Digital Switchover - UTV Region (DigitalUK)

The Cush

The following job vacancy for National Manager - Northern Ireland (UTV Region) has appeared on the DigitalUK site. It's the last UK region to have a DSO Manager appointed.

The position is part-time until Sept and full-time from then until the end of Dec 2012.

National Manager - Northern Ireland (UTV Region)

Salary up to £45,000 to £55,000 negotiable depending on skills and experience.

Location: Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is switching to digital television in the second half of 2012. Digital UK is seeking a self-motivated and experienced communicator to lead the public information campaign in Northern Ireland. The successful candidate will have knowledge of the political and media environment, local government and the voluntary sector.

They will be primarily home-based and willing to travel frequently across Northern Ireland and to London. The appointment may be made initially on a part-time basis but will be full-time from 1 September 2011. This position is offered on a fixed-term contract until 31 December 2012.

Full job description: National Manager Northern Ireland

If you are interested in the position, please email a letter of application saying why you think you would be suited to the job plus your current CV to Matthew.Heselden@digitaluk.co.uk.

Closing date: Thursday 28 April 2011

According to the attached job description all 3 main transmitter groups will switchover in late 2012. It was posted here last year that Brougher Mountain would switchover in April 2012, not sure if this has changed (DigitalUK announced last week that the London region would switchover in April 2012).

I assume if Brougher Mountain was switching over in April 2012 (approx 12 months time) the date would have been announced by now. As the Switchover Manager position becomes full-time in Sept, the switchover date(s) may be announced around Aug/Sept.

Northern Ireland has three main transmitter groups – Limavady, Brougher Mountain
and Divis - switching in late 2012. Northern Ireland will conclude the UK switchover
programme.

Mr. Rabbit

UK Free still has a provisional date of 31st March 2013 for Divis.

To be honest, it's frustrating that NI is so late. It wouldn't be so bad if the power of the existing transmitters was a bit higher from the current ridiculously low levels, or if we had the HD channels.

The uncertainty over the dates just makes it worse.

Still, at least we have the mini RTE mux and the overspill from Clermont Cairn (when they increase power etc.) to look forward to, hopefully.

A little bit of clarity would be nice though.

Ronnie Raygun

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

UK Free still has a provisional date of 31st March 2013 for Divis.

UK Free also shows Brougher & Limavady as 'Lite' txs after switchover . . .

Sponge Bob

The push is really on to get the Olympics in Freeview HD to as many UK households as possible. They could announce an April 2012 Cutover for Divis as late as September 2011 and actually deliver it....weather permitting of course Frankly I think that a lot of late 2012 plans will be delivered in Spring 2012 to co incide with this UK national objective.

Sam has indicated that operational planning is well ahead of announcements and we have no reason to doubt Sam around here.

The Cush

Sponge Bob wrote: »

They could announce an April 2012 Cutover for Divis as late as September 2011 and actually deliver it....weather permitting of course Frankly I think that a lot of late 2012 plans will be delivered in Spring 2012 to co incide with this UK national objective.

Sam has indicated that operational planning is well ahead of announcements and we have no reason to doubt Sam around here.

True, no reason to doubt him and his Arqiva contacts. He did say this about Divis.

Sam the Aerialman wrote: »

No official press releases or links just information i get from my contacts in Arqiva.

I can confirm with absolutely certainty Divis will switch over in November 2012.

Sponge Bob

The only remaining question is whether this target date can be brought forward yet again. There has been no slippage on the UK switchover plan to date and their experience so far could well lead to another bring forward date being announced...it would have to be early July 2012 latest.

The fact that our restrictions are being lifted early away from the border ( Mulllaghanish in may) indicates that the RTE rollout program is also going better than expected. That power ramp was not programmed until Jan 2012 ...originally.

The Cush

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The fact that our restrictions are being lifted early away from the border ( Mulllaghanish in may) indicates that the RTE rollout program is also going better than expected. That power ramp was not programmed until Jan 2012 ...originally.

The original plan for Mullaghanish was full power at ASO in Q4 2012 due to local analogue restrictions. That was when there was a 4 mux plan, less restrictions with 1/2 muxes.

lucernarian

The timetable could be brought forward in many parts of southern England for example but I hear on DS that the work at Divis is actually behind schedule.

Mr. Rabbit

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

The timetable could be brought forward in many parts of southern England for example but I hear on DS that the work at Divis is actually behind schedule.

I thought the construction of the new tower etc. was ahead of schedule (i.e. it's already completed) ?

What's work at Divis is behind ?

excollier

Ronnie Raygun wrote: »

UK Free also shows Brougher & Limavady as 'Lite' txs after switchover . . .

That's daft, they already transmit the full range of services from the three main sites, why do they think they will go "lite" after switch over?
Someone is misinformed, I think.

Mr. Rabbit

excollier wrote: »

That's daft, they already transmit the full range of services from the three main sites, why do they think they will go "lite" after switch over?
Someone is misinformed, I think.

UK Free also list the current brougher transmitter as having the full Freeview service:

http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=IH350527

Sam the Aerialman

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

I thought the construction of the new tower etc. was ahead of schedule (i.e. it's already completed) ?

What's work at Divis is behind ?

You could start with the fact that the S1 main antenna isn't even on site nevermind rigged, the S2 wrap around is nowhere to be seen. Bearing in mind the mast has been finished for 5 months and the adapter piece went up the structure in the last week of November. Roughly a year from now high power mux switching and testing will have to begin. The new buildings (combiner) and switch room or only being built as i speak, literally bricks and mortar. Provisional planning approval was granted but was not approved until the 17th February of this year.
As of last Thursday no antennas have been either been decamped or added to either mast, they are hugely behind schedule based on the Rowridge job which i went to see first hand it took 4 months from cutting the first sod to completion of the entire project. So one wonders what the hold up with.
There were complaints of the weather and granted it was a harse winter, there have been parts problems, site access problems. The site access road still stands potholed and destroyed. The project seems to be wrapped up in red tape and health and safety mumbo jumbo, i was told that the gate is being moved 10ft back from were it is to stop the workers getting their feet dirty. You couldn't make it up.

On the other hand Brougher and Limavady sites seem to be complete both have dual fitted 6 inch feeders, Brougher got the tower extension and the additonal S1 antenna. Limavady's S1 was replaced and transmitters already installed. I last heard Brougher was getting a wrap around reserve antenna but from the plans i've seen no available aperature is there on either towers. So still waiting for some decent photos of a swiss helicopter putting an antenna on Divis...

Sam the Aerialman

The Cush wrote: »

True, no reason to doubt him and his Arqiva contacts. He did say this about Divis.

This is still very much the case and although i cannot confirm it and it could change the date 2nd November 2012 has been mentioned for Divis to enter DSO1.

Now that Crystal Palace has been confirmed for the 4th April, Brougher going in April i believe is highly unlikely. Limavady will still go through DSO1 in September and because Brougher/ Divis's frequencies are so close, may even share channel 30. I believe Divis and Brougher will be a simultaneous switchover on the 2nd November allowing channel 30 to launch as an SFN.

Mr. Rabbit

and granted it was a harse winter

Only the month of December Sam.

January was more or less average, and February actually milder than normal, so the weather really isn't an excuse in my opinion.

Sam the Aerialman

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Only the month of December Sam.

January was more or less average, and February actually milder than normal, so the weather really isn't an excuse in my opinion.

There is no thing as an average winter on Divis Mountain... I've worked up there it can be bleak.

Mr. Rabbit

Sam the Aerialman wrote: »

There is no thing as an average winter on Divis Mountain... I've worked up there it can be bleak.

December I can understand, but the snow disappeared after boxing day. There were some nice calm sunny days in January, and February was very mild.

Certainly no excuse not to be gettin' on with the work at this stage.

Souriau

I though digital make things easy
so why can not all the transmitters in NI be align up to SFN?

lawhec

Souriau wrote: »

I though digital make things easy
so why can not all the transmitters in NI be align up to SFN?

Several reasons...

1. Using an SFN requires lengthening the guard interval unless all the transmitters on the same frequency are very close together, and lengthening the guard interval reduces the available data on a multiplex. For example, the current Mux. 2 which carries UTV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 has a data rate of just over 24Mbps with a guard interval of 1/32 and a COFDM mode of 2k. To lengthen the interval to 1/8 gives a data rate of just over 22Mbps and 1/4 just under 20Mbps.

2. Even using a COFDM mode of 8k which Saorview uses and Freeview uses in post-DSO areas, the maximum direct reception distance is still limited if another transmitter on the same frequency is strong enough to cause interference due to timing windows. Therefore using DVB-T, transmitters cannot be fairly high powered if an SFN is planned for a wide area, and example of this is DAB which also uses SFN technology - transmitter power is similarly limited (in the UK's case, 10kW) to prevent destructive interference in certain places of reception to allow the same frequency to be used across the UK for the BBC. DVB-T2 is better suited to SFNs bigger that a region the size of say Metropolitan London as COFDM modes available for it has more carriers.

3. The intention is for as many viewers as possible to be able to continue watching programmes in digital (at least for PSB multiplexes) with their current analogue aerials. If for example a NI-wide SFN was created using frequencies from E21-E30, many relay station viewers as well as those receiving directly from Limavady would need aerial replacements as their current aerials are not designed to receive on those frequencies, not to mention possible polarisation changes. If the changeover was taking place in a country where few use terrestrial TV as a primary means of reception, an SFN could be planned out, but this is not the case for Nothern Ireland.

The Cush

Ofcom Digital Switchover Transmitter Details v 1.0 now available (thanks to mrdtv2010)

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/pdfs/DSOTx_UTV_May11v1.pdf

Not available on Ofcom's own website yet - http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/guidance/tech-guidance/dsodetails/ (Edit: appeared today, 25th May)

Doesn't include any details regarding the RTÉ/TG4 mini-mux.

Mayo Exile

In the "Mux 2 launch date" thread, the Castlebar relay has a second signal on Channel 25 (H) now. Any chance of interference in the future with a Mux from Brougher Mountain also planned for 25 (H)?

lucernarian

I wouldn't be suprised if there is such a chance of interference from Brougher Mountain.

I'm not familiar with Castlebar's coverage though. There will be some craic on this forum I'd guess when people start reporting in co-channel interference from all sorts of places!

In not so great news for the Louth/Meath/North Dublin coast, the ERP for Kilkeel is 200W even though it was cleared under RRC-06 for 400W. Kilkeel also has the option of using 40-43-46 but has reverted back to 39-42-45 which is co-channel with Mt. Leinster where I am (but not for most of Kilkeel's viewers).

Camlough on the other hand is marked down as 27dBW in that PDF even though the RRC allocations posted on boards said it had 24dBW! That means it's slotted in to broadcast at 500W when it was supposed to be allowed only 250W.

The Kilkeel allocation is 4dB down on current analogue.


A question for Sam the Aerialman in particular, Killowen Mountain has been given an ERP and channel allocation even though its sole purpose is to give Kilkeel a working signal. I thought UHF broadcasts were to cease from here after 2012 if a 1.3GHz link was going to be used for Kilkeel instead?

I'd imagine that level of power post dso for kilkeel will be curtains for freeview reception in Dublin.
Viewers there still using kilkeel analogue would be better off turning their aerials towards arfon which is 10 times that power and already blasting into the East where theres no obstructions.
Some may benefit from Divis Dso.

Regarding Brougher vs Castlebar,People on the fringes of both might be affected especially if their aerial isn't properly alligned.
They won't know that it's co channel,they'll just get nothing or have severe break up.
I'd imagine brougher will be shielded in that direction,if the frequency planners at this stage have any sense.
To date they have no sense.
Shielding will be bad news for viewers south of the border probably in an area much wider than the castlebar direction.

watty

Anyone in intended reception area of Castlebar will not get a sniff of Brougher unless massive mast and aerials on fringe of Castlebar area pointed at Brougher. There should be no need for South West Shielding!

Anyone needing Castlebar is better off with Dish and freesat HD for UK TV

See
http://maps.techtir.com/dtt-mayo.htm

Compare areas more likely to get Brougher:
http://maps.techtir.com/dtt-north-midlands.htm
and
http://maps.techtir.com/dtt-donegal.htm
and
http://maps.techtir.com/dtt-north-east.htm
and
http://maps.techtir.com/dtt-sligo.htm

Mr. Rabbit

Ofcom Digital Switchover Transmitter Details v 1.0 now available (thanks to mrdtv2010)

Still no precise date for the switchover Cush ? There seems to be some confusion over exactly when the analogue switch off will take place in NI.

The Cush

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Still no precise date for the switchover Cush ? There seems to be some confusion over exactly when the analogue switch off will take place in NI.

That's correct, only what Sam posted late last year and discussed on the first page of this thread again. Oct/Nov 2012 looks probable.

Wasn't expecting a DSO date from the Ofcom document, that would be for DigitalUK to provide.

The NI DSO National Manager takes up the position full time from Sept (see post#1). DSO dates are normally announced approx 12-14 months before DSO. At a guess I'd expect to see the NI DSO date(s) (and maybe our ASO date(s)) around Sept. We will be switching off analogue in conjunction with NI as announced by the Minister last July.

mrdtv2010

Kilkeel comment: Generally to replicate analogue coverage T2/T1 is 7dB down on analogue (or 1/5th ERP) so it should be 100W DVB-T1/T2. It is, in fact 200W, probably to counteract CCI from the current Mount Leinster allocations, so I wouldn't be writing off East Coast coverage just yet.
Divis PSB muxes will be a 'belter' just like those from Caradon Hill and Caldbeck post-DSO which will be very interesting indeed. The COM mux ERP's are as expected from Divis and Limavady (usually either 0dB or 3dB down on the PSB's)l and those from Brougher are quite low to avoid CCI with Divis and RoI allocations. I am surprised that some of the other relays have whopping ERPs.

lucernarian

I didn't write off Kilkeel coverage for precisely the above reason. It remains a disappointment however. I live closer to Kilkeel than the tens of thousands who have coverage from Kilkeel further south and even then analogue is somewhat fuzzy with unreliable Ceefax/Teletext and it suffered during every spell of good weather with the total loss of reception from Kilkeel. The small mercy being that Caldbeck seemed to come in on a few of these occasions.

My point is that all those people from Drogheda to Rush and also parts of Howth and Dalkey/Killiney, simply put up with fuzzy NI channels else have moved to Sky and in the latter cases UPC. Considering reception in many differnet houses I've seen is generally not good enough for teletext/Ceefax on some of the channels, I would be very concerned that a -4dB drop will put all those people into the zone of one or two multiplexes being received or leave regular problems with dropouts and pixelation.

All this is not a big deal really in the context of Freesat but it would have been nice to have superior DTT coverage:)

And Divis will indeed romp in with 100kW even if it's on analogue assuming that Divis remains essentially omnidirectional. I'm still amazed that Brougher Mountain's COM multiplexes would be co-channel with a neighbouring PSB multiplex service area's allocation.

marclt

I'm sure viewers in the Castlebar area will receive Irish PSB stuff fine. It is generally accepted that the UK COM muxes have a reduced coverage area.

Same situation here in west Wales... coastal areas suffer interference from Mt. Leinster, but that is OK according to Ofcom because it is only PSB coverage that is protected.

STB

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

In not so great news for the Louth/Meath/North Dublin coast, the ERP for Kilkeel is 200W even though it was cleared under RRC-06 for 400W. Kilkeel also has the option of using 40-43-46 but has reverted back to 39-42-45 which is co-channel with Mt. Leinster where I am (but not for most of Kilkeel's viewers).

Where did you get those frequency allocations from ?

We had this discussion and you kept insisting you were right.

Those channels are allocated to TXs on the Isle of Man at Port St Mary, Beary Pk and Jurby. Port St Mary does get into coastal parts of Louth.

It doesnt look like Kilkeel will be viable for Skerries etc at that power.

watty

marclt wrote: »

I'm sure viewers in the Castlebar area will receive Irish PSB stuff fine. It is generally accepted that the UK COM muxes have a reduced coverage area.

Same situation here in west Wales... coastal areas suffer interference from Mt. Leinster, but that is OK according to Ofcom because it is only PSB coverage that is protected.

Not the same situation. The Castlebar TX is practically in a hole in the ground (I exaggerate) and people in it's coverage area would not be sane trying to get Brougher rather than a Dish.



Brougher is NOT co-channel with any of the closer and larger coverage Irish DTT sites. The Castlebar DTT is local fill-in.

Anyone likely to be able to get Brougher at the edge of Castlebar coverage will easily get Truskmore or Cairn Hill

I wouldn't be looking forward to Brougher lift though,if I didn't know what it was,lived on the edge of castlebars coverage,had an installer point me to caslebar and still think you tune saorview in on buttons.

Installers,Use an alternative tx in that case please

watty

On edge of Castlebar the Truskmore or Cairnhill are FAR better.
Or even Maghera

Those are ALL now far better on DTT than on Analogue.


See http://maps.techtir.com/dtt-mayo.htm and click on map edges.

mrdtv2010

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

I didn't write off Kilkeel coverage for precisely the above reason. It remains a disappointment however. I live closer to Kilkeel than the tens of thousands who have coverage from Kilkeel further south and even then analogue is somewhat fuzzy with unreliable Ceefax/Teletext and it suffered during every spell of good weather with the total loss of reception from Kilkeel. The small mercy being that Caldbeck seemed to come in on a few of these occasions.

My point is that all those people from Drogheda to Rush and also parts of Howth and Dalkey/Killiney, simply put up with fuzzy NI channels else have moved to Sky and in the latter cases UPC. Considering reception in many differnet houses I've seen is generally not good enough for teletext/Ceefax on some of the channels, I would be very concerned that a -4dB drop will put all those people into the zone of one or two multiplexes being received or leave regular problems with dropouts and pixelation.

All this is not a big deal really in the context of Freesat but it would have been nice to have superior DTT coverage:)

And Divis will indeed romp in with 100kW even if it's on analogue assuming that Divis remains essentially omnidirectional. I'm still amazed that Brougher Mountain's COM multiplexes would be co-channel with a neighbouring PSB multiplex service area's allocation.

The Kilkeel multiplexes are a straightforward transposition of the existing analogue frequencies. To replicate the coverage it should have been at 100W whereas they are using 200W which is quite large for a relay. The reason that station provides the coverage in ROI is because of its HAAT and sea-path run along the East-Coast. Provided there are no CCI issues it will be more reliable in DTT as it is cross-polar with Mount Leinster and MyP. It was always very unlikely it would have operated at 40, 43, 46 etc because of the VP IoM SFN.

Divis PSB muxes will be omnidirectional as they will inherit the analogue allotments and this is required to cover South and East Down insofar as possible. The COM muxes are cochannel with Caldbeck which is causing some problems in East Down and Dumfries and Galloway. Incidentally after Divis DSO if Kippure/Three Rock stay as Group C/D DTT stations and their powers are increased then Three Rock/Kippure coverage should be much improved in South and East Down as Three Rock analogue is currently stymied by Divis low power DTT.

A very good test for high power DTT is a) can you receive analogue teletext and b) does page 284 on the main UK analogue channels render correctly. See the digitaluk web site for details. If it does you are in business.

Divis DSO shares 21, 24, 27 with Brougher and Caldbeck Scottish muxes (but these are 3dB down on Caldbeck English muxes.) I suspect Brougher COM muxes will only be received in areas where you cannot get Divis DTT: they are relying on aerial directionality and disparity in ERPs. Like Mount Leinster/Preseli we shall see....

lawhec

Tried a rough analogue max. ERP to DTT ERP converter for each transmitter and relay for the PSB multiplexes, it appears that most relays should see an effective coverage improvement (higher than -7db) for digital compared to analogue with a few going into the +db range. I've tried to round it to the nearest single db, figures might be plus or minus 1...

(-8db to -6db) High power/DTT conversion coverage should roughly match that of current analogue area (-7db).
(-5db or better) High power/DTT conversion coverage should give an improvement over current analogue coverage area assuming radiation pattern of current analogue broadcasts remain the same for digital.
(-9db or less) High power/DTT conversion coverage may be less than current analogue coverage.

BROUGHER MOUNTAIN: -7db
Belcoo: -1db
Derrygonnelly: -3db
Ederney: -7db
Lisbellaw: -6db

DIVIS: -7db
Armagh: -9db
Banbridge: -5db
Bangor: -3db
Bellair: -7db
Benagh: +6db
Black Mountain: -7db
Camlough: -1db
Carnmoney Hill: -1db
Conlig: -7db
Cushendall: -6db
Cushendun: -2db
Draperstown: -9db
Dromore: -3db
Glenariff: -2db
Glynn: +1db
Kilkeel: -4db
Killowen Mountain: -15db
Larne: -1db
Leitrim: +5db
Moneymore: -1db
Newcastle: -1db
Newry Nth: -7db
Newry Sth: -7db
Newtownards: -7db
Rostrevor Forest: -4db
Whitehead: -7db

LIMAVADY: -7db
Ballintoy: +3db
Ballycastle: -7db
Buckna: +2db
Bushmills: -5db
Castlederg: -7db
Claudy: -1db
Glenelly Valley: -7db
Gortnageeragh: +2db
Gortnalee: 0db
L/Derry: -3db
Muldonagh: +3db
Plumbridge: +4db
Strabane: -7db

mrdtv2010

lawhec:

Excellent calculations there.

The next interesting move at Divis will be the helicopter lift of the S1 antenna onto the new mast. This should be fairly soon given the good weather ( at Dover DSOing next spring they only did the helicopter lift in April this year). The helicopter lift is fairly spectacular and will be on the local news as well as the mb21 web site where they seem to specialise in the videos. Following the lift, installation of the new system, will come the dead of night high power tests: analogue is turned off for the night and they use the reclaimed frequencies for DTT tests. You don't get pictures but those with good receivers or meters will see the levels. I think its important to remember that unlike analogue high power DTT is perfect out to the edge of the service area most of the time, eg Preseli and Arfon.

lucernarian

@STB I had read of those allocations on the trade section of the digital UK reception predictor a year or so ago. They had since changed to the current allocation when I looked a few weeks ago. In the RRC-06 negotiations Kilkeel was allocated 8 UHF channels for DVB-T and 40-43-46-49 were the extra 4 on top of the existing allocation. I posted about this discrepancy on the digital UK website at the time if you do a search. Also, the IoM may reach coastal parts of Carlingford but the coastal parts of Louth in general are a very different proposition.

Speaking of which, Carlingford is in the ironic position of losing terrestrial television coverage from RTÉ next year while simultaneously then being able to receive very good Freeview.

@mrdtv2010, I'm not sure you noted the point I tried to make. In my experience the swath of viewers along the northeast coast who currently receive Kilkeel do so poorly and usually with no or very patchy teletext. I don't have dBuV/m measurements at hand but it certainly doesn't inspire confidence after DSO. Kilkeel is high enough but it's no Arfon and is 10dB weaker than Arfon to boot when DSO comes around.

I don't expect CCI issues with Kilkeel as I never have seen that happening in all the years of watching Kilkeel analogue, even with the more minor bouts of tropo ducting. Tropo ducting or other atmospheric inversion effects simply nulled the signal from Kilkeel from what I've seen.

The 7dB comparison between analogue coverage and DTT is only useful if you assume that people do not have "reception" if it falls below CCIR grade 4 or 3 or whatever threshold they use for this comparison. I've seen many a person who had Kilkeel reception of about grade 3 or even 2. But again, this is what makes Freesat brilliant for Irish viewers.


Does anyone find it odd that Camlough has been given an ERP that appears higher than allowed for in RRC-06?

Vince Cable

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

The 7dB comparison between analogue coverage and DTT is only useful if you assume that people do not have "reception" if it falls below CCIR grade 4 or 3 or whatever threshold they use for this comparison. I've seen many a person who had Kilkeel reception of about grade 3 or even 2.

I think the 'just served' level for analogue (in the UK anyway) equates to grade 2.5.

The teletext 284 test referred to above fails at around grade 1.5

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/whp/whp-pdf-files/WHP160.pdf

Souriau

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Does anyone find it odd that Camlough has been given an ERP that appears higher than allowed for in RRC-06?

Also is being listed as Freeview Lite, from my understanding, such power for Freeview lite

Souriau

Friday 29th March 2013
Divis
BBC TWO C27 closes. BBCA starts on C27.
Saturday 30th March 2013
Divis
BBC One C31 closes.
ITV-1 C24 closes.
Channel 4 C21 closes.
Mux 1 C29 closes.
Mux 2 C33 closes.
Mux A C23 closes.
Mux B C26 closes.
Mux C C48 closes.
Mux D C34 closes.
Freeview power increases from 2,133W (average) to 75,000W, 35 times stronger.
SDN starts on C23.
ArqA starts on C26.
ArqB starts on C29.
NEW7 starts on C30.
NEW8 starts on C56.
D3+4 starts on C21.
BBCB(HD) starts on C24.

The Cush

Souriau wrote: »

Friday 29th March 2013
Divis
BBC TWO C27 closes. BBCA starts on C27.
Saturday 30th March 2013
Divis

The dates are unofficial and have been on ukfree.tv for a long time. Oct/Nov 2012 seems to be the best guess for NI DSO atm.

This is the nearest we got to official so far - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=68800253#post68800253

lucernarian

Divis' PSB multiplexes will have an ERP of 100kW too.

Mr. Rabbit

Souriau wrote: »

Also is being listed as Freeview Lite, from my understanding, such power for Freeview lite

Interestingly, I was in Scarborough a couple of weeks ago and could see the Oliver's mount TV transmitter from my Hotel bedroom window.

Strangely, this is a relatively small/low powered relay station. The town has a population of around 50,000 and yet, the transmitter is full Freeview and not Freeview Lite ?

By the same logic, Derry should be full Freeview (pop. 90,000), along with Carnmoney Hill which covers much of Newtownabbey (pop. 62,000). Carnmoney Hill could do with an increase in power as well.

lucernarian

There was some talk of Arqiva offering full Freeview coverage for a few relays around the UK with the coming of DSO, if the COM operators were interested. Carnmoney Hill and Sheriff's Mountain beside Derry were mentioned I think.

I haven't heard more about it, a poster here called Sam the Aerialman seemed to know most about the proposals.

lawhec

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Interestingly, I was in Scarborough a couple of weeks ago and could see the Oliver's mount TV transmitter from my Hotel bedroom window.

Strangely, this is a relatively small/low powered relay station. The town has a population of around 50,000 and yet, the transmitter is full Freeview and not Freeview Lite ?

By the same logic, Derry should be full Freeview (pop. 90,000), along with Carnmoney Hill which covers much of Newtownabbey (pop. 62,000). Carnmoney Hill could do with an increase in power as well.

Oliver's Mount IIRC was one of the original 80 UK DTT transmitters pre-switchover which perhaps explains why it has a full Freeview service. I would say that the problem at the time with the L/Derry relay was a lack of available frequencies (Strabane and Moville nearby would have crowded out many of the frequencies of the same aerial group). Dunno about Carnmoney Hill though, I would think they would have less to think about frequency problems but co-ordination would likely need to be factored with transmitters across the water.

Incidently there are a number of "main" transmitters that would serve fewer households than the L/Derry relay, particularly in the more isolated parts of northern and western Scotland.

Mayo Exile

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Speaking of which, Carlingford is in the ironic position of losing terrestrial television coverage from RTÉ next year while simultaneously then being able to receive very good Freeview.

Interesting. So the entire village will/may have to go the Saorsat or Sky route to get RTE etc. Omeath may be in the same boat. Does any signal from CC get into Omeath or do they get current analogue transmissions from the Carlingford relay in Group B?

Peter Rhea

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Does anyone find it odd that Camlough has been given an ERP that appears higher than allowed for in RRC-06?

Souriau wrote: »

Also is being listed as Freeview Lite, from my understanding, such power for Freeview lite

It's to use the 2 channels currently allocated to Monaghan which were being received by Souriau in the Newry area.

Are you still getting Monaghan Saorview on UHF 55 & 59?

Having said all that, it's already co-channel with TG4 analogue from Monaghan & would have been with Monaghan's other UHF analogue allocations, had they been used.

watty

Hmm Searching coverage of Carlingford:

http://coverage.rtenl.ie/RTENLcoveragechecker.php

Search result:

We're sorry. Saorview coverage is a challenge in your area. Please consult a local aerial installer for further information. It is not possible to reach all locations by terrestrial means and RTÉNL are in the process of developing a free-to-air satellite solution 'Saorsat' which will provide coverage to any blackspots.

Mayo Exile

watty wrote: »

Hmm Searching coverage of Carlingford:

http://coverage.rtenl.ie/RTENLcoveragechecker.php

Carlingford has a population of about 1,200. Quite a number for one area that will have to make alternative arrangements to get RTE from the end of next year.

Omeath ok it seems despite being underneath the mast.

SITE INFORMATION

Site:CLERMONT CARN

Site On-Air:Yes

Channel:53

AERIAL INFORMATION Polarization:V

Direction to point (degrees): West (254)

lucernarian

My investigations and looking at OSI maps would suggest that Three Rock/Kippure would be receivable even with perhaps less than recommended reliability as the terrain is not as abrubt to the south of Carlingford, unlike towards Clermont Carn. The coverage map suggests Kippure coverage cuts out around Greenore but the terrain remains flat towards Carlingford and I can't expect signal strength to have deteriorated rapidly. A big group C/D for Kippure combined with a contract B for Kilkeel or A for Benagh may work post-DSO in most of the area.

Only thing is, I didn't see any extra TV3 aerials when looking around on google's streetview. Not a good sign.

There's an installer who posts here from the area. Perhaps he could enlighten us...

Edit: It appears that Kippure has a chance from Greenore to as far as the edge of Carlingford itself. The small town of Carlingford will be dependent on Saorsat afterwards it appears. Unfortunately the "Carlingford" relay stationed in Greenore is in Group B and the clever clogs in DCENR appear not to have negotiated any frequencies for that relay in RRC-06. Kilkeel meanwhile has 8 of the remaining group B frequencies allocated after DSO and Carlingford analogue currently take up another 3. The SFN from the IoM which has been received on the penninsula won't help matters either. Am I right in saying that Carlingford could currently only use Ch 47 for DTT with no spare Group B frequency for the second mux anyway? E52 could be free but not if the Carlingford relay is served by Clermont Carn. E48 is probably used by the IoM, I know I sometimes picked up ITV on that in analogue days.

There could be quite a few of the good Baron's constituents who will have to fork out a fair bit of money to continue watching Irish broadcasts while HM's broadcasting corporation is received with a coathanger;)

Finne1993

Yep, Carlingford is a total non runner when it comes to Saorview, they just won't get it, I live just outside it, luckily enough where I am I can get a perfect signal from both 3 Rock and Kippure with Kippure being the strongest. Most houses in the Cooley Peninsula (outside Carlingford and Omeath) currently get their RTE from 3 Rock and have group A aerials diplexed with group B's for Kilkeel so the group A's will have to be replaced with Group C/D aerials in order to receive Saorview from 3 Rock or Kippure.

There are pockets of areas around the peninsula that can get perfect Clermont Carn through gaps in the Cooley Mountains, most notable one is from just past the Bush school to approximately Gyles Quay and then there is a small area in Bellurgan where it can be got and then it goes out again until Ballymac.

In the village of Carlingford the Slieve Foy mountain completely blocks any view of Kippure/3 Rock/Clermont Carn, hence why the relay is there in Greenore for them, if memory serves me right it is'nt there that long, maybe 20 years, they had no RTE before that, Greenore can pick up 3 Rock no problem. Most houses in Carlingford are holiday houses nowadays so I can't see that many subscribing to Sky, Saorsat will be the way forward but it will be a pain for a lot of people, especially the elderly with multiple STB's for Saorsat and Freeview (when the signal comes this far!), I can already envisage the problems and complications round here at switchover time!

Parts of Omeath will need Saorsat as well, not all of it can pick up Clermont Carn, quite a few houses there are still getting their RTE from Greenore.

Mayo Exile

There's an installer in Dundalk Town I talk to now and again who told me a couple of years ago he put up an aerial for a person somewhere near Greenore to receive analogue RTE/TV3 reception from Cairn Hill in Longford. There would be probably nothing stopping Cairn Hill getting this far but it's still a hell of a distance though.