STEVENSON PLUMBING & ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES

FREEVIEW TV ANTENNA GUIDE

Freeview digital TV is here, for a one off payment of around £25 you can buy a set top box that gives you a load of extra TV channels for free. Freeview is broadcast like regular TV, but you may find that your existing TV aerial may not be up to the job. If you can't receive Freeview, or can't get all the channels, you may need to upgrade to a “digital” aerial. The guide below shows what to expect in different areas in and around Bangor.

BANGOR / NORTH DOWN AREA

Most people in Bangor / North Down receive TV signals from the Divis transmitter. If you're lucky you may get digital TV with an old analogue aerial, but you will probably need a group K antenna (preferably on the roof of your house) horizontally polarised, pointed at Divis . Not all channels are broadcast at the same strength, so if there is a problem you might not get all of the channels.

Currently both analogue and digital transmissions are being sent from Divis.

On March 1^st 2013, most of the analogue transmissions will stop and the power of the digital TV transmissions will be turned up.

On March 30^st2013 the remaining analogue signals will be switched off.

After the switchover the old analogue (red cap) and the newer digital (grey cap) aerials should both be able to get a good digital picture.

See this site for more details : http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=IJ287750

Click here to see where the transmiiter is : http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=54.6077&lon=-6.0094&scale=25000&icon=x

RAILWAYVIEW STREET

Areas around Railwayview street don't get a good signal from Divis and are served by a small relay transmitter. Currently this only transmits four analogue channels and NO digital ones. Aerials for the Railwayview street area are Group C/D (green cap) and are vertically polarised.

Currently only analogue transmissions are being made.

On March 1^st 2013, some digital transmissions start

On March 30^th 2013, the analogue transmissions stop and some more digital signals come on-line

Even after the digital switchover, only about half of the digital signals will be transmitted from the relay. If you want all the digital channels (or any digital channels before 2013) you will have to try and receive a signal from Divis – but this might not be possible where you are.

See this site for more details : href="http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=IJ500817

Click here to see where the transmiiter is : http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=54.66092&lon=-5.67665&scale=25000&icon=x

After the switchover the old analogue aerials should be able to get a good digital picture from the relay (but not every digital channel – see above).

CONLIG

Parts of the Conlig area don't get a good signal from Divis and are served by a small relay transmitter. Currently this only transmits four analogue channels and NO digital ones. Aerials for the Conlig area are Group B (yellow cap) and are vertically polarised

Currently only analogue transmissions are being made.

On March 1^st 2013, some digital transmissions start

On March 30^th 2013, the analogue transmissions stop and some more digital signals come on-line

See this site for more details : http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=IJ503783

Click here to see where the transmiiter is : http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=54.63031&lon=-5.67375&scale=25000&icon=x

After the switchover the old analogue aerials should be able to get a good digital picture from the relay (but not every digital channel – see above).

NEWTOWNARDS

Some areas of Newtownards don't get a good signal from Divis and are served by a small relay transmitter. Currently this only transmits four analogue channels and NO digital ones. Aerials for the Newtownards area are Group C/D (green cap) and are vertically polarised.

Currently only analogue transmissions are being made.

On March 1^st 2013, some digital transmissions start

On March 30^th 2013, the analogue transmissions stop and some more digital signals come on-line

See this site for more details : http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=IJ501738

Click here to see where the transmitter is : http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=54.58998&lon=-5.67914&scale=25000&icon=x

After the switchover the old analogue aerials should be able to get a good digital picture from the relay (but not every digital channel – see above).

RTE

RTE transmit from Clermont Carn in Co. Louth, less than 1 km from the border with Northern Ireland. Clermont Carn has a power of 300kW, which allows its signal to reach down as far south as North Dublin and as far North as Belfast. The transmitter uses UHF, with RTE One on channel 52, Net 2 on channel 56, TV3 is on channel 66 and TG4 on channel 68. It is possible to receive RTE in Bangor, but you need to have a good high site with clear views to the South. Aerials for RTE are Group C/D (green cap) and are vertically polarised.

See this site for more details: http://www.irish-tv.com/ccarn.htm

Click here to see where the transmitter is : http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=-710000&Y=7152500&width=700&height=400&client=public&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=mercator&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&scale=50000&multimap.x=630&multimap.y=278

WHAT AERIALS / ACCESSORIES DO WE KEEP ?

18 Element “group K” (shown above) suitable for digital TV reception from the Divis transmitter.

10 Element “group A” suitable for analogue TV reception from the Divis transmitter. After March 2013 it will be suitable for digital signals.

10 Element “wideband” suitable for all types of TV, but not as good as an antenna designed for a specific group. Maybe OK for digital if you are in a strong signal area.

We have a stock of poles, brackets, cable, connectors, distribution amplifiers and more.

GUIDE TO ANTENNA GROUPS

Channels - Group - Colour
21-37 - A - red
35-53 - B - yellow
48-68 - C/D - green
35-68 - E - brown
21-48 - K - grey
21-68 - W – black