Bilsdale transmitting station
The Bilsdale transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, located at Bilsdale West Moor, close to Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England. It includes a guyed steel tubular mast that is primarily used for radio and television transmission. The height of the mast is 314 metres (1,030 ft) to the pinnacle.[1] It is among the most powerful in the UK at 500 kW ERP and has recently been equipped with new aircraft warning lights, in the form of arrays of ultra bright red LEDs.
History
Bilsdale was constructed in 1971 by the BBC to bring 625-line colour television on UHF to the Tees Valley for the first time. Having added UHF TV to the existing VHF TV stations at Pontop Pike and Emley Moor, it was quickly established that a new station would be required to cover County Durham and north North Yorkshire where existing coverage was poor, and thus the new station was built.
Coverage
Coverage extends throughout the Tees Valley region, encompassing north North Yorkshire and southern County Durham. This includes Harrogate and York to the south, Filey and Whitby to the east, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Hartlepool, Peterlee, some areas of Seaham and some areas of Sunderland to the north, and Barnard Castle and Worton to the west.
Channels listed by frequency
Analogue radio
Digital radio
Analogue television
Digital television
| Frequency |
UHF |
kW[3] |
Operator |
| 474.0 MHz |
21 |
6 |
Digital 3&4 (Mux 2) |
| 498.0 MHz |
24 |
6 |
BBC (Mux B) |
| 522.0 MHz |
27 |
6 |
Arqiva (Mux C) |
| 554.0 MHz |
31 |
6 |
SDN (Mux A) |
| 578.0 MHz |
34 |
4.8 |
BBC (Mux 1) |
| 642.0 MHz |
42 |
1.6 |
Arqiva (Mux D) |
Digital switchover
In July 2007 it was confirmed by Ofcom that the television frequency assignment after digital switchover would be such that a wideband or group K aerial would be required for reception of all six multiplexes. However, the three public service multiplexes will still fall within the station's original analogue frequency range assignment of aerial group A.[4] The digital switchover is expected to take place between 12 - 26 September 2012, and the following frequencies will be used from then:
| Frequency |
UHF |
kW |
Operator |
| 490.0 MHz |
23 |
100 |
BBC B |
| 514.0 MHz |
26 |
100 |
BBC A |
| 538.0 MHz |
29 |
100 |
Digital 3&4 |
| 626.0 MHz |
40 |
50 |
Arqiva B |
| 650.0 MHz |
43 |
50 |
SDN |
| 674.0 MHz |
46 |
50 |
Arqiva A |
See also
References
External links
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Television transmitter and major relay sites in the United Kingdom
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