Freeview Light on the Black Mountain (Northern Ireland) transmitter
 | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 54.586,-6.024 or 54°35'10"N 6°1'28"W |  | BT17 0LU |
The symbol shows the location of the Black Mountain (Northern Ireland) transmitter which serves 6,600 homes. The bright green areas shown where the signal from this transmitter is strong, dark green areas are poorer signals. Those parts shown in yellow may have interference on the same frequency from other masts.
This transmitter has no current reported problems
The BBC and Digital UK report there are no faults or engineering work on the Black Mountain (Northern Ireland) transmitter._______
Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
DTG-11 QPSK 32KN 2/3 10.0Mb/s DVB-T2 MPEG4
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
The Black Mountain (Northern Ireland) mast is a public service broadcasting (PSB) transmitter, it does not provide these commercial (COM) channels: .
If you want to watch these channels, your aerial must point to one of the 80 Full service Freeview transmitters. For more information see the will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? page.
Which Freeview channels does the Black Mountain transmitter broadcast?
If you have any kind of Freeview fault, follow this Freeview reset procedure first.Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
| Mux | H/V | Frequency | Height | Mode | Watts |
| PSB1 BBCA | V -26dB | C41 (634.0MHz) | 486m | DTG- | 5W |
 1 BBC One (SD) Northern Ireland, 2 BBC Two Northern Ireland, 9 BBC Four, 23 BBC Three, 201 CBBC, 202 CBeebies, 231 BBC News, 232 BBC Parliament, plus 14 others | |||||
| PSB2 D3+4 | V -26dB | C44 (658.0MHz) | 486m | DTG- | 5W |
 3 UTV (SD) (UTV), 4 Channel 4 (SD) NI ads, 5 Channel 5, 6 ITV 2, 10 ITV3, 13 E4, 14 Film4, 15 Channel 4 +1 NI ads, 18 More4, 26 ITV4, 28 ITVBe, 30 E4 +1, 35 UTV +1 (UTV), 71 That’s 60s, | |||||
| PSB3 BBCB | V -26dB | C47 (682.0MHz) | 486m | DTG- | 5W |
 46 5SELECT, 101 BBC One HD Northern Ireland, 102 BBC Two HD Northern Ireland, 103 UTV HD (UTV), 104 Channel 4 HD NI ads, 105 Channel 5 HD, 106 BBC Four HD, 107 BBC Three HD, 204 CBBC HD, 205 CBeebies HD, plus 1 others | |||||
| NIMM | H max | C33+ (570.2MHz) | 486m | DTG-11 | 2,000W |
 53 TG4, 54 RTÉ One, 55 RTÉ Two, | |||||
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
The Black Mountain (Northern Ireland) mast is a public service broadcasting (PSB) transmitter, it does not provide these commercial (COM) channels: .
If you want to watch these channels, your aerial must point to one of the 80 Full service Freeview transmitters. For more information see the will there ever be more services on the Freeview Light transmitters? page.
Which BBC and ITV regional news can I watch from the Black Mountain transmitter?
BBC Newsline 0.6m homes 2.5%
from Belfast BT2 8HQ, 1,044km northeast (51°)
to BBC Northern Ireland region - 46 masts.
How will the Black Mountain (Northern Ireland) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1959-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2012 | 2012-13 | 4 Sep 2019 | ||||
| VHF | B E T | B E T | B E T | B E T | K T | ||||
| C9 | ITVwaves | ||||||||
| C33 | NIMM | ||||||||
| C37 | C5waves | C5waves | |||||||
| C39 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | +NIMM | |||||
| C41 | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | BBCA | |||||
| C42 | D3+4 | ||||||||
| C44 | D3+4 | ||||||||
| C45 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBCA | |||||
| C47 | BBCB | ||||||||
| C49tv_off | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | BBCB |
tv_off Being removed from Freeview (for 5G use) after November 2020 / June 2022 - more
Table shows multiplexes names see this article;
green background for transmission frequencies
Notes: + and - denote 166kHz offset; aerial group are shown as A B C/D E K W T
waves denotes analogue; digital switchover was 10 Oct 12 and 24 Oct 12.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 5 | 50kW | |
| NIMM≡ | (-14dB) 2kW | |
| Analogue 1-4 | (-33dB) 25W | |
| BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-40dB) 5W |
Local transmitter maps
Black Mountain Freeview Black Mountain DAB Divis TV region BBC Northern Ireland UTVWhich companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Divis transmitter area
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Is the transmitter output the same in all directions?
Radiation patterns withheldFriday, 2 November 2012
M
mrdtv6:14 PM
Briantist: NIMM is 2kW HORIZONTAL. See DUK postcode checker.
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Sunday, 4 November 2012
mrdtv: Sorry, about that ... minor typo in the database. Now fixed.
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Wednesday, 28 November 2012
P
P. Kieran Ward1:34 AM
Belfast
Hi all!
I was wondering if anyone on this site can help me with what I describe as a mind-baffling problem. I live in North Belfast and my main transmitter is Divis (UHF C21, C23, C24, C26, C27 & C29). I am in the position where I also receive from Black Mountain and receive the UHF channels (C42, C45 &49) along with the Northern Ireland mini-multiplex - UHF C39. As for transmissions from the South of Ireland I receive Saorview from Clermont Carn on UHF C52.
I recently rewired/upgraded my television signal distribution system using RG6 co-axial cable (by Kontrakt) and a new Philex SLx Distribution Amplifier, 8+1 Way, 27824R (each outlet is 20dB gain). Four of my five cable runs are working fine and I receive all of the above channels. The cable run I have a problem with is < 70 feet (just over 21 metres) and the typical loss for the cable type would be in the order of 3 to 4 dB.
The equipment at the end of this run is a Bush DVB680 Freeview HD Digital Set Top Box (this box has a DVB-T2 tuner) along with a Toshiba DVB-T television set. I can tune UHF C21, C23, C24, C26, C27 & C29 from Divis, C39 from Black Mountain along with C52 from Clermont Carn at the other four points throughout the house but I cannot tune C39 (from Black Mountain) and C52 from Clermont Carn. All other channels are of good signal strength and quality. I have inspected the cable run visually and cannot see any problems. Any suggestions as to what could be wrong!
Regards
P. Kieran Ward
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P.'s: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb389:23 PM
P. Kieran Ward: Although I might well be misinterpreting what you have said, but I am curious with regards to when you refer to being able to receive all of the channels mentioned perfectly OK on the other four positions but "not" on the equipment used at the end of the run, have you tried out these two devices when connected into any of the other four positions?
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Friday, 30 November 2012
P
P. Kieran Ward12:07 AM
Belfast
Hi jb38!
I have already tried two of the other Bush DVB680 Freeview HD set-top boxes - this model has the DVB-T2 tuner on-board to no avail. I think it is a cable problem but as I don't have any test equipment other than a multi-meter I can't test the cable. Oh! if I only had a signal generator I might be able to test the cable.
Regards anyway!
P. Kieran Ward
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P.'s: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb388:18 AM
P. Kieran Ward: Well provided that its a straight cable run with nothing in between you dont really require anything else more sophisticated than what you already have to check the cable, as a continuity "and" a short circuit test can be carried out at the same time on the cable (unconnected) by setting your test meter on low ohms (up to 1k) and connecting it across the coax plug which of course should not read anything, then whilst leaving it still connected go to the other end of the cable and short out the coax plug, then returning to the meter end and making sure that continuity is now indicated on the loop circuit you have just created by shorting out the remotely positioned coax plug.
Should this prove as being OK then the second test is to use one of your receivers with a manual tune facility and that you know works OK on the channels referred to when connected into one of the other positions, then whilst still at one of those positions go into its tuning menu / manual tune and enter Ch39 but do "not" press search or scan, as on most equipment the strength the signal is being received at will immediately be indicated as soon as the channel number is entered, make a note of whatever it is then change Ch39 to Ch52 and also note its level.
Once completed move the device you are using to the end of your extension cable and then carry out exactly the same test there and see what results you get, because should any signal be present irrespective of strength it will still be indicated, the reason being that this type of test measures the actual signal pre the receivers reception threshold cut off circuitry as this only comes into play once search has been pressed, this being why some might see a signal being indicated on entering the channel number and yet nothing is found on a search.
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J
jb3811:44 PM
P. Kieran Ward: I did mean to finalise the reply I made earlier on this morning (08.18am) by stating, that needless to say should it be found on the "before and after" extension cable signal comparison check that there is quite a difference in levels between the two positions, then this could be rectified by the addition of a booster of about 6db or so preferably (but not essentially) preceding the cable run.
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Saturday, 1 December 2012
P
P. Kieran Ward11:12 AM
Belfast
Hi jb38!
Many thanks for the suggestions. I have already checked the continuity of the main core of the cable and confirmed no short circuit. Now in my mid-sixties, I was self-taught in the field of electronics back in my late teens and early twenties. I did tutor Electrical Principles for a few years in the late nineties but not using my former knowledge I now forget a lot of it nowadays.
I will try your second test over the weekend and see what it produces.
What I cant understand is that one of my other cable runs is about 50 feet (just over 15 metres) and it has no problems with carrying a received signal covering the range of UHF Channels 21 to 52 from the three transmitters I receive signals from.
The interesting thing about my problem is that the two UHF channels I cant receive on the cable run in question are channels for which you require receivers with MPEG4 although I also receive the multiplex PSB3/BBCB which is the Freeview HD channels which also requires DVB-T2 capability - BBC HD, BBC One NI, UTV HD and Channel 4 along with two other data channels.
As I have said I will try to undertake your suggestions.
Many thanks
P. Kieran Ward
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P.'s: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Sunday, 2 December 2012
J
jb3812:24 AM
P. Kieran Ward: The only reason that I mentioned / described the cable checking procedure was simply because that you had only referred to a visual check having been made, however if the cable has been checked by yourself as being OK and the box referred to "has" been verified (and important that is has) as being OK on both Ch39 and Ch52, especially Ch52 Saorview DVB-T but MPEG4, then your problem is suggestive of being associated with signal levels.
This of course where I do admit to being a bit puzzled as to why you can receive what you seemingly can do considering the wide range of transmitter power levels involved in relation to the stations received, because as far as the locals are involved Black Mountains (@ 4 miles) PSB muxes are only rated at 5 watts, whereas in contrast to this you have Divis's (2.5 mls) 100Kw PSB / 50 kw Com transmitters, although if the more distant Clermont Carn is involved this includes reception from 160Kw transmissions, and so all of those various channels just have to be coming in at vastly different levels.
Any receiving device (TV or box) located at only 2.5 miles from a 100Kw transmitter (Divis) will in most circumstances be suffering from signal overloading problems in the tuner, that is if reception is not completely blocked, but should it not be then the other commonly experienced problem in situations like this is that the exceptionally strong signal completely desensitizes the tuner thereby making it difficult to pick up weaker stations, although unlike the norm you can seemingly achieve this from Black Mountain's PSB only transmitters operating on 5 watts, albeit that the NIMM operates on 2 Kw.
In cases like this signal level comparison checks are extremely important as it gives an idea of what's happening, because although you would appear to have a good quality installation I suspect (maybe wrongly!) that there is an underlying problem and that why you are managing to receive what you do.
If its not too inconvenient I would be interested in the result of this particular test, and which involves testing the signal strength of either Ch39 or Ch52 on one of the four positions that these channels can be received at, then at the SLX end take the feed link for that position out of the booster and connect it directly onto the aerial downlead that would normally be connected into the booster, in other words by-passing the booster / splitter whereby the aerial is feeding directly into the test receiver.
Also, maybe you could give a brief description of your aerial set up, as this is an aspect that is unknown.
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Monday, 3 December 2012
P
P. Kieran Ward10:54 PM
Belfast
Hi jb38!
Sorry I have been unable to conduct and further work on my problem.
I'll get back to you soon.
Regards
P. Kieran Ward
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P.'s: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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