The Beacon Hill transmitter and its 23 relays serving Torbay and south Devon, completed the digital switchover on 22 April 2009.

Digital switchover (DSO) complete at Beacon Hill transmitter group

The Beacon Hill transmitter and its 23 relays serving Torbay and south Devon made the switch in two stages:

At Stage 1 (DSO1) - 8 April 2009
BBC Two analogue ceased broadcasting permanently and the first BBC multiplex, Mux BBC A, launched at 8k and 64QAM.

At Stage 2 (DSO2) - 22 April 2009
All other analogue and low powered digital services ceased broadcasting permanently and the high powered digital multiplexes launched at 8k and 64QAM.

For futher information on 8k and 64QAM transmission modes please click here.

Self Helps in the Beacon Hill transmitter group

Ofcom have confirmed that there were no active licensed analogue self helps, and no applications for digital self-help licenses.  For further information about self helps please visit the Ofcom website.

Budleigh Salterton: a new relay for DSO

Budleigh Salterton is a new relay which launched at the completion of DSO2, to serve the area of Budleigh Satlerton and Cockwood.  This site has been built to provide an alternative service post-DSO, and is designed to serve those who were previously watching Stockland Hill and some who may have been watching Beacon Hill.

All viewers dependant upon Budlegh Salterton will need a new group C/D aerial pointed in a different direction to their old aerial.  This is because Budleigh Salterton is not in-line with either Beacon Hill or Stockland Hill which they may have previously been watching.

Aerials, group changes

At Beacon Hill, the channels used to broadcast pre digital switchover DTT are all within the same aerial group - group C/D.

Beacon Hill (only) at DSO, the commercial muxes moved out of aerial group - a group E or W aerial may have been required. However, many existing group C/D aerials will continue to work as the commercial multiplexes are on lower frequencies.

At DSO at Harbertonford, Bovey Tracey and Clennon Valley, Mux BBC B moved just outside the analogue aerial group - from aerial group B to group C/D.  It is likely that the majority of existing aerials will be able to satisfactorily receive this multiplex.

Aerials, communal systems

Channel changes at Beacon Hill, Habertonford, Bovey Tracey, Clennon Valley, Teignmouth, Sidmouth, Edginswell, Kingskerswell and Liverton meant that channelised communal systems needed to be retuned at DSO1 and DSO2.

Adjacent transmitter groups

A household in Torbay or south Devon is most likely to be watching the Beacon Hill transmitter group. However, they could also be watching the Caradon Hill, Stockland Hill, Huntshaw Cross, Mendip or Rowridge transmitter groups.