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Hannington Transmitter                               OS Grid Ref SU 527 568

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

It`s a pretty powerful transmitter at 250kW on its analogue output and 10kW 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 because digital C4 is also on MUX 2 anyway. but the other four analogue channels and all the digital should be. Those requiring analogue C4 (remember it

is on digital MUX 2 as well) will need an E group or wideband.

Being a main transmitter Hannington is horizontally polarised but most of its eleven smaller repeaters are vertical.

Ofcom reports that Hannington has a severely restricted radiation pattern to the East

(to protect Guildford TX), 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.    

Hannington transmitter will revert to a B group at DSO in February 2012.

For Hannington transmitter`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 the Hannington coverage area, namely Oxford,  Crystal Palace, Guildford, Midhurst, Rowridge, Salisbury, Mendip, Ridge Hill & Lark Stoke

This information can be useful for identifying possible causes of co-channel interference or other transmitters which may give a superior signal. They 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.

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

medium signal areas, the Yagi18E or the  XB10WB for poor signal areas and the XB16WB for those with the most marginal signals. Alternatively, those in the poorest signal areas could forsake analogue C4 and fit the Yagi18B or the XB16B.

See Hannington`s graphs

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.

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 in 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.  

Hannington TV transmitter from the East, note the view beyond 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 transmitter 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 must be restricted to the East.

Below is a picture of one of the anchor blocks for the

stay cables. There appears to be two different designs

of cable one wonders why ? If you know get in touch.

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     XB10WB     XB16WB

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 a Yagi18B or a XB16B, see graph below.

The Channel Allocation Guides for Hannington for before (above) and after (below) the DSO also check Hannington`s eleven smaller repeaters.

Note that Hannington will be returning to a B group for all its transmissions.