Caradon Hill transmitting station
 Caradon Hill mast and towers | |
  Caradon Hill transmitting station (Cornwall) | |
| Mast height | 237.7 metres (780 ft) |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°30′41″N4°26′12″W/ 50.511389°N 4.436667°W |
| Grid reference | SX273707 |
| Built | 1961 |
| BBC region | BBC South West |
| ITV region | ITV West Country |
TheCaradon Hill transmitting stationis a broadcasting and telecommunications facility onBodmin Moorin thecivil parishofLinkinhorne,located onCaradon Hill,Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) north ofLiskeard,and3⁄4mile (1.2 km) south-east ofMinions,the highest village in Cornwall (grid referenceSX273707). Built in 1961, the station includes a 237.7 metres (780 ft) guyed steel latticemast.[1]The mean height for the television antennas is 603 metres (1,978 ft) above sea level.[2]The site has a smaller towers used for telecommunications and a wireless internet signal. It is owned and operated byArqiva.
The South Caradon Copper Mine, 1,000 yards (0.91 km) to the SW of the transmitter, was the largest copper mine in the UK in its heyday, 150 years ago. Many other copper, tin and granite mines are scattered around the base of the hill.
History
[edit]The station was built in 1961 by theIndependent Television Authorityto bringITVtoSouth West Englandfor the first time. Inaugural broadcasts were from the ITV franchise holder for the area,Westward Television.405-linemonochrome transmissions were on channel 12,Band IIIVHF.The station was also the first in the area to broadcast television using Band III.
In 1969 it was chosen to become a main station in the new colourUHFtelevision network, broadcastingBBC1,BBC2andWestward Television.Both the UHF and VHF services continued in tandem until 1985, when VHF television was discontinued in the UK.
In 1992 Caradon Hill (along withRedruth) was chosen as the site of the first commercial radio broadcasts in Cornwall, withPirate FMtaking to the air on 3 April of that year.
Coverage
[edit]Caradon Hill covers east and centralCornwall,fromTruroandFalmouthin the west toPlymouthandBudein the east. It also reaches into north and westDevon,as far asBarnstaple,OkehamptonandSalcombe.
Digital switchover
[edit]Digital switchover began at Caradon Hill in the early hours of 12 August 2009. At approximately 1.15am the analogue BBC Two signal was switched off. The other analogue signals (BBC One, ITV and Channel 4) along with digital Multiplex 1 were then temporarily switched off in sequence. Between one and two hours later the analogue BBC One, ITV and Channel 4 signals were restored in sequence along with Multiplex 1 which was moved from UHF 34 to UHF 28 – analogue BBC Two's frequency.
The rest of the analogue signals were switched off permanently just after midnight on 9 September 2009. Once the digital signals were reshuffled to take advantage of the space left by the switched off analogue signals, they were then brought up to full power (digital signals were broadcast at a much lower power pre-switchover). This completed Caradon Hill's switchover to digital. This also completed the West Country region's digital switchover.
Freeview HD
[edit]Freeview HDbecame available on UHF 22 on 11 June 2010. All four main HD channels –BBC HD,BBC One HD,ITV1 HDandChannel 4 HD– are available.
Channels listed by frequency
[edit]
Analogue radio (FM VHF)
[edit]| Frequency | kW[3] | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 95.2MHz | 4.3 | BBC Radio Cornwall |
| 102.2 MHz | 2.5 | Greatest Hits Radio |
| 105.1 MHz | 2.5 | Heart West |
Digital radio (DAB)
[edit]| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 216.928 MHz | 11A | TBC | SDL National |
| 218.640 MHz | 11B | 5 | Cornwall |
| 222.064 MHz | 11D | 2 | D1 National |
| 225.648 MHz | 12B | 2.5 | BBC National DAB |
Digital television[edit]
|
Before switchover[edit]
|
Additional Digital Television
[edit]Prior to 19 June 2019, Caradon Hill used to broadcast two additional multiplexes. This is due to the clearance of the 700 MHz frequency band.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 554.000MHz | 31 | 11.57 | COM7 HD | DVB-T2 |
| 602.000MHz | 37 | 1.9 | COM8 HD | DVB-T2 |
Analogue television
[edit]Analogue television is no longer transmitted from Caradon Hill. BBC2 was closed on 12 August 2009 and the remaining three services on 9 September.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 479.25MHz | 22 | 500 | BBC1 South West |
| 503.25MHz | 25 | 500 | Westcountry |
| 527.25MHz | 28 | 500 | BBC2 South West |
| 559.25MHz | 32 | 500 | Channel 4 |
See also
[edit]
- List of masts
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Great Britain
- Redruth transmitting station
- North Hessary Tor transmitting station
References
[edit]- ^"Caradon District Council planning application".30 April 2007.[permanent dead link]
- ^"BBC Engineering Information".Archived fromthe originalon 17 January 2009.Retrieved29 April2008.
- ^Radio Listeners Guide 2010
- ^Television Viewers Guide 2009
External links
[edit]