- Caradon Hill transmitting station
Infobox UK Transmitter
name = Caradon Hill
Caradon Hill mast and towers
height = convert|237.7|m|ft|0
built =1961
demolished =
collapsed =
BBC =BBC South West
ITV = ITV WestcountryThe Caradon Hill transmitting station is a
broadcasting andtelecommunications facility onBodmin Moor in thecivil parish ofLinkinhorne , located inCaradon ,Cornwall ,United Kingdom . It is 6 km north ofLiskeard , and 1.25 km south-east ofMinions , the highest village in Cornwall (gbmapping|SX273707). Built in 1961, the station includes a convert|237.7|m|ft|lk=on guyed steel lattice mast [cite web|url=http://publicaccess.caradon.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?keyval=JI1CCREB02S00&searchtype=PROPERTY&module=|title=Caradon District Council planning application|date=2007-04-30] . The mean height for the television antennas is convert|603|m|ft above sea level [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/tv/tv_caradon.shtml|title=BBC Engineering Information] . The site has two smaller towers used for telecommunications and a wireless internet signal. It is owned and operated byArqiva .The South Caradon Copper Mine, 1 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
The station was built in 1961 by the
Independent Television Authority to bringITV toSouth West England for the first time. Inaugural broadcasts were from the ITV franchise holder for the area,Westward Television .405-line monochrome transmissions were on channel 12,Band III VHF . 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 colour
UHF television network, broadcastingBBC One ,BBC Two andWestward 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 with Redruth) was chosen as the site of the first commercial radio broadcasts in Cornwall, with
Pirate FM taking to the air on 11 March of that year.Coverage
Caradon Hill covers east and central
Cornwall , fromTruro and Falmouth in the west toPlymouth andBude in the east. It also reaches into westDevon , as far asBarnstaple ,Okehampton andSalcombe .Channels listed by frequency
* Analogue Radio (FM
VHF )
** 95.2 MHz -BBC Radio Cornwall
** 102.2 MHz -Pirate FM
** 105.1 MHz -Atlantic FM * Digital Radio multiplexes (DAB)
** 218.64 MHz (Block 11B) -NOW Cornwall Multiplex
** 222.06 MHz (Block 11D) -Digital One
** 223.94 MHz (Block 12A) - South West Digital Radio Limited (UKRD and NOWdigital partnership) [http://www.radio-now.co.uk/news237.htm]
** 225.65 MHz (Block 12B) - BBC* Analogue Television (ERP 500 kW)
** UHF 22 -BBC One
** UHF 25 -ITV1
** UHF 28 -BBC Two
** UHF 32 -Channel 4 * Digital Television
** UHF 21 - Multiplex BBBC ERP 4 kW
** UHF 24 - Multiplex CNational Grid Wireless ERP 4 kW
** UHF 27 - Multiplex DNational Grid Wireless ERP 4 kW
** UHF 31 - Multiplex 2 ITV and CH4 transmitted byDigital 3 and 4 ERP 4 kW
** UHF 34 - Multiplex 1BBC ERP 5 kW
** UHF 48 - Multiplex A SDN ERP 4 kWReferences
ee also
*
List of masts
*List of tallest buildings and structures in Great Britain External links
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/caradonhill/index.php The Transmission Gallery: photographs and information]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/mapsys/anatv/caradonhill.shtml Television coverage map]
* [http://www.geocities.com/teammanley/Cornwall/CaradonHill.htm Coastal Landmarks information]
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