Beacon Hill transmitting station

Last updated

Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill transmitting station.jpg
Beacon Hill A (left) and Beacon Hill B
Devon UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Beacon Hill transmitting station (Devon)
Mast height103.6 metres (340 ft)
Coordinates 50°26′47″N3°36′39″W / 50.446389°N 3.610833°W / 50.446389; -3.610833 Coordinates: 50°26′47″N3°36′39″W / 50.446389°N 3.610833°W / 50.446389; -3.610833
Grid reference SX857619
BBC region BBC South West
ITV region ITV West Country

The Beacon Hill transmitting station is an English telecommunications facility located at Beacon Hill, Marldon, Devon. It includes a guyed mast (Beacon Hill A) [1] and a free-standing lattice tower (Beacon Hill B), [2] both of which support various antennas.

Contents

History

Beacon Hill A became operational in 1972–3, bringing 625 line PAL colour television to the coverage area of Torbay and south Devon. Beacon Hill B transmits FM radio and DAB radio to the area. In 2007, a third guyed lattice mast was constructed at the site to provide medium wave transmissions for Gold (Exeter/Torbay). The transmitter for Gold was dismantled after the service was discontinued. [3]

Digital switchover

In April 2009, the analogue television transmissions at Beacon Hill A were turned off, requiring homes in the area to switch to the Freeview service. [4] The Beacon Hill transmitter group was the first in the South West of England to stop broadcasting analogue television services. BBC Two ceased at 00:50 on 8 April 2009 and the remaining analogue signals were turned off on 22 April 2009 at 00:20. [5]

Services listed by frequency

Analogue radio

FrequencykW [6] Service
88.7 MHz1 BBC Radio 2
90.9 MHz1 BBC Radio 3
93.1 MHz1 BBC Radio 4
96.4 MHz1.8 Heart West
98.4 MHz1 BBC Radio 1
104.3 MHz1 BBC Radio Devon
105.5 MHz1.6 Greatest Hits Radio South West

Digital radio

FrequencyBlockkWOperator
220.352 MHz11C2 NOW Exeter and Torbay
222.064 MHz11D2 Digital One
225.648 MHz12B5 BBC National DAB

Analogue television

Analogue television signals ceased in April 2009. BBC2 was closed on 8 April 2009, with ITV Westcountry temporarily moving into its place, followed by the remaining services on 22 April.

FrequencyUHFkW [9] Service
727.25  MHz 53100 Channel 4
759.25  MHz 57100 BBC1 South West
783.25  MHz 60100 Westcountry
807.25  MHz 63100 BBC2 South West

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mendip transmitting station</span> Broadcasting and telecommunications facility

The Mendip transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility on the summit of Pen Hill, part of the Mendip Hills range in Somerset, England, at 305 metres (1,001 ft) above sea level. The station is in St Cuthbert Out civil parish in Mendip district, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of the centre of Wells. It has a 281.6 m (924 ft) tall mast, which was built in 1967 and weighs around 500 tonnes, and is the tallest structure in South West England. The mast broadcasts digital television, FM analogue radio and DAB digital radio, and had broadcast analogue colour television from 1967 until 2010. It has become a Mendip landmark, providing a method of identifying the hills from a distance.

There are three Redruth transmitting stations:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caradon Hill transmitting station</span> Broadcasting and telecommunications facility

The Caradon Hill transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility on Bodmin Moor in the civil parish of Linkinhorne, located on Caradon Hill, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is 4 miles (6 km) north of Liskeard, and ¾ mile (1.25 km) south-east of Minions, the highest village in Cornwall. Built in 1961, the station includes a 237.7 metres (780 ft) guyed steel lattice mast. The mean height for the television antennas is 603 metres (1,978 ft) above sea level. The site has a smaller towers used for telecommunications and a wireless internet signal. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowridge transmitting station</span> Telecommunications transmission site on the Isle of Wight, England

The Rowridge transmitting station is a facility for FM radio and television transmission at Rowridge on the Isle of Wight in southern England.

The Llanddona transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated at Llanddona, near Beaumaris, on the isle of Anglesey, Wales. It comprises a 106.7 metres (350 ft) guyed mast with antennas attached at various heights. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preseli transmitting station</span>

The Preseli transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility on the eastern end of the Preseli Mountains, close to the villages of Crymych and Pentre Galar in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The Oxford transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated on land 129.5 metres (425 ft) above Ordnance Datum to the north east of the city of Oxford, in Oxfordshire, England. It has a guyed steel lattice mast which is 154.4 metres (507 ft) in height to the top of the main steel structure. The UHF television antenna, which consist of a vertical array of transmitting panels, is mounted above the steel structure. The total height of the mast to the top of this UHF antenna is 165.7 metres (544 ft). It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haverfordwest transmitting station</span> Broadcasting and telecommunications facility

The Haverfordwest transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located at Woodstock about 13 km (8 mi) to the north east of the town of Haverfordwest, in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was originally built by the BBC, entering service in early 1964 acting as a main transmitter for the 405-line VHF television system, and as a repeater for Band 2 VHF FM radio received off-air from Blaenplwyf transmitting station. It is now owned and operated by Arqiva.

Bressay transmitting station is a broadcasting transmission facility for the Shetland Islands, located on the isle of Bressay, owned and operated by Arqiva. The transmitting station is based on the Ward of Bressay, the island's highest peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huntshaw Cross transmitting station</span> Telecommunications facility in Devon, England

Huntshaw Cross transmitting station is a telecommunications facility serving North Devon including the towns of Barnstaple and South Molton. It broadcasts television, radio and mobile telephone services and is currently owned by Arqiva. It is located on the B3232 road at Huntshaw, Great Torrington. Grid reference SS527220. The mast is 164 metres (538 ft) high.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Storeton transmitting station</span>

Storeton transmitting station is a television transmitter being a member of both the Winter Hill group of transmitters and of the Moel-y-Parc group of transmitter, and an FM radio transmitter, with transmitting antennas affixed to a mast located on Storeton Ridge, Higher Bebington, Wirral, UK. The site is owned and operated by Arqiva. It was originally solely an analogue TV relay of the Winter Hill transmitter and the only Winter Hill relay to carry all five analogue TV channels prior to digital switchover. The 45 metre-high (150 ft-high) mast is situated at an elevation of 65.5 metres (215 ft). Thus, the top of the mast has an overall height of 110.5 metres (363 ft) above sea level. Construction of the mast was completed in 1980. As of 2009, the TV transmitter serves approximately 45,000 homes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilvey Hill transmitting station</span>

The Kilvey Hill transmitting station was originally built at the summit of Kilvey Hill in Swansea, Wales, by the BBC in 1967 as a relay for VHF and UHF television. VHF television came on air a few months before the UHF services. As built, the station did not radiate VHF FM radio, this was added later. Currently, the hill's transmitters cater for viewers and listeners in the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot area. The transmission station located on top of Kilvey Hill is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The Pontardawe television relay station was originally built in 1974/1975 as a relay for UHF analogue television. It consists of a 45 m self-supporting lattice mast standing on a hillside which is itself about 160 m above sea level. Currently, the transmitters cater for most of the digital terrestrial TV subscribers in the towns of Pontardawe and Alltwen and in the nearby villages of that section of the Tawe valley. The transmission station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The Craig-Cefn-Parc television relay station is sited on Mynydd Gelliwastad to the west of Clydach in the Swansea Valley. It was originally built in the 1980s as a fill-in relay for UHF analogue colour television. It consists of a 17 m self-supporting lattice mast standing on land which is itself about 160 m above sea level. The transmissions are beamed to the northwest to avoid cross-channel interference with the Alltwen transmitter which is about 4 km to the northeast and which uses the same frequencies. The Craig-Cefn-Parc transmitter is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The Briton Ferry television relay station is sited on a hill to the east of Briton Ferry. It was originally built in the 1970s as a fill-in relay for UHF analogue colour television. It consists of a 25 m self-supporting lattice mast standing on a hillside which is itself about 180 m above sea level. The transmitters are beamed towards the southwest and northwest to cater for those digital terrestrial TV subscribers in Briton Ferry and western Neath which for reasons of geography can't get a signal direct from the Kilvey Hill transmitter at Swansea nor from the relay transmitter at Neath Abbey across the valley. The Briton Ferry transmission station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The Burry Port television relay station was originally built in Spring 1983 as a relay for UHF analogue colour television. It consists of a 17 m self-supporting lattice mast standing on a hillside which is itself about 90 m above sea level. Currently, the transmitters cater for most of the digital terrestrial TV subscribers in the low-lying coastal town of Burry Port. The transmission station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Cilfrew television relay station is sited on a hill south of the village of Tonna, at least 2 km across the valley from Cilfrew in the Neath Valley. It was originally built in 1981 as a fill-in relay for UHF analogue colour television serving the villages of Cilfrew itself, Aberdulais and Tonna. It consists of a 30 m self-supporting lattice mast standing on land which is itself about 80 m above sea level. The transmissions are beamed to the north. The Cilfrew transmission station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The Ystalyfera television relay station is sited on high ground to the south of the towns of Ystalyfera and Gurnos in the middle Swansea Valley. It was originally built in the 1980s as a fill-in relay for UHF analogue television covering the communities of Ystalyfera, Gurnos, Ystradgynlais and parts of Seven Sisters. It consists of a 55 m self-supporting lattice steel mast standing on a hillside which is itself about 350 m above sea level. The transmissions are beamed northeast to cover all these targets. The Ystalyfera transmission station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The Penderyn television relay station is sited on high ground to the east of the village of Penderyn in the Brecon Beacons. It was originally built in 1984 as a fill-in relay for UHF analogue television covering the communities of Penderyn and Hirwaun. It consists of a 12-metre (39 ft) self-supporting lattice steel mast standing on a hillside which is itself about 310 metres (1,020 ft) above sea level. The transmissions are beamed west and south to cover all these targets. The Penderyn transmission station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The Brechfa television relay station is sited on high ground to the east of the village of Brechfa to the northeast of Carmarthen. It was originally built in the 1980s as a fill-in relay for UHF analogue colour television covering the communities of Brechfa, Horeb and Aber Goleu. It consists of a 12 m self-supporting lattice steel mast standing on a hillside which is itself about 290 m above sea level. The transmissions are beamed northeast to cover all these targets. The Brechfa transmission station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

References

  1. grid reference SX857619 , 50°26′47″N3°36′39″W / 50.44639°N 3.61083°W
  2. grid reference SX857620 , 50°26′49.5″N3°36′37.5″W / 50.447083°N 3.610417°W
  3. "The Big Tower – Beacon Hill" . Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  4. "Analogue TV signal turned off in digital switch". Metro . 9 April 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  5. Holmwood, Leigh (8 April 2009). "Hundreds lose BBC2 as digital switchover begins in West Country". The Guardian . Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  6. Radio Listeners Guide 2010
  7. "700 MHz Clearance Programme" Ofcom, 27 February 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  8. "Changes to the Freeview channel line-up in Torbay and South Devon". Freeview. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  9. Television Viewers Guide 2009