All posts by Mike Dimmick
Below are all of Mike Dimmick's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
W Archer: It looks like your prediction for both Crystal Palace and Bluebell Hill is, at best, variable.
Bluebell Hill uses the same frequency for the ITV channels (i.e. multiplex 2) as Sandy Heath now does for the D3&4 multiplex. BH uses the same frequency for Multiplex A as Sandy Heath does for BBC A (since 30 March). This probably explains why the prediction has dropped from variable to no prediction at all.
If analogue reception is poor, it's likely there is a fault with your aerial and/or cabling. I would see Freeview Intermittent Interference for some thoughts.
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Simon Lees: The Lamberhurst transmitter won't start transmitting digital signals until some time in the middle of next year. The exact dates have not yet been published - we assume after April 2012 as Crystal Palace won't switch until then - DUK's postcode checker shows an 'Existing DTT Power-Up' event at Heathfield on 18 April 2012.
We really need a full postcode to have an idea of what you could do.
I've tried TN17 2SF with Digital UK's trade view - this does show Mux B (which carries CBeebies, BBC Four, BBC Parliament and the radio stations) as the lowest probability for your address. It also shows that it is likely to get worse after Sudbury switches over in July, as one of the PSB multiplexes there (which launch at full power) uses the same channel.
It doesn't show any better alternative transmitter at the moment. Bluebell Hill is a possibility but is expected to get worse in November. You might be able to get slightly better results by carefully re-siting the aerial.
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Jonathan, Sophie: At those postcodes it doesn't look like you can receive signals from Nottingham. It's more likely to be Waltham. The aerial's rods would be going up-and-down for Nottingham and side-to-side for Waltham.
The multiplex that carries ITV1 and C4 has moved from C23 to C31 at Waltham. This happened yesterday morning. There are reports that Mux 2 is not working properly in its new location for some viewers.
I do note that the bearing from your postcodes to Waltham is nearly the same as that to Sandy Heath - it's just a bit further, and over the horizon. It's possible that the power boosts at Sandy Heath are adding enough extra noise to overload the amplifier or tuner, in the right weather conditions. If you have an amplifier/booster, try it without.
Jonathan: The prediction for you shows no usable service on multiplex 1, 2, and A, and poor service on multiplex B, until Waltham switches over in August. There is no prediction for Mux A until October. Belmont is actually a better option for all multiplexes before and after switchover, but you will get the Lincolnshire/Yorkshire news.
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m willcox: They've been working on the transmitter again today, and for the previous two days. We only found this out at about 4pm. Nothing like being told after the event.
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Yan Lee: Unfortunately the software really only supports 'before Freeview' - 'low power DTT' - 'after switchover'. It wasn't designed to support so many changes both before and after switchover.
The only exception I can think of is Rowridge, which shows before and after 25 March 2009.
Digital UK's postcode checker (trade view) shows all events that are currently planned, and what that will do to your reception.
We're also somewhat behind Digital UK in terms of information because the broadcasters are changing it at the last minute and Ofcom aren't keeping up. Other than scraping the DUK trade view, there's not a lot we can do (and DUK don't publish the power levels). (DUK is mainly a front for the broadcasters.).
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Dave: Sandy Heath is at a bearing of 198°. However, Waltham (East Midlands) or Belmont (Yorkshire & Lincolnshire) are expected to give better results.
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ALL: They've been doing engineering works at Brierley Hill again today. I did look on
Digital UK - Planned Engineering Works earlier today and there was no notification. The automatic scraping of that webpage noticed a notification at 4:47pm.
You can deliver pieces of your mind to Digital UK - Home (see contact links in bottom-right corner) or Arqiva Press Office
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brendafoxall: You're likely using the Brierley Hill relay transmitter, where there has been engineering work for the past three days. There was one day of warning for the first two days, no notice at all for today.
If you're lucky they've now finished. If not it could be off again tomorrow. It's probably dependent on the weather.
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Thursday 14 April 2011 3:18PM
Bob Green: The Kimpton transmitter, a relay of Sandy Heath near Luton and Stevenage, started using C60 yesterday, but it's extremely low power and using the other polarization. Sudbury won't start using it until 2012 (and doesn't switch over until July). You should be looking at your own reception rather than changes at the transmitters.
Try Freeview Intermittent Interference and Single Frequency Interference for some suggestions.