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Full Freeview on the Mendip (Somerset, England) transmitter

first published this on - UK Free TV
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The symbol shows the location of the Mendip (Somerset, England) transmitter which serves 720,000 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 Mendip (Somerset, England) mast?

Mendip transmitter - Mendip transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 04/11/2024 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 Mendip 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)591mDTG-100,000W
Channel icons
1 BBC One (SD) West, 2 BBC Two England, 9 BBC Four, 23 BBC Three, 201 CBBC, 202 CBeebies, 231 BBC News, 232 BBC Parliament, plus 17 others

PSB2
D3+4
 H max
C34 (578.0MHz)591mDTG-100,000W
Channel icons
3 ITV 1 (SD) (West), 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 (West), 71 That’s 60s,

PSB3
BBCB
 H max
C35 (586.0MHz)591mDTG-100,000W
Channel icons
46 5SELECT, 101 BBC One HD West, 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
C48 (690.0MHz)591mDTG-8100,000W
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
C33 (570.0MHz)591mDTG-8100,000W
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
C36 (594.0MHz)591mDTG-8100,000W
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

LBS
 H -10dB
C30 (546.0MHz)591mDTG-1210,000W
Channel icons
from 22nd September 2014: 7 Made in Bristol,

DTG-8 64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)

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

regional news image
BBC Points West 0.9m homes 3.4%
from Bristol BS8 2LR, 25km north (3°)
to BBC West region - 60 masts.
regional news image
ITV West Country News (East) 0.9m homes 3.4%
from Bristol BS4 3HG, 23km north (11°)
to ITV West region - 61 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 50% evening news is shared with West Country (West)

Are there any self-help relays?

CheddarTransposer15 km E Weston-super-Mare1674 homes
LuccombeActive deflector6 km w Minehead38 homes

How will the Mendip (Somerset, England) transmission frequencies change over time?

1984-971997-981998-20102010-132013-182013-1727 Feb 2018
C/D EEEC/D EC/D E TW TW T
C30_local
C32BBCA
C33com7com7
C34D3+4
C35com8com8
C36ArqB
C37C5wavesC5waves
C48SDNSDNSDNSDN
C49tv_off BBCABBCA
C51tv_offLBSLBS
C52tv_offArqBArqBArqB
C54tv_offC4wavesC4wavesC4wavesD3+4D3+4D3+4
C55tv_offcom7tv_off
C56tv_offArqAArqAArqACOM8tv_off
C58tv_offBBC1wavesBBC1wavesBBC1wavesBBCBBBCBBBCB
C61ITVwavesITVwavesITVwavesBBCA
C64BBC2wavesBBC2wavesBBC2waves

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 24 Mar 10 and 7 Apr 10.

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

Analogue 1-4 500kW
Analogue 5(-6dB) 126kW
SDN, ARQA, ARQB, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB(-7dB) 100kW
com7(-8.4dB) 72.4kW
com8(-8.6dB) 69.1kW
Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D*, LBS(-17dB) 10kW

Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Mendip transmitter area

Jan 1958-Jul 1968Television Wales and the West
Jul 1968-Feb 2004Harlech Television
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. Mendip 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
Sunday, 28 September 2014
M
Martin Batchelor
7:22 PM
Templecombe

Dave Lindsay -- Thanks for your very full answer. In order to answer you with 100% certainty I have just checked the channels and frequencies of both West and South TV transmissions.

My Panasonic Digital Recorder shows channel No, frequency, service i.e. West or South as well as error rate.

On turning the aerial towards Rowridge and tuning Chan 31 I get all of the correct channels on the correct Nos . The signal level is around 9 and the quality is hard over on maximum, the error rate is 0. The picture quality is excellent. On rotating the aerial to Mendip and tuning Chan 33 get a tiny signal that is not good enough to even try to tune. All other Mendip signals are much the same as for Rowridge.

On examining the map for Mendip there is a reception area that extends to Bournemouth via Blandford and to the Isle of Wight. I suggest that I may be benefitting from this freak but in the other direction. We have almost a clear view from SE to S as we are on an upward slope of the Blackmore Vale. It would be easy just to switch to Rowridge but as I said earlier we would have to take the south news.

Unless I can put up a 100ft pole for the aerial I have probably reached the end of my thoughts on this topic.

When I installed the FM aerial 8 years ago I also found that I get better reception from the direction of Rowridge than Wenvoe so have left it facing that way.

Thanks again for your assistance.

link to this comment
Martin Batchelor's 6 posts GB flag
Martin's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

7:58 PM

David Newton : Thanks for the update, although now its known that the Humax in question is a HDR2000t model its possibly not the best to use for signal checking purposes, as adverse reports have been seen with regards to the sensitivity of the tuners used in this particular model.

However, I have updated the test post code used for signal assessment purposes in your area to that of the old library, this still indicating that excellent reception should be possible in your area from Mendips COM7 on Mux Ch33, also by the way, including Wenvoes COM7 on Mux 31 on a reverse pick up on your aerial (only 2 degrees out) albeit that a line of sight obstruction does exist at around 1 mile prior to your area.

As far as the next stage of action is concerned, although I do realise that your local TV shop has verified that COM7 is received OK where they are located, its really best to try and check with someone located as near as possible to your own property, this being to avoid the remote possibility of a dead spot coming into the equation, if though COM7 is being received nearby then this is inclined to point to a fault on the aerial system such as a defective connection, as its not exactly unknown for a defective joint to be frequency selective.

The ideal test of all would be if you could retune any of your HD devices whilst connected into another aerial system, as once connected back onto your own system this would instantly reveal if yours was indeed faulty.

link to this comment
jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Monday, 29 September 2014
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

7:31 AM

David Newton: In addition to that said, and although a long shot, but as the aerial system referred to dates back around 20 years check the coax route to the actual aerial itself to make sure that it doesn't pass through a small box of any sort such as a diplexer, as back in the analogue years the previous owner of the property might possibly have been using a twin aerial system to enable viewing of news programmes from two areas via a single downlead, and if a diplexer had been left in the system it would block signals of a lower frequency, Mendips analogue transmitters always having used channels in the higher end of the band.

By the way, although diplexers were usually always installed attached to the aerial mounting pole, in some cases they might even have been installed in a loft.

Could you also confirm that you are "not" able to view EPG 124 / 134 or 64?

link to this comment
jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
D
David Newton
5:49 PM

jb38 - thanks..

Ok, I've no idea how old the aerial is. It is obviously 'old fashioned' looking compared to others nearby.

Sorry, I can't get easy access to the attic to check for any other components,
without moving wardrobes.

I can confirm 124 / 134 or 64 are absent from the EPG of The HD devices I've just checked.

Would it be any use for test purposes to try and find a mains powered set top aerial
stored in a box somewhere in the house.
Or would it be too old to function with HD channels ?

cheers.

link to this comment
David Newton's 6 posts GB flag
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

7:16 PM

David Newton: Aerials will receive anything within the range of frequencies they are designed to cover irrespective of whatever the transmission mode might be, and so if you have an old set top aerial of the powered variety kicking about it could be used for a "manual tune" test of the type described in a previous reply.

That said, I wouldn't put too much reliance on the outcome of the test, as set top aerials even of the powered variety, might not detect anything in your area when installed at only a few feet above ground level.

Of course, should you manage to find the aerial, it goes without saying that you would first of all try it out on the channels that's known to be receivable on the main aerial, as the outcome of that test would at least give you an idea of whether or not you are liable to be wasting your time using an aerial of that type for tests.

By the way, the reason for emphasising the "manual tune without pressing scan or search" procedure, is simply because that this procedure effectively uses the receivers tuner as a form of signal meter free from threshold cut off levels, meaning that extremely low level signals will still be shown on the strength bar even although the strength of anything indicated might well be under a level that's capable of resolving a picture, plus the quality will be zero. But though, it doesn't really matter about this, as you are only interested in knowing if any RF signals exist from Mux33.

I would also like to say, that even although I have referred to issues concerning the sensitivity of tuner used in your 2000t, the Humax is still the best device to use for tests of this sort, always remembering to select DVB-T2 for HD signals.

Pity you are unable to access the loft, but have a look up at your aerial just to make sure the coax coming down from same is not seen to be passing through any small boxes strapped to the mast, or brickwork.


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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Friday, 3 October 2014
M
Mike
sentiment_satisfiedBronze

3:41 PM
Poole

For the past 10 days I have been having considerable interference on most freeview channels.Aerial firm insisted it was 4G interference . Filters supplied byat800 have made no difference.The main com causing problem is Com5.Don't know if high pressure is the cause but have not had this much on Mendip before.Post code BH15 3RJ.{or whether it is connected to dual aerial system I use]

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Mike's 29 posts GB flag
Mike's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

4:40 PM

Mike: If you've got an aerial amplifier then any filter will need to go before it.

link to this comment
Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Sunday, 5 October 2014
M
Mal
12:57 PM

Com5 is at 754MHz

There is the N+9(72MHz) problem with can tuners that have IF frequency.

754 + 72 = 826MHz which would put in the 4Gs duplex gap (821 - 832).

It seems that the interference shouldn't be 4G.

link to this comment
Mal's 6 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 21 October 2014
J
Jeff
10:58 PM

Anyone know of any problems affecting COM7 (BBC4 HD, etc)? Over the past few days it's been very intermittent, sometimes with no signal at all (even through a booster). As it's now listed above at 72 400w (up from 10000) there should be no reception problems. No problems are reported at Mendip. Any information?

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Jeff's 4 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 22 October 2014
J
Jeff
10:22 AM

Update to above: booster only used to check reception: not normally used. All other MPXs OK., just channel 33.

link to this comment
Jeff's 4 posts GB flag
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