Caradon Hill (Cornwall, England) DAB transmitter
 | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 50.511,-4.437 or 50°30'38"N 4°26'14"W |
Are there any planned engineering works or unexpected transmitter faults on the Caradon Hill (Cornwall, England) mast?
Caradon Hill transmitter - Caradon Hill transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 11/11/2024 Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels 
UK Free TV shows the coverage area for a radio transmitter as a coloured overlay (orange for FM, other colours for DAB) on the grey map. We have computed the coverage by combining the terrain with the official radiation pattern. A single click will select the transmitter to view the coverage for a single site, and a double click goes to a page showing full details. Click on the buttons in the right-hand corner of the map to choose from different frequencies (or multiplexes for DAB).
Local transmitter maps
Caradon Hill Freeview Caradon Hill DAB Caradon Hill AM/FM Caradon Hill TV region BBC South West West CountryTuesday, 16 April 2024
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Matthew Delaforce12:21 PM
For about a week now the Freeview signal imparts of Bodmin Cornwall is so bad that some equipment can't lock onto the signal off many if not all channels. Area is served by Caradon Hill.
I see there is scheduled maintenance work listed on the actual Freeview web site for caradon hill, but not listed on ukfreetv site, why isn't it listed here.
Any ideas anyone on how long the maintenance work is planned to go on? fo
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C
Chris.SE2:10 PM
Matthew Delaforce:
The Planned Engineering is mentioned on this site. Although you have posted on the DAB page, there is a note at the top of the page about the Engineering and the possible effect on Freeview. On the Freeview transmitter page, apart from the note at the top of that page, there are several posts about the Engineering work which has been going on and off for several weeks, similarly to a lot of other main transmitters.
As you haven't given a full postcode, it's not possible to comment on your predicted reception and make any constructive comment on how yours may be impacted by the engineering., and additionally whether you may be subject to any interference.
Arqiva never give details of the engineering work, or how long it may last as quite a lot of it can be weather dependant and you cannot work at height on masts in very windy conditions nor close to the antenna at full power. Some tasks cannot be carried out in the rain.
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Tuesday, 20 August 2024
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Matthew5:47 PM
Chris.SE:
Yes I saw the scheduled maintenance works listed on the Freeview site, but at the time I commented, this site had misleading information that excluded Caradon hill from a map or list showing what areas had scheduled maintenance work happening.
As it happens the Caradon hill transmitter has got even more maintenance even now, that's if it ever ended last time, and as a result it's running lower power on many of the channels, so a TV that was working fine with it in Bodmin, can no longer pick up many of the weak channels.
It's a pity the local engineers don't post an update to the local news channels about when work is being carried out. Or post some message that gets displayed on the TV to say maintenance work is being carried out. They used to do it under the old analogue days from what I remember.
postcode searches don't really help due to the landscape adding complexity. According to postcode signal from caradon to this property in bodmin should be good, but it isn't.
Thanks for your earlier reply.
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Wednesday, 21 August 2024
C
Chris.SE12:12 AM
Matthew:
The site doesn't have "misleading" information about engineering, it is normally posted on the relevant transmitter page by an automated scan of the Freeview information - even that information can be inaccurate on a number of occasions as we've found many times.
(The "map" of so say "live" faults and engineering doesn't appear to be maintained these days - I've deduced that being due to OS updates affecting the way the site owner's software works and he's not had time to rectify it).
The Text version is more reliable but only lists those where BBC services are affected. Trying to get fault information about Commercial services is like trying to get blood out of a stone - wherever you look!
The Postcode searches give the predicted reception taking account of the geography but obviously apply when the transmitter is operating normally not when there is engineering work when it may be running on the Reserve Antenna (lower on the mast) or on Reduced power. It however can't take note of very very local obstructions on the line-of-site like a tall building across the road from someone!
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