Want to know which transmitters will carry extra Freeview HD?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV I am working on integrating this information into UK Free TV. Note there are a number of sites with restricted radiation patterns. This information may take a couple of days to generate coverage maps for.
I have used the "Nominal ERPs" (the power levels most likely to be employed in practice by the licensee).
Taken from Ofcom - Award of the 600 MHz spectrum band - it's bad news for The Wrekin and Sudbury, but good news for:
Angus com7: C31 4500W at 230m
Angus com8: C37 4500W at 230m
Beacon Hill com7: C33 4300W at 100m
Beacon Hill com8: C34 1000W at 100m
Belmont com7: C33 15400W at 342m
Belmont com8: C35 15400W at 342m
Bilsdale com7: C31 5000W at 296m
Bilsdale com8: C37 5000W at 296m
Black Hill com7: C32 9400W at 264m
Black Hill com8: C35 12500W at 264m
Bluebell Hill com7: C32 1400W at 49m
Bluebell Hill com8: C34 1400W at 49m
Caldbeck com7: C32 5400W at 331m
Caldbeck com8: C35 3600W at 331m
Caradon Hill com7: C31 10500W at 234m
Caradon Hill com8: C37 2500W at 234m
Craigkelly com7: C33 2300W at 131m
Craigkelly com8: C34 3000W at 131m
Crystal Palace com7: C33 15600W at 212m
Crystal Palace com8: C35 13500W at 204m
Darvel com7: C31 2600W at 110m
Darvel com8: C37 2600W at 110m
Divis com7: C33 4400W at 148m
Divis com8: C34 3400W at 148m
Durris com7: C32 12500W at 315m
Durris com8: C35 12500W at 315m
Emley Moor com7: C32 16700W at 279m
Emley Moor com8: C34 16700W at 279m
Fenham com7: C31 80W at 51m
Fenham com8: C37 80W at 51m
Fenton com7: C32 140W at 50m
Fenton com8: C34 140W at 50m
Hannington com7: C32 10000W at 142m
Hannington com8: C34 5500W at 142m
Mendip com7: C33 17500W at 192m
Mendip com8: C35 17500W at 192m
Moel-y-Parc com7: C32 7300W at 236m
Moel-y-Parc com8: C34 5000W at 236m
Oxford com7: C31 5800W at 161m
Oxford com8: C37 5800W at 161m
Pontop Pike com7: C33 9500W at 145m
Pontop Pike com8: C34 9500W at 145m
Ridge Hill com7: C32 4200W at 162m
Ridge Hill com8: C34 4200W at 162m
Rowridge com7: C31 25000W at 156m
Rowridge com7: C31 25000W at 156m
Rowridge com8: C37 25000W at 156m
Rowridge com8: C37 25000W at 156m
Sandy Heath com7: C32 8400W at 220m
Sandy Heath com8: C34 8400W at 220m
Sheffield com7: C31 200W at 48m
Sheffield com8: C37 200W at 48m
Sutton Coldfield com7: C33 6400W at 264m
Sutton Coldfield com8: C35 8300W at 264m
Tacolneston com7: C31 10000W at 200m
Tacolneston com8: C37 10000W at 200m
Waltham com7: C31 1400W at 260m
Waltham com8: C37 1400W at 260m
Wenvoe com7: C31 4200W at 258m
Wenvoe com8: C37 12200W at 258m
Winter Hill com7: C31 14000W at 237m
Winter Hill com8: C37 14000W at 237m
| Whenever i watch moving sport especially football I experience much poorer pictu | 1 |
1:37 PM
Lorraine ross:
That would be easy if we knew where you were ;) A full postcode will help, or you can put it into About us | Freeview where the DigitalUK site will give you the information.
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8:31 AM
Llandeilo
The Carmel transmitter does not reach SA19 7BZ. This theres needs to be reviewed and rectified. Please can you escalate this to ensure the people of this area can use their Tv's and not have to purchase a tv Pre 2012 to allow them to watch tv. Many thanks.
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Lisa's: mapL's Freeview map terrainL's terrain plot wavesL's frequency data L's Freeview Detailed Coverage
9:10 AM
Lisa: The Freeview coverage checker does not predict any transmitter to be receivable at your postcode. It is extremely unlikely that this will change in future, so you need to look at alternatives such as Freesat for reliable reception. I'm not sure what you mean about a pre-2012 TV as all TV has been digital since then, there are no analogue channels available anywhere in the UK and no one using an older TV can get any services that cannot be received on a current model. Also, this is an independent website where volunteer contributors aim to provide technical help with reception problems, no one here has any way of reviewing or rectifying a gap in coverage.
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5:38 PM
Lisa:
It's simply down to the terrain - too many hills in the way. As StevensOnln1 has said you need to look at alternatives - primarily Freesat. Most modern TVs already have built-in satellite tuners, so all you need is the Dish and LNB, you get most of the same channels as the full gamut of Freeview, and a few others. None of the main transmitters Carmel, Preseli or BlaenPlwyf are ever going to reach your locale because of the terrain. It does also look as though you are just out of range of the Talley relay transmitter, but this only has the 3 PSB multiplexes in any case (for which channels on which Freeview multiplex see Channel listings | Freeview ).
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10:06 PM
Narberth
Hi,
Please help! We can't watch certain channels at certain times of the day, continuously pixelates. Having read your comments it looks like you may be able to help us. What can we do to sort this as its veryyyy annoying. Our postcode is SA67 8LZ
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Mrs's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
12:38 AM
Mrs Allen:
One of the "problems" of being quite high on a hill. especially in parts of South Pembrokeshire, is that you can pick up more than one transmitter. According to the predictions you could theoretically pick up six! Unfortunately none of them are predicted to give reliable reception of all the multiplexes (groups of programmes that are carried on one UHF broadcast channel).
See Channel listings for Industry Professionals | Freeview for which programmes/channels are carried on which multiplex.
Preseli is you "main" most likely transmitter virtually due north of you (bearing 4 degrees). Is your aerial pointing that way? The aerial rods (or squashed x's) would be horizontal.
The Freeview predictor suggests you should get reliable reception of the 3 PSB multiplexes - BBCA/PSB1, D3&4/PSB2 and BBCB HD/PSB3 but only variable reception (or none) of the commercial multiplexes COMs4-6 depending on where you are in your road. There is no COM7 or Local Multiplex at Preseli (or Carmel, Kilvey Hill or N.Devon transmitter Huntshaw Cross. There is COM7 from Wenvoe - Wales and Mendip - West).
Now it's also possible, like a number of properties down on the seafront, that your aerial may be pointing at Wenvoe or Kilvey Hill, both in a very similar direction, bearing 109 or 104 degrees (that's just 19 or 14 degrees slightly S of due E) the essential difference being for Wenvoe the rods will be horizontal, but vertical for Kilvey Hill. Kilvey Hill is more likely to give poor/no reception whereas Wenvoe could be good/variable for the PSBs and COM7 but maybe poor/none for COMs4-6.
The "problem" in locations such as yours is that some of the transmitters use the same UHF channels for some of the multiplexes, so there is interference between them. A really good aerial/aerial array would be needed to minimise that and it's not always possible to eliminate it for all the time (weather dependent). This is the case for COMs4-6 from Preseli and Wenvoe, also to complicate the issue the transmitter power is less for these COMs compared to the PSBs to minimise locations with interference but it also reduces coverage.
I think that's enough (technical) explanation of the Freeview situation. If you tell us which Programmes/Channels you want to watch that are pixellating, that would help with more detailed advice.
In general you'd perhaps be better going for Freesat. A lot of modern sets have a Satellite tuner built-in, so you just need the Dish and LNB. Do you know if yours has? What make and model? This could be a cheaper option that having your aerial (array) changed/upgraded.
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11:15 AM
Hi I live in Downend Bristol and have bought a freeview box but I have not a outside aerial would
A Inside aerial pick up the channels
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2:20 PM
Marie Ricketts-Rees: We need a full postcode to see what the predicted signal strength is like at your location, but if you are relatively close (or have line of sight) to one of the transmitters in the area then an indoor areial may work.
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4:09 PM
Marie Ricketts-Rees:
It depends on where you are in Downend. As StevensOnln1 says we need a full postcode.
Are you in a flat or do you have access to a loft?
If you are quite high up the you may be lucky to get signals from the main Mendip transmitter roughly to the SSW with a indoor (set-top) aerial but would need an unobstructed view (no thick walls) etc. ie. a SSW facing window. A loft aerial would be better, but again line-of-sight is important.
You are unlikely to get reliable reception from any of the main relays in Bristol (Kings Weston - almost due W, even less likely Ilchester Crescent). You might get reliable signals for the main stations from the main Welsh transmitter at Wenvoe (almost due W), but that would be Welsh regional programmes.
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