Radio Newcastle On Freeview

[barnaclebill58]

I've got two TVs in the house connected to an amplified aerial that points at Emley Moor. TV1 has Radio Newcastle on 801 -sometimes it is perfect, sometimes there is no reception and sometimes it breaks up . TV2 never lists Radio Newcastle. Some questions -
1.What Freeview settings can I put into TV2 to try to force it to pick up the station?
2. Given that Emley Moor doesn't (as far I know )broadcast Radio Newcastle the signal must be coming from Bilsdale . How can the aerial pick that up even though it is not pointing at it?
3. If I get a second aerial to point at Bilsdale can the aerial outputs be combined or will that confuse the TV sets?
Thanks

[Buenchico]

Try Channel 719

[Buenchico]

I was dashing for a train (to a pub!) when I posted to earlier, so I didn't have time to fully research my post.

Channels in the 800s are used by Freeview receivers to 'park' services which don't fit elsewhere. So, if they're available from other transmitters, you'll often find BBC regional services there which are different to those on Channels 1, 2 etc.

A quick web search (which is all I had time for before dashing to the pub) suggested that BBC Radio Newcastle uses Channel 719 but a more detailed search now shows that the PSB1 multiplex on the Emley Moor transmitter uses that channel for BBC Radio Leeds. So your set must be picking up the BBC Radio Newcastle signal (via 'back end reception') from the PSB multiplex on the Bilsdale transmitter. Since it can't position it on Channel 719, where it's meant to be (as that's already occupied by BBC Radio Leeds), it 'parks' it on the first available channel in the 800 series.

Given that you can get 'back end' reception from the Bilsdale transmitter already, you might well find that simply pointing your existing aerial at it is all that you need to do in order to receive BBC Radio Newcastle (which then, after a retune, should appear on Channel 719), plus all other Freeview channels. Reception map here:
https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Bilsdale

It's possible to combine the outputs of two separate aerials together but there are potential problems with phase differences when the 'back end' reception from one aerial interacts with the 'front end' reception of the same station from the other. This US site explains it quite well:
http://www.tvantenna.com/support/tutorials/combining.html

[barnaclebill58]

Many thanks -very useful -hope you had a good session .