the late 70s, we lived in a part of Ipswich that had notoriously poor TV reception, being low-down and surrounded by higher buildings and the railway line! There was significant ghosting but also a weak signal. However, there were marked differences between our reception of the 3 channels (yes, youngsters, just 3 in those days ...). ITV on CH41 was the strongest picture but had the most ghosting and was often difficult to watch for that reason ; BBC1 on CH51 had little ghosting but had a weak and snowy picture ; BBC2 on CH44 was the best of the 3 : some ghosting but no snow (all of this with a mast-head amp I hasten to add). Since all 3 channels were supposedly broadcast at the same power level, from Sudbury, I suspected even back then that higher frequencies didn't 'carry' as well.
Also, 3 years ago, my old group-B aerial, where I am now (an OK signal area) started to fail, and again it was the 'top end' that went first : by the time I had it replaced with my current wideband aerial, BBC 1 (CH51) was snowy and unwatchable ; C4 (CH47) was starting to sparkle ; BBC2 (CH44), ITV (CH41) and even low-power C5 (CH35) were all still fine!
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Dale's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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