Full Freeview on the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 51.790,-1.179 or 51°47'25"N 1°10'46"W |  | OX3 9SS |
The symbol shows the location of the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmitter which serves 410,000 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 Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) mast?
Oxford transmitter - Oxford transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 04/11/2024 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
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which Freeview channels does the Oxford 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
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 Oxford transmitter?
BBC South (Oxford) Today 0.4m homes 1.6%
from Oxford OX2 7DW, 6km west-southwest (258°)
to BBC South (Oxford) region - 6 masts.
BBC South (Oxford) Today shares 50% content with Southampton service
ITV Meridian News 0.9m homes 3.4%
from Whiteley PO15 7AD, 102km south (182°)
to ITV Meridian/Central (Thames Valley) region - 15 masts.
Thames Valley opt-out from Meridian (South). All of lunch, weekend and 50% evening news is shared with all of Meridian+Oxford
How will the Oxford (Oxfordshire, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1950s-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2011 | 2011-13 | 2013-18 | 2013-17 | 23 May 2018 | ||
| VHF | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E T | W T | W T | ||
| C2 | BBCtvwaves | ||||||||
| C29 | SDN | ||||||||
| C31 | com7 | com7 | |||||||
| C37 | com8 | com8 | |||||||
| C41 | BBCA | ||||||||
| C44 | D3+4 | ||||||||
| C46 | _local | ||||||||
| C47 | BBCB | ||||||||
| C49tv_off | C5waves | C5waves | |||||||
| C50tv_off | SDN | SDN | |||||||
| C51tv_off | LOX | LOX | |||||||
| C53tv_off | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | +BBCA | +BBCA | +BBCA | |||
| C55tv_off | ArqB | ArqB | ArqB | com7tv_off | |||||
| C56tv_off | COM8tv_off | ||||||||
| C57tv_off | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBCB | BBCB | BBCB | |||
| C59tv_off | -ArqA | -ArqA | -ArqA | ||||||
| C60tv_off | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | -D3+4 | -D3+4 | -D3+4 | |||
| C62 | SDN | ||||||||
| C63 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves |
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 14 Sep 11 and 28 Sep 11.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 500kW | |
| BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7dB) 100kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB | (-10dB) 50kW | |
| Analogue 5 | (-11dB) 40kW | |
| com8 | (-14.7dB) 17.1kW | |
| com7 | (-14.8dB) 16.4kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, LOX | (-17dB) 10kW | |
| Mux C*, Mux D* | (-18dB) 8kW | |
| Mux A*, Mux B* | (-19.2dB) 6kW |
Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Oxford transmitter area
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Monday, 18 July 2022
C
Chris.SE4:41 PM
All:
As the listings at the top of this page aren't fully updated, for the sake of clarity, here is the current data -
In the multiplex order BBCA/PSB1, D3&4/PSB2, BBCB HD/PSB3, SDN/COM4, ArqA/COM5, ArqB/COM6
Oxford UHF channels are -
The main multiplexes are C41, C44, C47, C29, C37, C31
The Local mux L-OFD is on C22.
Note - COM7 has now closed.
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Tuesday, 19 July 2022
A
Aerialman3:33 PM
Local mux L-OFD is also on channel 40 as well with directional petal.
Absolutely,agree! if you are going to have a site that gives information of TV Transmitters,channel numbers,frequencies Kw powers it's most important that they are accurate and kept up to date with.
If not then this site is not useful to anyone!and can be misleading.
The owner of this site in passed years has decided not to keep up with transmitter technical changes
and that is not a responsible position!
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C
Chris.SE10:47 PM
Aerialman:
Thanks for pointing out the extra petal for the Oxford Local mux. I recall seeing it mentioned in an OFCOM document I read some 18months+ ago but had forgotten since.
According to OFCOM and Freeview/DUK documents it is actually on UHF C46 (not 40) and beams due E.
The petal on C22 beams both NW and a little less to the SW.
Both petals use 10kW each.
I'm not sure that "decided" is the right word for the lack of some site updates by the owner, I think it's more a case of not having had sufficient time, as you probably know there are over 1100 transmitters in the UK many of which had changes with the 700MHz clearance. I know that updating is a tedious job because the updates from OFCOM documents have to be entered into the database manually as the source documents are all .pdf so not a task I would relish!
Nevertheless it is rather a shame that there hasn't been some progress on updating at least the 80+ main transmitters where needed. I know the site owner has been in hospital recently with pneumonia which obviously isn't helpful to the cause.
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Tuesday, 6 September 2022
T
Terry Chapman9:51 AM
Chipping Norton
I am having problems with the reception of HD channels at OX7 5JR. The aerial is situated on the roof and then distributed round the building. When it is working, which is intermittently, the signalstrength on HD is below 20%. Other channels are at a good level at 80% plus.
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Terry's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
Chris.SE2:46 PM
Terry Chapman:
Just beyond the west side of Chipping Norton is out of the coverage area for the main Oxford transmitter according to the Freeview predictor and one of the coverage maps. This is no doubt due to the local terrain.
Your predicted transmitter is the Over Norton relay 2km away at bearing 16 degrees (that's slightly N of NNE) and the aerial rods (or squashed Xs) should be vertical.
The UHF channel there for the PSB3/BBCB HD multiplex is C36.
The PSB1/BBCA multiplex is on C48, and PSB2/D3&4 is on C33.
Now, predictions aren't always 100% and you may also get signals from other transmitters which could be weak or unreliable, but especially because of recent weather conditions causing interfering signals from distant transmitters to be received. If you retuned recently under such conditions you may not be tuned to the correct UHF channels. From what you describe that sounds like a possibility for the PSB3 multiplex.
Check in your TV Tuning section which UHF channels you are tuned to.
OR your aerial isn't pointing at the Over Norton transmitter, if that's the case, please advise which way it's pointing (as accurately as you can) and which UHF channels you are tuned to.
IF it happens to be pointing at the Oxford transmitter, signals may be unreliable especially with current weather conditions.
In the multiplex order BBCA/PSB1, D3&4/PSB2, BBCB HD/PSB3, SDN/COM4, ArqA/COM5, ArqB/COM6
Oxford UHF channels are -
The main multiplexes are C41, C44, C47, C29, C37 & C31
If you can get the Local mux L-OFD it is on C22 in your direction.
(Unfortunately the lists at the top of the page haven't been fully updated by the site owner since the 700MHz Clearance programme).
See Channel listings for Industry Professionals | Freeview for which channels are carried on which multiplex.
Note there are no COM or Local multiplexes at Over Norton., it's a PSB only (Light) Relay transmitter.
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Saturday, 26 November 2022
P
Philip Chadwin5:02 PM
Swindon
For 3 months now I am and have experienced pixelation and sometimes no HD channels from the Oxford transmitter. I had my aerial checked, fitted with a booster and nothing works. According to my Humax I get a strong signal but Zero Quality, so I cannot watch any HD channel. I am told by the aerial fitter that the Oxford Transmitter is down on power and therefore cannot receive HD channels. Its been like this for 3 months. I have a new Sony Smart TV and new Humas Aura 4K box and this has been a complete waste of money. Could you advise when the oxford transmitter will be back to full power. I live in Swindon SN3 6NN. Before this I had no problems with Freeview, I am considering Freesat, but I may have additional problems.
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Philip's: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
Chris.SE11:21 PM
Philip Chadwin:
If you were recently told by the aerial fitter that Oxford is down on power, then I'm afraid he is not correct. There was Planned Engineering in the middle of August for a week and again for 3 weeks in the last part of September when there could have been "Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels".
It's not been listed for Planned Engineering since then and there are currently no faults listed for Oxford, the latter being checked with the Radio and Television Interference Service and the BBC Reception Checker.
You are 47km from the transmitter, have line of sight, and according to the BBC and Freeview's reception checker you should get good reception of the 6 main multiplexes and reception of the Local Multiplex (possibly variable) on UHF C22.
What make and model aerial have you got? In your location, it should be pointing at compass bearing 53 degrees - that's 8 degrees east of NE, and its rods (or squashed Xs) should be horizontal.
Now assuming there are no faults on your aerial installation and the coax is a high quality double screened type such as CT100, then there could be two possibilities here.
If that booster was fitted and set up when there was Planned Engineering, it's now possible that you have too much signal. One of the symptoms of that can be appearing to have a strong signal, but having 0% Quality! If the booster has a variable gain control - turn it down. You do NOT need 100% signal (which could be much lower) but you should have 100% Quality. Is this a splitter/booster with several outputs?
If there is not a variable gain control, try unplugging the aerial from the input and connect it straight to the feed for your TV and then check (& report) the Signal Strengths and Quality for each of Oxford UHF channels (see my post just before yours).
One other possibility is new interference from a mobile phone mast that was "upgraded" or installed in August. There were 3 which are about 0.5/0.6km from you in roughly a NNW direction and another 1.2km away in roughly a NNNE direction. These ought not to be giving you a problem but with excess amplifier gain they might, and of course a new mast could have been installed as well.
According to restoretv.uk your postcode won't have received a postcard warning of such problems BUT I've heard of several cases where cards have not been sent.
If turning the booster gain down doesn't solve the problem, or your checks without the booster don't produce 100% quality on all multiplexes, then it would be worth contacting restoretv.uk to obtain a free filter.
Put restroretv.uk into your web browser address bar. Play around with their website if you wish, but it can tend the take you round in circles!
From the home page, click on FAQs at the bottom centre of the page, then on the FAQ page click "About Restore TV" towards the bottom right and select "Do I have to pay to call Restore TV?" which will open a window showing their freephone number 0808-1313-800.
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Sunday, 4 December 2022
L
Les10:54 PM
StevensOnln1: I agree, Oxford PSB2 seems to be much lower power than other muxes which frequently results in the loss of the entire itv, channel 4 and channel 5 channels. Sometimes its 100% signal on this mix, other times, for weeks on end, its 0% signal. Its been like this for years. Extremely poor and nothing ever gets done about it.
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Monday, 5 December 2022
C
Chris.SE1:56 PM
Les:
I've tried to post a reply to you twice now, but it has not appeared. I'll try again shortly.
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C
Chris.SE2:51 PM
Les - I'm going to split my reply into two posts to see if that helps.
As you haven't given a full postcode, we can't advise if there are any specific issues that may affect reception in your area.
I can't find any recent faults reported for the Oxford transmitter and its not been listed for Planned Engineering in recent weeks.
PSB2 is transmitted using the same power as PSB1 and PSB3.
This sounds like it could be an interference problem either in your particular area or even with your installation. If there really was 0% signal from the transmitter, believe me, this board and elsewhere would be full of complaints.
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