Full Freeview on the Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 51.424,-0.076 or 51°25'26"N 0°4'32"W |  | SE19 1UE |
The symbol shows the location of the Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) transmitter which serves 4,490,000 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 Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) mast?
Crystal Palace transmitter - Crystal Palace transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 11/11/2024 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 Crystal Palace 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 Crystal Palace transmitter?
BBC London 4.9m homes 18.4%
from London W1A 1AA, 12km north-northwest (335°)
to BBC London region - 55 masts.
ITV London News 4.9m homes 18.4%
from London WC1X 8XZ, 11km north-northwest (345°)
to ITV London region - 55 masts.
Are there any self-help relays?
| Charlton Athletic | Transposer | Redeveloped north stand Charlton Athletic Football Club | 130 homes |
| Deptford | Transposer | south-east London | 100 homes |
| Greenford | Transposer | 12 km N Heathrow Airport | 203 homes |
| Hendon | Transposer | Graham Park estate | 50 homes |
| White City | Transposer | 9 km W central London | 80 homes |
How will the Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1950s-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2012 | 2012-13 | 21 Mar 2018 | ||||
| VHF | A K T | A K T | A K T | A K T | W T | ||||
| C1 | BBCtvwaves | ||||||||
| C22 | ArqA | ArqA | |||||||
| C23 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | BBCA | BBCA | ||||
| C25 | SDN | SDN | |||||||
| C26 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | D3+4 | D3+4 | ||||
| C28 | -ArqB | ArqB | |||||||
| C29 | LW | ||||||||
| C30 | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | -BBCB | BBCB | ||||
| C33 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | com7 | |||||
| C35 | com8 | ||||||||
| 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 4 Apr 12 and 18 Apr 12.
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 | (-13.7dB) 43.1kW | |
| com8 | (-14dB) 39.8kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D*, LW | (-17dB) 20kW |
Local transmitter maps
Crystal Palace Freeview Crystal Palace DAB Crystal Palace AM/FM Crystal Palace TV region BBC London LondonWhich companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Crystal Palace transmitter area
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Saturday, 2 November 2013
LouiseB: You don't have line-of-sight to the transmitter. The effect is that there are spots where one or more signals (frequency/ies) is/are good and where one or more aren't so good. The objective is to site the aerial where all are good.
Because (apparently) an object has changed that is in the path of the signal, one or more signals have changed. This is not an unusual effect - both that the change has caused a change in reception and that not all frequencies are affected to the same degree.
The irony is that if you go to the science department of the Academy, they should be able to explan what might have happened!
The point I alluded to in the first paragraph is that radio waves (signals) travel in straight lines. You can't "see" the source (Crystal Palace) because there is high ground in the way. Consequently, you are relying on the waves bending around the obstruction, which is the brow of the hill.
Different frequencies bend differently - that is they scatter differently. The result is that in the "shadow" of the hill there are spots where one or more is good and others aren't so. Thus, in the shadow there are less places where good reception can be had on all channels.
Now, if you understand that, consider the effect that a building might have. It might be a bit like the brow of the hill, as far as effect on the signal goes; it might affect one or more frequencies and others get away pretty much unscathed.
In your case you may have both these effects together (as far as Crystal Palace goes at least). The more of this that you have, generally speaking (even the professionals say all of this is a black art), the more you could have issues.
The point is that the (apparent) change in the building has resulted in a change to the signal.
The rain on the building perhaps changes how the building affects the signal. For example, maybe it reflects it in a way that acts more to your detriment.
What you might do is try moving the aerial along the loft to see if there is a spot that gives better reception.
The reason aerials are put on rooftops is because that is the place where the clearest view can be had, where there is the least chance of objects being in the way. This goes hand in hand with trying to reduce the degree to which signals being received have been bent and therefore scattered by objects.
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jb3811:52 PM
LouiseB : Another point I omitted to add being, that coax cable used purely for indoor purposes does not really deteriorate as such over the years, however terminations made on, and especially in loft type situations, can suffer from copper oxidisation due to the slight inherent dampness found in some lofts of the older variety, and so next time you are in same pull off the termination box cover and re-tighten the two coax retaining screws.
That said, although as aforementioned coax used for indoor purposes does not deteriorate, but though when its of the age group referred to its very unlikely to be of the quality standard of that found on most non-satellite types available nowadays, and so if its easily accessed it would possibly (but not guaranteed) be of benefit signal strength wise if it was replaced.
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Sunday, 3 November 2013
L
LouiseB5:00 PM
Dave Lindsay:
Thanks for that. I understand how the building may/has affected my reception from crystal palace, even though the part of that building where my aerial faces (the "top end" closest to the hospital) is currently being pulled down, so that could also be contributing to my problems. I've learnt a lot of things since posting on here yesterday, regarding frequencies and aerial groups etc. so I have a lot of things to consider and work on.
I will try that test with a set top aerial for Bluebell Hill as soon as I can borrow one.
jb38: I get what you are saying and I will check all the connectors for deterioration etc. I will also look into replacing the coaxial cable with a higher graded (and better shielded) one. Depending on costs I may replace the lot, aerial included.
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LouiseB: There is a wealth of information on ATV's site:
Aerials, TV Aerial and Digital Aerial
They also have an online shop - other retailers are available.
If you get a yagi type, go with a Group K, which is Group A and B combined. This will work for both Crystal Palace and Bluebell Hill.
If you are sure that you will only be attempting reception from Crystal Palace then a Group A will work. The point is that a Group A isn't really designed for Bluebell Hill.
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jb385:28 PM
LouiseB: With regards to checking the aerial connections, that said re: oxidisation was referring to where the coax terminates on the aerial, although obviously it would do any harm to check the coax connector end as well.
However, I still recommend that you enquire locally purely to for the purpose of being able to completely eliminate the possibility that the others are also experiencing similar problems to yourself.
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MikeB7:46 PM
Chris: I am slightly intrigued when you wrote that you had great reception using the 'SAT socket for the last 2 yrs, with a coax to fibre optic cable'.
Assuming that you meant an normal coax lead (but with a F fitting at one end) rather than a 'fibre optic cable' (because that wouldn't work), there is a reason why you got a good signal, although of course it should not have been possible.
Some months ago there was a similar case, where someone was also using the sat. connection in their building for Freeview. The reason it worked was probably because being fairly close to the transmitter and high up, the coax cable leading up to the dish was basically acting as a large primative aerial. I suspect your getting the same thing!
Although it works, its not ideal, and your obviously paying for both connection to work properly, so certainly have a word with the building manager. Its also perhaps worth asking other residents - if its not working properly for you, you might not be the only one.
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C
Chris9:17 PM
London
MikeB: Thanks. As you probably know by now I have no idea what I was talking about. I do mean F fitting, I had a look in Google and it is a coax cable with a F fitting I am using.
I am not sure if I have to pay extra for using the SAT signal, as I've never signed up for anything. It just worked when I first had the TV. And it doesn't seem to have any extra service charge for using the SAT. One other thing, there are two sockets SAT1 and SAT2, only SAT2 works for me.
It may be as you said the cable acts like a aerial, or the builder messed things up when they wire the cables. I duno. Right now, I can't even find any signal with the TV socket, but with the SAT socket at least I got some sound and unstable pictures. Its strange as you said, but I'd just try which ever way it works... I missed Match of the Day last night, and I don;t want to miss it today.....
I just talked to our neighbour today, and apparently everyone is not getting signals these few days. So I am quite happy as its not my problem, so I just need to call the building manager to see what can be done.
Thanks alot!
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Chris's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
MikeB10:51 PM
Chris: If the sockets have sat 1 and sat 2,
does it look a bit like the ' Double F socket' on this page Wall Plates faceplatesscreened sockets - then you dont have a freeview aerial at all in theory.
Since one of them works, at least you've got something, but its by luck, not by someone putting one in! Ask the management why you dont have Freeview acces, etc is the first step.
If you want to carry on using the Sat2 connection, I think a number of us would like to know the signal strength/quality - just to prove that such a thing works!
If you want a proper aerial, then you could just go and get a portable one for a tenner (someone did mention to me that this Buy John Lewis Performance Amplified Indoor Aerial online at John Lewis worked pretty well, but since your just using a long bit of wire at the moment, I wouldn't be too worried).
If you want to use the F fitting properly, and they are actually attached to a dish, then a Freesat recorder is your best bet for a one off purchase - around £250 for the latest Humax. And there is always Sky..
Let us know how you get on, and what you find out from the building management - if only so you dont miss Match of the Day (there is always Iplayer, and if you've got a new blu-ray, or a tablet, you could stream it to the TV).
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Tuesday, 12 November 2013
P
peter batty5:37 PM
My DVD recorder tuner can get all the COM4 channels from Crystal Palace except Drama (channel 20). Why might that be?
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Michael5:45 PM
peter batty: Has it been retuned since Drama came on air? Are you also missing True Entertainment (61) and ITV3+1 (63)?
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