A.T.V (Aerials and Television) est. 1994
419 Langsett Rd
Hillsborough
Sheffield
S6 2LL
Hillsborough
Sheffield
S6 2LL
Tel : 0114 285 4254
© 2008 Justin Smith A.T.V
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
Nationwide Transmitters Transmitter work ?
Subjects on this page are listed in the following order :
List of transmitters for which we have a dedicated page
Cross reference for general transmitter features
Which transmitter am I on ?
Coverage maps, our opinion on......
This pages in the list below provide information (and pictures ! ) on the major TV and Radio transmitters around the country. More will be added as time allows.......
For information on ALL the Nationwide Digital / Freeveiw Transmitters
(including those without a dedicated page on this site) see Digital Transmitters.
(including those without a dedicated page on this site) see Digital Transmitters.
List of transmitters for which we have a dedicated page
Belmont
Bilsdale
Black Hill
Blackburn in Rotherham
Bluebell Hill
Burnhope
Chesterfield / Unstone
Crosspool / Sheffield
Crystal Palace
Dronfield
Eastwood
Emley Moor
Hannington
Heathfield
Holme Moss (radio)
Keighley
Keighley Town
Mendip
Moel Y Parc
Moorside Edge (MW radio)
Nottingham
Oughtibridge / Wharncliffe
Oxford
Pontop Pike
Ridge Hill
Rowridge
Sheffield / Crosspool
Sheffield (MW radio)
Stocksbridge / Hunshelf Bank
Sudbury / Sudbury B
Sutton Coldfield
The Wrekin / The Wrekin B
Totley
Waltham
Wincobank (+Blackburn)
Winter Hill / Winter Hill B
Cross Reference For Pictures Of General Transmitter Features
Antenna arrays, main transmitters (Waltham)
Antenna arrays, relay/repeater transmitters, Oughtibridge, Birchover & Llanddulas
Base of a tubular mast (Belmont) and of a spaceframe (Ridge Hill, including figures
for the weight of masts etc)
Feeder cables for the signals (Waltham) including “duplication” information
Mast stays. They aren`t straight ! The anchor blocks
Painting Bilsdale transmitter, including pictures of the “Bosun`s Chair” system used
and the type of paint !
Population coverage figures for the top 5 transmitters
Which Transmitter Am I On ?
TV aerials are very directional (particularly if they`re “high gain”) so the simplest way to
find out which transmitter you may be on is by checking which way your antenna faces !
Alternatively, in your locality, which way do most (or preferably all....) of the other antennas face ? This is a good guide but it`s not infallible. We`ve occasionally done installs where every other aerial is utilising a particular transmitter (usually the nearest one......) with imperfect results, we`ve decided to try a different one and it`s come up trumps !
Now check on Transmitter Maps or Digital Transmitter map or
MB21`s map page or BBC maps or Ofcom Maps
MB21`s map page or BBC maps or Ofcom Maps
Bear in mind that they`re hundreds of repeater/relay transmitters (which don`t transmit
digital yet) and do not appear on our Digital Nationwide page.
If there is more than one transmitter in that particular direction check if the polarity of the aerial(s) gives an indication as to which is the correct one.
Most digiboxes will tell you which transmitter is being received.
Remember that some transmitters have restricted radiation patterns. An example of the latter being Sheffield which only broadcasts digital at low power to the south so as to avoid co-channel interference with the Totley repeater. Finding out which transmitters have restricted radiation patterns is very difficult because Ofcom (or “arqiva” (SPX...) or National Grid Wireless) do not publicise this information. That said, Ofcom can be more helpful in
this regard than any of the others. In fact when I managed to talk to Channel Five`s Broadcast Technical Manager he informed me that it was company policy to keep this information confidential ! It`s pathetic, I cannot comprehend why they feel it`s so secret, does the security of the country depend on it ? Possibly.......
These days it seems that not giving out any information is the “default position”.
It`s all a long way from the Public Service ethos that the broadcasters used to adhere to.
If anyone knows of any restricted radiation patterns which we have not included on our
site please contact us and we`ll add the information to the relevant section.
When considering which transmitter to receive your signals from always remember the critical factor is “Line Of Sight”, generally speaking this is far more important than which is the nearest. (also see Major Transmitters: Which Aerial To Use)
Coverage Maps
This site does not provide (or link to) TV transmitter coverage maps * because at best they are misleading and at worst they are downright inaccurate !
In the case of accuracy the best example is a certain websites coverage maps of Winter
Hill and Winter Hill B where they look virtually identical. Perusal of our Winter Hill page (which gives the radiation patterns of the two transmitters) reveals that this cannot possibly be the case....
On a more general level the use of coverage maps is misleading because they cannot conceivably take into account local conditions (e.g. trees or high buildings) and they over emphasise distance to the transmitter. Any professional installer will tell you the over riding importance of the former and the relative lack of importance of the latter. For instance if a locality has a choice of two different main transmitters, one 10 miles away through a bleedin` great tree (or high building) and one 40 miles away but with clear line of sight,
any installer worth his salt will choose the latter of the two options.
As a “worked example” of coverage predictions accuracy (or lack of it.....) try using one
of them for the site of our shop, the post code is S6 2LL and the OS grid ref SK 335 894.
Then compare it to the actual situation from our aerial array !
Digital UK coverage prediction
Wolfbane analogue TV coverage prediction
Wolfbane digital TV coverage prediction
Post code predictions can sometimes be highly amusing, and this is particularly the
case in sparsely populated areas where the geographical areas are larger. We got a call from a customer near Owler Bar (on the outskirts of Sheffield) who`d been advised by the checker that she couldn`t get Digital. But the site is over 1000ft in altitude, on the NE side
of a mountain facing Belmont, so what do you think ? ! ? In fact she could probably
pick up Bilsdale and Crosspool (Sheffield), with a chance of Emley Moor as well !
No aerial installation company would waste their time consulting a coverage map but what they would want access to are the polar diagrams (radiation patterns) of the transmitters and preferably in all three dimensions. It is a pointless waste of time identifying an alternative transmitter (and aligning onto it) if unbeknownst to you the sodding thing is not putting much signal out in your direction ! Unfortunately, for reasons I cannot comprehend, this information is not generally available. Whenever any radiation pattern anomalies come to light we add them to the relevant transmitter page and we are always more than interested to hear of any additional data in this regard.
* Well OK that`s not quite true, we do provide a link to a site giving “coverage” for all
the particular frequencies, mainly out of interest but also because it can be helpful in identifying possible causes of co-channel interference. Use this in conjunction with the Channel Allocation Guides on our transmitter pages.
For further reading on transmitters see Wikipedia article.
digital yet) and do not appear on our Digital Nationwide page.
If there is more than one transmitter in that particular direction check if the polarity of the aerial(s) gives an indication as to which is the correct one.
Most digiboxes will tell you which transmitter is being received.
Remember that some transmitters have restricted radiation patterns. An example of the latter being Sheffield which only broadcasts digital at low power to the south so as to avoid co-
this regard than any of the others. In fact when I managed to talk to Channel Five`s Broadcast Technical Manager he informed me that it was company policy to keep this information confidential ! It`s pathetic, I cannot comprehend why they feel it`s so secret, does the security of the country depend on it ? Possibly.......
These days it seems that not giving out any information is the “default position”.
It`s all a long way from the Public Service ethos that the broadcasters used to adhere to.
If anyone knows of any restricted radiation patterns which we have not included on our
site please contact us and we`ll add the information to the relevant section.
When considering which transmitter to receive your signals from always remember the critical factor is “Line Of Sight”, generally speaking this is far more important than which is the nearest. (also see Major Transmitters: Which Aerial To Use)
Coverage Maps
This site does not provide (or link to) TV transmitter coverage maps * because at best they are misleading and at worst they are downright inaccurate !
In the case of accuracy the best example is a certain websites coverage maps of Winter
Hill and Winter Hill B where they look virtually identical. Perusal of our Winter Hill page (which gives the radiation patterns of the two transmitters) reveals that this cannot possibly be the case....
On a more general level the use of coverage maps is misleading because they cannot conceivably take into account local conditions (e.g. trees or high buildings) and they over emphasise distance to the transmitter. Any professional installer will tell you the over riding importance of the former and the relative lack of importance of the latter. For instance if a locality has a choice of two different main transmitters, one 10 miles away through a bleedin` great tree (or high building) and one 40 miles away but with clear line of sight,
any installer worth his salt will choose the latter of the two options.
As a “worked example” of coverage predictions accuracy (or lack of it.....) try using one
of them for the site of our shop, the post code is S6 2LL and the OS grid ref SK 335 894.
Then compare it to the actual situation from our aerial array !
Digital UK coverage prediction
Wolfbane analogue TV coverage prediction
Wolfbane digital TV coverage prediction
Post code predictions can sometimes be highly amusing, and this is particularly the
case in sparsely populated areas where the geographical areas are larger. We got a call from a customer near Owler Bar (on the outskirts of Sheffield) who`d been advised by the checker that she couldn`t get Digital. But the site is over 1000ft in altitude, on the NE side
of a mountain facing Belmont, so what do you think ? ! ? In fact she could probably
pick up Bilsdale and Crosspool (Sheffield), with a chance of Emley Moor as well !
No aerial installation company would waste their time consulting a coverage map but what they would want access to are the polar diagrams (radiation patterns) of the transmitters and preferably in all three dimensions. It is a pointless waste of time identifying an alternative transmitter (and aligning onto it) if unbeknownst to you the sodding thing is not putting much signal out in your direction ! Unfortunately, for reasons I cannot comprehend, this information is not generally available. Whenever any radiation pattern anomalies come to light we add them to the relevant transmitter page and we are always more than interested to hear of any additional data in this regard.
* Well OK that`s not quite true, we do provide a link to a site giving “coverage” for all
the particular frequencies, mainly out of interest but also because it can be helpful in identifying possible causes of co-
For further reading on transmitters see Wikipedia article.
Problems with your signal ?
Check on Transmitter work,
or phone reception advice on :
08700 100 123 (for BBC)
0844 881 4150 (for ITV)
0207 306 8333 (for C4)
0207 421 7270 or 0845 705 0505 (for C5)
Check on Transmitter work,
or phone reception advice on :
08700 100 123 (for BBC)
0844 881 4150 (for ITV)
0207 306 8333 (for C4)
0207 421 7270 or 0845 705 0505 (for C5)