Winter Hill is the transmitter most of Stockport watches. It sits above Bolton, roughly north-west of us, and broadcasts the full Freeview line-up at very high power. Here's what every Stockport viewer should know before they touch their aerial.
What Winter Hill broadcasts
All six Freeview multiplexes — that's BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, the HD channels and the commercial extras. If your aerial is pointed at Winter Hill and the cable is sound, you should be receiving 100+ channels with a strong, stable signal.
Which direction should your aerial face?
From most of Stockport — Cheadle, Heaton Chapel, Edgeley, Offerton, Bramhall, Hazel Grove — your aerial should point broadly north-west toward Bolton. A few minutes off true and the picture still works; a long way off and you'll pixelate on the weakest multiplexes first (usually the HD ones).
The Saddleworth exception
Parts of Marple, Romiley, Compstall and the higher edges of Bredbury get a usable signal from Saddleworth instead — east, not west. If you can see the hills clearly, Saddleworth often gives a cleaner picture than Winter Hill from those addresses. We'll point a meter and tell you which is stronger for your roof.
Aerial type matters
For Winter Hill from Stockport you want a wideband digital aerial — 48 or 52-element is standard. Push out into the fringe and we'll fit a log-periodic, which is less prone to multipath interference from reflections off houses.
Why retunes go wrong
Winter Hill periodically clears or re-assigns frequencies. If channels disappear or duplicate after one of these changes, run a first-time installation retune rather than a quick scan — the quick scan keeps old data and often makes things worse.
When to fit a different aerial
If you've got Winter Hill in your line of sight (most of Stockport does, from a chimney), you don't need an exotic high-gain aerial. They cost more, fade faster, and gain you nothing. We'll fit what your address actually needs — and tell you when it doesn't need an upgrade.
Not sure where to point? Call 0161 399 1757 and we'll give you a straight answer for your postcode. See the TV aerial installation page for scope and pricing, or the aerial repair page if yours has stopped working.
Clear written quotation before any chargeable work. Short-notice appointments may be available across Stockport, Greater Manchester and Cheshire.