Black Hill Transmitter

A.T.V (Aerials and Television) est. 1994

419 Langsett Rd
Hillsborough
Sheffield
S6 2LL

Tel : 0114 285 4254

Free P&P for orders over £100, Online or by Phone

Black Hill Transmitter OS Grid Ref NS 828 647

Note As work takes place on various digital transmitters (to prepare for the DSO)
you may experience reception problems, e.g. with certain MUXES disappearing.
First try rescanning your set top box and if this fails to work check on Transmitter work
or phone reception advice on 08700 100 123 (BBC) or 0844 881 4150 (ITV).

Black Hill television transmitter was first opened in 1957 but the first mast was replaced by
a higher structure in 1961, the original was moved to Selkirk and is still in use.
It has the fifth highest population coverage of any TV transmitter at around 2.5 million and it is located 14 miles East of Glasgow. For the sake of impariality, that`s about 25 miles
West of Edinburgh ! The mast is 307m high giving a total aerial height of 543m.
The transmitter puts out all 5 analogue programmes at 500kW and Digital/Freeview MUXES at 20kW. Black Hill is horizontally polarised and was originally a B group but MUXES 5 & 6 now require an E group (or wideband) aerial. It should be noted that MUX5 is transmitted on CH55 and so will still be receivable with a B group antenna but MUX6 is up on 65 so will probably require a change of aerial unless you live in a strong reception area.
Black Hill is a main transmitter and it has fifty five smaller relays (or repeaters) to improve coverage in poor reception areas within its coverage area.

Black Hill transmitters TV Channel Allocation Guides, above for before the DSO in 2011 and for below for after.
Also check Black Hill`s fifty five smaller relays

Note that Torosay, Darvel and Caldbeck transmit on the same frequencies. I suspect that Caldbeck may well have a restricted radiation pattern in a Northerly direction and that “Caldbeck Scotland” will act as a supplementary transmitter (on different frequencies) only transmitting in this direction, just like Winter Hill and Winter Hill B do now.
Angus and Rosneath also transmit using the same frequencies.
On the “Post DSO” guide (below), large gaps in the spectrum - for other uses - are present on channels 31 to 35, 37, 39 to 40 and 63 to 68.

Black Hill`s channels in relation to the UHF TV band and the gain curves of the aerials

we recommend for it. DM Log Log40 Yagi18E XB10WB XB16WB

Note the channels out of the original B group of the transmitter.

(see Channel Allocations Guides)

The graph below illustrates Black Hill`s channels in relation to B group aerials which are

an alternative for those in particularly bad signal areas. A group B aerial will work better

than an E group (or wideband) but will not pickup analogue MUX 6 until after DSO.

Post DSO all channels will be within the compass of our B group aerials.

We recommend the DM log for strong signal areas, the Log 40 for medium signal areas,

the Yagi18E for poor signal areas and the XB16WB for those with the most marginal

signals. The prices of the aerials are on the Sales page. The dimensions of the antennas can be found on the relevant table and the test performance on The Black Hill E Group Graph. Those in the poorest reception areas (who need a really high gain aerial) could forsake MUX6 (MUX5 would normally be picked up fine) and go for an Yagi18B or XB16B

to maximise their reception of everything else ! See Black Hill B Group Graph.

One should bear in mind that Black Hill will return to its original B group at DSO.

For Black Hill`s TV frequencies/channels see its Channel Allocation Guides for before

and after the DSO. These also include the same information for other potentially

co-receivable transmitters within Black Hills coverage area, namely Craigkelly, Angus, Torosay, Rosneath, Darvel, Caldbeck, Selkirk, and Chatton. This information can be very useful for identifying possible causes of co-channel interference or other transmitters which may give a superior signal. It can also be invaluable if you are trying to find a spare channel for a modulated output (e.g. for a Sky box or CCTV system) to be added to your TV setup/distribution system without suffering from co-channel.

Ofcom report that the transmitter has minor restrictions in power to the SE and the NW on all six digital MUXES and DSO is due for March 2011. Unsurprisingly it has been confirmed by Ofcom that Black Hill will be returning to a B group at DSO.

Black Hill TV transmitter (Picture MB21)