The Tacolneston transmitting station is a facility for both analogue and digital VHF/FM radio and UHF television transmission near Tacolneston, 11 miles (18 km) south-west of Norwich, Norfolk, England.
 165m (pre-DSO) mast at Tacolneston | |
  Tacolneston transmitting station (Norfolk) | |
| Location | Wymondham Road, Tacolneston, Norfolk |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°31′04″N 1°08′20″E / 52.517778°N 1.138889°E |
| Grid reference | TM131958 |
| Built | 1954, August 1956 |
| BBC region | BBC East |
| ITV region | ITV Anglia |
| Local TV service | That's Norfolk |
| Digital switchover | 9 November 2011 / 23 November 2011 |
It includes a 206.1 metres (676 ft) tall guyed steel lattice mast, which was built between 2009 and 2012, and previously a 149.0 metres (489 ft) tall guyed steel lattice mast, which was built in 1956 (completed in late September/early October that year). On top of the current mast is located the UHF television transmitting antenna, which brings the overall height of the structure to 206.1 metres (676 ft) (the overall height of the previous mast being 165.0 metres (541 ft)).[1]
The transmitter provides broadcast television and radio services to Norfolk and north Suffolk. However, northwestern parts of Norfolk including King's Lynn and Wells-next-the-Sea receive better TV signals from the Belmont TV transmitter situated in north Lincolnshire but the local relay transmitters in both towns are transmitted from the Tacolneston transmitter. [2] [3]
History
editConstruction
editThe station's original mast, built from early 1954, was 61 metres (200 ft) tall and first broadcast television transmissions, albeit temporarily, from 1 February 1955.[4][5]
VHF (FM) radio broadcasts began on a test basis from 22 December 1956, in order to allow East Anglia to receive programmes on VHF over the Christmas period.[6] The BBC Light Programme was not available during this test phase, and there were warnings that the service would occasionally be interrupted for engineering reasons.[6]
The main structure was built by J. L. Eve Construction in August 1956, for the new BBC East region. The Peterborough BBC mast was the same height and shape as Tacolneston, built in October 1959, and carried BBC television, before Sandy Heath.
In February 1958, the ITA was looking to put a Anglia transmitter, possibly at either Tacolneston, Snetterton, or Mendlesham in central Suffolk.[7]
Transmissions
editThe station began broadcasting regular programmes from Norwich purely for East Anglian audiences on the Midlands Home Service from Tuesday 5 February 1957,[8] and the transmitter went to full power for VHF from 6.35pm on Tuesday 30 April 1957.[9]
TV regular broadcasts were from Monday 8 October 1956. On Monday 9 June 1958 the TV transmitter strength was doubled. On Tuesday 12 August 1958 it had the first local broadcast, a 25 minute programme on Snetterton racing track.
The transmission site is located at 52° 31' 3.9" North, 1° 8' 19.3" East[10] (National Grid Reference: TM131958[11]). In July 1989, it was reported that the transmitting station cost almost £500,000 a year to run.[12]
Arqiva (formerly National Grid Wireless) announced, on 6 August 2007,[13][14] that they plan to replace the current 165 metres (541 ft) mast with a new 206.1 metres (676 ft)[1] mast in order to ensure good digital TV reception across East Anglia after digital switchover, which took place in the area in November 2011. Arqiva also plan to replace the original transmitter hall at this site as it has now reached the end of its useful life.[15][16] Work has been completed on the new structure, and for the moment there will be three structures (two masts and a lattice tower) on the site. The old 165m mast is expected to start being dismantled in 2013.
Structure
editThe current mast has an average height of 221 metres above sea level.[17] It is now owned and operated by Arqiva, but was owned by the BBC before they privatised their transmission department prior to 1997.
Radio services listed by frequency
editAnalogue radio (FM VHF)
edit| Frequency (MHz) | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 89.7 | 125 (V) + 125 (H) | BBC Radio 2 |
| 91.9 | 125 (V) + 125 (H) | BBC Radio 3 |
| 94.1 | 125 (V) + 125 (H) | BBC Radio 4 |
| 99.3 | 125 (V) + 125 (H) | BBC Radio 1 |
| 101.5 | 125 (V) + 125 (H) | Classic FM |
Digital radio (DAB)
edit| Frequency (MHz) | Block | kW[18] | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 218.640 | 11D | 1.4 | Digital One |
| 225.648 | 12B | 5 | BBC National DAB |
Television services listed by frequency
editDigital television
editDigital transmissions became at least ten times stronger in power after the digital switchover (DSO), and their frequencies were reorganised.[19]
| Frequency (MHz) | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 618.000 MHz | 39 | 100 | Arqiva B | DVB-T |
| 626.000 MHz | 40 | 100 | BBC A | DVB-T |
| 642.000 MHz | 42 | 100 | SDN | DVB-T |
| 650.000 MHz | 43 | 100 | D3+4 | DVB-T |
| 666.000 MHz | 45 | 100 | Arqiva A | DVB-T |
| 674.000 MHz | 46 | 100 | BBC B | DVB-T2 |
At Tacolneston, extra HD muxes are being broadcast on UHF 55 and UHF 56, along with a local TV service (That's Norfolk) using an interleaved frequency on UHF 32 (QPSK 8K 3/4 8.0 Mbit/s).
| Frequency (MHz) | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 562.000 MHz | 32 | 10 | LNR | DVB-T |
| 746.000 MHz | 55 | 18 | Com 7 | DVB-T2 |
Before switchover
edit| Frequency (MHz) | UHF | kW[20] | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 730.166 MHz | 53+ | 5 | SDN (Mux A) |
| 769.833 MHz | 58- | 5 | BBC (Mux B) |
| 786.000 MHz | 60 | 10 | Digital 3&4 (Mux 2) |
| 794.000 MHz | 61 | 5 | Arqiva (Mux C) |
| 810.000 MHz | 63 | 10 | BBC (Mux 1) |
| 818.000 MHz | 64 | 5 | Arqiva (Mux D) |
Analogue television
editTacolneston switched to digital-only television transmissions in November 2011;[21] analogue BBC Two transmissions ceased on 9 November, and two weeks later, on 23 November 2011,[21] the other four analogue channels ceased analogue transmissions.
| Frequency (MHz) | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 719.25 MHz | 52 | 4 | Channel 5 |
| 743.25 MHz | 55 | 250 | BBC2 East |
| 775.25 MHz | 59 | 250 | Anglia |
| 799.25 MHz | 62 | 250 | BBC1 East |
| 823.25 MHz | 65 | 250 | Channel 4 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b South Norfolk District Council planning application, January 2008
- ^ "Freeview Light on the Kings Lynn (Norfolk, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
- ^ "Freeview Light on the Wells next the Sea (Norfolk, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
- ^ "Eastern Daily Press". Eastern Counties Newspapers (Archant). 15 August 1997.
- ^ Suffolk and Essex Free Press Wednesday 26 January 1955, page 4
- ^ a b "East Anglia has VHF for Christmas". Eastern Daily Press. Eastern Counties Newspapers. 22 December 1956. p. 5.
- ^ Peterborough Evening Telegraph Thursday 20 February 1958, page 4
- ^ "TV and Radio - Clumsy Drama". Eastern Daily Press. Eastern Counties Newspapers. 6 February 1957. p. 5.
On the radio, the first special VHF programme for East Anglia only was presented from 6.35 to 6.45.
- ^ "Eastern Daily Press". Eastern Counties Newspapers. 1 May 1957.
- ^ "Zoom Earth". Zoom Earth, formerly Flash Earth. Neave.com. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ^ Television Transmitting Stations Handbook. BBC & ITC. January 1994.
- ^ "Eastern Daily Press". Eastern Counties Newspapers (Archant). 11 July 1989. p. 9.
- ^ "Eastern Evening News". Retrieved 17 August 2007.
- ^ "Eastern Daily Press". Archant Newspapers. 7 August 2007.
- ^ "MB21 Transmission Gallery (News)". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 17 August 2007.
- ^ "Internet Archive (MB21 Transmission Gallery News)". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
- ^ Civil Aviation Authority. "Radar Vector Areas in UK Airspace" (PDF). p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 December 2004. Retrieved 29 November 2006.
- ^ Radio Listeners Guide 2010
- ^ "Ofcom - DSO Transmitter Details: Anglia Region" (PDF). Retrieved 30 September 2010.
- ^ Television Viewers guide 2009
- ^ a b "Digital UK - Tacolneston". Retrieved 30 September 2010.