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.
This transmitter has no current reported problems
The BBC and Digital UK report there are no faults or engineering work on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter._______
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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Wednesday, 25 November 2015
M
MikeP2:57 PM
Trowbridge
Coach:
The transmitters are not operated by either the BBC or Freeview but by a private company Arqiva. The source of engineering work information is, I believe, drawn from them.
60-70% is borderline for some TV sets but 95% is rather too high! That suggests there may be a problem with your aerial installation or with the cables from the aerial to your TV set. That would also account for variations. It's worth noting that another enquirer eventually found that having his HiFi speaker wires running alongside and touching the aerial feed was the cause of a similar problem, so worth check where all the wires are running so they are clear of the aerial leads.
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MikeP's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 27 November 2015
C
Coach4:56 PM
Thanks MikeP, All ok now. Just wondering why only 1 mux carrying the hd channels was breaking up? Thanks again.
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Monday, 30 November 2015
G
Gordon3:00 PM
I'm on the Sandy Heath transmitter.
Yesterday afternoon (Sunday, 29 Nov) I noticed that COM7 had zero signal on both my TV and PVR.
Today it's the same. I've checked with a neighbour and she has no signal on COM7 either.
Does anyone else have this problem?
And if there is a problem, to whom does one report it? (DigitalUK can't handle it.)
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Monday, 7 December 2015
C
Coach6:02 PM
Can anyone assist please. Is it possible that a specific mux may be more susceptible to atmospheric interference over another. Had problems with some HD channels and on Saturday it was particularly bad with picture break up. Now all fine again! Could it be a faulty tv? Im about to contact John Lewis.
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M
MikeB9:35 PM
Coach: Before you ring technical support, start with the basics. We really could do with a postcode, because we have no idea where you are. We need a location, becuase if you have a problem, knowing what transmitter are where you are in relation to it is very useful.
HD channels are really hit by signal strength being too high, so check what the strength is (what the TV model, thats also a help). If its about 90% or above, then the tuner is screaming - see this page - Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you
If its too low, then check through your equipment. Is the aerial lead properly attached? Have you had high winds that might have caused a wire to become loose or break, etc? If you have a problem with your system, dont expect it to be logical! A dodgy wire might still show a one mux OK, while another has totally gone. Replacing an aerial lead is an easy way to check if its that - they are really cheap.
TV tuners tend to be really reliable, and obviously if its only happening on a terrestial TV, rather than on a Blu Ray, Iplayer or something recorded earlier, then its much more likely to be your system.
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C
Coach10:04 PM
MikeB: Thanks for your response. My post code is CB25 nr Newmarket and I pick up signal from Sandy Heath. I've changed all the cables and the problems started last month. I connected another tv (same make but smaller screen) and no problems. That's why I'm starting to think it may be the tv. I have an internal ariel and signal strength is at 90% and 100% signal quality. All my other tv's are ok. Thanks.
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M
MikeB11:29 PM
Coach: 90% signal is too high. We really need a full postcode (just put into a reply and all the links will come up automatically), but if your getting that with an internal aerial (inside the roof or a portable one?), then your getting a very strong signal (do you have a booster?), since your about 30 miles from the transmitter.
You havn't given a make/model for the TV either - that helps, because some tuners are more sensitive than others. However, just becuase a TV is the same brand, its doesn't mean that the tuner will be exactly the same. And if the signal is slightly too high, remember that the level can slightly change from day to day, something I've found out myself with my HD box.
I suspect an attenuator is a good bet. Really cheap, and just brings the strength down so that there is no breakup. maplin do them, and a variable one kight be fine, and just bring things down so that the TV can cope. have a loom again at the page I linked to.
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Tuesday, 8 December 2015
Coach: Some useful comments from MikeP.
For reception problems encountered by relations at NN1 5BT, I took notes of which channels ran OK, which pixellated/dropped out and which didn't load on re-tune at all.
I put that info into a spreadsheet, and pasted in Briantist's info on which MUX each channel was transmitted in, the frequency (MHz) and power (W).
I'd recommend anyone do that.
In the case of NN1 5BT, when I reordered by wattage, they received everything transmitted at 180,000 W on PSB1/2/3 but everything at lower power had problems.
However COM5 is not that much lower in wattage at 170,000 W.
When I reordered by MHz it became clear there were issues with COM5 on 722.0 MHz suggesting a 4G 800 MHz problem.
Solution: low signal strength, probable 4G interference, masthead booster with 4G filter required.
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Richard's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
Coach9:21 PM
Cambridge
MikeB: Thanks MikeB. My post code is CB25 0PA and the tv is Samsung. Bought a attenuator and all ok for now. Find it hard to believe i have high signal considering distance and internal aerial. I do have a booster however which acts as a distribution box. Thanks for your assistance. By the way Maplins don't sell too many out of Cambridge shop which suggests strong signal not an issue in the area.
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Coach's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
C
Coach10:21 PM
MikeB: Still having break up on Channel 4 hd. What i have noticed is that signal strength fluctuates unlike the channels which are ok. Could it be the tv?
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