Strabane transmitting station
 | |
  Strabane  Limavady | |
| Mast height | 305.5 metres (1,002 ft) |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 54°47′58″N7°23′19″W/ 54.7994°N 7.3886°W |
| Grid reference | H393947 |
| Built | 1963 |
| Relay of | Limavady |
| BBC region | BBC Northern Ireland |
| ITV region | UTV |
TheStrabane transmitting stationis abroadcastingandtelecommunicationsfacility located at Legfordrum and situated very close to the town ofStrabane,inCounty Tyrone,Northern Ireland(Grid Reference: H393947, GNR: IH393947). It is owned and operated byArqiva.
It includes a 305.5 metres (1,002 ft) highguyed steel lattice mast,which isthe tallest structure in Ireland.The transmissionantennassurmounting the structure are contained within a fibreglass cylinder. Constructed in 1963, it came into service on 18 February of that year.
History[edit]
It was originally commissioned by theIndependent Television Authorityto bring ITV signals (provided byUlster Television) to the west of Northern Ireland, including the districts ofDerryandEnniskillenon405-lineVHF,using Channel 8 (Band III). The transmitter commenced full service on Monday 18 February 1963.[1]405 line television was discontinued in the UK in 1985.
WhenUHFtelevision came to Northern Ireland, main transmitters were commissioned atLimavadyand Brougher Mountain, nearOmagh.However this left a gap in the Strabane andNewtownstewartareas, so in July 1977 UHF television was added to the Strabane site. Due to the elevation of the antennas (584 m above sea level), a 2kWeffective radiated powerwas sufficient to cover a very wide area, withcoverageavailable well intoCounty Donegal.
In 2001, the site was installed with a transmitter for Score Northern Ireland, a regional digital radiomultiplex.
Digital switchovertook place in Northern Ireland in October 2012, when analogue TV transmissions from this station were replaced by digital transmissions. Thecoveragearea is approximately the same as the analogue services, and there are three digital multiplexes transmitted.
Services listed by frequency[edit]
Digital radio (DAB)[edit]
| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 229.072 MHz | 12D | 5 | Bauer Northern Ireland[2] |
Digital television Until 04/09/2019[edit]
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 618.166MHz | 39+ | 0.4 | BBCB | DVB-T2 |
| 642.000MHz | 42 | 0.4 | Digital 3&4 | DVB-T |
| 666.000MHz | 45 | 0.4 | BBCA | DVB-T |
Digital television After 04/09/2019[edit]
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 562.000MHz | 32 | 0.4 | BBCA | DVB-T |
| 578.000MHz | 34 | 0.4 | Digital 3&4 | DVB-T |
| 586.166MHz | 35+ | 0.4 | BBCB | DVB-T2 |
| 626.000MHz | 40 | 0.4 | NIMM | DVB-T2 |
Analogue television[edit]
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 615.25 MHz | 39 | 2 | BBC One Northern Ireland |
| 639.25 MHz | 42 | 2 | Channel 4 |
| 663.25 MHz | 45 | 2 | BBC Two Northern Ireland |
| 695.25 MHz | 49 | 2 | UTV |
See also[edit]
- List of masts
- List of tallest structures in the United Kingdom
- List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
References[edit]
- ^"TheBigTower Strabane Transmitter".Archivedfrom the original on 7 April 2016.Retrieved26 September2021.
- ^Radio Listeners Guide 2010 Edition