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Full Freeview on the Durris (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) transmitter

first published this on - UK Free TV
sa_streetviewGoogle Streetviewsa_gmapsGoogle mapsa_bingBing mapsa_gearthGoogle Earthsa_gps57.000,-2.392 or 56°59'59"N 2°23'30"Wsa_postcodeAB39 3TH

 

The symbol shows the location of the Durris (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) transmitter which serves 180,000 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 Durris (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) mast?

Durris transmitter - Durris transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 04/11/2024 Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels Digital tick


Choose from three options: ■ List by multiplex ■ List by channel number ■ List by channel name
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Which Freeview channels does the Durris 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.

MuxH/VFrequencyHeightModeWatts
PSB1
BBCA
 H max
C28 (530.0MHz)639mDTG-100,000W
Channel icons
1 BBC One (SD) Scotland, 2 BBC Two Scotland, 7 BBC Alba HD, 23 BBC Three, 24 BBC Four (Scotland SD), 201 CBBC, 202 CBeebies, 231 BBC News, 232 BBC Parliament, plus 13 others

PSB2
D3+4
 H max
C25 (506.0MHz)639mDTG-100,000W
Channel icons
3 STV (SD) (STV North (Aberdeen micro region)), 4 Channel 4 (SD) Scotland ads, 5 Channel 5, 6 ITV 2, 10 ITV3, 13 E4, 14 Film4, 15 Channel 4 +1 Scotland ads, 18 More4, 26 ITV4, 28 ITVBe, 30 E4 +1, 35 ITV1 +1 (STV Edinburgh), 35 STV+1 (STV Edinburgh), 71 That’s 60s,

PSB3
BBCB
 H max
C22 (482.0MHz)639mDTG-100,000W
Channel icons
46 5SELECT, 101 BBC One HD Scotland, 102 BBC Two HD Scotland, 103 ITV 1 HD (STV West), 103 STV HD (STV West), 104 Channel 4 HD Scotland ads, 105 Channel 5 HD, 106 BBC Four HD, 108 BBC Scotland HD, 204 CBBC HD, 205 CBeebies HD, plus 1 others

COM4
SDN
 H -3dB
C23 (490.0MHz)639mDTG-850,000W
Channel icons
20 U&Drama, 21 5USA, 29 ITV2 +1, 32 5STAR, 33 5Action, 38 Channel 5 +1, 41 Legend, 42 GREAT! action, 57 U&Dave ja vu, 58 ITV3 +1, 59 ITV4 +1, 64 Blaze, 67 TRUE CRIME, 68 TRUE CRIME XTRA, 81 Blaze +1, 83 Together TV, 91 WildEarth, 93 ITVBe +1, 209 Ketchup TV, 210 Ketchup Too, 211 YAAAS!, 251 Al Jazeera English, 255 FRANCE 24 (in English), 265 Rok Sky +1, plus 29 others

COM5
ArqA
 H -3dB
C26 (514.0MHz)639mDTG-850,000W
Channel icons
11 Sky Mix, 17 Really, 19 U&Dave, 31 E4 Extra, 36 Sky Arts, 40 Quest Red, 43 Food Network, 47 Film4 +1, 48 Challenge, 49 4seven, 60 U&Drama +1, 65 That's TV 2, 70 Quest +1, 74 &UYesterday +1, 76 That's TV 2 MCR, 233 Sky News, plus 13 others

COM6
ArqB
 H -3dB
C30 (546.0MHz)639mDTG-850,000W
Channel icons
12 Quest, 25 U&W, 27 U&Yesterday, 34 GREAT! movies, 39 DMAX, 44 HGTV, 52 GREAT! christmas, 56 That's TV (UK), 63 GREAT! romance mix, 73 HobbyMaker, 75 That's 90s, 82 Talking Pictures TV, 84 PBS America, 235 Al Jazeera Eng, plus 18 others

DTG-8 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 Durris transmitter?

regional news image
BBC Reporting Scotland 2.4m homes 9.2%
from Glasgow G51 1DA, 173km southwest (224°)
to BBC Scotland region - 230 masts.
regional news image
STV News 0.4m homes 1.5%
from Aberdeen AB12 3QH, 23km northeast (52°)
to STV North (Aberdeen) region - 76 masts.

Are there any self-help relays?

Aberdeen (old Town)Transposer2 km N city centre837 homes (dealer estimate)
Aberdeen-talismanTransposer1 km SW city centre100 homes
FyvieActive deflector37 km NW Aberdeen10 homes Hotel
Glen TanarActive deflector11 km E Ballater13 homes
GlenlivetTransposer15 km E Grantown-on- Spey70 homes School
Haughton House C/pTransposer1 km N Aford Aberdeenshire1 homes 150 caravans
OyneActive deflector33 km NW Aberdeen11 homes
Strathdon ATransposer60 km W Aberdeen25 homes
Strathdon BTransposer25 homes
Strathdon CTransposer ‘appreciable population'
Strathdon DActive deflector
Strathdon EActive deflector
Strathdon FActive deflector

How will the Durris (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) transmission frequencies change over time?

1961-80s1984-971997-981998-20102010-133 Oct 2018
VHFA K TWWA K TW T
C9ITVwaves
C22BBC1wavesBBC1wavesBBC1wavesBBCBBBCB
C23SDNSDN
C25ITVwavesITVwavesITVwavesD3+4D3+4
C26ArqAArqA
C28BBC2wavesBBC2wavesBBC2wavesBBCABBCA
C29ArqB
C30_localArqB
C32C4wavesC4wavesC4wavescom7
C35com8
C41_local
C55tv_offcom7tv_off
C56tv_offCOM8tv_off
C67C5wavesC5waves

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 1 Sep 10 and 15 Sep 10.

How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?

Analogue 1-4 500kW
Analogue 5, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-7dB) 100kW
SDN, ARQA, ARQB(-10dB) 50kW
Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*(-14dB) 20kW
com7, com8(-15.4dB) 14.5kW
Mux B*(-17dB) 10kW
Mux C*, Mux D*(-20dB) 5kW

Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Durris transmitter area

Sep 1961-Jun 1997Grampian Television
Jun 1997-Dec 2014STV plc
Feb 1983-Dec 1992TV-am•
Jan 1993-Sep 2010GMTV•
Sep 2010-Dec 2014ITV Daybreak•
• Breakfast ◊ Weekends ♦ Friday night and weekends † Weekdays only.

Is the transmitter output the same in all directions?

Radiation patterns withheld

Comments
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

5:29 PM

w.stewart: The Commercial broadcasters that don't transmit from Balgownie are purely for profit. They choose where to site their transmitters and do so in order to provide the best return for themselves. Any such decision therefore does not take into account the "fairness" on those viewers whom they do not wish to serve.

The Commercial broadcasters achieve a 90% coverage from 81 of the largest transmitters largest by viewer population and for them to transmit from the 1,000 or so small "filler-in" transmitters, including Balgownie, would roughly double their transmission costs whilst only providing them with an additional 8.5% of the population.

They show adverts to viewers which they wish to aquire at lowest possible cost this being the simple law of capitalism. For this reason, it's not surprising that they don't wish to double their cost of transmission in order to increase their number of viewers by about 10%.

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Thursday, 9 August 2012
R
Rowland
9:47 AM
Inverurie

My Panasonic Freeview LCD TV has good reception for stv, 4, 5 etc, but I had to do a factory reset and scan to get the bbc channels.
The bbc channels were then found but are very pixelly and not watchable - presumably why the original autoscan didn't assign them a channel number.
I'm not sure the landlady will allow a satellite dish, does this sound like a problem that could be fixed with boosters or a new aerial?
We're at AB51 5HR and surrounded by trees.
It's ironic that the channels you need a licence for I can't actually watch :)
Hope someone can help
Thanks
--R

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Rowland's 4 posts GB flag
Rowland's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

5:11 PM

Rowland: Although a Google Earth check does certainly suggest that Freesat would be the only way to enjoy glitch free reception because of the tree situation, you should also check to make sure that you are receiving all channels from the same station which could be either Durris (@ 22 miles) or Gartley Moor (@ 11 miles), as both are indicated as being possible (in theory!) at your location, the easy way to tell being whether or not you normally receive ITV3 as if you do then its Durris.

Should this be the case then carry out a "signal condition" check (Panasonics term) whilst on BBC1, because as well as the strength / quality levels being indicated the transmitter channel will also be seen and which should be Ch28, making a note of the levels seen, then using the channel up / down on the remote change the channel to Ch25 (ITV1, Ch4-5 etc) and compare the indications with that on the BBC, giving an update on results.

If though on the other hand you do NOT normally receive ITV3 then you are receiving from Gartley Moor (@ 10 mls) and so carry out exactly the same signal check on BBC where on this occasion Ch58 should be seen, should it be Ch28 then the box has picked up the wrong BBC.

Of course another indication of where you receive from is by looking up at the aerial, because if you receive from Durris the elements of the aerial will be sitting horizontal whereas vertical if its Gartley Moor.



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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
M
Mark Fletcher
sentiment_satisfiedGold

6:58 PM
Halifax

Just noticed a slight anomaly concerning the Durris main transmitter page.It is an all group A transmitter but states that to receive all programmes from Durris a group W wideband aerial positioned horizontally is required to receive Freeview.
Should that read a group A aerial instead,as group W wideband aerials have a poor response on all group A masts in poor/marginal areas.

link to this comment
Mark Fletcher's 673 posts GB flag
Mark's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

8:33 PM

Mark Fletcher: Yes, you are quite correct on that, as its obviously a remnant from pre-switchover times that Briantist has possibly (dare I say it!) overlooked, or maybe just not got around to correcting, as it dates back to when Durris's channel span used to be from 30 - 52.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Sunday, 12 August 2012
R
Rowland
8:56 PM
Inverurie

Thx JB
I'm getting my tv from Gartley, and the signal strength for the BBC channels is virtually nil.
Any suggestions are most welcome
Thx
--R


link to this comment
Rowland's 4 posts GB flag
Rowland's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

9:33 PM

Rowland: Well my comments were made based on a visual check of your location and which as was previously mentioned do not look promising for reliable Freeview reception, basically because of the density of the trees that surround you.

That said, the trade reception predictor "does" indicate that good reception is possible in your area, however and as aforementioned, that's in theory as the predictions given do not take account of any local conditions that may apply such as your tree problem.

But though to be able to assess things better maybe you could give an update on the aerial system used as well as the approximate direction its facing as well as the way its mounted, vertically (elements up & down) or horizontally (flat).

By the way Panasonic tuners are excellent, and so the sometimes usual problem of the device being used lacking in sensitivity shouldn't really come into the equation.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Monday, 13 August 2012
R
Rowland
11:11 AM
Inverurie

Thanks JB - I'll post a pic of the aerial and direction tonight - altho from memory it was pointing towards the NW.
If I see my neighbour I'll ask what their TV reception is like.
Really appreciate your help :)
Thanks
--R

link to this comment
Rowland's 4 posts GB flag
Rowland's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

6:15 PM

Rowland: Yes, its always the best policy to make local enquiries just to ensure that the problems being experienced aren't being caused by a fault in your own aerial system, the only thing to remember being is to ensure that your neighbours TV is on the same EPG channel as yours and that their aerial is facing the same direction as yours (which being NW is Gartley) and is mounted vertically.

Also in the case of your own TV make sure that any test being done is actually on Gartley's BBC on mux Ch58 and not Ch28 which is Durris, as the latter does indicate (in theory) as providing a better signal, verification of the mux channel being achieved by carrying out a signal condition check and where the mux number will be displayed as well as the strength / quality.

By the way, my only reason for emphasising the checking of the mux channel number is because Freeview equipment starts the scan at channel 21, and with Durris being on Ch28 if an auto tune is carried out your TV could store Ch28 (if receivable) in EPG1's position and place Gartley up in the 800 ranges because of it being on a higher mux channel.

Finally although your aerial is pointing in the wrong direction / mounting angle for Durris it would be interesting to know if anything was being received from Durris, simply done by when on the "signal condition" check screen just using the channel up / down buttons to inch the channel numbers downwards towards Ch28, also try Ch25 (Durris ITV) as well, these instructions being applicable to most Panasonics manufactured in the last four years.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
R
Rowland
10:43 AM
Inverurie

Hi JB

I need to double-check channels and signal strengths on the TV as you suggest.
I'll do that tonight.

The aerial is pointing NW, same direction as my neighbour, and the elements are vertically aligned (for Gartley) but I'll check to see if I can get anything from Durris.

If I'm getting good STV, Ch4 etc from Gartley, shouldn't I be able to get good BBC?

Thx again
--R


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Rowland's 4 posts GB flag
Rowland's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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