TV Live Forum

I would imagine that the first bit of the investigation will focus on what the engineers on site were working on.
Just using the "was it working fine beforehand - did you change something just before the fault" principle.
It may not be of course, anything can go wrong at any time, but that's been my approach to sudden faults for most of my working life, and I suspect most engineers do the same!

Another update from Arqiva

D1 and SDL DAB being rigged at Eston Nab, and another new temporary TV site at Arncliffe Wood

https://www.arqiva.com/news-views/news/u...sdale-mast

Presumably that is easier to access than the area adjacent to the existing mast - it's a completely new site isn't it?

commseng post_id=34714 time= user_id=1125 Wrote:Presumably that is easier to access than the area adjacent to the existing mast - it's a completely new site isn't it?

I think so, I've had a virtual drive around the area on Streetview to try and see where they might set up. The press release mentions installation of a 15m mast

Must be quite a high site with a good view over the coverage area with only a 15m mast.
Much easier to rig and equip than a taller one I suppose.

commseng post_id=34727 time= user_id=1125 Wrote:Must be quite a high site with a good view over the coverage area with only a 15m mast.
Much easier to rig and equip than a taller one I suppose.

This seems a likely suspect site

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.388967,-...312!8i6656

That looks possible. 300m above sea level, secure and with an existing facility so electricity and telecomms are already there.
I wonder what sort if coverage it will achieve?

Markymark post_id=34732 time= user_id=1078 Wrote:

commseng post_id=34727 time= user_id=1125 Wrote:Must be quite a high site with a good view over the coverage area with only a 15m mast.
Much easier to rig and equip than a taller one I suppose.

This seems a likely suspect site

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.388967,-...312!8i6656

That matches the description of "Arncliffe Wood" as it's a (former?) BT microwave site.

valley post_id=34736 time= user_id=971 Wrote:

Markymark post_id=34732 time= user_id=1078 Wrote:

commseng post_id=34727 time= user_id=1125 Wrote:Must be quite a high site with a good view over the coverage area with only a 15m mast.
Much easier to rig and equip than a taller one I suppose.

This seems a likely suspect site

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.388967,-...312!8i6656

That matches the description of "Arncliffe Wood" as it's a (former?) BT microwave site.

Seems very likely then. I note multiple short masts, probably a requirement of the National Park and AONB? Not that that should affect the height of Arqiva's temporary mast. As @commseng points out a nice secure compound, so another box ticked

Edit: A friend has just dug out a photo of the site from 1970. A number of large 'Horn' antennas, very much of that era, and a very busy site.

Some information about the site here.
http://www.dgsys.co.uk/btmicrowave/sites/126.php
It's also mentioned here, with the GPO / BT reference YACW
http://www.ringbell.co.uk/ukwmo/Page243.htm

commseng post_id=34741 time= user_id=1125 Wrote:Some information about the site here.
http://www.dgsys.co.uk/btmicrowave/sites/126.php

Ah, yes, very good. I see it also fed Bilsdale with the old Tyne Tees South opt out feed during analogue times .

Markymark post_id=34744 time=1629229617 user_id=1078 Wrote:

commseng post_id=34741 time= user_id=1125 Wrote:Some information about the site here.
http://www.dgsys.co.uk/btmicrowave/sites/126.php

Ah, yes, very good. I see it also fed Bilsdale with the old Tyne Tees South opt out feed during analogue times .

Yep, until last week that was Bilsdale's claim to fame



https://youtu.be/yAuTw2L0OfM?t=52

I assume that the new Arncliffe Wood site and Eston Nab will both have to use the Bilsdale channel allocations, on directional antennas to get the majority of viewers in both areas services running again?
Does the Moor that Bilsdale sits on shield both from each other?
Can they be operated as a Single Frequency Network?

SFN makes sense, although isn't Eston Nab on Bilsdale allocations for PSB and it's own PSB allocation for COM to overcome adjacent frequency issues with Bilsdale COM and the RBL source from Pontop? That might complicate using those allocations beyond Eston's normal patch.

I'm sure it will be complex whatever they do, and I assume they would both have to be taking the same incoming feeds (via satellite probably) to get the syncronisation required if they do an SFN.
But not using the Bilsdale allocations at Arncliffe Wood is not an easy option either of course, and it would require all the viewers in the area to retune as well, which is never ideal.
I'm sure there are a lot of Arqiva staff busy in the area and back at base working it all out, but it has gone very quiet on the various sites that inform the viewers and listeners what is going on. Not much to update I suppose, but frustrating for those affected who probably assume there isn't much going on.