Tacolneston transmitting station

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The Tacolneston transmitting station is a facility for both analogue and digital VHF/FM radio and UHF television transmission near Tacolneston, 11 miles southwest of Norwich, Norfolk, England.

It uses a 154 metre (505 foot)^[1]. tall guyed mast, which was built in 1956 (completed in late September/early October that year). The original mast, built from early 1954, was 61 metres (200 feet) tall and first broadcast television transmissions, albeit temporary, from February 1955^[2] and VHF (FM) broadcasts from 6.35pm on Tuesday 30 April 1957^[3].

The transmission site is located at 52° 31′ 3.9″ North, 1° 8' 19.3" East^[4] (National Grid Reference: TM131958^[5]). In July 1989 it was reported that the transmitting station cost almost £500,000 a year to run^[6].

The current mast has an average height of 221 metres above sea level^[7]. It is now owned and operated by National Grid Wireless, but was owned by the British Broadcasting Corporation before they privatised their transmission department prior to 1997.

1 Frequencies
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Frequencies

Television

Format of details: channel - station - polarisation (ERP power) - additional notes

Analogue
UHF Ch. 52 - Five                  - Horizontal (4 kW)   - came on air on Sun 30 March 1997
UHF Ch. 55 - BBC Two (East Region) - Horizontal (250 kW)
UHF Ch. 59 - ITV 1 Anglia          - Horizontal (250 kW) - from this site on 1 October 1970
UHF Ch. 62 - BBC One (East Region) - Horizontal (250 kW)
UHF Ch. 65 - Channel 4             - Horizontal (250 kW) - came on air on Tue 2 November 1982

Digital
UHF Ch. 53 - MUX A (SDN)         - Horizontal (5 kW)
UHF Ch. 58 - MUX B (BBC)         - Horizontal (5 kW)
UHF Ch. 60 - MUX 2 (ITV/Ch.4)    - Horizontal (10 kW)
UHF Ch. 61 - MUX C (NGW)         - Horizontal (5 kW)
UHF Ch. 63 - MUX 1 (BBC)         - Horizontal (10 kW)
UHF Ch. 64 - MUX D (NGW)         - Horizontal (5 kW)

VHF/FM Radio

Format of details: frequency - station - polarisation (ERP power) - additional notes

Analogue
 89.7 MHz - BBC Radio 2       - Mixed (250 kW) - from 30 September 1967 (formerly Light Programme)
 91.9 MHz - BBC Radio 3       - Mixed (250 kW) - from 30 September 1967 (formerly Third Programme)
 94.1 MHz - BBC Radio 4       - Mixed (250 kW) - from 30 September 1967 (formerly Home Service)
 99.3 MHz - BBC Radio 1       - Mixed (250 kW) - came on air at 8am on Tuesday 19 December 1989
101.5 MHz - INR1 (Classic FM) - Mixed (250 kW) - came on air at 6am on Monday 7 September 1992

*95.1 MHz - BBC Radio Norfolk - Mixed (5.7 kW) - 11 September 1980 to early 2000.
*Now from Stoke Holy Cross site

Digital
225.648 MHz - BBC MPX (Block 12B)     - Vertical (5 kW) - came on air on 24 November 2003
218.640 MHz - Now Digital (Block 11D) - Vertical (1.4 kW)

[edit] References

^ (January 1994) Television Transmitting Stations Handbook. BBC & ITC.
^ "Eastern Daily Press", Eastern Counties Newspapers (Archant), August 15, 1997.
^ "Eastern Daily Press", Eastern Counties Newspapers, May 1, 1957.
^ Flash Earth. Retrieved on November 29, 2006.
^ (January 1994) Television Transmitting Stations Handbook. BBC & ITC.
^ "Eastern Daily Press", Eastern Counties Newspapers (Archant), July 11, 1989, p. 9.
^ Civil Aviation Authority. Radar Vector Areas in UK Airspace (PDF). Retrieved on November 29, 2006.