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All posts by Chris.SE

Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.


Bernard Campbell:

In your TV's tuning section, which UHF channel does it end up on for the PSB1/BBCA multiplex?
Is there a setting to auto-update or retune if there's changes or no signal? If so, turn it off.
When you initially first set up the TV from new, did it ask you to enter a postcode or a region at all?

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Susan Coan:

FYI this is an independent Help site, and we'll endeavour to help with your problem.

1st, the BBC engineering reports that sometimes appear here are "forwarded on" after being "collected" by this website, but since the BBC changed their system, that does not always happen.

2nd, the Weymouth (Wyke) transmitter is listed for Planned Engineering this week with "Possible service interruptions" which sounds very much like what you've been experiencing. Unfortunately they don't give any warning when it's about to happen or how long it may go on for, it depends on exactly what the engineers need to do, and if things don't go to plan........

3rd, just to maker life extra difficult at present, there is some strong variable intermittent "Troposheric Ducting" around that's been quite strong in some parts of the country causing interference from distant transmitters (see
https://www.bbc.co.uk/rec….jpg ). This won't necessarily affect all multiplexes (groups of channels) or affect any one or several at the same time. This might mean that retuning may not get all the channels back or even get the wrong transmitters and you'd have to retry several times once conditions stabilise. And just to cheer you up, this can often occur with the sort of weather we have at present, the interference can come from transmitters in Europe or the UK, and it's predicted to continue for several more days. Whether, and by how much, you are affected is "in the lap of the gods" to coin a phrase.

Lastly, personally I wouldn't recommend you cancel your licence, it's just likely to result in TV Licencing knocking at your door to check you aren't watching ANY live television. If so, you might have to face legal repercussions and a criminal record, so not advised!

As you haven't given a full postcode, we can't advise if there may be any other transmitters that you might reliably receive, but post back if you need further help.

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Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter
Wednesday 12 August 2020 5:12AM

Mazbar:

I think Winter Hill was all up and running by 0230, not heard of any issues (yet!).

All:

For those they may have missed any previous information in/on the local media and pop-up on-screen messages and may not have read the previous posts here -
In February the main BBC multiplex moved to C32, the TV programmes remaining in the LCNs 1,2, etc in the EPG, but the multiplex continued a simulcast on its previous C50 but with the TV programmes in LCNs 751 et seq.
The final retune event has now taken place at Winter Hill, are you getting the BBC channels BBC1, BBC2 etc on LCN's 1,2, etc.? If Not, you may be missing other channels as well if you have not carried out a full retune. If you've done that and are still missing channels post back with some more detail. Here is some further information -

Older Group C/D aerials will still pick up some signals on "out of band/group" channels lower down in the UHF band (but not often the other way about) but they may be too weak for a given TV receiver to decode.
Even if you are getting the BBC channels on C32 they may not be as reliable as they should be depending on your aerial, and reception of the lower channels will be very variable so eg. C37 may be less reliably received if it's a C/D group aerial. If you can see the ends of the aerial (maybe use binoculars or a telescope) if it has a Green plastic plug in the ends then it's a C/D group. If you happen to know that it's a Wideband aerial (which receives all Groups) the this isn't the issue and we need to look for other reasons, but we can probably check more if the right information is in your TV's tuning sections.

In your TVs tuning sections, there should be an indication of signal strength and signal quality for each multiplex on its respective UHF channel.
One each set, first have a look at C32 for the PSB1/BBCA multiplex and note down the figures. Then look at PSB2/D3&4 at C34 and note the figures. Then have a look at COM6/ArqB on C37 and note the figures.
If you used to receive COM7 on C55, look at that one as well. And if need be the BBCB HD mux on C35 (you need a T2/HD tuner for HD channels.
Did you used to receive any of the Local multiplexes, if so have a look for the signals on C21, C24, C27, or C40. Which ones you got/will get will depend on location in - Liverpool, Manchester (C24. C27) or Preston.

If you were receiving most channels before the retune and are not now, you most likley need a replacement aerial which you can get arranged Free of Charge by ringing Freeview on 0808-100-0288.

Otherwise post the information mentioned above and we'll try and help further.
The final channels in the order PSBs1-3, COMs 4-7, Local Liverpool, Local Manchester, Local Preston, Manchester GI, are
C32, C34, C35, C29, C31, C37, C55, C24, C21, C40, C27.

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Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter
Wednesday 12 August 2020 1:56PM

Pauline:

Have you retuned since? The transmitter was not back on air with all multiplexes until at least 0230.
If you have and still have no channels, did you previously have the regular BBC channels at LCNs 1,2,9 etc in your programme guide, or were they at 751,752 etc.
Please provide a full postcode so we can see what the predicted reception is at your location.
Did you read the post immediately before yours?

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Peter H:

Channel 4 HD is no longer on Freesat, only on Sky. Presumably they did not want to pay for the slot on Freesat!

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Jazz FM
Wednesday 12 August 2020 2:07PM

Niki:

This isn't the Broadcaster's website Niki, it's an independent help site. As much as I might agree with you, you need to contact them (link at the top of the page) and/or Bauer/Planet Radio. I can't readily find an email address for JazzFM, there is a follow us, try through social media.

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Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter
Wednesday 12 August 2020 2:17PM

All:

Apologies for the error in the channel listing of the Local Multiplexes, I have the Manchester and Liverpool ones the wrong way round, it should be:
Local Liverpool, Local Manchester, Local Preston, Manchester GI on C21, C24, C40, & C27.
The main multiplexes are as previously listed C32, C34, C35, C29, C31, C37, C55 for PSBs1-3, COMs 4-7.
For which channels are on which multiplex see https://www.freeview.co.u…ngs.

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YourTV Blackpool and Preston
Wednesday 12 August 2020 2:28PM

Paul Costello:

It sounds like you are getting quite a strong signal from the Liverpool multiplex (UHF C21) which your set will be finding before the Preston Multiplex on C40.
You might find the Preston multiplex channels in your 800 LCNs in your EPG, if your set has the options you could then swap them to where you want them.

Otherwise you could try a manual retune on just C40 and see if it replaces them in the EPG (if not look in the 800s again). If that doesn't work then as a last resort you are going to have to clear all existing tuning and do a manual retune of Winter Hill's Channels selecting the ones you want.

Do this by unplugging the aerial and doing an automatic retune which should clear memory as nothing will be found. Switch the set off for at least ten minutes.

Switch the set back on, don't let it try an automatic retune if it tries, plug the aerial back in and do a manual tune. See
Winter Hill (Bolton, England) Full Freeview transmitter | free and easy for a list of the UHF channels to use. If you don't have a T2/HD tuner, ignore PSB3 & COM7.

If you still have problems post back with a full postcode so we can look at the predicted reception at your location.

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Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter
Wednesday 12 August 2020 11:59PM

Mazbar:

Good show, hope that continues. There's a handful of people who are getting problems, no doubt got old C/D group aerials and not in a strong enough signal area. What beats me is that prior to retune they must have been getting the BBC channels at 751,752, ...etc in their EPG rather than 1,2,9, etc. and they never bothered to ask why or seek advice, so now they'll have a wait for Freeview to organise the Free In-Home support!

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David Wilson:

Can't find any reports of transmitters problems from Freeview or the BBC.
There is some fairly strong variable intermittent "Troposheric Ducting" around that's been quite strong in some parts of the country causing interference from distant transmitters (see
https://www.bbc.co.uk/rec….jpg ).
This won't necessarily affect all multiplexes (groups of channels) or affect any one or several at the same time. This might mean that retuning may not get all the channels back or even get the wrong transmitters and you'd have to retry several times once conditions stabilise. And just to cheer you up, this can often occur with the sort of weather we have at present, the interference can come from transmitters in Europe or the UK, and it's predicted to continue for several more days. Whether, and by how much, you are affected is "in the lap of the gods" to coin a phrase.

link to this comment
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