The Wrekin overnight 18th-20th January tests will affect Sutton Coldfield
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV An essential part of the tests on the new aerials at The Wrekin transmitter - so they will function correctly on switchover day, 20th April 2011 - full power overnight testing is done.
During the test, all the existing Freeview services will remain on air.
However, the analogue services will be switched off as follows:
Tuesday 18th January: BBC ONE, BBC TWO from 0020 (plus ITV1, Channel 4 and FIVE).
Wednesday 19th January: BBC ONE from 0110, BBC TWO from 0010 (plus ITV1, Channel 4 and FIVE).
Thursday 20th January: BBC ONE from 0150, BBC TWO from 0010 (plus ITV1, Channel 4 and FIVE).
Because the commercial multiplexes will use C41, C44 and C47 at The Wrekin after switchover (and hence, during these tests) this will clash with Freeview multiplexes 1, 2 and A on the Sutton Coldfield transmitter.
This means that many Sutton Coldfield Freeview users will not have usable service overnight during the testing period.
Help with Freeview, aerials?
In this section
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
J
juliet2:16 AM
I, as a user and having paid over a hundred pounds for an aerial to receive freeview and as a person who is already hugely dissatisfied with the overwhelming number of repeats shown within days of their previous airing, am now subjected to a loss of all ITV and Five variants. I find this service to be a misnomer: no service at all. Wish I could afford Sky.
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Ryan: The Wrekin's DSO2 date is that date. That's why it lists it.
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Stuart: Sutton Coldfield does not transmit Channel 5 on analogue, that comes from Lichfield.
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Wutty11:42 AM
Hi, me again! Wrekin help please . . . I live in the Severn Gorge on a development that is within the Ironbridge world heritage site and so has restrictions on TV & satellite aerials etc. We have a communal system (professionally installed heavy duty Philips kit) with 1 wide band aerial pointed at the Wrekin, 1 FM & a Sky dish. This is combined and via a single cable is distributed to 40 properties. My brother is ex-BBC transmitters (25 years ago!) so by (illogical) default I have picked up the responsibility for managing the TV set up here for the 40 properties. So that's the background!
This site has been really useful to help me keep everyone here up to date with digital change over, but recently I have noticed some conflicting dates appear. My summary of the position for the folk here is:
The switch over will be phased over a number of days and you will have to retune on April 6th (when analogue BBC 2 is switched off and some existing digital services change); again on 20th April (when all other analogue services are switched off and new digital channels added); finally again on 28th April after all changes are completed.
I've also told them that we will start to receive the free to air HD channels too, and get a much stronger digital signal.
IS all this true or have I got some dates / info wrong? Thanks!
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Wutty: That's all OK, apart from the "finally again on 28th April after all changes are completed." bit.
The final "COM" changes won't happen until 28th SEPTEMBER 2011, not April, because of the clash with the Ashcott under Wychwood, Charlbury, Guiting Power, Icomb Hill, Over Norton and Oxford transmitter region.
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Wutty12:59 PM
Briantist - great thanks - but what are COM changes? And what does this mean in non-tech terms - will there be any channels missing between April & September, and will we need to retune after 28th September?
..and just to say thanks - your knowledge is much appreciated here.
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Stuart
1:23 PM
Wrexham
1:23 PM
Wrexham
Hi Briantist, I know Channel 5 comes from Lichfield and not Sutton Coldfield. What I meant to say was that "Although Channel 5 from The Wrekin is turned off, I am receiving quite a poor Channel 5 from a different transmitter. As Sutton Coldfield's AND LICHFIELD C5 analogue services are unaffected, I could be receiving Five from the Fenton relay of the SC transmitter.
It's funny though how if I am receiving BBC1 from Lark Stoke during the hours of The Wrekin shutdown, you would think I would also get BBC1, ITV1 and Channel 4 from Lark Stoke as well as they are on the same channels as The Wrekin, albeit that BBC1 (ch33) and BBC2 (ch26) are reversed at that transmitter compared to The Wrekin (BBC1 ch26 BBC2 ch33).
Perhaps something to do with the signal beams or interference of other channels on the same frequencies?
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Stuart's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Stuart
1:25 PM
Wrexham
1:25 PM
Wrexham
Spelling mistake above. Should say: you would think I would also get BBC2, ITV1 and Channel 4 from Lark Stoke
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Stuart's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
A
andy3:10 PM
Wigan
The analogue went off at 00:15 and the test signals started shortly after.
The test signals contained no NIT so all i could do is measure the signal strength,The tests were conducted on CH's 23/26/41/44/47 and of course blocked reception of sutton DTT on CH's 41/44/47.
For anyone interested i will post the signal results on my youtube channel.
Andy
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andy's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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