Sep 21
20
The Bilsdale transmitter fire caused major disruption for viewers across North Yorkshire, Teesside and parts of County Durham. Many households lost Freeview channels, some experienced weak or unreliable reception, and others had to rely on temporary fixes while work was carried out to restore services.
Since the original incident, a lot has changed. Arqiva constructed a temporary transmitter close to the original Bilsdale mast site to restore services to as many homes as possible, before work continued on the longer-term replacement mast.
Arqiva continues to publish information and updates through its website, which you can view here: Arqiva Bilsdale mast update.
Do You Still Need to Retune?
If your Freeview channels are working normally, you may not need to do anything. However, if you have not retuned for a while, or if you are still missing some of the services you previously received, it may be worth trying an automatic retune.
A retune can help your TV or set-top box find the strongest available signal and restore the maximum number of Freeview channels available in your area.
You may need to retune if:
- You are missing channels that used to be available.
- Your TV guide is incomplete.
- Some channels appear in the wrong order.
- You are receiving the wrong regional news service.
- Your TV was tuned during the original Bilsdale disruption.
- You have recently changed your aerial, TV or set-top box.
How to Retune Your Freeview TV or Box
The retuning process is usually straightforward, although the exact steps can vary depending on the make and model of your TV or set-top box.
In most cases, you will need to open the settings menu on your TV and look for an option such as Channels, Installation, Set-up, Auto Tune or Full Retune.
Once selected, your TV will scan for available channels and rebuild the channel list. This can take several minutes.
Freeview has useful retune videos available here: watch the Freeview retune videos.
Why Retuning Can Help After Transmitter Work
When transmitter work takes place, your TV may continue to store older or weaker signal information. This can mean that some channels do not appear correctly, even if the signal has improved in your area.
An automatic retune gives your TV the chance to search again and store the best available services. This is especially useful if you retuned during the early stages of the Bilsdale disruption, when temporary transmission arrangements may have been in place.
When Retuning May Not Solve the Problem
Although retuning can help in many cases, it will not fix every reception issue. If your aerial, cable, splitter, amplifier or wall socket has a fault, your TV may still struggle to receive a reliable signal.
Common causes of ongoing Freeview problems include:
- A damaged or misaligned aerial.
- Loose or worn aerial cables.
- Water damage in the cable or aerial connection.
- A faulty signal booster or amplifier.
- Poor signal distribution to multiple TVs.
- Your TV storing channels from the wrong transmitter.
If you have retuned and still have missing channels, repeated retuning is unlikely to help. It is better to check the aerial system and confirm whether the problem affects one TV or every TV in the property.
Check Before You Retune Again
Before retuning again, check whether there are any known transmitter faults or planned engineering works in your area. If there is a temporary transmitter issue, retuning at the wrong time can sometimes remove channels from your TV guide until the signal returns.
You should also check the aerial cable is securely connected and that any signal booster is switched on. If you use a shared aerial system, such as in a block of flats, the problem may need to be checked by the building manager or maintenance company.
Stay Updated Without Internet Access
If you know someone who does not have internet access, it may be helpful to pass on important updates by phone or in person, especially if they rely on Freeview as their main source of television.
During the Bilsdale disruption, Freeview set up a dedicated Bilsdale Freephone number on 0800 121 4828 for affected viewers. This was used to provide advice and recorded updates for people who could not easily access online information.
For current advice, viewers should use the latest contact details provided by Freeview or Arqiva, as support lines and opening times may change over time.
When to Contact an Aerial Installer
If you have followed the retuning advice and your Freeview reception is still poor, it may be time to contact a qualified aerial installer.
An installer can test the signal properly, check which transmitter your aerial is receiving, inspect the cabling and advise whether the aerial needs to be adjusted, repaired or replaced.
This can be particularly useful if your aerial was moved during the Bilsdale disruption, if you live in a weaker signal area, or if your home uses a shared aerial system.
Final Advice for Viewers Affected by Bilsdale
The Bilsdale transmitter situation has improved significantly since the original fire and the temporary mast work. For many households, Freeview services should now be back to normal.
If you are still experiencing missing channels, poor picture quality or regional channel issues, start by checking for transmitter updates, then try a retune if appropriate. If the issue continues, the problem may be with your aerial system rather than the transmitter itself.
You can keep up to date through Arqiva here: https://www.arqiva.com/news-views/news/update-on-incident-at-bilsdale-mast.
You can also watch Freeview’s retune guidance here: https://www.freeview.co.uk/help/watch-retune-videos.
