Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 53.625,-2.516 or 53°37'30"N 2°30'56"W |  | BL6 6SL |
The symbol shows the location of the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter which serves 2,690,000 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 Winter Hill (Bolton, England) mast?
Winter Hill transmitter - Winter Hill 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.
DTG-8 64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
DTG-2 16QAM 2K 3/4 18.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which Freeview channels does the Winter Hill 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.
| Mux | H/V | Frequency | Height | Mode | Watts |
| PSB1 BBCA | H max | C32 (562.0MHz) | 726m | DTG- | 100,000W |
 1 BBC One (SD) North West, 2 BBC Two England, 9 BBC Four, 23 BBC Three, 201 CBBC, 202 CBeebies, 231 BBC News, 232 BBC Parliament, plus 17 others | |||||
| PSB2 D3+4 | H max | C34 (578.0MHz) | 726m | DTG- | 100,000W |
 3 ITV 1 (SD) (Granada), 4 Channel 4 (SD) North ads, 5 Channel 5, 6 ITV 2, 10 ITV3, 13 E4, 14 Film4, 15 Channel 4 +1 North ads, 18 More4, 26 ITV4, 28 ITVBe, 30 E4 +1, 35 ITV1 +1 (Granada), 71 That’s 60s, | |||||
| PSB3 BBCB | H max | C35- (585.8MHz) | 726m | DTG- | 100,000W |
 46 5SELECT, 101 BBC One HD North West, 102 BBC Two HD England, 103 ITV 1 HD (ITV Granada), 104 Channel 4 HD North ads, 105 Channel 5 HD, 106 BBC Four HD, 107 BBC Three HD, 204 CBBC HD, 205 CBeebies HD, plus 1 others | |||||
| COM4 SDN | H max | C29 (538.0MHz) | 726m | DTG-8 | 100,000W |
 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 max | C31 (554.0MHz) | 726m | DTG-8 | 100,000W |
 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 max | C37 (602.0MHz) | 726m | DTG-8 | 100,000W |
 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 | |||||
| LM | H -20dB | C40 (626.0MHz) | 572m | DTG-12 | 1,000W |
 from 1st October 2014: 7 That's Manchester, | |||||
| LL | H -17dB | C24 (498.0MHz) | 572m | DTG-12 | 2,000W |
 from 30th June 2014: 7 Bay TV Liverpool, | |||||
| LPR | H -20dB | C56 (754.0MHz) | 572m | DTG-12 | 1,000W |
 from 1st October 2014: 7 That's Lancashire, | |||||
| GIM | H -20dB | C57 (762.0MHz) | 572m | DTG-2 | 1,000W |
 Now 90s, Spotlight TV, Clubland TV, Country Music Entertainment , Classic Hits MCR, 77 That's 60s MCR, 78 TCC, 80 That's 80s, 86 That's 90s MCR, 88 TV Warehouse+1, | |||||
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
DTG-2 16QAM 2K 3/4 18.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which BBC and ITV regional news can I watch from the Winter Hill transmitter?
BBC North West Tonight 3.1m homes 11.8%
from Salford M50 2QH, 22km southeast (140°)
to BBC North West region - 92 masts.
ITV Granada Reports 3.1m homes 11.6%
from Salford M50 2EQ, 22km southeast (139°)
to ITV Granada region - 80 masts.
How will the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1956-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2009 | 2009-13 | 2013-18 | 2013-17 | 20 Feb 2020 | ||
| VHF | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E T | W T | W T | ||
| C9 | ITVwaves | ||||||||
| C12 | BBCtvwaves | ||||||||
| C24 | _local | ||||||||
| C29 | SDN | ||||||||
| C31 | com7 | com7 | |||||||
| C32 | BBCA | ||||||||
| C34 | D3+4 | ||||||||
| C35 | BBCB | ||||||||
| C37 | com8 | com8 | |||||||
| C40 | LOCAL2 | ||||||||
| C48 | C5waves | C5waves | |||||||
| C49tv_off | ArqA | ArqA | |||||||
| C50tv_off | BBCA | BBCA | |||||||
| C54tv_off | -BBCB | -BBCB | -BBCB | ||||||
| C55tv_off | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | ArqB | ArqB | ArqB | com7tv_off | ||
| C56tv_off | _local | _local | _local | LPR | |||||
| C57tv_off | GIM | GIM | GIM | GIM | |||||
| C58tv_off | SDN | SDN | SDN | ||||||
| C59tv_off | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | D3+4 | D3+4 | D3+4 | |||
| C61 | ArqA | ||||||||
| C62 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBCA | |||||
| C65 | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves |
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 Nov 09 and 2 Dec 09.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 500kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7dB) 100kW | |
| com7 | (-12.9dB) 25.7kW | |
| com8 | (-13.4dB) 22.6kW | |
| Analogue 5 | (-16dB) 12.5kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D* | (-17dB) 10kW | |
| LL | (-24dB) 2kW | |
| GIM, LM, LPR | (-27dB) 1000W |
Local transmitter maps
Winter Hill Freeview Winter Hill DAB Winter Hill AM/FM Winter Hill TV region BBC North West GranadaWhich companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Winter Hill transmitter area
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Tuesday, 23 February 2016
H
H J Hill2:23 PM
The UHF58 problem of high strength but zero quality suggests radio-frequency interference pickup.
I had a similar problem with UHF32 and 37. It turned out to be the HDMI cable between my pvr and tv. Even with the pvr on stand-by there must have been information going up/down the HDMI which radiated and was being picked up by the aerial lead. (The HDMI sockets are adjacent to the aerial socet on my tv). I solved the problem with better screened RF coax cables from the wall plate to the various tv/pvr items; and a better screened HDMI cable between pvr and tv. The thin, flexible aerial cables (as sold in shops) are badly screened, in my experience.
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Thursday, 25 February 2016
R
R Hart 9:06 AM
Welshpool
SY21 8RT
Reception problems on Chanel 50 and 49 picture and audio break up .
Chanel 59 full signal and no problems . Problem started about a week ago and has been continuous .
Have had problems in the number of years I have used this transmitter but they have never lasted this length of time before .
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R's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
MikeP
10:27 PM
10:27 PM
R Hart:
The mapping shows you as using the Long Mountain transmitter and not that at Winter Hill. Long Mountian is shown as having maintenance work curreintly and thay mau well account for your currently reception problems.
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Tuesday, 1 March 2016
S
Sylwia9:19 AM
Why I can't get tiny pop channel on my freeview ? I am in wa14.
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Friday, 4 March 2016
D
Dewi3:25 PM
Are there any issues today 3rd March 2016 transmitting from Winter Hill? My signal on the Wirral has dropped significantly post code CH470NE?
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J
js8:15 PM
Treated myself to a new toy: August DVB-T210 - HD Freeview USB TV Tuner - External DVB-T2
August DVB-T210 - HD Freeview USB TV Tuner - External DVB-T2 Digital Television Receiver and PVR Style Recorder - WINTV Dongle for High Definition PCTV - Desktop and Laptop Compatible Stick for Windows 10, 8, 7 / Vista / XP: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
My aim was to get a (cheap) T2 device compatible with CrazyScan2:
CrazyScan download | SourceForge.net
CrazyScan2 is a DTT Spectrum analyser that draws Constellation Diagrams and shows RF Level and Signal to Noise in dB.
I had read that the August DVB-T210 was equivalent to the Geniatech T230, which is fully supported (RFScan2, SignalInfo2, and IQScan2) when using the fixed Geniatech BDA driver found here:
CrazyScan / Wiki / Info
I always wondered if I might be able, with a bit higher signal, to get some other multiplexes than those from Winter Hill.
Now, using CrazyScan2, I can see that is not possible, at least without pointing the aerial somewhere else.
Here is a picture showing CrazyScan2 and the August DVB-T210 in action:
http://i.imgur.com/lhbcVu4.png
Note I'm using a fair sized 'contract' C/D aerial located in the loft, got from Wizard for three squid twenty or more years ago.
:
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Wednesday, 23 March 2016
M
Moira Cottam2:29 AM
23rd March 2016
Can I ask what has happened to channel 82 True Movies? It just seems to have gone completely! I can't believe you've taken it away to give us true crimes! Please give us it back.
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J
js7:16 AM
There were changes to the Winter Hill multiplexes.
Insight Radio was renamed to RNIB Connect on Arqiva A
Chart Show TV changed LCN from 060 to 085 on GIM
True Movies 1 was added on LCN 082 to GIM
POP+1 changed LCN from 127 to 128 on GIM
Tiny Pop+1 changed LCN from 128 to 129 on GIM
082 True Movies 1 was removed from the local multiplexes for Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire
060 True Crime was added to the local multiplexes for Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire
127 Kix was added to the local multiplexes for Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire
Bitrates for the multiplexes with added services:
Video Bitrate (Mbps) sampled at 31 <= dPCR <= 62 ms intervals over 10 seconds for Manchester Local Multiplex (23/03/2016 04:59:23)
maximum | minimum | average | service_name
02.060 | 01.945 | 02.000 | POP
02.585 | 02.410 | 02.500 | True Crime
02.585 | 02.421 | 02.500 | That's Manchester
00.532 | 00.465 | 00.499 | Kix
00.783 | 00.000 | 00.134 | Null Packets
01.707 | 00.713 | 01.415 | All Other Streams
09.048 | 09.048 | 09.048 | TS Bitrate
Kix was showing a static placard with message: 'CHECK BACK HERE ON 7th APRIL TO SEE A BRAND NEW KIDS CHANNEL'
Video Bitrate (Mbps) sampled at 32 <= dPCR <= 65 ms intervals over 15 seconds for GIM (23/03/2016 05:13:52)
maximum | minimum | average | service_name
00.608 | 00.000 | 00.387 | POP+1
00.813 | 00.000 | 00.555 | Tiny Pop+1
01.669 | 01.176 | 01.419 | ShowBiz TV
02.905 | 02.380 | 02.573 | mov4men+1
03.314 | 01.369 | 01.898 | Chart Show TV
01.884 | 01.020 | 01.466 | Heart TV
02.526 | 01.192 | 01.872 | CAPITAL TV
01.238 | 00.752 | 00.953 | True Movies 1
05.478 | 01.801 | 03.715 | Null Packets
04.212 | 02.234 | 03.258 | All Other Streams
18.097 | 18.096 | 18.096 | TS Bitrate
POP+1 and Tiny Pop+1 were showing static 'programmes start at' placards
The current Relocated Services list:
Format:
service_name relocated from multiplex_name (TSID) to multiplex_name (TSID)
CBS Drama relocated from SDN (3005) to Arqiva B (6040)
CBS Drama relocated from SDN (3006) to Arqiva B (6040)
CBS Drama relocated from SDN (3007) to Arqiva B (6040)
CBS Drama relocated from SDN (3008) to Arqiva B (6040)
mov4men+1 relocated from COM7 (A000) to GIM (7401)
mov4men+1 relocated from COM7 (A001) to GIM (7401)
True Movies 1 relocated from Local Multiplex (800B) to GIM (7401)
True Movies 1 relocated from Local Multiplex (800D) to GIM (7401)
Why is there no entry for the Liverpool Local Multiplex? This:
True Movies 1 relocated from Local Multiplex (8008) to GIM (7401)
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A
andy7:30 PM
Chester
Can't get Bay Tv Liverpool in Chester any more. Postcode CH1 6BE
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andy's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Thursday, 24 March 2016
J
jb3812:05 AM
andy: Your location relative to that of the coverage area of Winter Hills L-Liv Multiplex transmitter indicates Chester as being well outside of same, DUK's reception predictor somewhat backing this up by listing reception of this transmitter under the heading of "poor".
As no faults are listed against this station nor is there any engineering work taking place at same, I feel that your problem is simply down to the erratic signal levels frequently experienced with out-of-area reception during changing weather / atmospheric conditions, the signal from the L-Liv Mux having dropped under the level required for reception.
If your TV has a "manual tuning" facility? enter C56/754.00Mhz into the box then pause at this point, do "not" press search etc, as if any signal is being received the level of will be seen on the indicator bars no matter how low it might be. This procedure working on most (although not all) devices.
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