I've been tracking Central, Yorkshire and Anglia DSO online (Wikipedia, UK Free TV, etc). Just about every Wednesday, the last few months, it's been DSO stage 1 or 2 at one or more transmitter groups in each of the above areas. This trend is due to continue with Emley Moor, Sutton Coldfield, Fenton and Oxford until 28 September.
After 28 September, Yorkshire and Central DSO will be complete, but Anglia will still only be partly done. Tacolneston must wait until November for DSO. Any reason why they can't do DSO stage 1 there the first Wednesday in October and DSO stage 2 the third Wednesday in October?
By getting Tacolneston out the way at the beginning of October, they could have had Tyne Tees switched as well by the end of November. That would have been a much better way of doing DSO.
DSO in the eastern parts of the UK has to be coordinated with DSO in European countries, as the high powered signals from east Anglia can cause interference to the east.
DSO in the eastern parts of the UK has to be coordinated with DSO in European countries, as the high powered signals from east Anglia can cause interference to the east.
I see, Tacolneston is the easternmost transmitter group in the Anglia region. So do you mean to say, Tacolneston could interfere with Netherlands DSO?
How come Belmont (Lincolnshire) was able to switch before Emley Moor, when Belmont is more easterly than Emley Moor?
As for Tyne Tees, it's a long way across the North Sea to Norway, so I hardly think that has the problem of interfering with Norwegian TV.
That's an over-simplistic approach to the extremely complex art of RF planning.
Computer models are used to plot the relationships between transmitters in different countries, and stations that would appear to the untrained eye to be too far apart to cause mutual interference might in fact cause problems for each other. For example, the licence conditions for a 1 watt FM radio RSL require international coordination and even moving the TX site by a few miles requires the process to be gone through again.
It's not just the immediate European countries to the geographical east that could be affected. Directional aerials on both sides of the North Sea can cause potential problems many hundreds of miles away, and the DSO timetable has been planned to avoid any such situations arising.
As most people know, propagation on the old VHF bands caused some channels to become virtually unusable, and the (then) 12kW Band I transmissions fron Alexandra Palace in London were received on the east coast of the USA on many occassions. The regular 'foreign interference' especially on the old VHF Channel 2 was partly a result of unsophisticated planning. UHF is rather different, but I have received clear, stable colour analogue pictures from both Crystal palace and Rowridge in North Ayrshire. All forms of freak reception can't be accounted for, but modern computer modelling can mitigate against all but the very worst forms of co- and adjacent - channel interference.
Incidentally, the title of this thread is misleading - the OP doesn't mention STV in his post.
Yes. Before DSO started the BBC created a 'game' online that demonstrated the frequency planning problems surrounding switchover. It had to be done in a certain order to avoid interference, both to existing analogue and digital services and the new digital transmissions. It's still online here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/projects/switchover-game/switchovergame.swf
Why Tyne Tees is last (in Great Britain) I have no idea but somewhere's got to be last!
Incidentally, the title of this thread is misleading - the OP doesn't mention STV in his post.
That's because the first Central transmitters e.g. Ridge Hill switched in April 2011, whereas the last few STV Central transmitters didn't switch until June.
The last couple of months we've seen them switch a bit of Central, a bit of Anglia and a bit of Yorkshire, instead of doing one region at a time.
Im still confused as STV has finished its switch over, Even digital SO agrees! http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch MAIN one: Blackhill went off in end of may and Craigkelly 3 weeks later
Last edited by A former member on 11 September 2011 4:43pm
Im still confused as STV has finished its switch over, Even digital SO agrees! http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch MAIN one: Blackhill went off in end of may and Craigkelly 3 weeks later
Yes, Scotland is all digital and has been since June. What's confusing?
If you think about the issues involved, the number of transmitter sites throughout the Country, based on the topography, dictated that those areas with difficult terrain had to go first. After the test small Border area, the West of GB had to be the start point, followed by the North (Scotland) then gradually continue towards the main and relatively flat population areas.
Introducing, for example, High Power DTT in the Midlands would almost certainly (remember there are SIX muxes to deal with), ahead of Wales would have caused considerable interference issues spilling into many Welsh relays.
The North East ends the process in my view simply as a someone had to be last basis.
Northern Ireland, of course has to link with the Republic, the stuttering decision process there over DTT, almost certainly delayed the schedule for Divis etc.
...and Tyne Tees will commence the switchover one year today: 12/09/2012, completing two weeks later on 26/09/2012 which is when Freeview HD will have full coverage [source: Digital UK]. All transmitters are being switched in one go. Just Northern Ireland dates to be announced.
I've looked at UK Free TV, and found the DSO Stage 2 dates for the following transmitter groups that have switched, or are due to switch, in 2011. Let's assume that, in each case, DSO Stage 1 was two weeks before the Stage 2 date mentioned below.
Nottingham (Central) Wed 13 Apr 2011
Sandy Heath (Anglia) Wed 13 Apr 2011
Bromsgrove (Central) Wed 20 Apr 2011
Lark Stoke (Central) Wed 20 Apr 2011
Ridge Hill (Central) Wed 20 Apr 2011
The Wrekin (Central) Wed 20 Apr 2011
Darvel (STV Central) Wed 25 May 2011
Rosneath (STV Central) Wed 25 May 2011
Craigkelly (STV Central) Wed 15 Jun 2011
Black Hill (STV Central) Wed 22 Jun 2011
Sudbury (Anglia) Wed 20 Jul 2011
Belmont (Yorkshire) Wed 17 Aug 2011
Olivers Mount (Yorkshire) Wed 17 Aug 2011
Chesterfield (Yorkshire) Wed 24 Aug 2011
Sheffield (Yorkshire) Wed 24 Aug 2011
Waltham (Central) Wed 31 Aug 2011
As you can see, they started DSO in Central and Anglia in April, i.e. before completion of STV Central in June. Then in July they did a bit more of Anglia, in August they started Yorkshire, before completing Central and Yorkshire in September. Now Anglia will be fully completed in November (Tacolneston group). By the way, this explains why the thread is titled STV, Central, Yorkshire & Anglia DSO.
Wouldn't it have made more sense to have completed STV Central in April, before doing all of Central, followed by all of Yorkshire, and finally all of Anglia?