Switchover starts in Hampshire, West Sussex coast plus Brighton and Hove
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV This week sees the first stage of the digital television switchover for 721,393 homes in Hampshire and West Sussex plus the 118,500 homes in the city of Brighton and Hove.
From 6am Wednesday 7th March 2012, you must perform a "first time installation" retune (sometimes "Factory Reset" or "Shipping Condition") on your Freeview box or television set if you use the Rowridge, Salisbury or Whitehawk Hill full service Freeview transmitter.
This is because the old low power "multiplex 1" BBC service will be replaced by the high power BBCA multiplex on the old analogue BBC TWO frequency:
- Rowridge (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C24, Mux 1 closes on C34, BBCA starts on C24.
- Salisbury (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue closes on C63, ITV 1 analogue moves to C60 from C53, Mux 1 closes on C55, BBCA starts on C57.
- Whitehawk Hill (starts midnight, ends by 6am) - BBC TWO analogue C60 closes. ITV 1 analogue swaps to C63 from C60. Multiplex BBCA starts on C60. Multiplex 1 C66 closes. Mux A moves from C55 to C66.
On Wednesday 7th March 2012 if you use the Bevendean (noon), Bovington (noon), Brading (noon), Brighstone (noon), Brighton (Central) (noon), Canford Heath (2pm), Cheselbourne (noon), Coldean (3pm), Corfe Castle (9am), Donhead (6am), Findon (9am), Hangleton (noon), Horndean (9am), Luccombe (9am), Lulworth (noon), Luscombe Valley (9am), Millbrook (noon), Ovingdean (3pm), Patcham (9am), Piddletrenthide (3pm), Poole (6am), Portslade (9am), Poulner (11am), Saltdean (9am), Shrewton (9am), Singleton (6am), Sutton Row (9am), Till Valley (noon), Ventnor (9am), Westbourne (noon), Winterbourne Steepleton (9am), Winterbourne Stickland (9am) relay transmitters you will be able to receive the BBC Freeview services (with the exception of HD) for the first time, and you will no longer be able to view BBC TWO on analogue.
Remember, this is the last two weeks viewers in Brighton and Hove will be part of the BBC "South Today" region, as the transmitter will now move to the BBC "South East Today" region (as they are already on Sky and Freesat) - see Brighton transmitters will be in BBC South East from March 2012.
You MAY find that old equipment will no longer work - see TVs and boxes that do not support the 8k-mode
Another common problem at switchover is the increase in signal will overload amplifiers and over-the-top aerial installations. If this is the case you will have to remove the booster or amplifier from the system, or perhaps fit an attenuator if you have no amplification. - see Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you.
On Wednesday 21th March 2012 will see the second stage of switchover, which provides the final Freeview configuration, including Freeview HD for all transmitters in this region.
On this date, you will need, once again, to do a "first time installation" as indicated above.
If you are over 75, you should already have been supplied new equipment by the Switchover Help Scheme.
Help with Freeview, aerials?
In this section
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
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Carole1:54 PM
We live in Findon village and have always had really poor terrestrial pictures, so our main tv is linked to FreeSat. Our tv in the kitchen is Freeview enabled, but is currently receiving a boosted analogue signal and the FreeSat channel selected in the lounge. I am assuming that the Findon transmitter will give us the strongest digital signal, but will we need to move our aerial to receive the signal? It is my understanding that the Findon transmitter is new, so our aerial (which is at least 15 years old) is probably pointing somewhere else! Thanks for your help :).
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Carole1:57 PM
the rest of my post...
...so our aerial (which is at least 15 years old) is probably pointing somewhere else! Thanks for your help :).
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Carole1:59 PM
so our aerial (which is at least 15 years old) is probably pointing somewhere else! Thanks for your help
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Carole: If you receive your TV from the transmitter in Findon, then you will not get the full Freeview service as it is a "Freeview Light" transmitter and only carries the Public Service Broadcaster services.
Findon is not a new transmitter; it is just that it has only ever carried analogue up until now.
If you give your location (preferrably in the form of a post code) and the direction of your aerial, we may be able to advise.
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Carole2:26 PM
Worthing
Dave: thanks for your prompt response. Our postcode is BN14 0UA, but I will have to wait until I get home to check on the directon of the aerial. thx
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Carole's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Carole: I had a look around your area on Google Streetview (although your road isn't on there) and all the aerials I could see are on Findon transmitter. It is situated to the south of the village on West Hill. Aerials on Findon are vertical (elements up/down).
The predictor suggests that you won't get much else even less chance of getting the Commercial channels that Findon doesn't carry. Me thinks Freesat may be your only option for extra channels.
Your current aerial is expected to be suitable for digital services. Unusually but perhaps fortunately for you, the digital signals from Findon will be much stronger than the old analogue ones.
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Carole: I should add a qualification to the above "Your current aerial is expected to be suitable for digital services" **if it is directed at Findon**.
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Carole4:53 PM
Dave: Thank you so much for your assistance. We will try to tune in BBC2 tonight on the Freeview set and see what happens!
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Carole: You should be able to receive BBC standard definition TV and radio services on Freeview now. They all broadcast on the frequency that BBC Two analogue used to use.
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Allan Isaacs7:21 PM
Christchurch
We use Rowridge.
I retuned our Sony TV at 6:30pm but the BT Box seems to have done this by itself.
Unfortunately all the stations on Channel 30 are breaking up both on the TV and through the BT Vision box. The signal strength for all RF channels reads 100% but quality doesn't get higher than 20%.
I wonder if the multiplex on Channel 30 is now too near BBC1 analogue on Channel 31?
I can't remember what there is up our aerial pole, but almost certainly there's an amplifier, as without this we couldn't have received Freeview? The same goes for lots of peolpe in the Bransgore area.
I thought switchover would be painless!
Now no ESPN and no Quest... my favourites.
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Allan's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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