Start Point transmitting station

Last updated

Start Point
Stokenham- Start Point radio masts (geograph 1932212).jpg
Devon UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Start Point transmitting station (Devon)
Location Start Point, Devon
Mast height137 metres (449 ft)
Coordinates 50°13′42″N3°39′51″W / 50.228333°N 3.664167°W / 50.228333; -3.664167 Coordinates: 50°13′42″N3°39′51″W / 50.228333°N 3.664167°W / 50.228333; -3.664167
Grid reference SX8131437875
Built1939

The Start Point transmitting station is a broadcasting facility at Start Point, Devon, owned by Arqiva. The site is just north-west of the Start Point lighthouse.

Contents

The station currently transmits a single broadcast: BBC Radio 5 Live on 693 kHz.

History

1930s

In 1935 the BBC started looking for transmitter sites to improve radio coverage in Devon, Dorset and Cornwall. After investigating 23 sites and carrying out extensive tests, two sites were selected: Start Point and Clevedon in Somerset. Start Point came on air on 14 June 1939 using an ST&C type C100 100 kW transmitter on 1050 kHz, and broadcast the West of England regional programme. A directional aerial array was used to avoid wasting power over the English Channel and to enhance the signal to the east and west. It consisted of two 137 metres (449 ft) stayed lattice masts, one being a mast radiator and the other a parasitic reflector. Both masts had a break at 94.5 metres (310 ft) to allow for the insertion of a loading coil. [1] [2] [3]

The station obtained power from two 11 kV mains feeders and a 400 kW diesel alternator. [1]

The building design followed L. Rome Guthrie's earlier work at the Brookmans Park transmitting station. By agreement, the BBC obtained copyright in the Brookmans Park elevation drawings and was able to follow them, with changes to allow for building size, for several other sites. [1]

The station closed on 1 September 1939, in anticipation of the outbreak of war between Britain and Germany two days later. [1]

World War II

In October 1939 BBC Research engineers experimented with horizontally-polarised transmissions at Start Point. The idea was to see if broadcasts could be made without providing enemy aircraft with a navigational radio beacon. A horizontal dipole antenna was suspended between the two masts. The test was reasonably successful and between 18 February and 15 September 1940 regular transmission were carried in the evenings, on 877 kHz, of what became the "Forces' Programme". [1]

A Marconi SWB18 short wave transmitter (Sender 22) was added to the station to carry the Home Service on 6075 kHz, from 20 January 1940. This was intended to provide coverage where the mediumwave signals were poor, and to provide an emergency backup to the landline distribution network in case of major disruption. This transmitter also carried the European Service (Norwegian) at certain times. [1]

In October 1940, the station began to transmit the European Service on 1050 kHz. This also used a horizontally-polarised antenna. The transmitter's power was increased to 180 kW, with a consequent increase in audio distortion. [1] [2]

Post-1945

The station carried the West of England Home Service on 977 kHz from 29 July 1945. [1] In 1967 the Home Service became Radio 4. By 1978, Start Point had moved to 1052 kHz. On 23 November 1978 there was a major reorganisation of the medium wave band in Europe, and from that date the station transmitted Radio 1 on 1053 kHz. [4]

Mast Stay Failure

On 12 January 2016 one of the top stays of the northern mast at Start Point snapped, the point of failure being the highest in-line insulator on the stay. This caused the mast to lean towards the south. [5] On 21 January 2016, the damaged northern mast was demolished. [6]

A new mast has been built to replace the demolished. [7]

Until the new mast had been finished, the West Prawle transmitter has been used. [8]


Services available

Analogue radio (AM medium wave)

FrequencykWService
693 kHz80 BBC Radio 5 Live

Related Research Articles

Low frequency (LF) is the ITU designation for radio frequencies (RF) in the range of 30–300 kHz. Since its wavelengths range from 10–1 km, respectively, it is also known as the kilometre band or kilometre wave.

Droitwich Transmitting Station

The Droitwich transmitting station is a large broadcasting facility for long-wave and medium-wave transmissions, established in 1934 in the civil parish of Dodderhill, just outside the village of Wychbold, near Droitwich in Worcestershire, England. The site is the location of the British Broadcasting Corporation's most powerful long-wave transmitter, which together with the two Scottish long-wave transmitters at Burghead and Westerglen forms a network broadcasting on the same frequency. The masts can be seen to the east from the M5 motorway, between Droitwich and Bromsgrove, as well as to the west from the Herefordshire/Worcestershire border. At night, the two sets of aircraft warning lights are visible from a long distance. Due to the bright red lights illuminated at night, some locals have renamed the site "the devil horns of Wychbold". The station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Burghead Transmitting Station

The Burghead transmitting station is a broadcasting facility near Burghead in Scotland for long wave and medium wave radio transmission that started service on 12 October 1936. The site is owned by Arqiva and houses a long wave radio transmitter on 198 kHz broadcasting BBC Radio 4 and two medium wave radio transmitters, broadcasting BBC Radio 5 Live on 693 kHz and BBC Radio Scotland on 810 kHz. The long wave transmitter is part of a network transmitting on the same frequency, the other transmitters being Droitwich and Westerglen.

Westerglen transmitting station Transmitter station in Falkirk, Scotland, UK

The Westerglen transmitting station is a facility for longwave and mediumwave broadcasting established in 1932 at Westerglen Farm, 2 miles (3 km) south west of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland.

Mainflingen transmitter

The Mainflingen mediumwave transmitter is a mediumwave transmission facility south of the A3 motorway near Mainflingen, Hesse, Germany. Mainflingen was the first mediumwave transmitter for the radio station Deutschlandfunk. It went into service in 1962 with a transmission power of 50 kW, on a frequency of 1538 kHz, at the upper end of the mediumwave band. This frequency has a bad groundwave propagation and therefore a low range at daytime, but an excellent skywave propagation with a long range at night.

Anthorn Radio Station Radio station transmitting the UK time signal

Anthorn Radio Station is a naval and government radio transmitting station located near Anthorn, Cumbria, England, overlooking the Solway Firth, and is operated by Babcock International. It has three transmitters: one VLF; one LF; and an eLORAN transmitter.

Orfordness transmitting station

The Orfordness transmitting station was a major radio broadcasting facility at Orford Ness on the Suffolk coast in the United Kingdom. It closed in May 2012 after more than 30 years of service. In 2017 Radio Caroline started broadcasting on 648 kHz.

Brookmans Park transmitting station

The Brookmans Park transmitting station is a facility for medium wave broadcasting at Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire, north of London. The station was built by the BBC as the first of a network of regional dual transmitter stations, replacing the city-based ones used previously, and this was to cover the Home Counties, London and South East. The first station, on 842 kHz, (356m) 50 kW, went into service in on 21 October 1929, the second on 1148 kHz, (261m) initially 30 kW, followed on 9 March 1930.

Arfon transmitting station

The Arfon transmitting station is a facility for FM, DAB digital radio and television transmission near the villages of Nebo and Nasareth in Gwynedd, northwestern Wales. It includes a 308.5 m (1,012 ft) guyed mast with antennas attached at various heights. The mast is surmounted by a television transmitting antenna, which brings the total height of the structure to 317.4 m (1,041 ft), making it the tallest structure in Wales. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Rowridge transmitting station 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.

Llanddona transmitting station

The Llanddona transmitting station ; Welsh pronunciation) 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.

Wenvoe transmitting station Transmission station in Wales

The Wenvoe transmitting station, officially known as Arqiva Wenvoe, is the main facility for broadcasting and telecommunications for South Wales and the West of England. It is situated close to the village of Wenvoe in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, in the UK.

Heathfield transmitting station

The Heathfield transmitting station is a facility for FM and television transmission at Heathfield, East Sussex, UK. Opened in 1969 it uses as its antenna mast a 135 metres (443 ft) tall guyed structure, giving average transmitter height 256 metres (840 ft) above sea level. A Group B horizontally polarised aerial is required to receive digital TV signals. The original analogue signals were in the Group C/D band, but all the digital MUXES should still be receivable on a C/D group aerial in reasonable signal areas.

Preseli transmitting station

The Preseli transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated close to the village of Crymych, in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Oxford transmitting station Telecommunications site near Oxford, England

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.

West Kirby television relay station

The West Kirby television relay station serves parts of West Kirby, Wirral, UK. It is a relay of the Winter Hill transmitter. The antenna support structure is a 17-metre-high (56 ft-high) wooden pole situated at an elevation of 64 metres (210 ft). Thus, the top of the pole has an overall height of 81 metres (266 ft) above sea level. As of 2009, the transmitter serves approximately 3,400 homes.

Washford transmitting station

Washford transmitting station is a medium wave broadcasting station and low-power digital terrestrial television relay near Washford, Somerset.

Blaenplwyf transmitting station

The Blaenplwyf transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located near the village of Blaenplwyf about 10 kilometres (6 mi) to the south west of the town of Aberystwyth, in Ceredigion, Wales. It was originally built by the BBC, entering service in October 1956 acting as a main transmitter for BBC Band II VHF FM radio.

Llandrindod Wells transmitting station

The Llandrindod Wells transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located on high ground about midway between Llandrindod Wells and Rhayader, in Powys, Wales. It was originally built by the BBC, entering service in 1961 transmitting the now-defunct 405-line VHF television system and the original three FM radio services.

Rouncefall television relay station

The Rouncefall television relay station serves parts of Essex, UK. Being a relay of Sudbury transmitting station, the transmitter is in the BBC East and ITV Anglia TV regions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pawley, Edward (1972), BBC Engineering 1922-1972, London, BBC, pp. 97-8, 106, 238-9, 254, 257, 326, 348. ISBN   0-563-12127-0
  2. 1 2 Shacklady, Norman and Ellen, Martin (2003), On Air - A History of BBC Transmission, Wavechange Books, pp. 6, 10, 13, 28. ISBN   0-9544077-1-7
  3. ↑ Frost, Stuart (2004), Start Point’s special role following D Day. Prospero magazine, July 2004.
  4. ↑ Television and Radio Stations 1978. BBC Engineering Information booklet.
  5. ↑ "mb21 - The Transmission Gallery". tx.mb21.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "mb21 - The Transmission Gallery". tx.mb21.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "mb21 - The Transmission Gallery". tx.mb21.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  8. ↑ "mb21 - The Transmission Gallery". tx.mb21.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.