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Updates for 700MHz Freeview retunes, fixed all channels, new icons, radio fixes

Over the last week I have had, at last, enough free time to spend several days fixing everything that had stopped working properly on ukfree.tv.

Making it all work together again.   Photograph: Shutterstock
Making it all work together again. Photograph: Shutterstock
published on UK Free TV

700MHz clearance

700MHz clearance is the project of rolling retunes to better arrange the Freeview transmission frequencies, so they can be used in 2020 for 5G mobile data. It was blogged about here, but not integrated into the site’s many features.

Having spent a whole day gathering the change information for 300 transmitters and placing them in a database table, I was able to re-code four of the UK free TV features to use them.  These are the technical prediction system https://ukfree.tv/prediction where all change dates are showing…

The transmitter frequency history, such as https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Crystal_Palace

The transmitter multiplex (current state) sections

The all-changes page at https://ukfree.tv/at700

 

Fixed all channels

The popular “All channels” page https://ukfree.tv/channels/all – the one that shows all the channels you can watch free-to-air – was a little out of date.   I am once checking automatically against the other sources such as DMOL and Freesat.  

New icons

I have selected icons for each section, which makes everything a little friendlier. 

Radio sections -  general fixes

There are many and various fixes in the radio section.   All of the links now link to pages of information, and all of those now have one of the static maps on them, showing the overage area.  Such as this example https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/analogueradio/Ardgour

 

 

Backend stuff

I have also fixed a number of back-end systems that provide features such the channel viewing figures history graphics.   Such as https://ukfree.tv/channels/channel/FOUR7HD

 

So, everything should work now!

Let me know if there is anything else to improve!



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Comments
Tuesday, 14 May 2019
S
StevensOnln1
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:44 AM

GeordieLad: COM8 is on UHF channel 56 at Sandy Heath (it has never been on 52). I'm not aware that there have been any recent LCN changes for any channels broadcast on COM8. Check for any loose or damaged cables or connections behind your TV, then try manual tuning.

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StevensOnln1's 3,669 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 15 May 2019
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

8:29 AM

GeordieLad:

Assuming you mistook 56 for 52, then it may be possible that the current HIgh pressure weather system is causing interference from other transmitters.
Also you may find this link Digital UK - Coverage checker useful. Put your postcode in the box, make sure Detailed view is ticked & press Go.
Specific information to Sandy Heath is best posted on its own pages Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter | free and easy

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Chris.SE's 4,356 posts GB flag
Sunday, 19 May 2019
G
GeordieLad
sentiment_satisfiedBronze

10:10 AM
Towcester

To both StevensOnln 1 and Chris, SE:

I'm too long in the tooth (and professional) to be taken in by loose cables, etc (see my previous posts) and I'm happy to stand corrected about Ch52 (722.0MHz) and Ch56 (754.0MHz). Whatever, the programs I mentioned are still missing (and, indeed, there are no TV signals above 714.0MHz (Ch51) at NN12 7TN) so my question stands: what has happened to the former Forces TV, Smithsonian, etc. programs from Sandy Heath? Have they been reallocated to other muxes (if so, please identify) or have they gone forever?

Finally, a definitive list of mux channels (or frequencies) now radiated by Sandy Heath would be appreciated.

GeordieLad

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GeordieLad's 43 posts US flag
GeordieLad's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
S
StevensOnln1
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

3:32 PM

GeordieLad: Nothing has happened to them, none of those channels have moved mux and no date has been announced for any mux closures at Sandy Heath. They are still being broadcast on COM7 & COM8 (UHF channels 55 & 56). I'm not sure what you mean about being taken it, loose connections etc are a common cause of problems, particularly when COM7&8 are broadcast at lower power than the main muxes at most transmitters. It's also entirely possible that those muxes are being wiped out by unwanted interference from more distant transmitters (either temporarily due to atmospheric conditions or permanently due to frequency changes are other transmitters).

You can get a full up to date listing of which multiplex is on which UHF channel by putting your postcode into the Digital UK checker (1st like below - tick the detailed view box). There is also a full up to date list of which channels are broadcast on which muxes at the 2nd link.

Digital UK - Coverage checker
Digital UK | Channel listings

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StevensOnln1's 3,669 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 22 May 2019
C
Chris.SE
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

6:20 AM

GeordieLad:

Maybe you aren't quite long enough in the tooth :) In my post immediately prior to your last, I gave you the link where you can get the information about Sandy Heath (& other transmitters that give some "maybe receivable" signal in your location!) Exploring that "official site" will give a wealth of other information.
StevensOnln1 has now provided the general link as well as the listing page.
It is still worth checking connections by removing aerial plugs from sockets etc and plugging them in again. A slight bit of oxidation on a connection can sometimes cause issues and sometimes only affect some frequencies.
Posting on the Sandy Heath page on this site Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter | free and easy in future may also give you some information that "might" be useful but some of the page information is not up to date. The DigitalUK site is the definitive source.

Considering some of the issues you've mentioned in previous posts I suggest you do a complete retune as follows - remove the aerial plug from the TV (or box to retune) and do a full automatic retune which should clear the memory of any existing information/data. Reconnect the aerial (& remember to ensure any series boxes with RF pass-through are turned on) then do a manual tune of each of the UHF channels listed for Sandy Heath.

HTH.

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Chris.SE's 4,356 posts GB flag
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