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Blaenplwyf transmitting station

{{Short description|Telecommunication tower}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Infobox UK transmitter

|name = Blaenplwyf

|image = 250px

|map_name = Wales Ceredigion

|coordinates = {{coord|52.36|-4.101944|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

|height = {{convert|152|m|ft|0}}

|gridref=

|built =

|demolished =

|collapsed =

|BBC = BBC Wales

|ITV = ITV Cymru Wales

}}

The Blaenplwyf transmitting station (sometimes written "Blaen Plwyf" or "Blaen-Plwyf") is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located near the village of Blaenplwyf about {{convert|10|km|mi|0}} to the south west of the town of Aberystwyth, in Ceredigion, Wales ({{gbmapping|SN569756}}). It was originally built by the BBC, entering service in October 1956 acting as a main transmitter for BBC Band II VHF FM radio.

It had been planned that the BBC's 405-line VHF television service would commence on the same date, but delays at Rowridge{{cite web|url=http://www.thebigtower.com/live/Rowridge/141P21600403071.htm |title=Rowridge History |publisher=TheBigTower |access-date=28 May 2013}} caused the official switch-on to happen six months later on 29 April 1957.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22524&langtoken=eng |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901111457/http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22524&langtoken=eng |archive-date=1 September 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22525&langtoken=eng |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929001113/http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22525&langtoken=eng |archive-date=29 September 2011 |url-status=dead }} Blaenplwyf was considered a main transmitter for VHF television (despite radiating only 3 kW ERP) as it was fed from a microwave link from Mynydd Pencarreg just south of Lampeter.

The facility is now owned and operated by Arqiva.

The site has a {{convert|152|m|ft|0}} guyed steel lattice mast standing on land that is itself {{convert|175|m|ft|0}} above sea level. The television and radio broadcasts were originally designed to cover the majority of the Cardigan Bay coastline, the antennas being designed for maximum ERP to the north and to the south-west.

Blaenplwyf became a main transmitter for UHF analogue colour television from 1970 onwards, and was transmitting all three original UHF channels in colour from mid 1973.{{cite web |url=http://txlib.mb21.co.uk/main.php?g2_itemId=2209&g2_imageViewsIndex=3 |title=Welcome to the Gallery Upgrader |publisher=Txlib.mb21.co.uk |access-date=28 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531170842/http://txlib.mb21.co.uk/main.php?g2_itemId=2209&g2_imageViewsIndex=3 |archive-date=31 May 2014 |url-status=dead }}

It currently carries all six UK digital television multiplexes.

Services listed by frequency

=Analogue television=

==29 April 1957 – Summer 1970==

Newspaper articles{{Cite web |url=http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22526&langtoken=eng |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929001016/http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22526&langtoken=eng |archive-date=29 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22527&langtoken=eng |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929001040/http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22527&langtoken=eng |archive-date=29 September 2011 |url-status=dead }} claimed that at launch, the television service would be 1 kW. The technical report from the BBC{{cite web|url=http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/reports/1958-30.pdf|department= Research Department |title=THE SERVICE AREA OF THE BLAEN-PLWYF TELEVISION TRANSMITTER|date=December 1958|publisher=BBC}} disagrees, pointing out that the mean ERP was 0.8 kW at launch, and was uprated to twice that value on 8 August 1958.

This report also points out that the signal had its maximum ERP lobe to the north, and that this had been 1.6 kW at launch and 3.2 kW after the power increase. Also, that the coastal towns to the south-west had been treated to the weakest ERP (0.5 kW at launch, 1.0 kW later). Amongst the effects of this were to leave the town of Cardigan with no signal.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}VHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System A|ch=3}}

|3

|1.6 (3.2 from August 1958)

|BBC Television

==Summer 1970 – 7 May 1973==

BBC2 625-line UHF colour television services came to Blaenplwyf in 1970 (early for Wales). VHF television continued as before. The service area for UHF however was designed to cover more of inland mid Wales than the VHF service had been.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}VHF

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System A|ch=3}}

|3

|—

|3

|BBC1 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=27}}

|—

|27

|100

|BBC2 Wales

==7 May 1973 – 1 November 1982==

A full (3-channel) 625-line UHF colour television service was in operation from Blaenplwyf as of 1973 with the introduction of the HTV Wales service.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}VHF

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System A|ch=3}}

|3

|—

|3

|BBC1 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=24}}

|—

|24

|100

|HTV Wales

{{UK System I|ch=27}}

|—

|27

|100

|BBC2 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=31}}

|—

|31

|100

|BBC1 Wales

==1 November 1982 – January 1985==

The launch of Channel 4 (S4C in Wales) took the UHF capabilities of the site to its design maximum. Being in Wales, this transmitter radiated the S4C variant.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}VHF

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System A|ch=3}}

|3

|—

|3

|BBC1 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=21}}

|—

|21

|100

|S4C

{{UK System I|ch=24}}

|—

|24

|100

|HTV Wales

{{UK System I|ch=27}}

|—

|27

|100

|BBC2 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=31}}

|—

|31

|100

|BBC1 Wales

==January 1985 – 30 March 1997==

28 years of VHF television from this site came to an end in 1985 as the entire 405-line VHF TV system was switched off across the UK. Blaenplwyf continued with its four UHF channels.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System I|ch=21}}

|21

|100

|S4C

{{UK System I|ch=24}}

|24

|100

|HTV Wales

{{UK System I|ch=27}}

|27

|100

|BBC2 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=31}}

|31

|100

|BBC1 Wales

==30 March 1997 – 15 November 1998==

Despite the fact that the UK's UHF TV system had only been engineered for four TV channels, a fifth was added in 1997. In common with the situation across much of the UK, Blaenplwyf was forced to transmit this extra service well out-of-group and at low power compared with the main four.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System I|ch=21}}

|21

|100

|S4C

{{UK System I|ch=24}}

|24

|100

|HTV Wales

{{UK System I|ch=27}}

|27

|100

|BBC2 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=31}}

|31

|100

|BBC1 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=56}}

|56

|4

|Channel 5

=Analogue and digital television=

==15 November 1998 – 10 February 2010==

The UK's initial experimental digital television service was rolled out, using low power for the transmissions and interleaved with the analogue transmissions in an attempt to make the whole set receivable with the original aerial group.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

!{{no2}}System

{{UK System I|ch=21}}

|21

|100

|S4C

|PAL System I

{{UK DVB-T|ch=22|off=pos}}

|22+

|2

|Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=24}}

|24

|100

|HTV Wales

|PAL System I

{{UK DVB-T|ch=25|off=pos}}

|25+

|2

|SDN (Mux A)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=27}}

|27

|100

|BBC2 Wales

|PAL System I

{{UK DVB-T|ch=28|off=pos}}

|28+

|2

|BBC (Mux 1)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=29|off=pos}}

|29+

|1

|Arqiva (Mux C)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=31}}

|31

|100

|BBC1 Wales

|PAL System I

{{UK DVB-T|ch=32|off=pos}}

|32+

|2

|BBC (Mux B)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=33|off=pos}}

|33+

|1

|Arqiva (Mux D)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=56}}

|56

|4

|Channel 5

|PAL System I

==10 February 2010 – 10 March 2010==

Digital Switchover started at Blaenplwyf. The BBC2 analogue service on channel 27 was closed down after 40 years of service. Multiplex 1 from channel 28+ was also closed and the new BBC multiplex A commenced on channel 27 at its intended full power and using 64-QAM mode and 8k carriers from the start.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

!{{no2}}System

{{UK System I|ch=21}}

|21

|100

|S4C

|PAL System I

{{UK DVB-T|ch=22|off=pos}}

|22+

|2

|Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=24}}

|24

|100

|HTV Wales

|PAL System I

{{UK DVB-T|ch=25|off=pos}}

|25+

|2

|SDN (Mux A)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=27}}

|27

|40

|BBC A

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=29|off=pos}}

|29+

|1

|Arqiva (Mux C)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=31}}

|31

|100

|BBC1 Wales

|PAL System I

{{UK DVB-T|ch=32|off=pos}}

|32+

|2

|BBC (Mux B)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=33|off=pos}}

|33+

|1

|Arqiva (Mux D)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=56}}

|56

|4

|Channel 5

|PAL System I

=Digital television=

==10 March 2010 – present==

Digital switchover was completed, seeing the shutdown of all the remaining analogue TV services from this site. The new digital multiplexes took over the frequencies of the analogue services plus a few new ones.

class="wikitable sortable"
Frequency

!UHF

!kW

!Operator

{{UK DVB-T|ch=21|off=pos}}

|21+

|40

|BBC B

{{UK DVB-T|ch=22|off=pos}}

|22+

|10

|Arqiva A

{{UK DVB-T|ch=24}}

|24

|40

|Digital 3&4

{{UK DVB-T|ch=25}}

|25

|10

|SDN

{{UK DVB-T|ch=27}}

|27

|40

|BBC A

{{UK DVB-T|ch=28}}

|28

|10

|Arqiva B

=Analogue radio (FM VHF)=

==14 October 1956 – August 1968==

Blaenplwyf started transmitting VHF FM radio only a year and a half after the then-novel service was initiated in the UK.http://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/article-hell-bbc-broadcst.pdf{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} At launch, the service was from temporary transmitters using a temporary mast, but from 29 April 1957 the main transmitters came into service with antennas on the main mast. These transmitters were 60 kW each.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22523&langtoken=eng |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929001127/http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=22523&langtoken=eng |archive-date=29 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}

In 1960 the BBC published a technical report{{cite web|url=http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/reports/1960-24.pdf|title=The Service Areas of the Llandona, Llangollen and Blaen-Plwyf V.H.F. Sound Transmitters|department=Research Department |publisher=BBC|date=October 1960}} showing the measured service area of the FM radio services (plus those of Moel y Parc and Llanddona).

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

88.7 MHz

|60

|BBC Light Programme

90.9 MHz

|60

|Third Programme

93.1 MHz

|60

|Welsh Home Service

==August 1968 – May 1978==

The names of the radio services changed in the late 1960s, but the number of services available remained the same, as did the ERPs.{{cite web|url=http://txlib.mb21.co.uk/main.php?g2_itemId=2477 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715110700/http://txlib.mb21.co.uk/main.php?g2_itemId=2477 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 July 2012 |title=Welcome to the Gallery Upgrader |publisher=Txlib.mb21.co.uk |access-date=28 May 2013}}

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

88.7 MHz

|60

|BBC Radio 2

90.9 MHz

|60

|BBC Radio 3

93.1 MHz

|60

|BBC Radio 4 Wales

==May 1978 – Late 1980s==

Radio 1 started to share the Radio 2 VHF allocations during the late 1970s. Radio Cymru had taken over the 93.1 MHz slot. The ERPs of all three services were still unchanged.{{cite web |url=http://txlib.mb21.co.uk/main.php?g2_itemId=87&g2_imageViewsIndex=3 |title=Welcome to the Gallery Upgrader |publisher=Txlib.mb21.co.uk |access-date=28 May 2013 |archive-date=27 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227202825/http://txlib.mb21.co.uk/main.php?g2_itemId=87&g2_imageViewsIndex=3 |url-status=dead }}

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

88.7 MHz

|60

|BBC Radio 1/BBC Radio 2

90.9 MHz

|60

|BBC Radio 3

93.1 MHz

|60

|Radio Cymru

==Late 1980s==

The ERP had been uprated in the years since 1978. More services had been added.{{cite web|url=http://txlib.mb21.co.uk/main.php?g2_itemId=3126&g2_imageViewsIndex=3 |title=Welcome to the Gallery Upgrader |publisher=Txlib.mb21.co.uk |access-date=28 May 2013}}

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{No2}}Frequency

!{{No2}}kW

!{{No2}}Service

88.7 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 2

90.9 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 3

93.1 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio Cymru

98.3 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 1

104.0 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 4

==January 2012 – present==

More services have been added since the late 1980s.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/radio/wales_fm.shtml |title=Help receiving TV and radio – Transmitters |publisher=BBC |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=28 May 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.aberystwyth.org.uk/services/broadcast.shtml |title=Television and Radio Reception in Aberystwyth |publisher=Aberystwyth.org.uk |access-date=28 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705143850/http://www.aberystwyth.org.uk/services/broadcast.shtml |archive-date=5 July 2010 }}{{cite web |url=http://fmscan.org/ml.php?r=f&t=2800065 |title=Blaenplwyf FM transmitter info |publisher=Fmscan.org |access-date=28 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715050409/http://fmscan.org/ml.php?r=f&t=2800065 |archive-date=15 July 2012 }} The latter of these references notes that the Classic FM and Radio Ceredigion services are radiated from a point only {{convert|80|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} up the mast, and together with the low ERPs of those two services, the coverage should be expected to be limited.

From 4 January 2011, Real Radio was added to the set.{{cite web |url=http://www.realradiowales.co.uk/station/find-your-frequency/tgwxty8b/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230142058/http://www.realradiowales.co.uk/station/find-your-frequency/tgwxty8b |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 December 2010 |title=Digital Radio in Wales, UK |publisher=Real Radio Wales |date=24 May 2013 |access-date=28 May 2013 }} Real Radio's OFCOM application claims they intended to radiate 10 kW and 2.5 kW beams.{{cite web|url=http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?p=37671626 |title=Real Radio North wales – Page 2 – Radio – Digital Spy Forums |publisher=Forums.digitalspy.co.uk |access-date=28 May 2013}}

Real Radio was replaced with Heart in 2014, and Radio Ceredigion was replaced with Nation Radio in 2019.

class="wikitable sortable"
Frequency

!kW

!Service

88.7 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 2

90.9 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 3

93.1 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio Cymru

95.3 MHz

|120

|BBC Radio Wales

98.3 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 1

101.1 MHz

|10

|Classic FM

103.3 MHz

|6

|Nation Radio Wales

104.0 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 4

107.7 MHz

|10

|Heart North and Mid Wales

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/info/405/bbc/#bbc_wales MB21's page on BBC 405 TV to Wales and the West]
  • [http://www.bvws.org.uk/405alive/info/tx_list.html 405 Alive's list of transmitters"]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20120308050124/http://www.pembers.freeserve.co.uk/405-Lines/tx-list.html#BBC More details on 405-line BBC transmitters]
  • [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/blaenplwyf.php The Transmission Gallery: Photographs and Information]
  • [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/mapsys/fm/blaenplwyf.php The Transmission Gallery: FM Coverage Map]
  • [http://www.thebigtower.com/live/Blaenplwyf/Index.htm Blaenplwyf Transmitter at thebigtower.com]

{{Transmitter sites in Wales}}

{{FM radio transmitter sites in Wales}}

{{Television transmitters in the UK}}

{{Blaenplwyf VHF FM radio Transmitter Group}}

{{Blaenplwyf VHF 405-line Transmitter Group}}

{{Blaenplwyf UHF 625-line Transmitter Group}}

{{Blaenplwyf UHF DVB Transmitter Group}}

Category:Buildings and structures in Ceredigion

Category:Transmitter sites in Wales