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Angus transmitting station

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Coordinates: 56°33′18″N 2°59′10″W / 56.555°N 2.986111°W / 56.555; -2.986111
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Angus
Angus transmitting station is located in Angus
Angus transmitting station
Angus transmitting station (Angus)
Mast height229.5 metres (753 ft)
Coordinates56°33′18″N 2°59′10″W / 56.555°N 2.986111°W / 56.555; -2.986111
Grid referenceNO394407
BBC regionBBC Scotland
ITV regionSTV North
Base of transmitter and surrounding buildings seen close up. Other transmitters situated on adjacent Craigowl Hill can be seen in the distance.

The Angus transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated approximately five miles due north of Dundee, between the villages of Charleston and Tealing, Scotland (grid reference NO394407).[1] It includes a guyed steel lattice mast which is 229.5 metres (753 ft)[2] in height. Mounted at the top are the UHF television antennas, contained within a GRP shroud. These antennas have an average height above Ordnance Datum of 547 metres (1,795 ft).[3] It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

History

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It was constructed in 1965 by the ITA, having been chosen as a suitable site for high power colour UHF transmissions.

The construction contract was given to J. L. Eve Construction in April 1963, to be built at Harecairn by early 1964, for the Tayside area, but not Dundee, which had a separate relay station.[4][5][6]

The relay station was built by Laird Brothers, of Forfar, to open in the summer of 1964.[7]

The site would open in October 1965, with ITV on Channel 11.[8] It was built at Balcalk Hill.[9]

Opening

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The first broadcasts began on VHF channel 11 in black and white, from 13 October 1965[10] A new television production site in Dundee, was to be later built.[11]

Transmission

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Trade testing of BBC2 in colour began on Monday 14 July 1969, to go into full service on Monday 28 July 1969 on channel 68.[12]

BBC1 in colour began from Saturday 2 October 1971, for 300,000 viewers, six months early.[13]

In May 1972, the ITA announced that ITV would broadcast in colour from September 1972. ITV would go colour from Saturday 30 September 1972.[14][15]

Coverage area

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It covers parts of the Dundee City council area, eastern Perth and Kinross, southern Angus and north and east Fife. Reception is also possible in much of north and east Edinburgh and the coastal areas of East Lothian, as far along as the town of Dunbar.[16]

Relay transmitters

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Channels listed by frequency

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Analogue radio (FM VHF)

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Frequency kW[17] Service
H V
100.1 MHz 2.125 8.5 Classic FM
102.8 MHz 1 4 Tay FM

† Mixed polarisation.

Digital radio (DAB)

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Frequency Block kW Operator
218.640 MHz 11B 3 Score Dundee
222.064 MHz 11D 10 Digital One
225.648 MHz 12B 10 BBC National DAB

Television

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Analogue

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28 July 1969 – 1972
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Frequency UHF kW Service
807.25 MHz 63 100 BBC2 Scotland
1972 – November 1982
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Frequency UHF kW Service
759.25 MHz 57 100 BBC1 Scotland
783.25 MHz 60 100 Grampian
807.25 MHz 63 100 BBC2 Scotland
November 1982 – 14 November 1998
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Frequency UHF kW Service
727.25 MHz 53 100 Channel 4
759.25 MHz 57 100 BBC1 Scotland
783.25 MHz 60 100 Grampian
807.25 MHz 63 100 BBC2 Scotland

Analogue and digital

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15 November 1998 – 3 August 2010
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Digital terrestrial television was first transmitted from the Angus 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
727.25 MHz 53 100 Channel 4 PAL System I
753.833 MHz 56- 2 Arqiva (Mux C) DVB-T
759.25 MHz 57 100 BBC One Scotland PAL System I
777.833 MHz 59- 4 SDN (Mux A) DVB-T
783.25 MHz 60 100 STV (North) (Grampian) PAL System I
801.833 MHz 62- 4 BBC (Mux B) DVB-T
807.25 MHz 63 100 BBC Two Scotland PAL System I
825.833 MHz 65- 2 Arqiva (Mux D) DVB-T
834.166 MHz 66+ 4 Digital 3&4 (Mux 2) DVB-T
850.000 MHz 68 4 BBC (Mux 1) DVB-T
4 August 2010 - 17 August 2010
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On 4 August 2010, BBC2 was switched off on UHF 63 and STV was switched from UHF 60 for its final weeks of service. Multiplex 1 on UHF 68 was closed and replaced by BBC A on UHF 60 (which had just been vacated by analogue STV). BBC A was transmitted at full power (20 kW) and in 64QAM, 8k carriers mode from the start.

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
727.25 MHz 53 100 Channel 4 PAL System I
753.833 MHz 56- 2 Arqiva (Mux C) DVB-T
759.25 MHz 57 100 BBC One Scotland PAL System I
777.833 MHz 59- 4 SDN (Mux A) DVB-T
786.000 MHz 60 20 BBC A DVB-T
801.833 MHz 62- 4 BBC (Mux B) DVB-T
807.25 MHz 63 100 STV (North) PAL System I
825.833 MHz 65- 2 Arqiva (Mux D) DVB-T
834.166 MHz 66+ 4 Digital 3&4 (Mux 2) DVB-T

Digital

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18 August 2010 to 16 April 2013
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Following the completion of analogue TV shutdown on 18 August 2010, Angus transmitted all of its higher powered multiplexes at 20 kW for PSB 1, 2 and 3, and 10 kW for COM 4, 5 and 6. From this date the frequency allocation was:

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
730.000 MHz 53 20 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
738.000 MHz 54 10 SDN DVB-T
762.000 MHz 57 20 BBC B DVB-T2
770.000 MHz 58 10 Arqiva A DVB-T
786.000 MHz 60 20 BBC A DVB-T
794.000 MHz 61 10 Arqiva B DVB-T
17 April 2013 to 26 November 2019
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Due to the clearance of the 800 MHz band, Arqiva B was moved from UHF 61 to UHF 49 and BBC A gained a negative offset. Also during this time, COM 7 and 8 and the Local TV multiplex launched.

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
690.000 MHz 48 1 Local TV DVB-T
698.000 MHz 49 10 Arqiva B DVB-T
730.000 MHz 53 20 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
738.000 MHz 54 10 SDN DVB-T
746.000 MHz 55 5 COM 7 DVB-T2
754.000 MHz 56 5 COM 8 DVB-T2
762.000 MHz 57 20 BBC B DVB-T2
770.000 MHz 58 10 Arqiva A DVB-T
785.833 MHz 60- 20 BBC A DVB-T
27 November 2019 to 24 June 2020
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Due to the clearance of the 700 MHz band, the following channels come into use:

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
570.000 MHz 33 10 SDN DVB-T
578.000 MHz 34 1 Local TV DVB-T
594.000 MHz 36 10 Arqiva A DVB-T
618.000 MHz 39 20 BBC A DVB-T
642.000 MHz 42 20 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
666.000 MHz 45 20 BBC B DVB-T2
690.000 MHz 48 10 Arqiva B DVB-T
746.000 MHz 55 5 COM 7 DVB-T2
754.000 MHz 56 5 COM 8 DVB-T2
25 June 2020 to Present
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Due to the clearance of UHF 56 (COM8), in the 700 MHz band, the following channels come into use:

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
570.000 MHz 33 10 SDN DVB-T
578.000 MHz 34 1 Local TV DVB-T
594.000 MHz 36 10 Arqiva A DVB-T
618.000 MHz 39 20 BBC A DVB-T
642.000 MHz 42 20 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
666.000 MHz 45 20 BBC B DVB-T2
690.000 MHz 48 10 Arqiva B DVB-T
746.000 MHz 55 5 COM 7 DVB-T2

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "BBC - Press Office - Dundee digital radio".
  2. ^ "Mb21 - the Transmission Gallery - Site Data". tx.mb21.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  3. ^ "BBC - Help receiving the BBC - TV transmitters". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 May 2006.
  4. ^ Brechin Advertiser Thursday 11 April 1963, page 8
  5. ^ Forfar Dispatch Thursday 11 April 1963, page 5
  6. ^ Broughty Ferry Guide Saturday 7 September 1963, page 9
  7. ^ Brechin Advertiser Thursday 19 September 1963, page 7
  8. ^ Arbroath Herald Friday 17 September 1965, page 14
  9. ^ Arbroath Herald Friday 8 October 1965, page 8
  10. ^ Forfar Dispatch Thursday 14 October 1965, page 4
  11. ^ Brechin Advertiser Thursday 14 October 1965, page 6
  12. ^ Broughty Ferry Guide Saturday 19 July 1969, page 5
  13. ^ Brechin Advertiser Thursday 30 September 1971, page 7
  14. ^ Brechin Advertiser Thursday 14 September 1972, page 7
  15. ^ Forfar Dispatch Thursday 14 September 1972, page 3
  16. ^ "Mb21 - Transmitter Information - Angus". tx.mb21.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  17. ^ Radio Listeners Guide 2010
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