22nd May 2013 retunes for Devon and Carmarthenshire

As part of a rolling programme in the regions that experienced the early digital switchovers, some viewers on the Devon and Carmarthenshire will need to retune on Wednesday. However, viewers of some relays must not retune.

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 21st May 2013 at 07:02}

The original plan for digital-only television services had created a set of cleared (unused, for resale as 4G) frequencies in the range C31 to C40, and a smaller one in the C63-C68 range. However, to align the frequencies with the rest of Europe and to provide the mobile internet companies with more desirable frequencies the allocations were changed - see Digital Dividend - changes to the 800MHz band.

In the regions that switched-over after the decision was taken, the new frequency plan has been used. In the regions that switched before, viewers will have to perform one more retune.

This week, on Wednesday 22nd May 2013, viewers of the Huntshaw Cross and Carmel transmitter groups will see another minor Freeview change.

Huntshaw Cross transmitter and transmitter group

Between midnight and 6am, the Huntshaw Cross transmitter will change the transmitter frequency of the PSB1 multiplex from C62- to C50. PSB1 (also known as BBCA) carries 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.

Due to this change, all the relays of Huntshaw Cross will need to be retuned to the main transmitter. If you use Berrynabor, Chambercombe, Muddiford, Tedburn St Mary, Westward Ho!, Woolacombe DO NOT RETUNE - just wait for the BBC channels to return.

The following relays of Huntshaw Cross will change their transmission frequencies.

Barnstaple: PSB3 (that's 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) C50 to C40

Braunton: PSB2 (3 ITV (West Country), 4 Channel 4 , 5 Channel 5 , 6 ITV 2,13 Channel 4+1 , 14 More 4, 28 E4, 33 ITV +1 (West Country)) C49 to C39

Combe Martin: PSB2 C49 to C39

Great Torrington: PSB2 C50 to C40

Hartland: PSB1 C60+ to C60

Ilfracombe: PSB2 C61- to C49 (power increases from 56W to 112W on all multiplexes)

North Bovey: PSB3 C50 to C40

Carmel transmitter and transmitter group

Between midnight and 6am, the Carmel transmitter will change COM6 from C61 to C49. COM6 (or ArqB) carries the 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 channels.

As COM6 is not provided on the relay transmitters, there will be no loss in service or need to retune (not that Dowlais sees a power increase from 5W to 10W).

However, the following masts will change their PSB1 (that's 1 BBC One Wales, 2 BBC Two Wales, 7 BBC Three, 9 BBC Four, 70 CBBC Channel,71 CBeebies, 80 BBC News, 81 BBC Parliament, 301 301, plus 14 others):

Llandrindod Wells: PSB1 C49 to C39+

Llanelli: PSB1 C49 to C39

Penderyn: PSB1 C49 to C39 (2.6W to 5.2W PSB2 power increase on all multiplexes)

Pontardawe: PSB1 C61 to C49

Talley: PSB1 C49 to C39

Ystalyfera: PSB1 C49 to C39 :

Notes about retuning

If you are not on the list, you should scan your box from around 6am.

When you now rescan, you MUST do a "first time installation" or "factory reset" scan (sometimes called "shipping state"), not a simple "add channels". Do the procedure you did on "national retune day", September 30th 2009, see Freeview Retune - list of manuals.

If you can't recall the procedure or find the manual, please see generic clear and rescan procedure.

Some people may find problems with the newly allocated frequencies - if so, please see Single frequency interference.

Cable and satellite

Cable (Virgin Media) and satellite (Sky, Freesat, fSfS) viewers are not affected by the changes. Remember, however, that you may be using analogue TV to watch on a second or third set and it might need a Freeview box.

Next to change

The next changes are on 29 May 2013


Belper: PSB2 C62 to C50
Birchover: PSB1 C49 to C39
Oxford: COM4 C62 to C50
Stanton Moor: PSB2 C62 to C50
Waltham: PSB1 C61 to C49