All posts by Chris.SE
Below are all of Chris.SE's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Anthony Bryant:
If you've been having reception problems why on earth would you want to delete your correct tuning and retune, whatever the cause of your poor reception you are likely to end up with less channels tuned in if signals on some multiplexes are too weak for the receiver to decode!
Having said that, as you haven't given a full postcode we can't check the predicted reception for your locale which might be marginal on some multiplexes.
On a few occasions recently there's been some weather related "temperature inversion/tropospheric ducting" which has caused interfering signals from distant transmitters in Europe or the UK. This type of interference does not usually affect all multiplexes, it can last for seconds, minutes, hours, sometimes longer. Some predictions are suggesting there could be some during Monday. FM/DAB radio can also be affected.
Whilst there doesn't appear to be any faults, none are listed by the BBC or Freeview and no recent outages, the Mendip transmitter is now currently listed for Planned Engineering. It was last listed 4 weeks ago.
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Keith john Alger:
See this previous post, and follow the links Bilsdale (North Yorkshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter | free and easy
I suggest you contact Arqiva.
Whilst predictions aren't always accurate, current predictions suggest you should get good reception from Bilsdale Quarry, quite good reception from Eston Nab except COM6 (C48) which could be poor/variable, and reasonable reception from Pontop PIke although the COM muxes are likely to be variable.
There has been some "temperature inversion/tropospheric ducting" around on various occasions of late which could have resulted in interference to your reception or indeed provided the conditions to allow you to get the Nottingham transmitter (which you certainly aren't predicted to get in normal circumstances!).
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George Smith:
I'm afraid Arqiva never say how long the work will take, or give any detail. Some of the work may be weather dependent.
The transmitter is again listed for the next week.
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Geoff Gilham:
COM7 has NOT closed at Bluebell Hill.
As noted on the Bluebell Hill transmitter page, it was the subject of Planned Engineering last week and may have been subject to power reductions and if you are in a marginal reception location that may be the reason. As you haven't given a full postcode, we can't advise on predicted reception in your locale.
IF you retuned at all whilst you had no or very weak/pixellated signal, it will probably just have cleared your correct tuning. Retuning is NEVER advised if you have correct tuning and no signal or badly pixellated pictures.
You will need to either manually try tuning UHF C55 IF you did retune before or a full retune if you can't do that.
If transmitter work has not been completed you may still have to try again when signals are back to normal.
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richard doughty:
You are predicted to have excellent reception from Mendip in your locale. Considering your proximity to the transmitter, I'm suspecting an issue with your installation.
Where is your aerial?
For you, it should be pointing almost due W, bearing 274 degrees with the rods (or squashed Xs) horizontal. Have you checked the aerial looks intact and is pointing correctly?
If external, check your downlead is secure, looks undamaged, and isn't flapping in the wind.
Have you changed anything in your installation since the problem started?
Check you don't have any HDMI leads close to you aerial leads or flyleads. Aerial leads and flyleads that aren't quality double screened can suffer interference from HDMI, make sure they are as far apart as possible.
How old is your aerial and downlead?
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Helen:
Freeview nor the BBC are reporting any problems with the Cowling transmitter and it's not currently listed for Planned Engineering. How long have you been having problems with the HD channels? (I assume you mean 101-105 ?).
Check that your aerial hasn't been disturbed and is still pointing at the Cowling transmitter with its rods (or squashed Xs) vertical.
Check in your TV's tuning section that you are correctly tuned to Cowling's UHF channels C42, C45 but especially C39 for the HD multiplex.
Check all your coax plugs and connections behind your TV. Make sure you don't have any HDMI leads running close to your aerial lead or any flyleads especially if the latter aren't quality double screened types. HDMI has been known to cause interference.
With the radio problem is this FM or DAB and which stations?
There aren't any reported problems with BBC DAB stations, but if it's FM BBC Radios 1-4, this comes from the Holme Moss transmitter and has been having major ongoing engineering since the end of June with periodic reduced power.
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roberts54:
The BBC are reporting essential engineering -
AM: Off the air due to essential engineering from 23 Nov 10:08 until 23 Nov 15:48. Off the air due to essential engineering from 22 Nov 10:44 until 22 Nov 15:33. Slightly reduced power due to essential engineering from 22 Nov 10:27 until 22 Nov 10:44.
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Dale :
Well where we used to get it, the "menu" changed some considerable time ago, and I (nor anyone I've come across) knows how/if one can get it!
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Paul :
The Millburn Muir transmitter carries the BBC National DAB multiplex Block 12B: 225.648 MHz and a Local commercial multiplex (Glasgow) Block 11C: 220.352 MHz which has BBC Radio Scotland and 11 commercial stations. It doesn't carry any of the Commercial National multiplexes.
Depending on where you are, for example the Rosneath transmitter does have the D1 national multiplex on Block 12A: 223.936MHz in Scotland.
You mention an engineering change. You should not have any problems with any of the BBC stations. However if it's some of the commercial stations on the D1 multiplex you are now not getting, some of them have changed mode to DAB+. No stations on 12B or 11C are DAB+. So if your radio is older and DAB only, instead of DAB+ you'll be getting less commercial stations.
Put your postcode into the box at ukdigitalradio: Coverage and it'll tell you all the stations you should get.
If you are having problems with BBC stations use Issues with DAB | Help receiving TV and radio and follow it through to the end where you can contact BBC Engineering.
(As an aside your transmitter's BBCB HD Freeview multiplex had essential engineering 2 days ago but I don't see any reports to say DAB was affected).
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Monday 22 November 2021 2:01AM
Richard Owen:
I agree with you about expansion of the SDL National DAB network, however by how much and when is another matter.
You may be interested to read
Digital radio and audio review - GOV.UK
but especially section 6.