Is anyone else experiencing problems with their Freeview TV reception from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter?
We started having problems yesterday. This website implies that they are carrying out engineering work, so I’m loathed to call out an engineer just yet.
http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=SK113003
Andy Larkin
More generally for phone numbers to report transmitter faults click here
PARWICH.ORG 
Yesterday evening I had fluctuating signal strength for all the terrestrial channels through a conventional areal, rendering some channels unwatchable at times. Checking this morning, the signal is not back to full strength though much better than last night.
Presumably from what Andy reports the problem is at the main transmitter rather than the local relay here in Parwich.
If I’ve understood correctly then Parwich is a relay for the Waltham transmitter? I think aerials have to be vertical to receive it? If they are horizontal then they are receiving from Sutton – probably??
Last night we could receive no digital channels at all. Our aerial points south, which I think is towards Waltham.
At least we now know why we were unable to watch Downton Abbey.
Mike G
These reception problems may well be due to climatic conditions. I have HD.and though the box works for digital and HD when the HD programs are being broadcast there seems to be no problem with reception.
Try tvcatchup.com – at least it is watchable even if not perfect. I have just watched the “Time Team Special” which was impossible on TV.
I have had fluctuating signal strength again this evening for the analogue signal, has anyone one else had problems? If so I will ring up tomorrow.
yes we have had problems with our Freeview tonight. Our aerial points South, and the signal comes from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter – I don’t think that we can receive Waltham in Parwich.
I do not think that the Parwich relay transmitter broadcasts a Freeview signal.
Mike G
I may be wrong, but it seems to me climatic conditions are at the root of our problems with TV. There is a large area of high pressure over the UK at the moment which is set to remain until the weekend at least. If the weather is the cause then we must suffer for a few more days yet.
We phoned the BBC who suggest that the problems are related to the unusual area of high pressure over the country. (As Mike G has already said.) They suggest watching via satalite, cabel or on-line while the conditions last.
Thanks guys – perhaps worth highlighting that http://www.lovefilm.com/ have a selection of films available online for free!
The following was submitted yesterday by MGS
Bad Radio and TV receiption October 10th 2010.
Seems this is a Nation wide problem, In the last 2-3 days most of my Freeview digital and analogue radio stations have been very week (coming and going) There are no reports that any work is being carried out on the transmitters in my Area (Essex) So, after doing a bit of investigation I can only conclude that this is being caused by either High propagation (High Pressure in the atmosphere) or Current Sunspot flaring activities from (Sunspot 1112) which is very active at the moment. http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=10&month=10&year=2010
Mike G
National Service in the Royal Signals gave me the info regarding these problems,time of day, time of year,barometric pressure all being highly significant and of course sunspot activity.
From my window I can see two aerials one points south towards Sutton Coldfield, the other south westerly towards Parwich repeater. Both arials are horizontal.
Parwich is well within the range of Sutton which transmits West Midlands, it’s just the hills in-between that stop the signal. Parwich repeater transmits Waltham which is sending out
East Midlands.
Ive lived in this area all my life,dodgy reception is one of the many joys but on the radio “they” say it is due to weather conditions
Does the Parwich repeater transmit a digital signal now?
Here’s all the info on the Parwich and Sutton transmitters, along with dates for the various digital channels coming on stream. It also gives the direction (need to put your own postcode in), group and polarisation (Mike, I’m puzzled by Parwich aerials being horizontal as it says both analogue and digital mux’s are vertical) for setting an aerial.
http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/postcodechecker/main/trade/de6+1qd/NA/0/0p49dqklj8gllhnbv9ab9q3o14
Mike G
ANDY. The aerial I use is horizontal as are those next door. I have had digital TV for over 10 years, this part of the village has
received Sutton Coldfield for much longer than that. If I switch my TV to analogue I get 4 very poor channels (Parwich) my aerial pointing
south and not south west.
CHERYL W. No digital until next August on Parwich
Sorry Mike, I misunderstood you. My interest in this is only academic as I’m using Sutton, but I thought you had said that some were using horizontal aerials to the Parwich trans, which made me wonder whether the database was wrong. Mind you, I guess if someone was close enough to the transmitter, then orientation wouldn’t matter?