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