Craigkelly transmitting station

Craigkelly
Tower height 125 metres (410 ft)
Coordinates 56°04′19″N 3°13′59″W / 56.07194°N 3.23319°W / 56.07194; -3.23319Coordinates: 56°04′19″N 3°13′59″W / 56.07194°N 3.23319°W / 56.07194; -3.23319
Grid reference NT233872
Built 1971
BBC region BBC Scotland
ITV region STV Central
Local TV service STV Edinburgh

The Craigkelly transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located at Craigkelly (grid reference NT233872) north of the Firth of Forth above the town of Burntisland in Fife, Scotland. It has a 125-metre tall free-standing lattice tower.

The station came into service in 1968 to improve coverage of BBC 2 to the Edinburgh area, which has a number of hills blocking good reception from Black Hill. In September 1971 it also started broadcasting BBC1 and STV on 625 lines in colour and though considered a 'main' station, it actually rebroadcast the signal from Black Hill, like a relay. Nowadays its tower also carries antennas for many broadcasting and private radio organisations. This structure was previously used at Emley Moor.[1]

The transmitter was originally an A group but has become a K group (or wideband) with the advent of Channel 5 and Digital. Craigkelly is one of the few main transmitters which didn't return to its original group at DSO. In fact after the switchover even less of its Digital output is receivable on an A group aerial than before. The three PSB multiplexes are still receivable on an A group as this graph shows.

The tower can be clearly seen from many parts of Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth on its prominent position atop the hill known as The Binn.

Transmitted services

Analogue radio

Frequency kW[2] Service
97.3 MHz 9.8 Forth 1
101.1 MHz 10 Heart Scotland
104.1 MHz 5 BBC Radio nan Gaidheal
105.7 MHz 10 Capital Scotland

Digital radio

Frequency Block kW Operator
227.060 MHz 12C 0.78 Switch Scotland
223.936 MHz 12A 6.8 Digital One
225.648 MHz 12B 5 BBC National DAB
229.072 MHz 12D 1 Bauer Edinburgh

Digital television

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
474.166 MHz 21+ 20 PSB3 (BBC B) DVB-T2
498.000 MHz 24 20 PSB2 (D3&4) DVB-T
522.000 MHz 27 20 PSB1 (BBC A) DVB-T
546.000 MHz 30 5 LTVmux DVB-T
570.000 MHz 33 9.3 COM7 (ARQ C) DVB-T2
578.000 MHz 34 3 COM8 (ARQ D) DVB-T2
618.166 MHz 39+ 10 COM6 (ARQ B) DVB-T
642.000 MHz 42 10 COM4 (SDN) DVB-T
666.000 MHz 45 10 COM5 (ARQ A) DVB-T

Before switchover

Frequency UHF kW Operator
489.833 MHz 23- 4 SDN (Mux A)
513.833 MHz 26- 4 BBC (Mux B)
538.000 MHz 29 4 Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)
570.000 MHz 33 4 BBC (Mux 1)
618.000 MHz 39 2 Arqiva (Mux D)
642.000 MHz 42 2 Arqiva (Mux C)

Analogue television

Analogue television transmissions ceased from Craigkelly on 15 June 2011.

Frequency UHF kW Service
471.25 MHz 21 100 Channel 4
495.25 MHz 24 100 STV
519.25 MHz 27 100 BBC Two Scotland
551.25 MHz 31 100 BBC One Scotland
687.25 MHz 48 4 Channel 5

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://tx.mb21.co.uk/emley/emley-early.php
  2. ↑ Radio Listeners Guide 2010

External links

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