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Bluebell Hill Transmitter                           OS Grid Ref TQ 757 613

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).

Bluebell Hill is 3 miles North of Maidstone and its power is 30kW on analogue and

2 to 3kW on Digital / Freeview. The transmitter has (only) three smaller repeaters to

improve coverage in poor reception areas within its coverage area.

Originally it was an EH group. Only the 4 analogue stations plus MUXES 1, 4, 5 & 6

are available within the E band, see Channel Allocation Guide. A wideband may

possibly be required for MUXES 2 & 3 (on  channels 24 & 27), See Bluebell Hill`s Graph

I`d have thought that most E groups would work fine, unless you`re in a pretty poor spot.

No analogue Channel 5.

The transmitter does not have an omnidirectional radiation pattern, see table.

Bluebell Hill is due to revert to an E group at DSO, in July 2012.

For Bluebell Hill`s frequencies see its Channel Allocations Guides for before and after the DSO. These also include the same data for some of the other major transmitters also receivable within Bluebell Hill`s coverage area, namely Crystal Palace, Sandy, Sudbury, Dover, Hastings, Heathfield, Tunbridge Wells, Whitehawk Hill (Brighton), Midhurst and Reigate. The Channel Allocation Guides 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 a TV setup/distribution system without suffering from co-channel.

The nearest railway to Bluebell Hill is, very unusually, one which only opened in 2003, namely the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. In fact the line actually goes under Bluebell Hill in a tunnel which is only about half a mile to the SW of the transmitter.

Bluebell Hill TV transmitter(s).

The original analogue tower is on the extreme right and the one with the digital transmitting antennas is second from the right.

Bluebell Hill TV Transmitter`s Pre DSO Frequencies/Channel Allocations (above)

Also check Bluebell Hill`s three smaller repeaters

Bluebell Hill`s Post DSO Channel Allocations (below), note the gaps in the table

below for channels 31 to 35, 37, 39 to 40 and 63 to 68, they`re reserved for “other uses”....

For Bluebell Hill we recommend the DM log aerial for strong signal areas, the Log 40 for

medium signal areas, the XB10WB for poor signal areas and the XB16WB for those with

the most marginal signals. The dimensions and test performance of the antennas can be found on the relevant tables. The prices of the aerials are on the Sales page.

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

we recommend for it.   DM Log    Log40     XB10WB     XB16WB

Note that MUXES 2 and 3 are out of the original E group of the transmitter. But the graph shows quite clearly that the “cut off” for E group aerials is not precipitous and that most people in decent signal areas may well get all the Digital OK off their “old” E group aerial.

At DSO in Jul 2012 Bluebell Hill will return to a E group and the power is going to be increased by a large margin. For Bluebell Hill`s frequencies see its Channel Allocation Guides for before and after the DSO.