Hillsborough
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The transmitter is situated 16 miles SW of Reading on the North Downs and it was opened about 1970. The site height is 217m and the actual mast is 134m high with the shroud covering the analogue transmitting array being about another 20m on top of that, thus the (average) transmitting height is about 369m, see How High is High ?
It`s a pretty powerful transmitter at 250kW on its analogue output and 20kW* on its digital broadcasts. Hannington`s population coverage is approximately 750,000.
The transmitter was a originally a B group, then became an E group in 1982 when C4 broadcasts started and the latter channel would not normally be picked up on a B group aerial. Note of all channels from this transmitter only analogue C4 is outside the B group so those in really poor signal areas may use a B group aerial to maximise their reception of the other channels (digital C4 is also on MUX 2 anyway).Those requiring analogue C4 will need an E group or wideband aerial.
Being a main transmitter Hannington is horizontally polarised.
* All 6 MUXES transmitted at 20kW from the 29th of June 2011.
For Hannington we recommend the DM log for strong signal areas, the Log 40 for medium signal areas, the Yagi18E or the DY14WB for poor signal areas, and the XB16E for those with the most marginal signals. Alternatively, those in the poorest signal areas could forsake analogue C4 and fit the XB16B, see this aerial report.
See Hannington`s graphs, E group and B group.
The dimensions and test performance of the aerials can be found on the relevant table. If requiring a “high gain aerial” in the loft we recommend the DY14WB or XB10B over the XB16E or XB16B because the former aerials are smaller.
Hannington TV transmitter from the East, note the view from the North Downs.
Hannington against a beautiful blue sky,
not that we got
many of them in
2007 when this picture was taken !
Hannington transmitter “up close”.
To the left we have a picture of Hannington`s pre DSO transmission array taken from the West. It will be noted that the digital transmitters are only mounted on this side which confirms that the radiation pattern is restricted to the East.
This restriction will cease in Apr 2012.
Below is a picture of one of the anchor blocks for the
stay cables.
Hannington`s channels in relation to the UHF TV band and the gain curves of the aerials
we recommend for it. DM Log Log40 Yagi18E DY14WB XB16E
Note the gain plot of the original B group of the transmitter and how (only) analogue C4 is out of band.
Those in particularly poor reception areas could forsake analogue C4 (it is on digital MUX 2 anyway) and fit an XB16B, see graph below. Also see other relevant B group curves.
The Channel Allocation Guide for Hannington
Also check Hannington`s nine 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.
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For Hannington transmitter`s TV frequencies/channels see its channel allocation guide.
These also include the same information for other potentially co-
co-
As mentioned above, Hannington stands on the North Downs and is actually about 2 miles to East of Watership Down, as in the talking rabbits !
The nearest railway to Hannington is the (ex) L&SWR line from Basingstoke to Salisbury opened in 1854, and this runs about 4 miles to the South. Until 1964 there was a railway running North to South from Didcot via Newbury to Winchester through Berghclere. This line had a fascinating history as it was originally planned as a double track but only completed as a single line in 1885 by the Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Junc Railway. However as the line ran from the industrial Midlands down to the South Coast ports it became very heavily used during WW2 and was doubled between 1942 to 1943.Unfortunately its importance then diminished so greatly that by 1964 it was closed.
However that was not quite the end of the story because the infamous Newbury bypass (that`s Swampy et al) was built on part of the ex railway lines trackbed. The actual section used was from Tot Hill to Enborne.
External Links
Hannington transmitter page on MB21
Digital UK Hannington transmitter
Digital UK details of Meridian transmitters
Ofcom details of Meridian transmitters
Hannington Transmitter OS Grid Ref SU 527 568
Note, as work takes place on various digital transmitters (to prepare for the DSO) you may experience problems, e.g. with certain MUXES disappearing. First try rescanning your TV/set top box (do it manually if possible), but if this fails to work check on transmitter work or call the reception advice phone numbers. Also see basic digital fault finding.
Switchover at Hannington will be between the 8 and 22 of February 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.
Ofcom reports that Hannington has a severely restricted radiation pattern to the East (to protect Guildford TX), and this applies to all 6 MUXES in an arc from NE to SE, see picture. If you live in this sector you may get perfect analogue off Hannington, but your digital may well be problematic.
However, full digital power will be transmitted to the East as follows :
MUX 1 from the 8th of February 2012
MUXES 2 and 3 from the 22nd of February 2012
MUX 5 from the 4th of April 2012
MUXES 4 and 6 from the 18th of April 2012
Hannington transmitter will revert to a B group at DSO (between the 8 and 22 of February 2012), though all of its digital output was within the B group anyway.
Nearly all transmitters are increasing their power by a factor of 10 after DSO, so, relatively speaking, Hannington`s increase will be rather less than the others. But remember that the transmitter`s Easterly attenuation will be abolished at switchover, so for that area, that`s a big rise in power.
There are two interleaved spectrum channels allocated to Hannington, CH 43 and CH49. In addition there is a possibility of 2 or 3 more MUXES being transmitted between CHs 31 and 37, but all of these can be picked up by (decent) B group aerials.