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Bluebell Hill is 3 miles North of Maidstone and was opened in 1974. Being a main transmitter it is horizontally polarised. Originally (pre switchover) Bluebell Hill was an E group. but it`s now a B group. OK, technically it isn`t a B group (the B group only goes up to CH53) but since every decent B group aerial will still be working fine on CH54 it is really (see Bluebell Hill`s Graph). Note that all E group (or wideband) aerials which worked before the switchover should continue to work fine afterwards.
Ofcom quote Bluebell Hill`s maximum population coverage as being about 1.5 million, but that includes households which may well be on another transmitter with overlapping coverage, it`ll actually be significantly less than that.
Bluebell Hill transmitter(s).
Bluebell Hill TV Transmitter`s Frequencies/Channel Allocations*
Also check Bluebell Hill`s three smaller repeaters.
The frequencies given are for (most) digital MUXES, for analogue channels deduct 3MHz.
* There are a few retune events (temporary MUX reallocations) just before and after DSO which may not be shown on these tables.
Bluebell Hill`s channels in relation to the UHF TV band and the gain curves of the aerials we recommend for it. DM Log Log36 Yagi18B XB10B XB16B
Also see other relevant B group curves.
For Bluebell Hill`s frequencies see its channel allocation guide.
Bluebell Hill TV Transmitters
The original analogue tower
is on the left and the one
with the digital transmitting antennas is on the right.
Question. Why is Bluebell Hill so called ? I couldn`t possibly guess, how about you ?
Just like Sandy Heath ?
Now then, not so fast young man.
George Wise contacted us to say that Bluebell Hill isn`t Bluebell Hill at all, it`s actually Blue Bell Hill. Furthermore the moniker has nothing to do with flowers, it refers to a Blue Bell which used to summon the horses to draw the vehicles up the hill between Maidstone and Chatham.
Consultation of a map of the area proves George to be right.
However the transmitter is called Bluebell Hill by the BBC so I must (somewhat regretfully....) stick with the “incorrect” name.
Incidentally the BBC has got a few of the other transmitter names wrong as well, though, as usual, I can`t actually remember which ones they are at the moment !
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.
External Links
Bluebell Hill transmitter page at MB21
Digital UK Bluebell Hill transmitter
Digital UK details of Meridian transmitters
Ofcom details of Meridian transmitters
Note the large power increase after digital switchover, and the fact it was an E group but is now a B group.
Bluebell Hill transmitter has (only) three smaller repeaters to improve coverage in poor reception areas within its coverage area.
There is one interleaved spectrum channel allocated to Bluebell Hill, CH27.
Also, the gap between CHs 31 and 37 may, or may not, be used at some time in the future, for more TV channels, but all of these can be picked up by (decent) B group aerials.
Bluebell Hill Transmitter OS Grid Ref TQ 757 613
Note, due to the new phenomenon of MUXICAL chairs you may experience problems with certain MUXES disappearing. First try rescanning your TV / set top box, do it manually if possible.
If this fails to sort it check on transmitter work or call the reception advice phone numbers.
Also see basic digital fault finding.
Switchover occurred at Bluebell Hill in June 2012.
We are more than willing to give advice to those actually purchasing from us. Could those only seeking information please just find the answer somewhere on this site, or ring an aerial installer local to them, or call the reception advice phone numbers.
If you`ve found this site informative and, hopefully, interesting as well,
please help us increase the number of people reading it.
For Bluebell Hill we recommend the DM log for strong signal areas, the Log36 for medium signal areas, the Yagi18B for outdoor installs in poor signal areas, the XB10B for loft installations in poor signal areas, and the XB16B for those with the most marginal signals. Unless you have a massive loft we`d normally recommend an XB10B for loft installs (over an XB16) due to smaller size of the former aerial. The dimensions and test performance of the aerials can be found on the relevant tables.
For Bluebell Hill`s frequencies see its channel allocation guide. This also includes
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 be very useful in the diagnosis of co-
Those situated to the North or West of Bluebell Hill may find that during certain
weather conditions they can suffer from co-
