Full Freeview on the Rowridge (Isle Of Wight, England) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 50.676,-1.369 or 50°40'35"N 1°22'7"W |  | PO30 4HT |
The symbol shows the location of the Rowridge (Isle Of Wight, England) transmitter which serves 620,000 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 Rowridge (Isle Of Wight, England) mast?
Rowridge transmitter - Rowridge transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 15/04/2024 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
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which Freeview channels does the Rowridge 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 Rowridge transmitter?
BBC South Today 1.3m homes 4.9%
from Southampton SO14 7PU, 26km north (354°)
to BBC South region - 39 masts.
ITV Meridian News 0.9m homes 3.6%
from Whiteley PO15 7AD, 24km north-northeast (20°)
to ITV Meridian (South Coast) region - 39 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 50% evening news is shared with all of Meridian plus Oxford
Are there any self-help relays?
| Portsmouth Docks | Transposer | 2 km N city centre | 50 homes Estimate. Group of houses' |
How will the Rowridge (Isle Of Wight, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1950s-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2012 | 2012-13 | 2 May 2018 | ||||
| VHF | A K T | A K T | A K T | A K T | W T | ||||
| C3 | BBCtvwaves | ||||||||
| C21 | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | +BBCB | BBCB | ||||
| C22 | +ArqA | ArqA | |||||||
| C24 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBCA | BBCA | ||||
| C25 | SDN | SDN | |||||||
| C27 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | D3+4 | D3+4 | ||||
| C28 | ArqB | ArqB | |||||||
| C29 | LSO | ||||||||
| C31 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | com7 | |||||
| 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 7 Mar 12 and 21 Mar 12.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 500kW | |
| PSB1||, PSB1≡, PSB2||, PSB2≡, PSB3||, PSB3≡ | (-4dB) 200kW | |
| COM4≡, COM4||, COM5≡, COM5||, COM6≡, COM6|| | (-10dB) 50kW | |
| com7≡ | (-13.1dB) 24.4kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D* | (-14dB) 20kW | |
| com8≡ | (-14.3dB) 18.4kW | |
| LSO≡ | (-17dB) 10kW |
Local transmitter maps
Rowridge Freeview Rowridge DAB Rowridge TV region BBC South Meridian (South Coast micro region)Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Rowridge transmitter area
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Tuesday, 24 April 2012
D
Denzil Dexter8:47 PM
Poole
Thanks very much for the advice Dave. I did as you suggested and switched the aerial to vertical polarisation, removed the amplifier and tried again. Problem is the same, all channels are fine except those on the COM5 multiplexor. The interference happens every 32 seconds, which is really strange.
DD
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Denzil's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Denzil Dexter: I'm not sure what else to suggest. Perhaps one of the pros will be along soon.
jb38 can you help Denzil?
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S
Solent-Viewer10:41 PM
My problems are with all programmes withing COM5 (C22) too, just like Denzil Dexter. I have tried everything and all I get is pixelation and drop-outs since the retune on the 18th. I used to enjoy watching Sky News but now it is impossible. All the other muxes are fine, its just COM5.
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M
Mark Fletcher10:52 PM
Halifax
Denzil Dexter,Poole.One possibility of your difficulty in what you mentioned the ArqA/COM5 multiplex on frequency 22 from the main Rowridge transmitter is your first post,you stated your aerial is a group W wideband aerial (tipped black) plus you use a 17db-27db mast head amplifier as without it you lose the channels you stated.
First of all Rowridge transmitter is an all group A mast and the group W wideband aerial you are using is largely of little use on an all group A transmitter within a poor/marginal reception area within Rowridge itself,especially on the lowest frequencies such as what you described earlier in your first post.
Your best remedy at extra cost is to replace your group W wideband aerial and possibly your mast amplifier (retain the latter just in case) and buy a group A Yagi 18A or preferably for slightly extra gain in your location a group A X beam XB16A aerial with black coloured superior copper-copper co-ax cable and importantly brass co-ax plugs.
If you did decide to follow the above then position your new group A aerial (X Beam preferred at your location) if you decided to proceed,vertically.If you still find the gain a wee bit low then try your mast head amplifier as a last resort,however you may find that a new group A X beam aerial with new cable and plug what i described above positioned vertically at your location aimed at Rowridge should do the trick.
One reminder i forgot to add a group A aerial will be tipped red and only group A aerials should be used on an all group A transmitter such as Rowridge itself in a poor/marginal reception area on this mast.
Look up the ATV Sheffield website,they are the UK's No1 aerial retailers,believe me they are the best,forget the rest !
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Mark's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
B
Bill5:25 PM
Newport
We are on the Rowridge Transmitter and lost Film 4 and others on Channel 28.
The aerial is in the loft with a mast head amplifier ( which was essential with analogue ).
The solution to the problem was to remove the mast head amplifier, the lost channels became available at a stroke when retuning.
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Bill's: mapB's Freeview map terrainB's terrain plot wavesB's frequency data B's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Thursday, 26 April 2012
R
Robin Burnett12:12 PM
Newport
After fitting a new roof aerial, there are missing channels - ITV3 (Channel 10) no signal and Yesterday (Channel 12) pixelates badly from the Rowridge transmitter. Returned three times with the same result.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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Robin's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Robin Burnett: At just over a mile from this high power transmitter, your receiver could well be suffering from signal overload problems or at least the higher power (horizontally) Public Service channels acting to make reception of the Commercial ones more problematic.
I am wondering why you have replaced your aerial. The one used for analogue would be expected to work fine as all channels are within Group A.
The situation with Rowridge is that it now transmits horizontally and vertically. The Public Service channels (BBC, ITV1, C4, C5 etc) are 200kW horizontally and vertically and the Commercial ones (those you're having issues with) are 50kW horizontally and 200kW vertically. If you haven't done so, then switch your aerial to vertical.
You really need the smallest aerial you can get. Have a look at:
Freeview signals: too much of a good thing is bad for you | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice
With just over a mile, you may well find that a 20dB attenuator isn't enough. Perhaps you will need a high value fixed one (e.g. 24dB) and a variable 20dB one. Connect them inline and adjust the variable one.
One of the issues that is likely occur is that the high power signals will desensitise your receiver to signals that aren't as strong. This is like when your eyes desensitise when exposed to higher levels of light.
Don't get me wrong, at a mile a 50kW signal is very strong!!!
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R
Robin Burnett1:46 PM
Newport
Many thanks Dave for extremely useful advice which I will follow through with the firm who installed the new aerial. They also fitted a booster when they installed 3 lines from the aerial and it appears that this is needed to get any reception. Previously used Sky through a dish but discontinued to transfer to Freeview on switchover.
It could be that the property, whilst only about a mile from the transmitter, is in a valley and the transmitter cannot be seen. Not sure if this is affecting the signal.
I appreciate your help.
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Robin's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 27 April 2012
B
Bob Norris12:10 PM
After reading through the problems other people have been having re. Rowridge and pixelation on ITV3,Yesterday etc I did what was suggested and turned my aerial through 90deg. from horizontal to vertical. The picture is now perfect. Thanks for the help.
I am in the SO31 area
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Robin Burnett: Whilst line-of-sight is of course the best, such a high power transmitter can still be effective (and not require a booster) over the brow of a hill.
It is possible that the signal strength from your aerial into your amplifier is too high for the amp to cope with. This means that all outputs will be distorted and no level of attenuation on the inputs to the TVs will repair this bad signal.
The purpose of the booster is presumably to provide equal signal levels at each aerial socket.
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