Chesterfield Transmitter

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Chesterfield
Height 50 metres (164 ft)
Relay of Emley Moor
BBC Region BBC Yorkshire
ITV Region ITV Yorkshire

The Chesterfield Transmitter is a television and radio transmitter which serves the town of Chesterfield in Derbyshire and surrounding areas. The transmitter is a relay of the large Emley Moor mast in West Yorkshire, although digital TV services are from the Sheffield Crosspool Transmitter (known as Tapton Hill transmitting station). The Chesterfield transmitter sits on a hillside to the north of the town, it transmits normal analogue television at 2 kW, along with digital television and radio services. It is one of the few transmitters in the UK to transmit digital television but not analogue channel, Five. Since 5 of its 6 Digital MUXES are transmitted on the same channels as Emley Moor it is not uncommon for co-channel interference to be a problem, similar problems exist with Sutton Coldfield and Waltham (see external links). The transmitter is vertically polarised as are most relays/repeaters. The altitude of the transmitting aerials is 231 metres, the actual tower being around 50 metres (164 ft) in height and of a similar design to many of the repeaters around the country. In the early 2000s an extra smaller tower was added at the side of the larger tower possibly for mobile phone use. Currently not much digital radio is broadcast from this site (or anywhere in Derbyshire) but it is just possible to receive digital radio in Chesterfield from other transmitters, specifically Tapton Hill in Sheffield. From the 8th November 2007, the transmitter has broadcasted the Digital One DAB Multiplex. The plans for the upcoming NOW Derbyshire DAB multiplex due to start broadcasting by July 2008 state that the Chesterfield transmitter is to be used to broadcast this service along with another four transmitters across Derbyshire. The Chesterfield transmitter is owned by Arqiva (previously NTL).

Contents

[edit] Transmitted Services

  • Digital Radio
    • 211.649MHz (10B): NOW Derbyshire (due to begin soon)
    • 216.928MHz (11A): Digital Two (owned by 4 Digital Group and expected in the future - only rumour at present)
    • 222.064MHz (11D): Digital One
    • 224.648MHz (12B): BBC National (expected in the future - only rumour at present)

[edit] Power

The Chesterfield transmitter broadcasts at the following powers:

  • Analogue Television: 2 kW
  • Digital Television: 40 W
  • BBC Radio: 400 W
  • Peak FM: 100 W
  • DAB: 1kW

[edit] Digital Switchover

In July 2007 it was confirmed by Ofcom that Chesterfield would be remaining a wideband transmitter after DSO (Digital Switchover), though the first three - of the six - MUXES will still be available within the original A group. The predicted date when the Chesterfield transmitter will have its analogue services switched off is September 2011. The frequencies for the digital muxes will also change, these will change to:

  • UHF 23: PSB 1 - Previously Multixplex 1
  • UHF 26: PSB 2 - Previously Multixplex 2
  • UHF 29: PSB 3 - Previously Multixplex B
  • UHF 43: COM 1 - Previously Multixplex A
  • UHF 46: COM 2 - Previously Multixplex C
  • UHF 50: COM 3 - Previously Multixplex D

No other services from the transmitter will be changed or affected

For more information on the digital switchover click on the following link - Digital switchover

[edit] See also

[edit] External links