Full Freeview on the Pontop Pike (County Durham, England) transmitter
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The symbol shows the location of the Pontop Pike (County Durham, England) transmitter which serves 700,000 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 Pontop Pike (County Durham, England) mast?
Pontop Pike transmitter - Pontop Pike 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 Pontop Pike 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 Pontop Pike transmitter?
BBC Look North (Newcastle) 1.6m homes 6.0%
from Newcastle NE99 2NE, 15km northeast (42°)
to BBC North East and Cumbria region - 70 masts.
ITV Tyne Tees News 1.4m homes 5.4%
from Gateshead NE11 9SZ, 12km north-northeast (29°)
to ITV Tyne Tees region - 47 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 50% evening news is shared with Border
Are there any self-help relays?
| Kieldor Dam | Active deflector | 6 homes Holiday complex | |
| Low Haber | Active deflector | West Allen Dale, 18 kn SW Hexham | caravan site |
| North Hartlepool | Transposer | 84 homes |
How will the Pontop Pike (County Durham, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1950s-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2012 | 2012-13 | 13 Nov 2019 | ||||
| VHF | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E | C/D E T | W T | ||||
| C5 | BBCtvwaves | ||||||||
| C32 | SDN | ||||||||
| C33 | com7 | ||||||||
| C34 | com8 | ||||||||
| C35 | ArqB | ||||||||
| C39 | BBCA | ||||||||
| C42 | D3+4 | ||||||||
| C45 | BBCB | ||||||||
| C49tv_off | BBCB | ||||||||
| C50tv_off | SDN | ||||||||
| C54tv_off | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | D3+4 | |||||
| C55tv_off | ArqB | com7tv_off | |||||||
| C56tv_off | LNE | ||||||||
| C58tv_off | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBCA | |||||
| C59tv_off | ArqA | ||||||||
| C61 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ||||||
| C64 | 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 12 Sep 12 and 26 Sep 12.
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 | |
| com8 | (-11.6dB) 34.6kW | |
| com7 | (-11.7dB) 33.8kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D* | (-17dB) 10kW | |
| LNE | (-20dB) 5kW |
Local transmitter maps
Pontop Pike Freeview Pontop Pike TV region BBC North East and Cumbria Tyne TeesWhich companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Pontop Pike transmitter area
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Monday, 22 November 2021
C
Chris.SE3:12 AM
George Smith:
I'm afraid Arqiva never say how long the work will take, or give any detail. Some of the work may be weather dependent.
The transmitter is again listed for the next week.
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Thursday, 13 January 2022
B
Brian Richardson10:58 PM
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Hi, recently moved in to a property in NE20 area and we are having intermittent reception problems from Pontop Pike transmitter. This varies with the time of day and consists of sound stuttering with pixelation and sometimes 'no or weak signal'. The main channels affected are 34 Multiplex Com5 programs and 35 Multiplex Com6 programs. We have checked our aerial connections and installed a masthead amplifier which has made some improvement but on some days we have no signal from these channels at all. Normally Multiplex transmission on PSB1, PSB2 and PSB3 are ok. Would like to know whether anyone else is having this problem. Any onfo most welcome, trying to work out what to do next!
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Brian's: mapB's Freeview map terrainB's terrain plot wavesB's frequency data B's Freeview Detailed Coverage
C
Chris.SE11:54 PM
Brian Richardson:
We need a full postcode to look at the predicted reception in your locale to be able to offer some more constructive advice.
What type of aerial do you have? Please describe if you don't know a make and model, otherwise a link to a similar looking aerial would always be good. Do you know roughly how old it is?
If it's a Yagi type, does it have a coloured plastic plug in either end of the boom?
Do you have any distribution amp/splitter, make & model if known?
When you say you've checked your aerial connections did that include coax condition - no damage to the sheath, any water ingress? Did you check continuity of the core?
Have a look in your TV tuning sections for signal strength and quality figures.
Post the figures for each mulitplex. Do you get COM7 UHF C55 ?
The correct UHF channels for Pontop Pike In the multiplex order PSBs1-3, COMs4-7, Local are -
C39, C42, C45, C32, C34, C35, C55, C33 .
Reception of the Local mux is very much location dependent.
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Saturday, 15 January 2022
B
Brian Richardson12:11 PM
Chris.SE: Hi, post code is NE209PD. The aerial was in place when we bought the house middle of last year so do not know details or how old it is. It is mounted on the chimney stack and from ground level I can see it has 8 elements, a loop and a flat back plate. I found one on google that looks close, the link is:
Google Images
I have fitted an SLX two way signal booster in the loft, it feeds two aerial outlets one in the living room the other in the kitchen.
The aerial coax condition appears to be ok, and have checked wire continuity from the loft to the room outlets and there is no problem there.
Multiplex Com7 UHF C55: Yes I can get this channel, today it is fine but sometimes I get 'no signal' or picture pixelation and sound pops and crackles.
What puzzles me is that when I get poor reception the signal strength can be high, other times the signal strength can be low but reception is good.
TV tuning section signals: The TV has signal strength and bit error level values. Reception today is fine except for Ch35 COM6 which has pixelations and sound distortion. The strength and bit error levels today are as follows:
PSB1 Ch39 using BBC1 (1) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
PSB2 Ch42 using ITV1 (3) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
PSB3 Ch 45 using BBC1HD (101) - signal strength 96, bit error level 300
COM4 Ch 32 using Drama (20) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
COM 5 Ch34 using Sky Arts (11) - signal strength 50, bit error level 0
COM6 Ch35 using Great Movies (33) - signal strength 40, bit error level 2000 (reception poor pixcelation etc)
COM 7 Ch55 using Free Sports (64) - signal strength 96, bit error level 300
Thank you very much for your help Chris.
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B
Brian Richardson12:14 PM
Chris.SE: Hi, post code is NE209PD. The aerial was in place when we bought the house middle of last year so do not know details or how old it is. It is mounted on the chimney stack and from ground level I can see it has 8 elements, a loop and a flat back plate. I found one on google that looks close, the link is:
https://fspltd.org.uk/dig…html
It is the picture labelled 'TV Aerial Repair'.
I have fitted an SLX two way signal booster in the loft, it feeds two aerial outlets one in the living room the other in the kitchen.
The aerial coax condition appears to be ok, and have checked wire continuity from the loft to the room outlets and there is no problem there.
Multiplex Com7 UHF C55: Yes I can get this channel, today it is fine but sometimes I get 'no signal' or picture pixelation and sound pops and crackles.
What puzzles me is that when I get poor reception the signal strength can be high, other times the signal strength can be low but reception is good.
TV tuning section signals: The TV has signal strength and bit error level values. Reception today is fine except for Ch35 COM6 which has pixelations and sound distortion. The strength and bit error levels today are as follows:
PSB1 Ch39 using BBC1 (1) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
PSB2 Ch42 using ITV1 (3) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
PSB3 Ch 45 using BBC1HD (101) - signal strength 96, bit error level 300
COM4 Ch 32 using Drama (20) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
COM 5 Ch34 using Sky Arts (11) - signal strength 50, bit error level 0
COM6 Ch35 using Great Movies (33) - signal strength 40, bit error level 2000 (reception poor pixcelation etc)
COM 7 Ch55 using Free Sports (64) - signal strength 96, bit error level 300
Thank you very much for your help Chris.
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B
Brian Richardson12:15 PM
Chris.SE: Hi, post code is NE209PD. The aerial was in place when we bought the house middle of last year so do not know details or how old it is. It is mounted on the chimney stack and from ground level I can see it has 8 elements, a loop and a flat back plate. I found one on google that looks close, the link is:
https : //fspltd.org.uk/digital_and_satellite_installation.html
It is the picture labelled 'TV Aerial Repair'.
I have fitted an SLX two way signal booster in the loft, it feeds two aerial outlets one in the living room the other in the kitchen.
The aerial coax condition appears to be ok, and have checked wire continuity from the loft to the room outlets and there is no problem there.
Multiplex Com7 UHF C55: Yes I can get this channel, today it is fine but sometimes I get 'no signal' or picture pixelation and sound pops and crackles.
What puzzles me is that when I get poor reception the signal strength can be high, other times the signal strength can be low but reception is good.
TV tuning section signals: The TV has signal strength and bit error level values. Reception today is fine except for Ch35 COM6 which has pixelations and sound distortion. The strength and bit error levels today are as follows:
PSB1 Ch39 using BBC1 (1) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
PSB2 Ch42 using ITV1 (3) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
PSB3 Ch 45 using BBC1HD (101) - signal strength 96, bit error level 300
COM4 Ch 32 using Drama (20) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
COM 5 Ch34 using Sky Arts (11) - signal strength 50, bit error level 0
COM6 Ch35 using Great Movies (33) - signal strength 40, bit error level 2000 (reception poor pixcelation etc)
COM 7 Ch55 using Free Sports (64) - signal strength 96, bit error level 300
Thank you very much for your help Chris.
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B
Brian Richardson12:18 PM
Chris.SE: Hi, post code is NE209PD. The aerial was in place when we bought the house middle of last year so do not know details or how old it is. It is mounted on the chimney stack and from ground level I can see it has 8 elements, a loop and a flat back plate. I found one on google that looks close, the link is:
(link should be here, but tried to submit the post and the site it will not accept it.)
I have fitted an SLX two way signal booster in the loft, it feeds two aerial outlets one in the living room the other in the kitchen.
The aerial coax condition appears to be ok, and have checked wire continuity from the loft to the room outlets and there is no problem there.
Multiplex Com7 UHF C55: Yes I can get this channel, today it is fine but sometimes I get 'no signal' or picture pixelation and sound pops and crackles.
What puzzles me is that when I get poor reception the signal strength can be high, other times the signal strength can be low but reception is good.
TV tuning section signals: The TV has signal strength and bit error level values. Reception today is fine except for Ch35 COM6 which has pixelations and sound distortion. The strength and bit error levels today are as follows:
PSB1 Ch39 using BBC1 (1) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
PSB2 Ch42 using ITV1 (3) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
PSB3 Ch 45 using BBC1HD (101) - signal strength 96, bit error level 300
COM4 Ch 32 using Drama (20) - signal strength 80, bit error level 0
COM 5 Ch34 using Sky Arts (11) - signal strength 50, bit error level 0
COM6 Ch35 using Great Movies (33) - signal strength 40, bit error level 2000 (reception poor pixcelation etc)
COM 7 Ch55 using Free Sports (64) - signal strength 96, bit error level 300
Thank you very much for your help Chris.
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C
Chris.SE3:40 PM
Brian Richardson:
Hi. A couple of things, first this site has a bug, occasionally you get a fatal error message and also posts take a while to appear. Just ignore that but make sure you have a text copy of what you are trying to post and wait a short while to see if the post then appears. I'm hoping the site owner will get this fixed, it's a pain!
Pontop Pike has just been listed for Planned Engineering, they don't give detail, so "why" is an unknown.
Recent weather conditions with the current high pressure won't have helped either, temperature inversion/tropospheric ducting has been having an impact at various times across the UK in the last couple of days. The BBC and Freeview currently have warnings about interference to reception.
I want to look at a couple more things, so I'll post this and come back later with a bit more explanation and further suggestions.
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Sunday, 16 January 2022
C
Chris.SE2:29 AM
Brian Richardson:
If the aerial is very similar to that link which did appear in the first post it looks like a standard 10 element Yagi.
Do the elements in front of the dipole look fairly equi-spaced and equal length?
If so, I'm going to guess it's an old Group C/D aerial which was Pontop Pike's Group before the 700MHz Clearance program when all the multiplexes were on the high UHF channels.
Have a look with some binoculars (or telescope!) and see if it's a Green plastic plug in either end of the boom.
Since 700MHz Clearance, Pontop Pike is Group T (Wideband would do) is you include COM7, otherwise it's Group K (as an aside some decent group K aerials have sufficient gain for UHF C55).
If the elements at the end of the boom are much shorter than the ones nearest the dipole and spacing between them changes, it could be wideband but I'm sceptical from those strength figures you've posted especially C55, C45 and C42.
Group C/D aerials will not respond well to the lower UHF channels now used by Pontop Pike, although strangely I've come across some 10 element contracts that do reasonably well on C32 but have a quite uneven response up into the low 40s. Things are not helped in this situation as it's COMs4-6 on these channels and they are half the transmitted power of the PSBs at Pontop Pike.
Under normal conditions you should get very good reception from Pontop Pike (leaving aside the possible aerial query at present). The current "tropo" conditions may clear for a while Sunday a.m but according to 2 different predictions they're like to return Sunday p.m. and this could continue through Monday, Tuesday and into Wednesday a.m.
If you can post some more of the strength and error figures for all muxes during Sunday a.m. that might give a further feel for things.
Essentially what happens with the "tropo" is, it can/often will be frequency dependent, and depending on where interfering signals are coming from, which UHF channels will be affected. Whilst the interference isn't too strong, you might see an increase in the strength figures but the error (or quality) figures get worse. But beyond a certain point, the strength figure can drop as the set eventually sees the combined interference and wanted signal as just noise and if the set sees zero signal it may see no errors. If the interfering signal gets strong enough , the strength could be good and errors low you might find a different multiplex on the UHF channel if you were to retune - not advised (unless you want to go dxing of course) - if you upset your correct tuning you don't know when things return to normal and you have to keep retuning to find out. Confusing!
There are a number of powerful transmitters to the south of you and further afield in France, it'll depend on conditions at the time as to which ones might interfere. E.g. hypothetically if you were to find a good signal with low enough errors on C34 but your usual COM5 channels were blank, if a retune of C34 gave ITV West (it may get put in the 800s as you have LCN3 etc already tuned) then the signal would likely be PSB2 from Mendip (Somerset).
Anyway, strength and error figures when there's no tropo will give a guide as to a way forward.
But there's one thing you can check when convenient, as the 2-way booster is in the loft, you could check the coax to the aerial with a meter (or maybe bulb and battery if you don't have an ohm-meter) - a check between centre core and sheath should appear short/very low resistance because of the folded dipole. It doesn't distinguish between this and a plain short on the coax, but you probably wouldn't have as good a signal across the muxes if it was a plain short. If it's open circuit, it's likely a break in the centre core but strangely it doesn't mean no signals get through but they won't be the strength they should be.
Does the 2-way booster have variable gain, what model is it?
Another experiment you can try if you have time when there's no "tropo" - couple the aerial direct only to the coax for your main TV (ie. no booster) and see what signal & error figures you get.
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Monday, 17 January 2022
B
Brian Richardson4:00 PM
Chris.SE: Had a good look at the aerial through binoculars, could not see any sign of a green plasti plug, but the elements appear to increase slightly in size and spacing on the boom from front to back.
Checked the aerial from the loft to the aerial with a multimeter, reading was 0.00 ohms. Also tested over the braid and core of each cable going down stairs in two situations, one with the braid and center conductor shorted together at the wall outlet end (to check for a break) and the second without the short (to check insulation between braid and core), the shorted test gave a reading of 0.00 ohms, the second on the highest resistance setting of 2000k, gave no reading at all showing open circuit.
Missed Sunday for signal readings but did some today at 1400hrs. Picture on TV today was good.
PSB1 - strength 80, bit error 0
PSB2 - strength 80, bit error 0
PSB3 - strength 96, bit error 340
Com 4 - strength 80, bit error 0
Com 5 - strength 55, bit error 0
Com 6 - strength 40, bit error varied constantly, lowest 23 and highest 213
Com 7 - strength 96, bit error 340
The Philex 2-way booster has an adjustable gain control, a screwdriver slot. The Philex SLX model number appears to be 27822HSR.
Is there a good web site I can use to check for 'tropo' conditions on the day?
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