Full Freeview on the Mendip (Somerset, England) transmitter
 | Google Streetview |  | Google map |  | Bing map |  | Google Earth |  | 51.237,-2.626 or 51°14'12"N 2°37'33"W |  | BA5 3LB |
The symbol shows the location of the Mendip (Somerset, England) transmitter which serves 720,000 homes. The bright green areas shown where the signal from this transmitter is strong, dark green areas are poorer signals. Those parts shown in yellow may have interference on the same frequency from other masts.
Are there any planned engineering works or unexpected transmitter faults on the Mendip (Somerset, England) mast?
Mendip transmitter - Mendip transmitter: Possible effect on TV reception week commencing 15/04/2024 Pixelation or flickering on some or all channels 
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Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which Freeview channels does the Mendip transmitter broadcast?
If you have any kind of Freeview fault, follow this Freeview reset procedure first.Digital television services are broadcast on a multiplexes (or Mux) where many stations occupy a single broadcast frequency, as shown below.
64QAM 8K 3/4 27.1Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
DTG-12 QSPK 8K 3/4 8.0Mb/s DVB-T MPEG2
H/V: aerial position (horizontal or vertical)
Which BBC and ITV regional news can I watch from the Mendip transmitter?
ITV West Country News (East) 0.9m homes 3.4%
from Bristol BS4 3HG, 23km north (11°)
to ITV West region - 61 masts.
All of lunch, weekend and 50% evening news is shared with West Country (West)
Are there any self-help relays?
| Cheddar | Transposer | 15 km E Weston-super-Mare | 1674 homes |
| Luccombe | Active deflector | 6 km w Minehead | 38 homes |
How will the Mendip (Somerset, England) transmission frequencies change over time?
| 1984-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-2010 | 2010-13 | 2013-18 | 2013-17 | 27 Feb 2018 | |||
| C/D E | E | E | C/D E | C/D E T | W T | W T | |||
| C30 | _local | ||||||||
| C32 | BBCA | ||||||||
| C33 | com7 | com7 | |||||||
| C34 | D3+4 | ||||||||
| C35 | com8 | com8 | |||||||
| C36 | ArqB | ||||||||
| C37 | C5waves | C5waves | |||||||
| C48 | SDN | SDN | SDN | SDN | |||||
| C49tv_off | BBCA | BBCA | |||||||
| C51tv_off | LBS | LBS | |||||||
| C52tv_off | ArqB | ArqB | ArqB | ||||||
| C54tv_off | C4waves | C4waves | C4waves | D3+4 | D3+4 | D3+4 | |||
| C55tv_off | com7tv_off | ||||||||
| C56tv_off | ArqA | ArqA | ArqA | COM8tv_off | |||||
| C58tv_off | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBC1waves | BBCB | BBCB | BBCB | |||
| C61 | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | ITVwaves | BBCA | |||||
| C64 | BBC2waves | BBC2waves | BBC2waves |
tv_off Being removed from Freeview (for 5G use) after November 2020 / June 2022 - more
Table shows multiplexes names see this article;
green background for transmission frequencies
Notes: + and - denote 166kHz offset; aerial group are shown as A B C/D E K W T
waves denotes analogue; digital switchover was 24 Mar 10 and 7 Apr 10.
How do the old analogue and currrent digital signal levels compare?
| Analogue 1-4 | 500kW | |
| Analogue 5 | (-6dB) 126kW | |
| SDN, ARQA, ARQB, BBCA, D3+4, BBCB | (-7dB) 100kW | |
| com7 | (-8.4dB) 72.4kW | |
| com8 | (-8.6dB) 69.1kW | |
| Mux 1*, Mux 2*, Mux A*, Mux B*, Mux C*, Mux D*, LBS | (-17dB) 10kW |
Which companies have run the Channel 3 services in the Mendip transmitter area
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Friday, 6 July 2012
J
jb383:06 PM
Charles Stuart: Whatever method you are using to enter your post code is still resulting in a disallowed characters indication on DUK's reception predictor whereby I am still unable to properly assess your situation, however as far as your loft aerial is concerned I wouldn't really advise fitting a high gain aerial in a loft, as for any so called high gain aerial to operate as such it has to be "precisely" aimed at the transmitter, this meaning that there has to be a reasonable line-of-site situation applying in the first place with no obstructions between the aerial and the transmitter, the loft roof being the first obstruction as well as being more so if wet depending on the type of tiles used.
I fully realise that many people use a high gain aerial in situations such as this but there is always an element of self delusion about the results that's achieved, as an ordinary aerial (pref Log type) with a 10+db amplifier mounted close by will always give better results, thereby I would suggest that an aerial such as the type mentioned used in conjunction with a combined booster / splitter to feed the signal to the various positions is liable to result in a more satisfactory situation.
That said, based on what you have reported even just a booster / splitter used with the present loft aerial would likely be suffice, the log being favoured as it has a virtually even response across all channels provided its not one of the larger versions, a type called a DM log (even DM18) being ideal for most loft situations.
An example of the type referred to seen on the link.
ATV`s Choice Of Aerials for digital TV
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C
Colin8:36 PM
Hi Mark Fletcher,
Sorry about that one letter post but for some reason I was not getting the regular email updates. I entered my details again and site said "already registered" which I knew.
I then sent that post as a test and the updates are now coming again.
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C
Charles Stuart11:31 PM
@ jb38 - When I entered my post code into this site it converted it into degrees longitude and latitude.
What is weird is that I can now receive the missing channels. I connected up the DVD recorder/player that I hadn't yet connected when I had the problem and it picked up the missing multiplex, though slightly weaker than the others, and then so did the PVR, TV and HD box. Is it possible that there might have been a short interruption to service on that multiplex on the 26th June? I cannot think why else I would have had tuning trouble then but not now. (51.4634,-2.5264)
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M
Mark Fletcher11:47 PM
Halifax
Colin:No problem whatsoever !
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Mark's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Saturday, 7 July 2012
J
jb3811:30 AM
Shepton Mallet
Charles Stuart: Well although its not exactly impossible for that to have been applying at the time you carried out the test, on having checked out Mendip's engineering page I don't see anything listed since June 10th, that is of course "if" you know for certain that you are receiving from that station as you did mention that good reception was being indicated from another three different transmitters albeit that I am unable to assess this for the reason mentioned.
I use DUK's trade view reception predictor as my main reference source as well as info on transmitter channels etc, and DUK's in common with other reception predictors works purely on an actual post code, so if you click on "Digital UK trade view" 3rd down the list at the right hand side of this posting you will get the prediction for reception at a Shepton Mallet test post code, if though you try the same on your own posting you will (or should) get the disallowed characters indication I mentioned.
The procedure to use is enter your post code in the site settings box provided (top right hand of page) and click on predict, then click on the transmitter name that is then indicated, and finally enter your query under the listings that appears for that particular transmitter.
Other possible reasons for the reception problem you were having could be due to atmospheric conditions applying at the time, or its simply the case that the signal you are receiving is not that terribly high above the reception cut off threshold level and that it had dipped under it, and so whilst reception is OK its always best to make a few signal strength checks across various channels such as 1 - 3 - 50 (only if HD is used) - 10 - 11 -12 as these programme numbers covers all six mux transmitters that's used for Freeview (full service) transmission, then if at any time a programme selected results in a blank screen carry out a signal check "whilst on that programme number" to see what the signal level is indicated as being, because unless the transmitter has failed an indication of strength will always be seen.
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jb38's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
Jim11:57 AM
From Mendip I can receive:
Channel4 +1
Channel5 +1
ITV +1
ITV2 +1
E4 +1
Dave ja vu
However I cannot receive the following:
More4 +1
Yesterday +1
ITV3 +1
ITV4 +1
Film4 +1
Is my Freeview tuner faulty or what?
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J
jb381:00 PM
Jim: According to the list I am looking at these are not Freeview channels.
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C
Charles Stuart1:00 PM
@Jim - No, your tuner isn't faulty. You need Freesat for those channels that you can't get. They're not on Freeview.
@jb38 - I have considered atmospheric conditions but yesterday was about as nasty as it gets with very low pressure. The 26th was a bit better but not much, perhaps a bit like today. If anything, I think the roof aerial may be pointing just a fraction south of the south-west direction it's meant to point. The DVD player gives the easiest to understand signal measure. BBCA, D3+4, SDN and ArqA score 10/10 and ArqB scores 9/10, so there shouldn't be any problem. The machine has worked interference-free with scores of 7/10 and with occasional pixelation with scores of 6/10 and 5/10. The HD box measures BBCB at 99% for signal quality and 100% for signal strength. ArqB is on 56. Could the problem be a signal that's too strong? Or maybe I needn't worry about it any more as I'm now getting the multiplex. (51.4634,-2.5264)
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C
Chris.SE1:27 PM
Bristol
Charles Stuart: You should have absolutely no problem with reception in your location. I'm not sure what you managed to enter for your postcode, but when it managed to interpret something it put you near Ridgeway Rd. which you aren't. In the Site Setting box on the top RH corner of this page you should find a clickable [CLEAR] next to whatever you put in. You should enter your postcode in the following way BS15 1AZ as an example, that's letters BS figures 15 then space then figure 1 then letters AZ.
If you are using a standard keyboard and using the number pad on the right, make sure you have the Num Lock on.
The aerial should be pointing slightly south of SW so that sounds correct.
You loft aerial installation should be fine if you've not previously experience any problems since April.
When you say the roof aerial is minute, how many element does it seem to have?
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Chris.SE's: mapC's Freeview map terrainC's terrain plot wavesC's frequency data C's Freeview Detailed Coverage
J
jb382:41 PM
Charles Stuart: As far as your HD signal being too strong is concerned and which "will" always affect HD before SD with the latter in many cases appearing as perfectly OK, but in practically all situations where an excessively high signal genuinely exists this can easily be verified by trying a set top aerial, or alternately if not readily to hand then a short piece of wire (about 18" or so) connected into the aerial socket will suffice, as in both cases a picture of sorts will always be seen.
All of Mendip's multiplexes transmit on the same power and the levels you see indicated on your DVD device does indeed indicate a strong signal, which of course is possible as although your exact location is not known I did see on the terrain predictor that you are indicated at roughly 16 miles or so from the transmitter.
The only thing that I suggest you do is to verify what one of you two aerials gives the best reception by trying a test using the same device on both aerials, but remember though that the signal levels seen are dedicated to the sensitivity of the device being used for the test, and so the results obtained aren't really valid unless the same device is used on both aerials.
However as you were originally only querying why the signal would not pass through your box which was rectified by switching off the power saving on standby setting, then I will agree that you have nothing really to worry about.
By the way as far as post codes are concerned I fully understand why people are reluctant to give this info, but I generally always qualify this type of request by adding "or at least one from nearby such as a shop" as that is quite suffice, but in any query being made where it involves reception then for obvious reasons the persons location has to be known.
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