Full Freeview on the Wenvoe (Cardiff, Wales) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 51.460,-3.282 or 51°27'35"N 3°16'57"W |  | CF5 6SA |
The symbol shows the location of the Wenvoe (Cardiff, Wales) transmitter which serves 360,000 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 Wenvoe (Cardiff, Wales) mast?
Wenvoe transmitter - Wenvoe transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 18/11/2024 Screen may go black 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 Wenvoe 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 Wenvoe transmitter?
BBC Wales Today 1.2m homes 4.7%
from Cardiff CF5 2YQ, 6km northeast (42°)
to BBC Wales region - 206 masts.
ITV Cymru Wales 1.2m homes 4.7%
from Cardiff CF5 6XJ, 1km east-northeast (74°)
to ITV Wales region - 206 masts.
Are there any self-help relays?
| Abergwesyn | Active deflector | 7 km N Llanwrtyd Wells | 20 homes |
| Barry | Transposer | 10 km SW city centre | 300 homes |
| Celtic Manor | Transposer | 5 km E Newport | 80 homes |
| Pentrebach | Transposer | 3 km S Merthyr Tydfil | 100 homes |
| Ystradfellte | Active deflector | 30 km NE Port Talbot | 20 homes |
How will the Wenvoe (Cardiff, Wales) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1950s-80s | 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2010 | 2010-13 | 2013-18 | 2013-17 | 15 May 2019 | ||
| VHF | B E T | B E T | B E T | B E T | B E K T | W T | W T | ||
| C5 | BBCtvwaves | ||||||||
| C30 | LOCAL2 | ||||||||
| C31 | com7 | com7 | |||||||
| C37 | com8 | com8 | |||||||
| C39 | +ArqB | +ArqB | ArqB | ||||||
| C41 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | +BBCA | +BBCA | +BBCA | BBCA | ||
| C42 | +SDN | +SDN | +SDN | SDN | |||||
| C44 | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | D3+4 | D3+4 | D3+4 | D3+4 | ||
| C45 | +ArqA | +ArqA | +ArqA | ArqA | |||||
| C47 | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | BBCB | BBCB | BBCB | BBCB | ||
| C49tv_off | +ArqB | ||||||||
| C51tv_off | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | LCF | LCF | ||||
| 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 3 Mar 10 and 31 Mar 10.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 500kW | |
| BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7dB) 100kW | |
| com8 | (-9.7dB) 53.2kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB | (-10dB) 50kW | |
| com7 | (-10.3dB) 47kW | |
| Mux 1*, LCF | (-17dB) 10kW | |
| Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D* | (-20dB) 5kW |
Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Wenvoe transmitter area
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Tuesday, 30 April 2013
J
jb389:30 PM
CCob: Although aerials being seen facing different directions can simply be down to the fact that some have been installed prior to a station having switched over to high powered operation and are likewise facing another transmitter, whereas the others have been installed since this event and are taking advantage of a better signal, but though it can also be an indication of residing in an area where signal strength levels can vary over relatively short distances, because as you will no doubt have seen on your link to the terrain indicator the signal from Wenvoe is being obstructed from within 1 mile from your location, something with can sometimes cause the type of problem referred to.
I did try a check to see what like the signal would be from the Mendip transmitter to your location as all of its six muxes radiate on 100Kw, unlike in the case of Wenvoe where only its PSB channels are on this power the commercials being on 50Kw, however the signal from Mendip also suffers from a couple of obstructions from about 4 miles out, although purely for test purposes you could always try a "manual tune check" using the previously mentioned procedure (NOT pressing search or scan) and entering mux Ch49 (Mendips BBC), maybe also trying mux Ch56 Mendips ArqA (Pick TV / Sky news etc).
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Sunday, 12 May 2013
J
Jon Rhys1:52 AM
Bridgend
Hello there. Reading through your interesting and very helpful site, thought I would also like to ask a question if I may.
My elderly Parents live Brackla, Bridgend and have an extended pole roof top mounted arial facing Wenvoe. Their picture was always perfect on all channels UP TO (they believe) around January/February this year but since this time various channels have become unwatchable, mainly channel 3, ITV3, Quest due to pixelation with a poor or even complete loss of signal.. other channels also affected but not so bad. ~ Therefore 2 weeks ago, parents decided to upgrade arial and had a brand new Arial installed (horizontal) with new booster, yet no difference in quality of channels. Installer was duly called out again but was unable to resolve only suggesting they maybe purchase another even bigger arial. I visited parents 3 days ago and re-tuned set but no difference in quality, I checked connections etc as best I could and all appeared ok. Was wondering if 4G testing etc could be implicated in any way from the start of this year?. Any thoughts gratefully received. Regards, Jonathan
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Jon's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Jon Rhys: Did the deterioration coincide with the erection of a new building?
The Megalithia terrain plot also provides a map with a line linking the transmitter and receiver (click the link "view a map of area..." below the plot. The terrain plot shows that about a mile away the ground drops a bit:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
The line goes through the east end of Bridgend Industrial Estate. This is what made me wonder if this is a new industrial building.
Looking at Streetview photos, it's quite clear that there are trees that may be difficulty for at least some residents. Add to that the fact that it is on a slope which means that the tops of buildings going upwards are higher.
It might be worth checking that they are tuned to UHF channel 42 for COM4 (ITV3) and not UHF channel 48 which is Mendip. Mendip is only nine degrees clockwise of Wenvoe.
If it is tuned to Wenvoe, they may be lucky and be able to receive COM4 from Mendip and the rest from Wenvoe. This may be a long shot but its free so it's got to be worth a try.
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Jon Rhys: It is not necessarily a building along the line, but one off at an angle to the receiving aerial.
The 800MHz 4G tests are certainly not an issue as they are a long way away.
Unless the receiver is tuned to the wrong transmitter or the desired transmitter has changed then nothing will be achieved by retuning. A receiver will lock on to the signal if it is there. Retuning cannot make a signal that is not there or is poor, appear or improve.
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Monday, 20 May 2013
J
Jon Rhys12:33 AM
Bridgend
Hello all. Very many thanks to all for taking time out to come back with your support. I will most certainly pass your helpful suggestions onto parents so they can put them to the installer when he's recalled back out. Obviously my hunch of 4G interference was incorrect, yet I hadn't considered a building or one at an angle affecting the signal, this could well be the source of the problem as a building further up the slope has had a large roof extension built.. so if vision can't be improved then maybe freesat may be the easiest way forward.
Thanks for running a super site, shall certainly recommend, Regards Jon
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Jon's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb385:19 PM
Bridgend
Dave Lindsay: Although its neither here nor there now but the situation is even worse as far as reception is concerned, because using an actual Brackla post code for the terrain checker indicates the signal path is obstructed from roughly 0.75 miles from the destination, although it could even suffer problems from 2.6 miles out should trees exist in that area.
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
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jb38's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Jon Rhys: I assumed the location in question to be CF31 1TL as that is the postcode associated with your posting. jb38 has taken another, sample, location.
| link to this comment |
Dave's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Saturday, 25 May 2013
S
Stu P4:31 PM
Wenvoe Problems
I have similar Wenvoe problems - I can pick all the mux's @ 100% strength EXCEPT COM4/SDN, which shows 0% on the tuning meter. This only happened after the re-tune some while ago - before that it was OK
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Stu P: Are you using a communal aerial system? They are sometimes filtered to allow through the channels used by the transmitter.
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Tuesday, 28 May 2013
C
Colin10:04 PM
Bridgend
Has film 4 gone down on this transmitter
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Colin's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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