All posts by Peter Henderson
Below are all of Peter Henderson's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
There's also a local TV station currently broadcasting to the greater Belfast aerea Brian, Northern Visions TV on channel 62.
I'm not sure what will happen to them after 24th October 2012 (will the transmitter shut down ?). I would imagine they may possibly submit an application for the local licence on Freeview.
TG4 is also broadcasting from Divis on channel 58 from a low power transmitter. I assume this will also shut down at DSO ?
I wonder if this means the NIMM will start on the 24th October 2012 ?
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I'd love switchover to be May 2012 as well Conor, but I think the October dates are set in stone now. Can't see it being brought forward.
Hopefully, UTV HD will become available (still nothing about it on Digital UK) at switchover, both on Freeview and digital satellite (Sky and Freesat).
It's an absolute disgrace NI viewers don't have access to channel 3 HD on either the Sky or Freesat EPG after all this time.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
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I'm not sure what your point is U ?
Don't forget, the Brougher Mountain transmitter was held up for years because several engineers were killed by an IRA bomb, if I remember correctly.
Still, thankfully we live in changed times and the new RTE mini mux is to be welcomed by everyone, on both sides of the community.
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"I don't understand why NIMM doesn't have a place on Divis. What am I missing ?"
Originally Paul, it was to be housed on the old mast at Divis (Divis now has two masts) the new one being constructed for DSO and DAB radio. The old mast was to be retained for the NIMM and nalogue FM rdaio.
However, I've read elsewhere that the National trust has objected to the two masts being retained at the site. The old mast will now be deommissioned at some stage, so I assume this is why Black Mountain will be used instead (Divis was initially one of the proposed sites).
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What Mike is suggesting Paul, is that 2 kw for the NIMM will be the equivelent of around 20kw of a standard Freeview signal, which means the 1/2 kw ERP is somewhat misleading.
The polarisation has yet to be mentioned, but I would imagine it should be horizontal as it's got nothing to do with the low powered relay.
Viewers in West Belfast that use the low powered relay will obviously need two aerials if this were the case.
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That's what I was wondering.
Which part of East Antrim are you located Paul ?
I'm in Jordanstown and currently have OK reception of FReeview from Divis, even though the Carnmoney Hill Transmitter is only a couple of miles away (I can see it from my bedroom window). Analogue reception of Clermont Cairn is also perfect, but nothing from Saorview (apart from placeholders that appear every so often). I fully expect Sarview reception to be perfect after 24th October 2012, hopefully.
I'm not so sure about the NIMM from Black Mountain though, but if what Mike and others say is true re. the technical paramaters etc. it should be OK. Failing that, I'll put something up for Carnmoney Hill if both Black Mountain and Clermont Cairn are rubbish.
The 24th October 2012 should be very interesting indeed and well worth waiting for.
If other DSOs are anything to go by, there's going to be quite a lot of problems with signal strengths being far too strong.
The Hannington transmitter analogue switch off is certainly interesting, judging by the comments.
I'm also getting reasonable reception from the Cambrett Hill transmitter in Southwest Scotland, including Freeview HD, which looks very good indeed.
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I very much doubt Saorview from Clermont Cairn will reach Larne Paul, even with the increase in power on October 24th.
If you're getting a patchy signal from Divis at present then things should be much better (if not perfect) after DSO. I'm not sure about the NIMM from Black Mountain. If what Mike is saying is true i.e re. the technical paramaters then you may be OK. I do know that some of the higher parts of Larne enjoy Freeview from Divis even now, so maybe a replacement aerial may help
Failing all that, the situation with Saorsat should become clearer over the next few months so that might be the better option, if you don't want to bother with the subscription service on Sky.
Scottish TV shouldn't be a problem with either the Stranraer or Portpatrick transmitters, although both are Freeview Lite.
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P
Northern Ireland "mini multiplex" (NIMM) | SwitchoversSaturday 25 February 2012 1:38PM
Newtownabbey
From the BBC report:
"The new multiplex will broadcast in DVB-T2, the same parameters used by Freeview HD"
but sadly, not in HD, which is a pity.
Still RTE in SD is better than nothing.
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P
Holme Moss (Kirklees, England) analogue radio transmitterSunday 26 February 2012 1:24AM
Newtownabbey
Believe it or not, I can actually receive this transmitter, albeit very weakly, even under flat conditions.
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Tuesday 7 February 2012 11:32AM
Brian: All Saorview channels from Clermont Cairn are currently on channel 53, as far as I'm aware, including TV3, RTE news now, and all the radio channels.
I would imagine when the restriction is lifted it will apply to all the channels, not just RTE 1, RTE 2, and TG 4 (at least that was the impression I was given by Saorview Brian).
I think Truskmore is also on reduced power for similar reasons to Clermont Cairn.
The change of channel from 53 to 52 is definitely going ahead on 24th October, according to Saorview.