NEW DIVIS MAST GOING UP NOW FOR DSO

mrdtv2010

A picture remains as ever more than a thousand words...
http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/divis/divis05.php

gtg60

I read somewhere that the new mast is going to be 50 metres taller than the old one, any truth to this?

mrdtv2010

gtg60 wrote: »

I read somewhere that the new mast is going to be 50 metres taller than the old one, any truth to this?

Another report says lower and that the existing mast is to be retained on site for VHF services; we'll have to await official confirmation. I expect they'll have the mast up before the summer is out. They were very quick with the rebuilds at Caldbeck and other sites. It will start to be visible for miles around very shortly. More to follow in due course.

watty

Wasn't visible from M1 last week.


Very many years since I was inside Divis Transmitter hall.

gtg60

mrdtv2010 wrote: »

Another report says lower

Arrghh! Not lower, please!! There's a chap who lives 150metres to the south of me (but 10~15metres higher) and he gets perfect Divis analogue and 50% DTT reception (meaning he receives all the muxes 50% of the time) so I'm thinking this'll very likely be my one and only chance of receiving the full set of Freeview channels especially when power goes from 3kW to 100kW!

C'mon 2012!!

tmcw

gtg60 wrote: »

C'mon 2012!!

I thought it was 2013?

mrdtv2010

tmcw wrote: »

I thought it was 2013?

2012. High power COFDM will be perfect out to the edge of the footprint as seen from the Welsh experience. There will indeed be two masts at Divis.

mrdtv2010

gtg60 wrote: »

Arrghh! Not lower, please!! There's a chap who lives 150metres to the south of me (but 10~15metres higher) and he gets perfect Divis analogue and 50% DTT reception (meaning he receives all the muxes 50% of the time) so I'm thinking this'll very likely be my one and only chance of receiving the full set of Freeview channels especially when power goes from 3kW to 100kW!

C'mon 2012!!

Approximate location?

mrdtv2010

See also this site: the new mast WILL be taller than the old mast but its not clear by how much..

http://www.thebigtower.com/live/Divis/index.htm

gtg60

mrdtv2010 wrote: »

Approximate location?

Wicklow town!

gtg60

mrdtv2010 wrote: »

See also this site: the new mast WILL be taller than the old mast but its not clear by how much..

http://www.thebigtower.com/live/Divis/index.htm

Found this planning application document, page 17 is the interesting bit
http://minutes.belfastcity.gov.uk/Published/C00000111/M00006578/AI00002507/$bluelist.docA.ps.pdf

Z/2008/0454/F "Proposal for the removal of existing 152.5 metres high (total height) broadcast mast and replacement with a 192.7 metres high (total height) broadcast mast for digital switchover with associated electronic communications apparatus, site compound extended by 1.41 hectares, new broadcasting building, extension to existing transmitter building, security fencing, internal access roads, ground works and ancillary development"

This the best evidence I've found so far, looks like it will be 40 metres taller

gtg60

gtg60 wrote: »

Arrghh! Not lower, please!! There's a chap who lives 150metres to the south of me (but 10~15metres higher) and he gets perfect Divis analogue and 50% DTT reception (meaning he receives all the muxes 50% of the time) so I'm thinking this'll very likely be my one and only chance of receiving the full set of Freeview channels especially when power goes from 3kW to 100kW!

C'mon 2012!!

In wicklow :eek::eek:

Sam Russell

gtg60 wrote: »

Found this planning application document, page 17 is the interesting bit
http://minutes.belfastcity.gov.uk/Published/C00000111/M00006578/AI00002507/$bluelist.docA.ps.pdf



This the best evidence I've found so far, looks like it will be 50 metres taller

40 metres! and removal of the old one.

gtg60

Sam Russell wrote: »

40 metres! and removal of the old one.

Ha ha, oops!

Sam Russell

gtg60 wrote: »

Ha ha, oops!

Whats 10 metres between friends?

tmcw

mrdtv2010 wrote: »

2012. High power COFDM will be perfect out to the edge of the footprint as seen from the Welsh experience. There will indeed be two masts at Divis.

This page says 2013: http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=IJ287750

Saturday 30th March 2013
Freeview power increases from 2,133 W to 75,000 W, 35 times stronger.

Is that page incorrect? Looks official enough to me.

gtg60

Deleted User wrote: »

In wicklow :eek::eek:

Yep! Couldn't believe it myself when I first heard, fair enough analogue with 500kW can really travel but digital with only 3kW, it's 180km from here to Divis!

The chap in question is a local installer and was using a Group A JBX21, several houses around him also have their aerials pointed at Divis, worth noting that his location (like mine) has virtually all Welsh transmitters blocked by Ballyguile hill.

This has given me real hope, especially since I am directly between him and Divis , although I am 15metres lower but I'm hoping a 40 metre taller mast and 100kW should make it good for me. The other thing I really like about Divis is the fact that the PSB and COM muxes will both run at the same 100kW, it'll be a long wait til Divis DSO...

lucernarian

I understood that com muxes were to be run at 50kW ERP based on any digital UK, arquiva or Ofcom info I've seen. Shouldn't make a massive difference. What will make a massive difference at that range is weather conditions, there's an awful lot of atmosphere to travel through which can mean great reception some days and terrible for others.

gtg60

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

I understood that com muxes were to be run at 50kW ERP based on any digital UK, arquiva or Ofcom info I've seen. Shouldn't make a massive difference. What will make a massive difference at that range is weather conditions, there's an awful lot of atmosphere to travel through which can mean great reception some days and terrible for others.

Got my info from here (page 52):
http://issuu.com/visionproducts/docs/digital_switchover_transmitter_guide

If you have info disputing that then please post it, info is very thin on the ground for Divis.

I agree about the weather conditions over such a long distance but I can only tell you what this chaps experience of analogue Divis is/has been, and that has been 99% reception over the many years he has had it.

The Cush

gtg60 wrote: »

If you have info disputing that then please post it, info is very thin on the ground for Divis.

From Ofcom 2007 - PSB Mux 100kW, Com Mux 50 kW subject to change no doubt.

gtg60

gtg60 wrote: »

Got my info from here (page 52):
http://issuu.com/visionproducts/docs/digital_switchover_transmitter_guide

If you have info disputing that then please post it, info is very thin on the ground for Divis.

I agree about the weather conditions over such a long distance but I can only tell you what this chaps experience of analogue Divis is/has been, and that has been 99% reception over the many years he has had it.

It is a fluke that he's getting it but not surprising.

All you need is the tiniest fluke in a coincidence of gaps between hills.

I'd have to warn you though,that at that distance with the vast numbers of hills it's weaving around and escaping through...it means the tiniest move over the road in the wrong direction any you could be unlucky to lose that coincidence of gaps.
The extra height might not compensate for that.

mrdtv2010

tmcw wrote: »

This page says 2013: http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=IJ287750



Is that page incorrect? Looks official enough to me.

That site has no official status, its run by an amateur.

According to Ofcom the PSB ERPs are 100kW and the COM muxes 50kW at DSO. Here is the digitaluk web site web prediction for UTV's Belfast postcode: note the 2012 switchover dates from the official switchover body.

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/postcodechecker/main/trade/BT7+1EB/1/0/vjcd71puf8qh17g2094v3910d1

mrdtv2010

gtg60 wrote: »

Yep! Couldn't believe it myself when I first heard, fair enough analogue with 500kW can really travel but digital with only 3kW, it's 180km from here to Divis!

The chap in question is a local installer and was using a Group A JBX21, several houses around him also have their aerials pointed at Divis, worth noting that his location (like mine) has virtually all Welsh transmitters blocked by Ballyguile hill.

This has given me real hope, especially since I am directly between him and Divis , although I am 15metres lower but I'm hoping a 40 metre taller mast and 100kW should make it good for me. The other thing I really like about Divis is the fact that the PSB and COM muxes will both run at the same 100kW, it'll be a long wait til Divis DSO...

This is a very interesting DX report. The shielding of the Welsh transmitters by the hill means there can be no CCI from Blaen-Plwyf which is very convenient. The current analogue Divis reception will be a very good proxy for the DSO DTT reception: if its perfect then the PSB DTT muxes should be perfect. The one problem with the COM muxes apart from the 3dB lower power is that they share channels with the current analogue Three Rock allocations.

mrdtv2010

The very latest approved planning permission:

Its Number 77, page 16 in this planning permission report and the new mast height is 156.8m. The old mast is being retained for VHF radio. This is from August 2009. I suspect the new mast can't carry the weight of the new UHF aerials and all the VHF and communications antennas. The pictures I posted yesterday are very similar to the design at Caldbeck.

Sam Russell

mrdtv2010 wrote: »

The very latest approved planning permission:

Its Number 77, page 16 in this planning permission report and the new mast height is 156.8m. The old mast is being retained for VHF radio.

So only 4m and keep the old one.:(

gtg60

Sam Russell wrote: »

So only 4m and keep the old one.:(

Booo!! Always something to burst my Freeview bubble!

Still likely to try it in 2012 though.

mrdtv2010

Sam Russell wrote: »

So only 4m and keep the old one.:(

Divis Co. Antrim
NGR: J287750 Maps: Google | Bing (Ord Surv) Site Height: 365.8m Structure Height: 141.7m
Analogue TV: BBC1: 31 BBC2: 27 ITV1: 24 Ch4: 21 TG4: 59
Digital TV: Mux1: 29 Mux2: 33 MuxA: 23 MuxB: 26 MuxC: 48 MuxD: 34
BBC Radio: R1: 99.7 R2: 90.1 R3: 92.3 R4: 96.0
R. Ulster: 94.5
Ind. National Radio: Classic FM: 101.9
Ind. Local Radio:

Digital Radio: BBC: 12B
Comments:

This is pasted from the mb21.co.uk web site. The difference is + 15m according to that site.

championc

gtg60 wrote: »

Arrghh! Not lower, please!! There's a chap who lives 150metres to the south of me (but 10~15metres higher) and he gets perfect Divis analogue and 50% DTT reception (meaning he receives all the muxes 50% of the time) so I'm thinking this'll very likely be my one and only chance of receiving the full set of Freeview channels especially when power goes from 3kW to 100kW!

C'mon 2012!!

I'm just wondering but if Divis channels are currently 500kw and your neighbour can get those but can also partially get DTT channels which are only currently on 2.5kw, what would the equivalent power need to be on the DTT to equal the reception of the 500kw Analog ?

I'm in Ballinteer and can get reasonable Divis reception but thinking that if DTT was going to be anything heigher that 5kw when fully live after DSO, then I might be on the back of the pig me thinks ??? What will the power be after DSO ?


C

Digifriendly

Did a walk right up to Divis transmitter today and saw new mast. Unfortunately weather wasn't kind and I did not stay long. I took a Digital/FM radio with me but could not pick up any digital stations apart from those broadcast from Divis. Thought I might pick up some from Caldbeck (NW England) or even Darvel
(West of Scotland) but none came through.