Full Freeview on the Darvel (East Ayrshire, Scotland) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 55.579,-4.291 or 55°34'45"N 4°17'26"W |  | KA16 9LS |
The symbol shows the location of the Darvel (East Ayrshire, Scotland) transmitter which serves 150,000 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 Darvel (East Ayrshire, Scotland) mast?
Darvel transmitter - Darvel transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 22/04/2024 Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels 
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Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which Freeview channels does the Darvel 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.
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 Darvel transmitter?
BBC Reporting Scotland 2.4m homes 9.2%
from Glasgow G51 1DA, 31km north (1°)
to BBC Scotland region - 230 masts.
STV News 1.3m homes 4.8%
from Glasgow G51 1PQ, 31km north (2°)
to STV Central (Glasgow) region - 94 masts.
Are there any self-help relays?
| Craigie Gardens | Transposer | 1 homes 90 caravans | |
| Inversnaid | Active deflector | 35 km N Dumbarton | 8 homes Hotel caravan park |
How will the Darvel (East Ayrshire, Scotland) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2011 | 2011-13 | 5 Sep 2018 | |||||
| A K T | A K T | A K T | A K T | W T | |||||
| C22 | -BBCA | BBCA | |||||||
| C23 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | SDN | |||||
| C25 | D3+4 | D3+4 | |||||||
| C26 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | ArqA | |||||
| C28 | BBCB | BBCB | |||||||
| C29 | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | ArqB | |||||
| C30 | _local | ||||||||
| C31 | com7 | ||||||||
| C32 | SDN | ||||||||
| C33 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | ||||||
| C34 | ArqA | ||||||||
| C35 | C5waves | C5waves | ArqB | ||||||
| C37 | com8 | ||||||||
| C55tv_off | com7tv_off | ||||||||
| C56tv_off | COM8tv_off |
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 11 May 11 and 25 May 11.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-5 | 100kW | |
| BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7dB) 20kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB | (-10dB) 10kW | |
| com8 | (-10.9dB) 8.19kW | |
| com7 | (-11.2dB) 7.5kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B* | (-14dB) 4kW | |
| Mux C*, Mux D* | (-17dB) 2kW |
Local transmitter maps
Darvel Freeview Darvel DAB Darvel AM/FM Darvel TV region BBC Scotland STV Central (Glasgow micro region)Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Darvel transmitter area
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Is the transmitter output the same in all directions?
Radiation patterns withheldMonday, 30 May 2011
David: There is no need to wait for Black Hill to switchover, it already broadcasts Freeview HD and you will receive a full service from it today.
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Saturday, 4 June 2011
T
Tom Cromack5:56 PM
Isle Of Bute
Location PA20 9NW
Before switchover all freeview stations perfect. Since switch over COM5 ArqA stations show severe interference.
Using LG LCD TV and large outside antenna.
Have tried re-orienting antenna but no inproved position could be found.
Please explain what changes have been made since switch over to degrade signal, and any suggestions for improvement.
Thank you
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Tom's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Tom Cromack: Your signal is probably overloading.
If you have an amplifier or booster, remove it from your system.
If you have still too much signal, fit an attenuator, they cost about a fiver.
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Tuesday, 7 June 2011
R
Richard10:08 PM
Erskine
Hello Brian,
Can you help I wonder. Located in Erskine and using the Blackhill transmitter. I have an external Labgear log periodic TV antenna, thus am I correct in assuming it is wideband and OK for Freeview ? It has a masthead amplifier. I can receive all Freeview channels on my LG TV (Freeview built in) but reported signal strengths nothing much above 50-60%. Bought a Philips Freeview HD box at the weekend and the main Freeview channels are OK,(BBC1, BBC2 ITV etc) but others are not too good with HD channels being virtually unwatchable. (I connected the TV antenna directly to the new Philips box to make sure I wasn't loosing the signal between the TV and another Toshiba Freeview box which is in use and which displays all Freeview channels OK) but to no avail. Channel 22 for instance, displays perfectly on the LG TV (even though the TV says the signal on that channel is not good)and via the Toshiba Freeview box, but not via the Philips HD box. I am beginning to think that the Philips box is actually faulty. Could this be the case, or is there something I'm missing ? Why do I have two Freeview boxes on the same installation I hear you ask. They both have different facilities. But they should both work for recording purposes and either (if fed with the same antenna) should display the same quality of picture and sound ? (I think I've convinced myself that the Philips box is faulty and should go back !!
Thanks,
Richard
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Richard's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Richard: I would suggest you wait for two weeks for Black Hill to move to full power transmissions and see if that clears your problem.
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R
Richard8:48 AM
Erskine
Hi Brian,
Thanks - I thought you might suggest that and I did think it probably best to wait. But it seems a clear cut instance of two different Freeview boxes giving different results on the same antenna and I can think of no reason why that might be ?? Can you I wonder ?
Regards,
Richard
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Richard's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Richard: Not all equipment has the same level of sensitivity to signals. If your signal level is "just acceptable" (or "very high") on box will work OK, the other won't.
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R
Richard11:18 AM
Erskine
Thanks Brian,
Just now rescanning for the new BBC2 channel on Blackhill. At 8am this morning - I couldn't find it. I'll try again just now. My Labgear log periodic has a 16dB masthead amp and freq 470-862Mhz. It is external and about 25 feet up pointing directly due East at Blackill which is 23 miles away as the crow flies. I hear what you say about different Freeview boxes having different sensitivity responses - but it is surprising just how different in this case. It is like one gives a 100% picture and sound - the other gives nothing. Even if it was an iffy signal you would think that the one that is giving the good picture and sound would be blocky now and again. But it isn't even that. I'll keep checking it out. Going to rescan now and see if I can find the new BBC2 channel.
Thanks agai,
Richard
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Richard's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mike Dimmick12:56 PM
Richard: It's likely that you have too much signal. The Philips box's automatic gain control probably can't handle as much signal as the other devices, and is therefore distorting - making the later decoder stages unable to interpret the results.
16 dB is too much gain unless you're splitting the signal more than 8 ways. The estimated strength on that channel at that distance is 75 dBuV from the aerial before amplification, though you should expect less than that if you don't have clear line-of-sight. The CAI recommended 45-65 dBuV before switchover and 60-80 dBuV for analogue. The upper limit is there to avoid distortion - digital signals cannot cope with any distortion, while the artifacts on analogue (herringboning) are not all that noticeable.
If you're not getting that level before amplification, you need to try to find a different location for the aerial where it does.
The signal strength meter on most boxes is poorly calibrated, and there is no standard (as far as I know) in the DTG D-Book specification for what signal level means what. In some cases where distortion is occurring, the box reports an incorrect level.
It's best to set up your system so that there is just enough gain from any amplifier to offset the loss through splitters. Generally you're looking at 4 dB loss for a two-way split, then another 4 dB for each doubling of the number of connections, though check the splitter itself to see what it says, if you're using one - it's not clear that you are.
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R
Richard4:01 PM
Erskine
Hello Mike,
Thanks for the interesting response. However, I think the problem is resolved. I had two options to select for Central Scotland TV on my Philips Freeview box. One was channel 66 and one was channel 88. Channel 88 gave about 80 odd Freeview stations and the channel 66 only gave about 60 if my memory serves me correct. I had the Philips box on Central Scotland Freeview Channel 66 and the TV on Central Scotland Freeview Channel 88. Now - they are both on Freeview Channel 88 and all is well signal strengths all agree and have watchable pictures on all Freeview channels. Reading on the Blackhill transmitter thread, I see that some Freeview channels are being offered on the new channel at much lower power - when I originally tuned the new Freeview box and was offered two Central Scotland Freeview channels I obviously mistakenly chose the lower powered one. But I think this is the new Freeview channel where the power will be upped on 22nd June and another retune required. Thanks for all your help.
Regards,
Richard
| link to this comment |
Richard's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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