Trouble in t'Republic? (Bilsdale transmitter fire)

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
The 'interim' tower is due to start service on Wednesday 23rd of February.
 

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
36,005
Reaction score
8,717
Points
113
Age
60
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
For reference before the new temporary transmitter goes live, from Bilsdale Quarry:

D3&4 ch24 100%
BBC A ch27 100%
ARQ B ch40 100%
SDN ch43 22%
ARQ A ch46 100%
Current figures before interim tower is switched on tomorrow

D3&4 ch24 Q 100%, SS 84%
BBC A ch27 Q 100%, SS 90%
ARQ B ch40 Q 100%, SS 94%
SDN ch43 Q 36%, SS 39%
ARQ A ch46 Q 69 to 93% variable, SS 48%
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
Has anyone seen any official confirmation the interim tower has been switched on? DVB-T signals here are nigh on identical to before, if anything they are a smidge lower.

The Bilsdale national BBC radio FM frequencies are still off.
 

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,168
Reaction score
8,716
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
Was up on t'moor yesterday afternoon. The Bilsdale skyline looks weird now, with new and somewhat less prominent structures in place.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
Photos of the new 'interim' Bilsdale tower on mb21

Can also confirm the Bilsdale BBC national radio FM frequencies are active again :Y
 

dxhound2003

Specialist Contributor
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
682
Reaction score
198
Points
43
Age
68
My Satellite Setup
Az Box Premium.
Triax 110 cm dish motorised.
Black Ultra LNB. Nov 2011 DrD F15.
My Location
Dundalk Ireland

Spiff

Regular Member
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
608
Reaction score
308
Points
63
Age
78
Location
Mullion Cove Cornwall
Website
shopingathome.com
My Satellite Setup
Technomate TM-5402HD M3 C1+ Super+
Primesat VBox
2 x Actuators
Precision 1.3m Prime Focus Dish & mount.
InvertoTwin Black Pro C120

Amiko Viper4K
Primesat VBox
2 Actuators
Precision 1.5m Prime Focus Dish & mount
Titanium C1W-PLL C Band

Seven Computers : )
Two Davis Vantage Pro Weather stations
One Waldbeck Weather Station
My Location
Mullion Cove Cornwall

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
Ah yes things happen at a much gentler pace up here ;)

The new mast will be ready by the end of the year, costing 'tens of millions of pounds' :-ohmy

Pretty sure they could have installed a Freesat system for everyone currently without reception for much less than that.
 

Fisty McB

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2012
Messages
442
Reaction score
652
Points
93
My Satellite Setup
See my signature...
My Location
County Tyrone, N. Ireland
Ah yes things happen at a much gentler pace up here ;)

The new mast will be ready by the end of the year, costing 'tens of millions of pounds' :-ohmy

Pretty sure they could have installed a Freesat system for everyone currently without reception for much less than that.

It's not just DTT though - FM radio, DAB, several mobile networks had BTS's on the mast and I presume that there was also a multitude of private radio links/networks on what would be one of Arqiva's major sites.
 

Spiff

Regular Member
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
608
Reaction score
308
Points
63
Age
78
Location
Mullion Cove Cornwall
Website
shopingathome.com
My Satellite Setup
Technomate TM-5402HD M3 C1+ Super+
Primesat VBox
2 x Actuators
Precision 1.3m Prime Focus Dish & mount.
InvertoTwin Black Pro C120

Amiko Viper4K
Primesat VBox
2 Actuators
Precision 1.5m Prime Focus Dish & mount
Titanium C1W-PLL C Band

Seven Computers : )
Two Davis Vantage Pro Weather stations
One Waldbeck Weather Station
My Location
Mullion Cove Cornwall
It's not just DTT though - FM radio, DAB, several mobile networks had BTS's on the mast and I presume that there was also a multitude of private radio links/networks on what would be one of Arqiva's major sites.
Lets hope they were insured : )
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
It's not just DTT though - FM radio, DAB, several mobile networks had BTS's on the mast and I presume that there was also a multitude of private radio links/networks on what would be one of Arqiva's major sites.
Looking at mb21 the top part of the mast was all TV & radio. Radio wasn't severely affected due to existing coverage from various other transmitters and a large majority of homes could've used DTT from Pontop Pike or Emley Moor with a repointed or new aerial. All the other services looked to have been much lower on the Bilsdale mast.

If the mentioned cost is accurate, I imagine if the insurers weren't paying out, a new replacement mast to provide like-for-like services wouldn't be built :confused

edit: I may be wrong, this planning document mentions H3G (Three) and EE have a dish at 250m on the new mast, also mentions University of Bristol air sampling equipment.

Code:
http://planning.northyorkmoors.org.uk/northgate/documentexplorer/application/stream.aspx?target=http%3A%2F%2Flocalhost%2FNorthgate%2FDocumentExplorer%2FDocumentStream%2FDocumentStream.aspx%3Fname%3D2021-12-16%2BPublic%2B-%2BPlans.pdf%26unique%3D817376%26type%3DNLPL_DC_PLANAPP
 
Last edited:

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
Photos of the Northallerton relay now on mb21:
Code:
http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=2583

Interesting that it is fed by Pontop Pike and not satellite.
 

PaulR

Dazed and Confused Admin
Staff member
Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
18,056
Reaction score
4,071
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
-----------See sig-----------
My Location
Wirral, NW UK and Vaucluse, France.
Less delay? Also no solar outage twice a year.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
It will also provide standard definition BBC One NE&C rather than London from 27.5°W.
 

Adam792

Specialist Contributor
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
1,284
Reaction score
1,205
Points
113
Age
32
My Satellite Setup
Dishes: 80cm (5°W), 80cm (30°W), 60cm Zone 2 (13°E/19.2°E/28.2°E)
Receivers: HTPC w/ TBS6905 4x DVB-S2 PCIe tuner card running TVHeadend, Octagon SF8008 mini.
My Location
Cheltenham
It will also provide standard definition BBC One NE&C rather than London from 27.5°W.

Unless it’s changed back now I think the version of BBC One England SD on Intelsat 905 was changed to NE&C when Bilsdale first went out of service. I suppose some of the small relays that were initially satellite-fed may have switched back to taking the temporary Bilsdale as their feed though now?

A terrestrial rather than satellite feed does however mean that the BBC local radio stations are available, which isn’t the case via satellite even with the satellite version carrying the correct version of BBC One.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,295
Reaction score
2,679
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
Raven mk2 zone 2 x4, Channel Master: 90cm x3, 1.2m x2, 1.8m PF. CM polar mount x2, Az/El x3.
My Location
South Durham
Unless it’s changed back now I think the version of BBC One England SD on Intelsat 905 was changed to NE&C when Bilsdale first went out of service. I suppose some of the small relays that were initially satellite-fed may have switched back to taking the temporary Bilsdale as their feed though now?
Ah thanks, I didn't realise the Satback region had ever changed, it makes sense that it would have.

I know Arncliffe Wood has a log antenna pointed at Pontop Pike, but also in January had larger dishes installed :confused

I'll fire up the DVD recorder and see what's coming from Arncliffe.

Edit: correct region and local radios are transmitted from Arncliffe so must be using a terrestrial feed.

Looking at mb21, recent relays at Masham, Leyburn, Ripon, Kirkbymoorside, and Helmsley, all are fed by satellite only.
 
Last edited:
Top