Chesterfield transmitting station

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

The Chesterfield transmitting station is a television and radio transmitter which serves the town of Chesterfield in Derbyshire and surrounding areas. The transmitter is an analogue television relay of the large Emley Moor mast in West Yorkshire, although digital TV services are line fed from Sheffield (Crosspool) (also known as the Tapton Hill transmitting station). The Chesterfield transmitter sits on a hillside to the north of the town and transmits digital television and radio services. Before the digital switchover, it was one of the few transmitters in the UK to transmit digital television but not analogue channel, Channel 5, and a number of its digital MUXES were transmitted on the same channels as Emley Moor so it was not uncommon for co-channel interference to be a problem; similar problems still exist with Sutton Coldfield and Waltham (see external links). These co-channel issues with Emley meant that its output was attenuated to the North.

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 8 November 2007, the transmitter has broadcast the Digital One DAB Multiplex. The plans for the upcoming NOW Derbyshire DAB multiplex which was due to start broadcasting by July 2008 (but now delayed) 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

Transmitted services

Analogue radio

Frequency kW[1] Service
89.0 MHz 0.4 BBC Radio 2
91.2 MHz 0.4 BBC Radio 3
93.4 MHz 0.4 BBC Radio 4
94.7 MHz 0.4 BBC Radio Sheffield
98.6 MHz 0.4 BBC Radio 1
107.4 MHz 0.1 Peak FM

Digital radio

Frequency Block kW Operator Notes
211.648 MHz 10B N/A NOW Derbyshire Awarded but yet to launch
222.064 MHz 11D 1 Digital One
225.648 MHz 12B 1 BBC

Analogue television

Analogue television signals are no longer transmitted from Chesterfield. BBC Two was switched off on 10 August 2011 and the remaining three on 24 August.

Frequency UHF kW[2] Service
487.25 MHz 23 2 ITV1
511.25 MHz 26 2 BBC Two
535.25 MHz 29 2 Channel 4
567.25 MHz 33 2 BBC One

Digital television

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 Chesterfield transmitter had its analogue services switched off on 10 & 24 August 2011. The frequencies for the digital muxes also changed, and the power for most muxes increased to 400W, apart from BBC B which increased to 800W.

Frequency UHF kW Operator
490.0 MHz 23 0.4 Digital 3&4
514.0 MHz 26 0.4 BBC A
538.0 MHz 29 0.8 BBC B
650.0 MHz 43 0.4 SDN
674.0 MHz 46 0.04 Arqiva A
706.0 MHz 50 0.04 Arqiva B

Before switchover

Frequency UHF kW Operator
578.2 MHz 34+ 0.04 BBC (Mux 1)
626.0 MHz 40 0.04 Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)
650.0 MHz 43 0.02 SDN (Mux A)
674.0 MHz 46 0.04 BBC (Mux B)
706.0 MHz 50 0.04 Arqiva (Mux C)
722.0 MHz 52 0.04 Arqiva (Mux D)

See also

References

  1. ^ Radio Listeners Guide 2010
  2. ^ Television Viewers Guide 2009

External links