Mendip transmitting station

The Mendip transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility on the summit of Pen Hill, part of the Mendip Hills range in Somerset, England, at 305 metres (1,001 ft) above sea level. The station is in St Cuthbert Out civil parish in Mendip district, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of the centre of Wells. It has a 281.6 metres (924 ft) tall mast, which was built in 1967 and weighs around 500 tonnes, and is the tallest structure in South West England. The mast broadcasts digital television, FM analogue radio and DAB digital radio, and had broadcast analogue colour television from 1967 until 2010. It has become a Mendip landmark, providing a method of identifying the hills from a distance.

Mendip
The Mendip UHF television mast
Mendip transmitting station (Somerset)
Mast height293 metres (961 ft)
Coordinates51.2370°N 2.6253°W / 51.2370; -2.6253
Grid referenceST564488
Built1967
BBC regionBBC West
ITV regionITV West
Local TV serviceMade in Bristol

Description

The station is owned and operated by Arqiva (which acquired National Grid Wireless, previously Crown Castle).

Until 2008 a GRP aerial cylinder, containing the analogue television transmitting antennas, was mounted at the top of the mast, bringing the total height of the structure to 305 metres (1,001 ft). With a mean height of 596 metres (1,955 ft) above sea level, these antennas were among the highest in the UK. They were removed in 2010, the antenna cylinder being replaced with a new antenna assembly, ready for digital switchover later that year. The present assembly is slightly shorter than the previous cylinder, causing the overall mast height to be reduced from 305 metres (1,001 ft) to 293 metres (961 ft).[1]

There are red aircraft warning lamps (six sets of two lights) on the mast and two lights on top. The lights were upgraded in February 2007[2] to comply with CAA 2000 Air Navigation Order, designed to prevent low flying aircraft from hitting the mast. The mast was repainted during 2007.

The mast can be seen from as far away as Puriton during the day and the red aircraft warning lights make it visible at night from pretty much anywhere on the Somerset Levels.

Television

Mendip was configured as a C/D group transmitter when it entered service with analogue PAL transmissions. In July 2007, Ofcom confirmed that it would remain a C/D group transmitter at digital switchover. The mast broadcasts digital television over a large area of the west of England, including Somerset, Wiltshire, North Somerset, Bath and North-East Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, southern Gloucestershire, northern Dorset and East Devon.

Cardiff and other parts of southeast Wales were also able to receive the analogue TV transmissions from Mendip,[3] and many households used it in preference to their more local Wenvoe transmitter which carries the Wales variations of BBC One, BBC Two, and ITV. This was originally because the Wenvoe transmitter broadcast S4C (with programs in Welsh and some prime-time English programs from Channel 4 scheduled at much later times) rather than Channel 4 itself. Even after digital switchover when transmitters in Wales also began to broadcast Channel 4 in addition to S4C, some households continued with their preference for the West variations of BBC One, BBC Two, and ITV, and having Channel 4 (not S4C) as number 4 on the electronic program guide.

Power on analogue transmissions was 500 kW (ERP) for BBC 1, BBC2, HTV West, Channel 4, and 126 kW (ERP) for Channel 5. The latter was transmitted outside of the original C/D grouping of the transmitter but most homes in reasonable signal areas for the C/D group could receive it with their C/D group aerial. All six digital multiplexes were transmitted at 10 kW until switchover in 2010 when the power on the "BBC A", "BBC B/HD" and "D3&4" multiplexes was boosted to 100 kW. In 2011, SDN was boosted to 50 kW and in 2012 the remaining two Arqiva multiplexes were boosted to 50 kW too.

In June 2019, as part of the 700MHz clearance programme, Mendip became K group (excluding muxes 7 and 8, which are due to be switched off between 2020 and 2022). This means that homes in poor signal areas which still have a C/D group aerial may have difficulty in receiving all multiplexes.[4]

Mendip's population coverage is around 1.5 million, although some homes in the immediate vicinity, such as those in Cheddar, are unable to receive a signal due to being in the shadow of the Mendip Hills and therefore depend on local relays.

Radio

Mendip broadcasts FM (analogue VHF) radio for BBC Somerset and the Severn Estuary regional service Kiss 101. Mendip also transmits high power Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) signals for the Digital One, Sound Digital and BBC National DAB multiplexes, using a directional antenna for the South East Wales local DAB multiplex to improve coverage in parts of the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff that are in the Wenvoe Transmitting Station's broadcast shadow. An additional DAB multiplex, MuxCo Somerset, was awarded a licence in 2008 to broadcast local and national services to Somerset, and began transmission in 2014.[5]

Output

Analogue

Kiss 101 is a strong directional beam towards South Wales and the Brecon Beacons.

Frequency kW[6] Service
95.5 MHz 5 BBC Somerset
101.0 MHz 40 Kiss 101
102.6 MHz 4 Heart Somerset

Digital

South East Wales digital radio is broadcast as the Mendip site is well placed to provide coverage to the area and the coastline of Wales.

Frequency Block kW[7] Operator
211.648 MHz 10B 1.2 MuxCo Somerset
216.928 MHz 11A Sound Digital Limited
222.064 MHz 11D 5 Digital One
225.648 MHz 12B 5 BBC National DAB
1 December 1969 – 11 May 1970
Frequency UHF kW Service
815.25 MHz 64 500 BBC2
11 May 1970 – 30 May 1970
Frequency UHF kW Service
767.25 MHz 58 500 BBC1
815.25 MHz 64 500 BBC2
30 May 1970 – 2 November 1982
Frequency UHF kW Service
767.25 MHz 58 500 BBC1
791.25 MHz 61 500 HTV West
815.25 MHz 64 500 BBC2
2 November 1982 – 30 March 1997
Frequency UHF kW Service
735.25 MHz 54 500 Channel 4
767.25 MHz 58 500 BBC1
791.25 MHz 61 500 HTV West
815.25 MHz 64 500 BBC2
30 March 1997 – 15 November 1998
Frequency UHF kW Service
599.25 MHz 37 126 Channel 5
735.25 MHz 54 500 Channel 4
767.25 MHz 58 500 BBC One
791.25 MHz 61 500 HTV West
815.25 MHz 64 500 BBC Two
15 November 1998 – 24 March 2010

Digital terrestrial television was first transmitted from the Mendip mast from 15 November 1998 using the frequency gaps between the analogue TV broadcasts. To limit interference to the analogue transmissions, power output on the digital multiplexes was low.

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
599.25 MHz 37 126 Channel 5 PAL System I
735.25 MHz 54 500 Channel 4 PAL System I
746.166 MHz 55+ 10 Digital 3&4 (Mux 2) DVB-T
754.166 MHz 56+ 10 Arqiva (Mux C) DVB-T
767.25 MHz 58 500 BBC One PAL System I
778.166 MHz 59+ 10 BBC (Mux 1) DVB-T
791.25 MHz 61 500 ITV1 (HTV West until 2002) PAL System I
802.166 MHz 62+ 10 SDN (Mux A) DVB-T
815.25 MHz 64 500 BBC Two PAL System I
826.166 MHz 65+ 10 BBC (Mux B) DVB-T
842.000 MHz 67 10 Arqiva (Mux D) DVB-T
24 March 2010 – 7 April 2010

On 24 March 2010 BBC Two was switched off on UHF 64 and ITV1 was switched from UHF 61 for its final weeks of service. Multiplex 1 on UHF 59+ was closed and replaced by BBC A on UHF 61 (which had just been vacated by analogue ITV1). BBC A was transmitted at full power (100 kW) and in 64QAM, 8k carriers mode from the start.

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
599.25 MHz 37 126 Channel 5 PAL System I
735.25 MHz 54 500 Channel 4 PAL System I
746.166 MHz 55+ 10 Digital 3&4 (Mux 2) DVB-T
754.166 MHz 56+ 10 Arqiva (Mux C) DVB-T
767.25 MHz 58 500 BBC One PAL System I
794.000 MHz 61 100 BBC A DVB-T
802.166 MHz 62+ 10 SDN (Mux A) DVB-T
815.25 MHz 64 500 ITV1 PAL System I
826.166 MHz 65+ 10 BBC (Mux B) DVB-T
842.000 MHz 67 10 Arqiva (Mux D) DVB-T
7 April 2010 – 28 September 2011

Following the completion of analogue TV shutdown on 7 April 2010, Mendip transmitted all of its higher powered multiplexes at 100 kW. From this date until the second-stage switchover of 28 September 2011 the frequency allocation was:

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
738.000 MHz 54 100 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
754.166 MHz 56+ 10 Arqiva A DVB-T
770.000 MHz 58 100 BBC B DVB-T2
794.000 MHz 61 100 BBC A DVB-T
802.166 MHz 62+ 10 SDN DVB-T
842.000 MHz 67 26 Arqiva B DVB-T
28 September 2011 – 28 March 2012

With the completion of digital switchover at Oxford, all multiplexes could be moved to their final channel allocations with the exception of Arqiva A. SDN increased to half its full power output (50 kW).

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
690.000 MHz 48 50 SDN DVB-T
722.000 MHz 52 25.7 Arqiva B DVB-T
738.000 MHz 54 100 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
770.000 MHz 58 100 BBC B DVB-T2
794.000 MHz 61 100 BBC A DVB-T
842.000 MHz 67 26 Arqiva A DVB-T
28 March 2012 – 26 March 2013

On 28 March 2012 Arqiva A moved to its final channel allocation at UHF 56, after the completion of digital switchover at Salisbury. Arqiva A and B and SDN also increased to full power (100 kW) on this date.[8]

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
690.000 MHz 48 100 SDN DVB-T
722.000 MHz 52 100 Arqiva B DVB-T
738.000 MHz 54 100 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
754.000 MHz 56 100 Arqiva A DVB-T
770.000 MHz 58 100 BBC B DVB-T2
794.000 MHz 61 100 BBC A DVB-T
27 March 2013 – 27 February 2018

BBC A moved from UHF 61 to UHF 49 to allow for the clearance of the 800 MHz band for 4G LTE mobile services.[9][10]

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
690.000 MHz 48 100 SDN DVB-T
698.000 MHz 49 100 BBC A DVB-T
722.000 MHz 52 100 Arqiva B DVB-T
738.000 MHz 54 100 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
754.000 MHz 56 100 Arqiva A DVB-T
770.000 MHz 58 100 BBC B DVB-T2
27 February 2018 - 4 April 2019

Arqiva A has moved from UHF 56 to UHF 33 for the start of the 700MHz clearance programme at Mendip.

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
570.000 MHz 33 100 Arqiva A DVB-T
690.000 MHz 48 100 SDN DVB-T
698.000 MHz 49 100 BBC A DVB-T
722.000 MHz 52 100 Arqiva B DVB-T
738.000 MHz 54 100 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
770.000 MHz 58 100 BBC B DVB-T2
4 April 2019 – 5 June 2019

BBC A has moved from UHF 49 to UHF 32 as part of the 700MHz clearance programme at Mendip.

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
562.000 MHz 32 100 BBC A DVB-T
570.000 MHz 33 100 Arqiva A DVB-T
690.000 MHz 48 100 SDN DVB-T
722.000 MHz 52 100 Arqiva B DVB-T
738.000 MHz 54 100 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
770.000 MHz 58 100 BBC B DVB-T2
5 June 2019 - Present

Digital 3&4 has moved from UHF 54 to UHF 34, and BBC B have moved as well from UHF 58 to UHF 35 as part of the 700MHz clearance programme at Mendip. Many Welsh residents also prefer Mendip's service to the Wenvoe service as it provides a stronger signal to the coastline and areas in the shadow of the Wenvoe mast.

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
562.000 MHz 32 100 BBC A DVB-T
570.000 MHz 33 100 Arqiva A DVB-T
578.000 MHz 34 100 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
586.000 MHz 35 100 BBC B DVB-T2
594.000 MHz 36 100 Arqiva B DVB-T
690.000 MHz 48 100 SDN DVB-T

See also

References
  1. "Mendip". The Big Tower. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  2. http://www.cheddarvalleygazette.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=216909&command=displayContent&sourceNode=216903&contentPK=16636764&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=filtersearch%5B%5D
  3. "UHF Analogue TV Transmitters - Mendip". mb21 UK Broadcast Transmission. Mike Brown. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  4. "Mendip Transmitter". A.T.V. Poles, Brackets, Clamps & Aerials. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  5. "South West England and Wales" (PDF). Frequency Finder. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  6. Radio Listeners Guide 2010
  7. Radio Listeners Guide 2010
  8. http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/special_editions/Special_edition-installers_Mendip_retune_event_March2012_Final_rev23March.pdf
  9. Butterworth, Brian (13 January 2012). "2013 - post-switchover changes to Freeview transmission frequencies". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  10. http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch/west
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