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Full Freeview on the Bluebell Hill (Medway, England) transmitter

first published this on - UK Free TV
sa_streetviewGoogle Streetviewsa_gmapsGoogle mapsa_bingBing mapsa_gearthGoogle Earthsa_gps51.324,0.520 or 51°19'25"N 0°31'13"Esa_postcodeME5 9RD

 

The symbol shows the location of the Bluebell Hill (Medway, England) transmitter which serves 200,000 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.

Are there any planned engineering works or unexpected transmitter faults on the Bluebell Hill (Medway, England) mast?

Bluebell Hill transmitter - Bluebell Hill transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 28/10/2024 Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels Digital tick


Choose from three options: ■ List by multiplex ■ List by channel number ■ List by channel name
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Which Freeview channels does the Bluebell Hill 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.

MuxH/VFrequencyHeightModeWatts
PSB1
BBCA
 H max
C32 (562.0MHz)242mDTG-20,000W
Channel icons
1 BBC One (SD) South East, 2 BBC Two England, 9 BBC Four, 23 BBC Three, 201 CBBC, 202 CBeebies, 231 BBC News, 232 BBC Parliament, plus 16 others

PSB2
D3+4
 H max
C34 (578.0MHz)242mDTG-20,000W
Channel icons
3 ITV 1 (SD) (Meridian (East micro region)), 4 Channel 4 (SD) South ads, 5 Channel 5, 6 ITV 2, 10 ITV3, 13 E4, 14 Film4, 15 Channel 4 +1 South ads, 18 More4, 26 ITV4, 28 ITVBe, 30 E4 +1, 35 ITV1 +1 (Meridian south coast), 71 That’s 60s,

PSB3
BBCB
 H max
C45+ (666.2MHz)242mDTG-20,000W
Channel icons
46 5SELECT, 101 BBC One HD South East, 102 BBC Two HD England, 103 ITV 1 HD (ITV Meridian Southampton), 104 Channel 4 HD South ads, 105 Channel 5 HD, 106 BBC Four HD, 107 BBC Three HD, 204 CBBC HD, 205 CBeebies HD, plus 1 others

COM4
SDN
 H max
C40 (626.0MHz)242mDTG-820,000W
Channel icons
20 U&Drama, 21 5USA, 29 ITV2 +1, 32 5STAR, 33 5Action, 38 Channel 5 +1, 41 Legend, 42 GREAT! action, 57 U&Dave ja vu, 58 ITV3 +1, 59 ITV4 +1, 64 Blaze, 67 TRUE CRIME, 68 TRUE CRIME XTRA, 81 Blaze +1, 83 Together TV, 91 WildEarth, 93 ITVBe +1, 209 Ketchup TV, 210 Ketchup Too, 211 YAAAS!, 251 Al Jazeera English, 255 FRANCE 24 (in English), 265 Rok Sky +1, plus 29 others

COM5
ArqA
 H max
C43+ (650.2MHz)245mDTG-820,000W
Channel icons
11 Sky Mix, 17 Really, 19 U&Dave, 31 E4 Extra, 36 Sky Arts, 40 Quest Red, 43 Food Network, 47 Film4 +1, 48 Challenge, 49 4seven, 60 U&Drama +1, 65 That's TV 2, 70 Quest +1, 74 &UYesterday +1, 76 That's TV 2 MCR, 233 Sky News, plus 13 others

COM6
ArqB
 H max
C46 (674.0MHz)245mDTG-820,000W
Channel icons
12 Quest, 25 U&W, 27 U&Yesterday, 34 GREAT! movies, 39 DMAX, 44 HGTV, 52 GREAT! christmas, 56 That's TV (UK), 63 GREAT! romance mix, 73 HobbyMaker, 75 That's 90s, 82 Talking Pictures TV, 84 PBS America, 235 Al Jazeera Eng, plus 18 others

DTG-8 64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)

Which BBC and ITV regional news can I watch from the Bluebell Hill transmitter?

regional news image
BBC South East Today 0.8m homes 3.2%
from Tunbridge Wells TN1 1QQ, 28km southwest (218°)
to BBC South East region - 45 masts.
regional news image
ITV Meridian News 0.7m homes 2.7%
from Maidstone ME14 5NZ, 5km south-southeast (155°)
to ITV Meridian (East) region - 36 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 50% evening news is shared with all of Meridian plus Oxford

How will the Bluebell Hill (Medway, England) transmission frequencies change over time?

1984-971997-981998-20122012-1319 Jul 2018
EEEW TW T
C21_local
C28_local
C32com7
C34com8
C39+ArqA
C40BBC1wavesBBC1wavesBBC1waves+BBCBSDN
C43ITVwavesITVwavesITVwavesD3+4ArqA
C45SDNBBCB
C46BBC2wavesBBC2wavesBBC2wavesBBCAArqB
C54tv_offArqB
C55tv_offcom7tv_off
C56tv_offCOM8tv_off
C65C4wavesC4wavesC4waves

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 13 Jun 12 and 27 Jun 12.

How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?

Analogue 1-4 30kW
SDN, ARQA, ARQB, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-1.8dB) 20kW
com8(-7.8dB) 5kW
com7(-8.1dB) 4.7kW
Mux 1*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D*(-10dB) 3kW
Mux 2*, Mux A*(-11.8dB) 2kW

Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Bluebell Hill transmitter area

Sep 1955-Jul 1968Associated-Rediffusion†
Sep 1955-Jul 1968Associated TeleVision◊
Jul 1968-Dec 1981Thames†
Jul 1968-Dec 1981London Weekend Television♦
Jan 1982-Dec 1992Television South (TVS)
Jan 1993-Feb 2004Meridian
Feb 2004-Dec 2014ITV plc
Feb 1983-Dec 1992TV-am•
Jan 1993-Sep 2010GMTV•
Sep 2010-Dec 2014ITV Daybreak•
• Breakfast ◊ Weekends ♦ Friday night and weekends † Weekdays only. Bluebell Hill was not an original Channel 3 VHF 405-line mast: the historical information shown is the details of the company responsible for the transmitter when it began transmitting Channel 3.

Comments
Thursday, 9 January 2014
B
Bob Green
9:21 PM
Tonbridge

Since 1st November I had problems. Live in Paddock Wood. Since 2009 had the new W band aerial pointed to Bluebell hill as T.Wells did not support all the Digital Channels. Since 1st nov the picture on Standard tv (channel 11 really) break up. HDTV channels have gone. This was on only 1 tv. So I thought it was the TV. I have since moved the TV to another room and it has the same problem. None of the other 3 tvs have problems.(not HDTVs though - but problem shows on SD channels). I have since returned to the aerial pre 2009 that is pointing to T.wells and while the signal is stronger, now the kids are reporting picture breakup on their tvs. (there is a 8 way dist in the loft). Aerials are in the loft. either I have a problem with the tv or the signal from bluebell hill has changed. How can I check?
I accept the aerial pointing to twells isnt w band and might not be good enough. This weekend Im going to move the bluehill aerial and point it to twells and see. Any help received - thanks

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Bob Green's 1 post GB flag
Bob's: mapB's Freeview map terrainB's terrain plot wavesB's frequency data B's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 31 January 2014
P
Peter White
2:41 PM
Gravesend

I live in DA13 0HH and get Freeview from Crystal Palace. I would like to get SE Regional news and programmes.

Will I need a new arial and will I get a satisfactory signal if I arrange to pick up from Bluebell Hill?

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Peter White's 1 post GB flag
Peter's: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

4:40 PM

Peter White: There's no easy way of knowing until you try. As you can see in this terrain plot there are a number of obstructions:


Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location


The ground close to you slopes upwards, plus at 2.5 miles there is Hatch Hill whose tree-covering is probably in the way.

Have neighbours got aerials on Bluebell Hill?

You would probably need a different aerial if yours is a Group A one.

Aerials, TV Aerial and Digital Aerial

Bluebell Hill Transmitter

Crystal Palace Transmitter

I would retain your Crystal Palace aerial as a back-up. If it proves that Bluebell Hill reception is iffy, then you could always diplex the two:

Television Aerial Boosters / Amplifiers, Splitters, Diplexers & Triplexers

If you run the feeds from both aerials into your loft then you could switch aerials or diplex them without having to go up a ladder and you can do it in any weather.

link to this comment
Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

4:54 PM

Peter White: If you're looking to receive the new HD multiplexes (BBC Four HD, BBC News HD etc) then you will almost certainly only ever get this from Crystal Palace. The diplexer will allow you to view Bluebell Hill's regional programming plus the HD mux from Crystal Palace and all other channels that are the same from either transmitter.

link to this comment
Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Monday, 19 May 2014
L
LMDriscoll
4:11 PM
Rochester

I have a bush freeview+ box which I have not used for 15 months when I had virgin able connected. Someone has given us a JVC analogue TV. I have connected freeview+ box and reset it, bought a new remote and my husband fitted a new digital aeriel. However, we only seem to get one programme at a time usually BBc 1 or 2, the channel + - button does not get a new programme nor does the guide button. When I do a check for available channels 100s seem to clock up and they show on the guide list but all I get on screen is the aeriel missing icon. A freeview TV set piks up the channels when connected direct to the aeriel.. Hope you can help it is driving me mad.

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LMDriscoll's 1 post GB flag
LMDriscoll's: mapL's Freeview map terrainL's terrain plot wavesL's frequency data L's Freeview Detailed Coverage
MikeP
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

9:04 PM

LMDriscoll
Have you tried retuning the Freeview box? Many changes have happened since you last used it and it may not be set to get all the other programmes that seem to be missing.
Let us know if a retune is, or is not, successful, please?

link to this comment
MikeP's 3,056 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 17 June 2014
C
C Harris
9:37 PM

I have a breaking up of the picture on all my HD channels it also freezes and sometimes I loose the signal. I have tried retuning my tv channels but the problem still continues, this has been happening for the last week, I have a LG3D internet tv, with a digital areal, I haven't had this problem before

link to this comment
C Harris's 1 post GB flag
M
MikeB
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

10:02 PM

C Harris: A postcode would be a help...

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MikeB's 2,579 posts GB flag
Sunday, 2 November 2014
M
Mike Johnson
7:13 PM

Hello,
I live in Upchurch quite close to Bluebell Hill yet my new television insists on tuning itself to Chrystal Palace. How can I manually tune the thing to Bluebell Hill so as to get the local news?

link to this comment
Mike Johnson's 2 posts GB flag
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

7:18 PM

Mike Johnson: Pull the aerial out for the first 30% of the automatic tuning scan (or until it gets to UHF channel 30. This will miss out Crystal Palace and get Bluebell Hill.

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
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Your comment please
Please post a question, answer or commentIf you have Freeview reception problems before posting a question your must first do this Freeview reset procedure then see: Freeview reception has changed, Single frequency interference, and Freeview intermittent interference.

If you have no satellite signal, see Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault'

If you have other problems, please provide a full (not partial) postcode (or preferably enter it in box at the top right) and indicate where if aerial is on the roof, in the loft or elsewhere.

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