Full Freeview on the Black Hill (North Lanarkshire, Scotland) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 55.861,-3.874 or 55°51'40"N 3°52'27"W |  | ML7 4NZ |
The symbol shows the location of the Black Hill (North Lanarkshire, Scotland) transmitter which serves 940,000 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 Black Hill (North Lanarkshire, Scotland) mast?
Black Hill transmitter - Black Hill transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 11/11/2024 Screen may go black 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 Black 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.
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 Black Hill transmitter?
BBC Reporting Scotland 2.4m homes 9.2%
from Glasgow G51 1DA, 26km west (271°)
to BBC Scotland region - 230 masts.
STV News 1.3m homes 4.8%
from Glasgow G51 1PQ, 26km west (271°)
to STV Central (Glasgow) region - 94 masts.
Are there any self-help relays?
| Ardtornish A | Transposer | 22 km NW Oban | 15 homes |
| Balquhidder | Transposer | 12 km NW Callander | 42 homes |
| Benmore B | Active deflector | 50 m WNW Glasgow | 7 homes |
| Blair Drummond | Transposer | 5 homes caravan park | |
| Blyth Bridge | Active deflector | 30 km SW Edinburgh | 50 homes |
| Glendaruel | Active deflector | 40 hotel | 40 homes hotel |
| Glendaruel B | Active deflector | 12 homes (second level) |
How will the Black Hill (North Lanarkshire, Scotland) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1957-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2011 | 2011-13 | 3 Oct 2018 | ||||
| VHF | B E T | B E T | B E T | E T | W T | ||||
| C10 | ITVwaves | ||||||||
| C30 | _local | ||||||||
| C32 | com7 | ||||||||
| C35 | com8 | ||||||||
| C37 | C5waves | C5waves | |||||||
| C40 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBCB | BBCB | ||||
| C41 | +SDN | SDN | |||||||
| C43 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | D3+4 | D3+4 | ||||
| C44 | ArqA | ArqA | |||||||
| C46 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBCA | BBCA | ||||
| C47 | ArqB | ArqB | |||||||
| C50tv_off | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | ||||||
| C51tv_off | LG | ||||||||
| C55tv_off | com7tv_off | ||||||||
| C56tv_off | _local | 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 8 Jun 11 and 22 Jun 11.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-5 | 500kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7dB) 100kW | |
| com7 | (-10.7dB) 42.9kW | |
| com8 | (-11.1dB) 39.2kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D* | (-14dB) 20kW | |
| LG | (-20dB) 5kW |
Local transmitter maps
Black Hill Freeview Black Hill DAB Black Hill TV region BBC Scotland STV Central (Glasgow micro region)Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Black Hill transmitter area
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Friday, 11 March 2016
J
jb3812:44 AM
GMAN73: These levels are perfectly OK, the advice given by MikeP was based on you having said that signal *strength* was 100%.
The signal path from Blackhill is seen to be obstructed at approximately 0.75 miles prior to your location, and this might be a contributory factor in not receiving any signal the COM7 transmitter, as no engineering work is being carried out at Blackhill, nor are any faults listed against it.
You should try carrying out a "manual" tune on C32/562.0Mhz (Blackhills COM7) pausing after entering the channel number, (do *not* press search) to see if any levels appear on the signal bars, if they do, try pressing search and check if they get entered in the EPG listings, e.g: 107 BBC News HD.
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G
GMAN7311:34 AM
Hello, I set the channel to C32/562.0Mhz and nothing is showing, no signal/quality.
So the issue must be with the communal aerial. Think I'll buy an outside aerial and fit that. Been looking at the SLx 27895K4 4G Digidome Outdoor Aerial.
Thanks to MikeP/jb38 for all the advice.
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J
jb385:41 PM
GMAN73 : Thanks for the update. However, further checking around the rooftops in your area (via Google Earth) has revealed another possible reason for you not being able to receive COM7, being that numerous aerials in your location are seen to be facing towards the Rosneath transmitter and not Blackhill, COM7 not being transmitted by the former.
Rosneath is actually indicated on the reception predictor as providing a superior level of signal to that from Blackhill, likewise the communal aerial is likely to be facing towards that station, albeit that aerials on "some" properties are seen to be facing towards Blackhill.
An easy way to check which station you are receiving from is by carrying out a signal test on BBC HD101, as the transmitter Mux channel number its broadcast on is usually displayed on the same screen as the level bars, this being C40 if Blackhill, whereas C54 if Rosneath.
You could also carry out a visual check of the communal aerials mounting position, the aerial being mounted horizontally (elements flat) for Blackhill, whereas for Rosneath its vertical (elements pointing up / down).
By the way, Blackhill is located @ 18mls / 96%, with Rosneath @ 19mls / 296%.
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G
GMAN7310:04 PM
Hi jb38, I checked BBC One HD (101) and the channel number is 40 (see picture link below), so the Communal Aerial must be pointing to Blackhill.
http://i63.tinypic.com/28….jpg
Im going to to pickup an Outside Aerial and fit that instead.
Thanks for all the advice.
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MikeP
10:33 PM
Trowbridge
10:33 PM
Trowbridge
GMAN73:
Under no circumstances should you touch anything in the trunking outside - it is almost certainly *not* the aerial cable for the communal aerial system but could be a Virgin Media coaxial internet feed. In either case, it is not your property and anything you do could cause serious problems for others.
Please also check whether you are allowed to fit an aerial yourself. Many property owners will not allow tenants to add such plus there are planning issues you should check, the rules in Scotalnd vary slightly from those pertaining in England and Wales. That information should be available either on the internet on a website operated by your local council planning department, or else try talking to them directly and ask about fitting aerials having given them full details of where you live and the the property.
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MikeP's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Saturday, 12 March 2016
J
jb3810:13 AM
GMAN73: Rather than racing ahead and purchasing the aerial referred to in the link, which to be perfectly honest about it I feel would be a retrograde step, as these small amplified dome aerials are seldom ever satisfactory when used in a relatively distant location "unless" still line-of-sight with the station, which yours isn't.
Communal aerial distribution amplifier systems can sometimes be fitted with filters to restrict the reception of channels outside of a predetermined range, and this "might" be the reason for zero signal being indicated on your manual scan test, but though, I feel that your best policy would be to make one or two local enquiries (in and outwith communal block) to ascertain if anyone else is able to receive programme channels associated with COM7, e.g: 106 - 110.
However, going back to you having referred to a Virgin media hub, if this is part of your system? try carrying out another manual tune test on C32/562.0Mhz whilst the device temporarily disabled, as it's not exactly unheard of for these devices to cause problems with reception. Another thing to check being, that any HDMI cables are not running close to the aerials coax cable, this being another possible source of selective signal blocking.
Re; aerials. I would rate the aerial seen in the undermentioned link used in conjunction with a variable booster, such as Argos 107/1533 (page 549 / item 22) as being capable far superior performance over the aerial referred to.
Labgear Mini-Compact Log Periodic Aerial | TV Aerials & Freeview | Screwfix.com
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Sunday, 13 March 2016
I am still experiecing reception problems from Blackhill.Sometimes the Hd channels go completely and sudden breakup on standard digital.There have been faualts on and off with this transmitter for over a year.
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alexei's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Thursday, 24 March 2016
G
GMAN738:30 AM
Update folks.
Purchased the Aerial recommended by jb38, installed the aerial pole on the wood fascia of my house, mounted the aerial on top. Had 25m cable ran that through the window just to see if it picks up all the channels, it did, noticed that Sky News 132 Quality/Strength was only 25/28. Once I know it was picking up all channels I cut the cable and fed it through the hole in the wall I made. Noticed that the Sky News 132 Qualtiy/Strength was now 59/68, so having longer cable does not help quality. Ive also added a booster.
So thats me got all my channels that Blackhill transmit.
BIG THANKS to MikeP and jb38 for all their advice.
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J
jb387:56 PM
GMAN73: Many thanks for your update on the situation, pleased to know that the compact log / booster installation turned out a success, something which I am sure would "not" have been the case with the dome aerial, as these devices basically comprise of a loop of wire coupled into a high gain amplifier.
I will say though, that if there hadn't have been any possible issues connected with outdoor installations in your locality I would have suggested fitting the slightly larger (2'6"/76cm) DM18 log, this type giving a "slightly" higher output, however, this type would obviously have attracted more attention over that of the compact log, something its best to avoid!.
Cheers / jb.
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MikeP
10:33 PM
10:33 PM
GMAN73:
One of the 'quirks' of RF transmission and cable feeds is that the exact cable length can affect the signal appearing at the 'output' end plugged into the TV set. If the cable happens to be an exact multiple of the signal wavelength in question then you can get complete attenuation of that signal whilst others are unaffected! It is a principle that was used at RF transmitters to support the feed cables from the transmitter output to the aerial. The standing waves inherent in a half-wave stub (that's the technical terms for the metal supports whose length is critical) mean that where the wires are connected there appears to be an open circuit despite the supports being conductive metal. If your aerial cable just happens to be that length, or a multiple of it, you can end up with no signal at that frequency, the others all being OK as they are different wavelengths.
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