The Winter Hill transmitter and its 70 relays, serving Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and north Staffordshire, completed the digital switchover on 4 November 2009 and 2 December 2009.

Digital switchover (DSO) complete at Winter Hill transmitter group

The Winter Hill transmitter and its 70 relays serving Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and north Staffordshire made the switch in two stages:

At Stage 1 (DSO1) - 4 November 2009
BBC Two analogue ceased broadcasting permanently and the first BBC multiplex, Mux BBC A, launched at 8k and 64QAM.

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

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

Later technical event

On 21 September 2011 ARQ B increased to its final post DSO power level.

Self Helps in the Winter Hill transmitter group

Ofcom have confirmed that there is 1 digital self help in the Winter Hill transmitter group - Manchester Old Trafford.

For further information about self helps please visit the Ofcom website.

Aerials, group changes

At Winter Hill muxes ARQ A and ARQ B move into the analogue aerial group, all other muxes remain within group.

At Lancaster, Pendle Forest, Saddleworth and Storeton (England), all muxes remain within the analogue aerial group.

At all relays, all muxes remain within the analogue aerial group.

Aerials, communal systems

Channel changes at - Winter Hill, Trawden, Whitewell, Ramsbottom, Saddleworth, Brook Bottom, Bacup, Chinley, Whaley Bridge, Birch Vale,Whalley, Far Highfield, Blackburn, Dalton, Over Biddulph, Haughton Green, Dog  Hill, Roose HP/VP, Mottram, Staveley in Carmel, Backbarrow, Woodnock, Middleton and Norden mean that channelised aerial systems will need to be reconfigured at DSO1 and DSO2.

Reception in Skelmersdale may be improved if systems are retuned to recieve signals from the new Skelmersdale relay.

Skelmersdale: a new relay for DSO

Skelmersdale is a new relay which launched at DSO1 and DSO2, providing services into the Skelmersdale area.  

Storeton (Wales): a new relay for DSO

Storeton (Wales) is a new relay which launched at DSO1, (not to be confused with Storeton (England)) providing Welsh services into Deeside for those who previously had to watch Winter Hill.  Storeton (Wales) is in line with Winter Hill therefore viewers will be able to receive 8 muxes using their existing aerial pointed at Winter Hill. 

As a result, households in this area will recieve 2 PSB Granada muxes (from Winter Hill), 3 PSB Wales muxes (from Storeton Wales) and the 3 COM muxes (from Winter Hill). The result being that households will receive both English and Welsh services.

Adjacent transmitter groups

A household in Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and north Staffordshire is most likely to be watching the Winter Hill transmitter group. However, they could also be watching the Caldbeck, Douglas, Llanddona, Moel y Parc, Long Mountain, Waltham, Sutton Coldfield, The Wrekin, Chesterfield, Sheffield or Emley Moor transmitter groups.