Full Freeview on the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 52.130,-0.242 or 52°7'47"N 0°14'33"W |  | SG19 2NH |
The symbol shows the location of the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmitter which serves 920,000 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 Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) mast?
Sandy Heath transmitter - Sandy Heath transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 15/04/2024 Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels 
_______
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 Sandy Heath 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 Sandy Heath transmitter?
BBC Look East (West) 1.0m homes 3.7%
from Cambridge CB4 0WZ, 29km east-northeast (65°)
to BBC Cambridge region - 4 masts.
70% of BBC East (East) and BBC East (West) is shared output
ITV Anglia News 1.0m homes 3.7%
from Norwich NR1 3JG, 119km east-northeast (60°)
to ITV Anglia (West) region - 5 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 80% evening news is shared with Anglia (East)
How will the Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1965-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2011 | 2011-13 | 12 Feb 2020 | ||||
| VHF | A K T | K T | K T | W T | W T | ||||
| C6 | ITVwaves | ||||||||
| C21 | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | +BBCB | BBCB | ||||
| C24 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | D3+4 | D3+4 | ||||
| C27 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBCA | BBCA | ||||
| C31 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | ||||||
| C32 | com7 | ||||||||
| C33 | SDN | ||||||||
| C34 | com8 | ||||||||
| C35 | _local | ||||||||
| C36 | ArqA | ||||||||
| C39 | C5waves | C5waves | |||||||
| C43 | _local | ||||||||
| C48 | ArqB | ArqB | |||||||
| C51tv_off | SDN | ||||||||
| C52tv_off | ArqA | ||||||||
| 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 30 Mar 11 and 13 Apr 11.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 1000kW | |
| BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7.4dB) 180kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB | (-7.7dB) 170kW | |
| com7 | (-13dB) 49.6kW | |
| com8 | (-13.1dB) 49.1kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D* | (-17dB) 20kW | |
| Analogue 5 | (-20dB) 10kW |
Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Sandy Heath transmitter area
|
|
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
B
Bob5:11 PM
Hi Rob
Yes, there was a "Lift" on at the weekend, this is going to be much more of a problem on Digital that Analogue, as with the later, there is a gradual appearance of horrizontal lines, before the picture vanishes - with digital, there is no such warning - just "No signal" . IT would help, if the program providers announced BEFORE it happens, say between progs, that there is a likelyhood of interfearence due to the weather - but as ever, no warning at all!
| link to this comment |
E
ErwinH8:55 PM
Hitchin
Progress report from Hitchin .
On 18th May jb, you advised that I buy a 0 20db variable attenuator* to restore channel 51, which had been lost from our amplified communal aerial in the 9th May retune. Although I could receive all channels perfectly using an old indoor aerial I prefer to use the communal system so I am pleased to say that this has done the trick. It is difficult to say just what the required level of attenuation is, I presume that this is a log scale, but it could be close to the 10db that you suggested.
Curiously, channel 52 is still very poor, the highest frequency channel at 722MHz, but I never watch this. Some more information that may be relevant: our communal aerial is situated at the end of the block and I am in the middle at about 20m distance. However this is 20m of 40-year-old coax that may have deteriorated somewhat with time.
Anyway, thank you for taking the trouble to advise on my minor difficulty jb, it is much appreciated.
*0 20db variable attenuator, total £4.74 (std p&p) from Amazon via Electro Supplies Ltd.
| link to this comment |
ErwinH's: mapE's Freeview map terrainE's terrain plot wavesE's frequency data E's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
J
jb389:36 AM
ErwinH: Many thanks for your update on the situation and pleased to see that it was of a positive nature, insomuch that the attenuator had the desired effect resulting in your problem being cured for less than £5.00.
As far as Ch52 is concerned, its really a case of whether or not that particular channel is being received in your area at the same strength as Ch51 as its not by any means the case that all individual muxes always are, and although you have mentioned that you never watch the programmes on that channel anyway, but if you wanted to know the reason for it being weaker then a further test using the set top aerial would reveal this, and done simply by carrying out a strength check on Ch51 then likewise on Ch52 and comparing the results, as should Ch52 be the same as Ch51 then the lower strength level when picked up via the communal aerial is *liable* to be caused by a slight deficiency in either the actual aerial used by the communal system or alternatively the distribution amplifiers connected to same, possibly by them requiring a very slight adjustment.
*liable* was qualified as a set top aerial test is not necessarily 100% accurate by the fact that if you tried it near to where the communal aerial is positioned then the results might well have changed, something that always has to be kept in mind when experimenting with aerials and positions of.
| link to this comment |
L
Lisa8:52 PM
jb38: Hi there! Well, my eagerly awaited booster arrived here safely today, however after getting it set up, the little glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel has well and truly been extinguished as sadly it has made no difference whatsoever to the channels where I have a message saying "weak or no signal". (I can confirm that I have not done any further re-tunes since the weekend).
As you suggested, I have set it gradually from nothing right up to maximum on the dial, leaving a few seconds in between moving the dial, but still no picture at any stage whatsoever.
As I'm sure you can imagine (although I appreciate not your fault :-), I'm extremely disappointed and disgruntled not to mention frustrated at the loss of the channels - I just soooo wish that people would leave things well alone!
Oh well, back to square one again ..... guess I'll just have to give it up as a bad job and accept that I'm never going to get my lost channels back again - at least I've only lost a fiver.
Thanks as always for all your kind help and suggestions - it has been much appreciated over the past couple of weeks. :-).
| link to this comment |
J
jb389:34 PM
Lisa: When you had mentioned the source of your purchase in the interests of "not" wishing to put a downer on it I refrained from commenting about a possible pitfall when dealing with these sources, being that many of these devices sold at that price are shop returns, and with this being the only reason that they can sell them at the price they do.
Although I am not saying that yours doesn't work, but you should test it by selecting Pick TV and checking on the signal level whilst you adjust the gain control up and down to make sure that it does have an effect, although if it does then I am beginning to suspect that there may be a problem with your sets tuner as its inconceivable for these two channels not to be there.
Purely for a test, cant you borrow a Freeview box from someone for an hour or so? as you could connect that into your TV using a scart lead.
| link to this comment |
M
Mark Fletcher9:40 PM
Halifax
Lisa.Northampton,NN5 6YE.About your problems you are still experiencing,is your aerial polarised either vertically or horizontally,and most importantly what colour bung is the tip of your aerial.A group W wideband aerial will be coloured black at its tips,a group A aerial will be coloured red at its tips,group B tipped yellow,group C/D tipped green,group E semi-wideband aerial tipped brown or a group K semi-wideband aerial will have grey coloured tips.Are you receiving BBC East and ITV1 Anglia News locally,denoting Sandy Heath transmissions or are you receiving BBC East Midlands and ITV1 Central News locally,denoting Waltham transmissions.My best advice tomorrow (too dark now) check the colour tip of your aerial (and the age of the aerial as well) and its polarity,and also just for good measure check the condition of both the aerial co-ax cable (white cable are somewhat useless) and the co-ax plug (alloy plugs are somewhat useless,plastic plugs are totally useless).If you do listen to the local news bulletins check at 10.25pm on BBC1 and at 10.30pm on ITV1 that it is either what i mentioned above,you could be tuned in to either Waltham or Sandy Heath transmitters,or whether your appliance (TV or/and set-top box) states either East Midlands,denoting Waltham or Cambs & Beds,denoting Sandy Heath which you are tuned in to.
| link to this comment |
Mark's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Thursday, 31 May 2012
C
colin12:31 PM
Hi David,
Thanks oyu for your helpful reply.
I have done a auto scan with aerial unplugged then another with aerial plugged in.
Now get a better ITV3 picture although it still breaks up sometimes.
These are the Channels I can get 22,24,25,27,29,& 54
Cannot get anything on 51, 52 or 48
I assume this means a new aerial is needed?
I notice the the centre lead in the aerial plug is not soldiered could this improve the signal if it was?
Thanks again for your help.
Colin
| link to this comment |
Colin: It's probably always worth trying changing bits that are easy to change, like swapping the aerial lead. If this turns out to be the problem, then you might find you don't need another aerial.
For an explanation of aerial groups, see here: Aerials, TV Aerial and Digital Aerial
Before 9th May, ITV3 was on C31 which is within Group A which might explain why you could pick it up then.
One final thing, some people have two aerials on different transmitters that are connected to one downlead. This allows reception of signals from both, e.g. to allow viewing of different regional programming. If this is the case here, then it probably has a bearing on the problem you are experiencing.
Failing that, you may have a Group A aerial which is not sensitive enough on 48, 51 and 52, hence replacement with a wideband one may be necessary.
| link to this comment |
Friday, 1 June 2012
A
Andy_y9:58 AM
Knebworth
Hi Guys
Before 9th May I could recieve COM6 fine and had problems with COM4/5. Now the power has been increased I now cannot recieve anything on COM6 and COM 4/5 is OK. I live just south of Stevenage SG3 6ST, My aerial is Wideband and I have an amplifier in the loft just before a distribution device(philex). I know im on the border of Crystal Palace transmitter but that only shows strength of 1%.
Is anyone else experiencing this problem in the surrounding areas of Stevenage.
| link to this comment |
Andy_y's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Andy_y: At 19.3 miles from the transmitter, I think that you should try it without the amplifier.
The terrain plot looks as though you may have a good line of sight:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
If removing the amp doesn't sort it, then connect the aerial directly to one of the feeds and see if it works OK then.
| link to this comment |
Select more comments
Your comment please