Full Freeview on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 52.130,-0.242 or 52°7'47"N 0°14'33"W |  | SG19 2NH |
The symbol shows the location of the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter which serves 920,000 homes. The bright green areas shown where the signal from this transmitter is strong, dark green areas are poorer signals. Those parts shown in yellow may have interference on the same frequency from other masts.
Are there any planned engineering works or unexpected transmitter faults on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) mast?
Sandy Heath transmitter - Sandy Heath transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 22/04/2024 Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels 
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Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which Freeview channels does the Sandy Heath transmitter broadcast?
If you have any kind of Freeview fault, follow this Freeview reset procedure first.Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which BBC and ITV regional news can I watch from the Sandy Heath transmitter?
BBC Look East (West) 1.0m homes 3.7%
from Cambridge CB4 0WZ, 29km east-northeast (65°)
to BBC Cambridge region - 4 masts.
70% of BBC East (East) and BBC East (West) is shared output
ITV Anglia News 1.0m homes 3.7%
from Norwich NR1 3JG, 119km east-northeast (60°)
to ITV Anglia (West) region - 5 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 80% evening news is shared with Anglia (East)
How will the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1965-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2011 | 2011-13 | 12 Feb 2020 | ||||
| VHF | A K T | K T | K T | W T | W T | ||||
| C6 | ITVwaves | ||||||||
| C21 | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | +BBCB | BBCB | ||||
| C24 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | D3+4 | D3+4 | ||||
| C27 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBCA | BBCA | ||||
| C31 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | ||||||
| C32 | com7 | ||||||||
| C33 | SDN | ||||||||
| C34 | com8 | ||||||||
| C35 | _local | ||||||||
| C36 | ArqA | ||||||||
| C39 | C5waves | C5waves | |||||||
| C43 | _local | ||||||||
| C48 | ArqB | ArqB | |||||||
| C51tv_off | SDN | ||||||||
| C52tv_off | ArqA | ||||||||
| C55tv_off | com7tv_off | ||||||||
| C56tv_off | COM8tv_off |
tv_off Being removed from Freeview (for 5G use) after November 2020 / June 2022 - more
Table shows multiplexes names see this article;
green background for transmission frequencies
Notes: + and - denote 166kHz offset; aerial group are shown as A B C/D E K W T
waves denotes analogue; digital switchover was 30 Mar 11 and 13 Apr 11.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 1000kW | |
| BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7.4dB) 180kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB | (-7.7dB) 170kW | |
| com7 | (-13dB) 49.6kW | |
| com8 | (-13.1dB) 49.1kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D* | (-17dB) 20kW | |
| Analogue 5 | (-20dB) 10kW |
Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Sandy Heath transmitter area
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Monday, 2 May 2011
S
Steve12:54 PM
Wrexham
If the sky box is designed to take the main feed from the aerial then pass it on to the TV it almost certainly will amplify it as well, as if not it might attenuate unacceptably.
Indeed if the box was unpowered that could be the problem.
If you want to experiment, try powercycling the skybox and see if it has any effect. Esp. on analogue channels if you still have any.
And see if you can find out what RF the skybox usses. This page will show "safe" channels if you input your postcode.
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Steve's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
John1:42 PM
I tried several compilations Steve, the box doesn't provide gain I put the set top aerial in and the signal strength was the same to the TV with the box in or out! same symptoms on the quality level "None" I may just have a rogue box? I will try and borrow one from a friend.
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S
Steve2:11 PM
Wrexham
Well if the strength was 100% it could show no higher!
It is conceptually feasible that something in the boxes RF handling circuits spoil the QAM, but I know nothing of this.
But surely you have no need to put RF into or out of the skybox anyway?
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Steve's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
John5:11 PM
The Aerial ins and out have been the same for a couple of years the only thing that has changed is the TV and you are correct I don't need the through path of the Sky box so the cause was found that's the main thing!
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J
JohnB5:18 PM
Peterborough
Steve/John
Does a Sky box put an analogue signal out on the rf output. I beleive this is how I get Sky signals to other teles via an distrib.amp.
I was hoping BTVision box would do the same but have had no luck.
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JohnB's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
John5:25 PM
Steve I forgot to add the set top aerial was attenuated a lot by placing it on the floor in the wrong direction so I got 70% signal before the box and it was the same through the box apart from no quality showing and yes JohnB it will pass through no problem mine has for a couple of years.
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S
Steve6:22 PM
Wrexham
JohnB - I am no expert on Skyboxes, but IIUC the "RF Out" from a skybox would be whatever came into its "RF In" PLUS a simulated RF signal of whatever the Skybox was receiving/replaying. Obviously the Skybox needs to be set to use a "Spare RF" channel - as suggested by top right of this page - which does not conflict with any broadcast channel used locally.
But if your TV has SCART it is better to use that as it avoids adding and then removing the RF carrier.
So as TVs have to be VERY old not to have SCARTs few modern boxes provide RF outputs. You can get it for freeview - and as you suggest it is compatible with much existing in-house cabling.
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Steve's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
S
Sally10:38 AM
Letchworth Garden City
Lo and behold, my freeview box automatically went into updating last night and guess what, all my BBC channels have returned! Really don't know what was going on, but thankful that it's all working properly again.
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Sally's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
D
Debbie6:19 PM
I don't want to wait until Sept 11 to get Film 4, Yesterday, etc back. My TV has built in Freeview, which is connected to a shared digital aerial in my block of flats. If I buy a Freeview or Freesat set top , will I get any more channels than I do now? Thanks
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M
Mike Dimmick6:29 PM
Debbie: Talk to the landlord or agent about getting the communal system checked. Make sure the system was properly reconfigured on the switchover days, and that they're aware that some services are on temporary frequencies. Perhaps print out this document:
http://www.digitaluk.co.u….pdf
I can't really offer any more advice without a full postcode, so we can check the predictions - whether there is something preventing the Arqiva B multiplex from working.
It's very unlikely that you would get better reception from a set-top than from a properly set-up communal system. Satellite signals are so weak that the dish must be mounted outside with a clear view of the southern horizon. Again, a threat to have a dish installed could be an incentive for the building management to get the communal aerial sorted out.
It is worth checking whether the building already has a communal satellite dish, in which case you could buy a Freesat box to replace the Freeview box - although the channel line-up is different, and the services you're missing mostly require a Sky subscription.
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