All posts by Mark Fletcher
Below are all of Mark Fletcher's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Following on from my earlier post,my set-top box have both automatic and manual scanning options.In my circumstance which i mentioned previously about receiving 3 multiplexes from the main Belmont transmitter,i performed the manual scan and as i prefer extra channels,this is the better option.First i performed all 6 Emley Moor multiplex frequency scans on channels 40,46,47,49,50,52,perfect,including 14 temporary duplicate BBC channels presently on programme no's 800-813 (presently on channel 46,Mux B),plus i manually rescanned the 3 multiplexes from Belmont on channels 22,25,30,again perfect,these are on programme no's 814-868.Now until Wednesday 21 September 2011,the date when Emley Moor finally goes totally digital and also the next date for my next manual retune,i now have 174 programme channels on my Freeview+ non-HD set top box.Finally if any other Emley Moor viewers who pick up Belmont multiplexes instead of their own but would like to retain the Belmont duplicates as extra channels,the best option is a manual scan as an automatic scan stores 4 of 6 Belmont multiplexes on channels 22,25,28,30 first before Emley Moor's channels 39-52 at present,41-52 after final switchover,and after Wednesday 23 November 2011,Belmont's last 2 multiplexes on channels 53 & 60 which increases in strength from then onwards.The result would be most if not all Emley Moor's channels will be on programmes 800 upwards,while Belmont's will be stored first lower down.If Emley Moor viewers don't want Belmont duplicates and there is only an automatic scan option available,plug out the aerial as the automatic scan begins before channel 22 is reached,plug in the aerial before it reaches channel 39,then unplug the aerial again after channel 52 is stored,as after 23 November 2011 once Belmont's last 2 multiplexes on channels 53 & 60 increases in power,it may store these frequencies as well.
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Interesting to hear from people just over the hill from Halifax in nearby Bradford,especially to the south and west of that city which i have noticed some external horizontally polarised aerials pointing towards Bilsdale transmitter,which will not switch over to digital until September 2012,and i believe is the last main transmitter to switch over.If this is the case these Bradford households are watching their local news bulletins from BBC1 North East and Cumbria,and ITV 1 Tyne-Tees (now Tyne-Tees & Border news).Plus i have observed some Halifax households whose external horizontally polarised aerials pointing towards Winter Hill transmitter,thus watching BBC1 North West and ITV 1 Granada news bulletins,as Winter Hill switched over to digital on Wednesday 2 December 2009.
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Re:Mike Roberts,Wigan.No,if you're receiving Emley Moor signals then the duplicate channels you implied,BBC4,BBC Radio's 1,2,3,4,etc are still on Mux B,channel 46 until the early hours of Wednesday 21 September 2011,when from this date onwards Emley Moor finally goes all digital and these duplicate channels will all be deleted.
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Re:Tony Riley.No problem at all.I am glad to be of assistance to yourself and anybody else come to that matter.I'm no professional myself,just an amateur,but i do have some knowledge on TV,aerial and reception issues.It will be interesting once switchover for Emley Moor is completed on Wednesday 21 September 2011 on how everything evolves thereafter.Finally as for Belmont yes equally interesting here as now to receive all 6 Mux's a Group W or "wideband" aerial is required yet according to A.T.V. (Aerials and Television) of Sheffield,looking through their website,widebands or Group W aerials,are quite useless when it comes to channels on the lower end of the frequency spectrum,especially the familiar Group A aerialed frequency Channels 21-37,in which 4 of 6 of Belmont's Mux's on channels 22,25,28,30 are within the Group A aerial range.The other 2 on channels 53 & 60 (currently both on 4kw until Wednesday 23 November 2011 when Tacolneston totally switches over,due to frequencies 53 & 60 there clashing with Belmont) fall within either Group C/D range,channels 48-68 or Group E range,channels 35-68.
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Sorry to break the bad news folks,but after the final stage switchover for Tacolneston transmitter viewers,from Wednesday 23 November 2011 onwards,the current Group C/D aerials (ch's 48-68) for Tacolneston will probably need changing to preferably a Group E type aerial (ch's 35-68),as on the above date 2 of the 6 frequencies,SDN on ch 42 and ArqA on ch 45 will be out of the Group C/D range,the other 4 frquencies on ch 50 ArqB,ch 55 BBCA,ch 59 D3+4 and ch 62 BBCB (HD) will remain within Group C/D range.A wideband or Group W aerial can be used as an alternative as these aerials although quite useless for lower frequencies are quite good for higher frequency channels especially in the case of Tacolneston after switchover.
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Although in Emley Moor territory,having posted similar comments on their page,i can clearly receive 3 of Belmont's 6 Multiplexes on my Freeview+ non-HD set-top box,surprising really as i reside in a hilly area North of Halifax some 70+ miles away from the Belmont transmitter using a set-top indoor aerial without an amplifier.These Mux's being BBCA on ch 22,D3+4 on ch 25 and SDN on ch 30 all 100% quality and stabilising on 71% strength.Only ArqA on ch 53 and ArqB on ch 60 both currently on very low power due to frequencies clashing with Tacolneston until Wednesday 23 November 2011,and BBCB (HD) on ch 28 (being a non-HD box) are the other 3 Belmont Mux's i am currently unable to receive,although 2 of the above,ArqA (ch 53) and ArqB (ch 60) after the Tacolneston switchover will have both its signal powers increased as the frequencies clash which i mentioned earlier ends on the above date stated,and possibly i may end up receiving both ArqA and ArqB Mux's from Belmont as well.I will reveal all when that time comes !
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Sorry i forgot.The BBCB (HD) Mux final allocation on channel 62 (?),from Wed 23 Nov 2011 when Tacolneston becomes all digital,will end up being reallocated to another frequency once again as channels 61 & 62 along with channels 63-68 will ultimately be cleared for 4G services at a future date !
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Re:Jon who lives in Leeds city centre.Is your aerial located either outside,in the loft or a set-top.And is it also vertically or horizontally polarised,the former will denote a relay transmitter your signals pick up hence only at present you will only receive the BBCA Multiplex,until Wednesday 21 September 2011 when Mux's D3+4 and BBCB (HD) also will finally be broadcasted digitally.If the latter,your aerial is polarized horizontally then your signals will be from a main transmitter,Emley Moor most likely and if so check your aerial that it is in the right group.If you leave your full post code,the true professionals on here,Briantist,Mike Dimmock,JB 38,etc,will be of even greater assistance than myself.
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Sorry correction.Mike Dimmick i mean not Mike Dimmock to my previous post in reply to Jon,Leeds city centre,my apologies.
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Thursday 8 September 2011 6:18AM
Halifax
I live to the North of Halifax,HX2 9JY postcode and i can receive clearly some of the multiplexes from the main Belmont transmitter in Lincolnshire using an indoor set top aerial without an amplifier,horizontally polarised.These being Mux PSB1-BBCA on Channel 22,yes including BBC1 for East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire with Peter Levy hosting the evening Look North bulletins from the Hull studios there,Mux PSB2-D3+4 on Channel 25 including a slight variation of ITV 1's Calendar evening news bulletin with more East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire matters,both the mentioned mutiplexes above are on full power,100% quality & 71% strength.The only other Belmont multiplex i can receive presently is Mux COM4-SDN on Channel 30 which includes ITV 3,5*,5USA,etc,on 100% quality & a maximum 69% strength.Unfortunately my Goodmans GHD2521F2 set top box which is a Freeview+ non-HD model obviously is unable to receive Belmont's HD programmes on Mux PSB3-BBCB,Channel 28,as well as currently Mux COM5-ArqA on Channel 53 which includes PICK TV,Really,etc,and also Mux COM6-ArqB on Channel 60 which includes Film 4,ITV 4,etc.I understand Belmont's Mux's on Channel's 53 & 60 is currently on very low power until Wednesday 23 November 2011,when its strength will then increase once the main Tacolneston transmitter (BBC East,ITV 1 Anglia) finally switches over to digital completely on that date,due to possible interference issues.