Full Freeview on the Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmitter
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The symbol shows the location of the Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmitter which serves 1,870,000 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 Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) mast?
Sutton Coldfield transmitter - Sutton Coldfield transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 04/11/2024 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
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which Freeview channels does the Sutton Coldfield 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
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which BBC and ITV regional news can I watch from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter?
BBC Midlands Today 2.9m homes 10.9%
from Birmingham B1 1RF, 15km south-southwest (200°)
to BBC West Midlands region - 66 masts.
ITV Central News 2.9m homes 10.9%
from Birmingham B1 2JT, 15km south-southwest (201°)
to ITV Central (West) region - 65 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 80% evening news is shared with Central (East)
Are there any self-help relays?
| Burton (shobnall) | Transposer | 1 km W Burton-on-Trent | 60 homes |
| Coalville | Transposer | 18 km NW Leicester | 600 homes |
| Solihull | Transposer | Land Rover building | 400 homes |
How will the Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1950s-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2011 | 2011-13 | 7 Mar 2018 | ||||
| VHF | B E T | B E T | B E T | B E K T | W T | ||||
| C4 | BBCtvwaves | ||||||||
| C33 | com7 | ||||||||
| C35 | com8 | ||||||||
| C36 | LOCAL2 | ||||||||
| C39 | +ArqB | ArqB | |||||||
| C40 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | +BBCB | BBCB | ||||
| C42 | SDN | SDN | |||||||
| C43 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | BBCA | BBCA | ||||
| C45 | ArqA | ArqA | |||||||
| C46 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | D3+4 | D3+4 | ||||
| C48 | _local | ||||||||
| C50tv_off | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | ||||||
| C51tv_off | LB | ||||||||
| 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 7 Sep 11 and 21 Sep 11.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 1000kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7dB) 200kW | |
| com7 | (-10.5dB) 89.2kW | |
| com8 | (-10.7dB) 86kW | |
| LB | (-20dB) 10kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D* | (-21dB) 8kW |
Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Sutton Coldfield transmitter area
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Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Mike: Film4 HD is exclusive to Virgin Media. ITV2 HD, ITV3 HD, ITV4 HD are currently exclusive to Sky.
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M
Mike Dimmick11:36 PM
Chris Onion: The only real way to check is to see what UHF channel numbers are in use. I'm not sure, because BT's documentation is maddeningly thin, but these might be displayed in the 'DTT Signal Strength' screen. Try selecting this option when tuned to, in turn, BBC One, ITV1, ITV3, Pick TV and Yesterday and, if available, BBC One HD and see if a UHF channel is listed. Check whether the channel is the same when tuned to Yesterday and to Sky Sports 1.
The channel numbers should match those above for BBC A, D3&4, SDN, ArqA and ArqB respectively (plus BBC B for HD services). If the box has tuned to the Derby relay, you would see C48 for BBC A, C51 for D3&4 and C52 for BBC B (again, if you have HD).
That signal strength screen will also indicate if you have too little or too much signal. If it's showing 100% strength, it's probably too much. If you have a booster, you should remove it. If that doesn't reduce the displayed level or if you don't have one, try adding an attenuator.
If signals were too distorted, the box may have tuned to the Waltham signals instead. Boxes usually tune the strongest, the best quality, or just the first found, depending on the software in the box; however, for you, Sutton Coldfield should be both the strongest and, except for a few multiplexes before switchover and one now (SDN), the first found as well. If the box has tuned to Waltham, you will probably find the signal quality gets worse - do try a full retune following the instructions at How do I scan for Freeview channels? | Help | BT.com Help .
Before switchover, Sky Sports 1 and 2 were carried on the BBC's second multiplex, Mux B. This was on a lower frequency at Waltham than the equivalent service at Sutton Coldfield, so it could be that your box decided to tune that in rather than the SC service - explaining the loss of service when Waltham switched. However, I would expect that to have affected the whole of Mux B (BBC Four and CBeebies, BBC Parliament, BBC radio stations) and not just Sky Sports. Indeed I would also have expected it to affect Mux 2 and A which were also on lower frequencies than the Sutton Coldfield counterparts.
There's a thread on the DTT Signal Strength display at DTT Signal Strength - Technical Question - BTCare Community Forums .
Digital signal levels from Sutton Coldfield were relatively low compared to analogue, so the increase at switchover was very large. The new levels were designed to provide good coverage *without* changing the aerial. If the new, as you say, 'massive' aerial was selected and set up for the pre-DSO levels it could well have led to too much signal now.
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Saturday, 22 October 2011
P
Paul12:47 PM
We live 0.5miles from the Bromsgrove transmitter and the aerial is "line of sight". Both before and after switch-over at Bromsgrove we've always had 100% perfect signals. Since Sutton Coldfield swithed over we now have very weak signals on 5,Film4,Dave,ITV3,ITV4 amongst others. Anyone any idea what is going on? I was under the impression that before switch-over the transmitters were on very low power and would be INCREASED afterwards?
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R
Ryan12:48 PM
I hear work is still being done on the transmitter, I imagine because they're still issues with signal?
Any ideas when this will draw to a close?
Thanks.
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S
STEPHEN3:03 PM
Belper
Paul and Ryan.
I live 32 miles from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter in Belper. I have a class 2 aerial on the roof. the quality is 10 for all transmissions and the signal strength for all of them is about 60%. If I can get all transmissions perfectly with only a class 2 aerial, 32 mile away, I cannot understand why people are complaining about their signals - are your aerials or other equipment OK or have you too much signal?
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STEPHEN's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Paul and Ryan: You might find Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice useful.
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Ryan: The work on the transmitter at the moment relates to analogue radio only.
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Sunday, 23 October 2011
B
Billy1:31 PM
Quote:
STEPHEN
Saturday 22 October 2011 3:03PM
22 hours ago Belper
Paul and Ryan.
I live 32 miles from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter in Belper. I have a class 2 aerial on the roof. the quality is 10 for all transmissions and the signal strength for all of them is about 60%.
So my point exactly, a right mess.
If you had your system done some years ago, not bad, if has done in say last 1 to 2 years, tough luck, ouch.
I said it was massive and very robost.
So all those had the hi gain awesome aerials outside and masthead amps and boosters suddenly find, over kill, especially if live say within 20 miles of sutton.
When I said tough luck, not mean me, not being nasty, I feel for you all.
I mean, likely the attitude of many, even if not cowboy, installers, if truthful should have said, by the way you may have trouble again in the future when they switchover.
But of course not going to get that, or they then get put off having it.
Those that got it weak to medium and no amps, now find what is the fuss all about quote 'I cannot understand why people are complaining about their signals'.
So of course, if you did not do it, and not sure how to buy and fit an attenuator you do what, call out the installer again, yeepee, they laughing and making loads more money, be shocked if this is not happening big time.
Anyone any good will be booked, so looking for someone (desperate) who is not, risks the cowboys, who must be relishing all this the last few years in different areas and still got Crystal Palace, south east way to go yet, oops.
A complete mess, as usual, like it always was from the start with OnDigial.
Satellite 8 out of 10
Freeview 4 out of 10.
Others, who knows 6 out of 10 maybe.
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A
alans6:41 PM
Wolverhampton
Hi, Since last thursday 13/10/11 tv picture qualitity was good, then started to get green ghousting even on dvd play-back. any ideas please. regards Alan
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alans's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Monday, 24 October 2011
alans: What type of connecting lead is used to connect the DVD to the television set?
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