Trouble in t'Republic? (Bilsdale transmitter fire)

scopus

Specialist Contributor
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
3,270
Reaction score
3,932
Points
113
Age
60
My Satellite Setup
Primesat/Famaval 1.8 PF C/ku/Ka, Octagon SX8HD1, SX88, Openbox S3 Mini HD-V8S Freesat V7 HD-V8 Finder, Amiko A4K Combo, Satlook Colour HD Spectrum, Sansui A909 Amp and BOSE Acoustimass speakers for the audio.
My Location
Staffs UK
Trouble is there aren't enough installers, then when people read there's a temporary mast going up they don't think it's worth waiting months for a dish to be installed... I can imagine there's going to be a lot of folks without telly this Christmas.
With the amount of dross on, it might not be a bad thing
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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
Temporary transmitter at Sutton Bank is now active, covering "Harrogate, Knaresborough, Pickering, Ripon, Masham, Leyburn and northern parts of York"

The Chief Exec was just on the radio, the legal issues are all sorted, weather permitting it will take 3 weeks to construct 80m mast at Bilsdale. They will use helicopters to bring in concrete blocks and the mast components.

He reckons 90% of households now have coverage... unlikely IMO. Also mentioned optimisation of all the temporary transmitters to work together. Don't know if that just means no interference or as an SFN.

Arqiva will work with Age UK and housing associations to identify those without reception of any kind, and install Freesat systems free-of-charge, though only after the temporary mast at Bilsdale is complete.

Original mast will be replaced in the middle of next year, to provide services equal to the original mast.

Also quite a big update to the Arqiva information page:

 

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,176
Reaction score
8,720
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
Yep. Booming in here with my lashed up antenna pointing somewhere different entirely.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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
Sutton Bank appears to be using the same UHF channels as Bilsdale, possibly pointing to SFN in the future.

With the fire being on 10th August, the Sutton Bank transmitter appeared just in time to scupper licence fee refund claims which required there to be a whole month of no reception.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,176
Reaction score
8,720
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
Might wander up and have a nosey in the next few days.
 

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
36,016
Reaction score
8,722
Points
113
Age
60
Website
www.sat-elite.uk
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
Looks like a reasonable lashup.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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
Just been on the local news that Eston Nab transmitter will be switched off for a minute up to twenty times this afternoon to investigate interference.


Have also seen someone say they were due to be on-site at Bilsdale to begin work on the temporary mast installation yesterday.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,176
Reaction score
8,720
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
I've got a box full of various sizes of mast clamps if they run short.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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
There may be issues at Arncliffe Wood as I'm currently only receiving BBC A. Not even a tickle of signal from any of the commercial multiplexes.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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
Commercial multiplexes have returned, Arqiva A is noticeably stronger than before.
 

Lazarus

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
27,176
Reaction score
8,720
Points
113
My Satellite Setup
80cm Motorised.
Several small Dishes.
Much else.
My Location
North York Moors
"I'm still standing ......"

(Taken from Swainby Shooting House during us walk around Whorlton Moor today)

IMG_20210916_120522~2.jpg
 

scopus

Specialist Contributor
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
3,270
Reaction score
3,932
Points
113
Age
60
My Satellite Setup
Primesat/Famaval 1.8 PF C/ku/Ka, Octagon SX8HD1, SX88, Openbox S3 Mini HD-V8S Freesat V7 HD-V8 Finder, Amiko A4K Combo, Satlook Colour HD Spectrum, Sansui A909 Amp and BOSE Acoustimass speakers for the audio.
My Location
Staffs UK

scopus

Specialist Contributor
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
3,270
Reaction score
3,932
Points
113
Age
60
My Satellite Setup
Primesat/Famaval 1.8 PF C/ku/Ka, Octagon SX8HD1, SX88, Openbox S3 Mini HD-V8S Freesat V7 HD-V8 Finder, Amiko A4K Combo, Satlook Colour HD Spectrum, Sansui A909 Amp and BOSE Acoustimass speakers for the audio.
My Location
Staffs UK
Has Reginald shrugged off his mortal coil ?
Apparently fell awkwardly in the summer, now in pain with his hip. This years tour is off now until 2023..
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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
'Insider' claims recent staff cuts to blame for delays to Bilsdale response:


Shame the 'insider' didn't mention anything about the cause of the fire, or if "inexperienced staff" were working on the mast at the time of the incident.
 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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
Screen grabs from ITV1 Tyne Tees +1, which fittingly I can only receive because of the D3&4 multiplex transponder which appeared on 28.2°E after the fire (Tyne Tees +1 was recently removed from satellite). It also explains the poor quality.

Helicopter began lifting in the concrete blocks today. Looks safe :-ohmy

90D17528-2307-4356-A5D6-958DEC6FE3C4.jpeg

DB649AD1-87F8-403F-9E12-8888D6CB1393.jpeg8E3C0052-B8B0-4E27-83A0-E27EBE63C61B.jpegC0F319D7-744B-4CD4-908A-AE6D867EBB98.jpegD60C0234-E2C1-4B92-9057-7F3B65968AB9.jpeg

Arson, criminal activity and weather have all been ruled out as the cause of the fire, they believe it started here:

57D9FF5D-46CF-4B0D-83AB-1414C26F353A.jpeg

Also looks like the exclusion zone rules have been somewhat relaxed:

2BE728A4-34C3-4650-ACAE-FA21055EEF70.jpeg

October 5th is the current target for broadcasts to begin.
 
Last edited:

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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 would be nice to see these maps...

"Those attending were shown detailed maps of the region setting out the likely impact of the temporary mast’s switch-on, and the areas which contain so called ‘not-spots’ of coverage which will need further intensive support"

 

ozumo

te wo tsuite
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2020
Messages
5,297
Reaction score
2,686
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
Useful tool for working out if you have line of sight to a transmitter:


It draws a relief map between two locations, aerial height can also be added for each location

Bilsdale 80m to Pontop Pike 148m:

8022A7A2-B819-4530-974C-8F8F52AB29DD.jpeg

TransmitterLatitudeLongitudeMast height
Bilsdale Quarry54.3558-1.155680m
Pontop Pike54.86798096-1.770925879 148m
Emley Moor53.6120-1.6644 319m
Arncliffe Wood54.3889-1.294615m
Eston Nab54.55586624-1.12170314815m
Sutton Bank (not active)54.2523-1.205715m?
 
Last edited:
Top