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Huntshaw Cross transmitting station

{{Short description|Telecommunications facility in Devon, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox UK transmitter

|name = Huntshaw Cross

|image = Buildings surrounding the base of the mast at Huntshaw Cross (geograph 4914925).jpg

|map_name = Devon

|coordinates = {{coord|50.977|-4.101|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

|location =

|height = {{convert|164|m|ft|0}}

|gridref = SS527220

|built = 1968

|demolished =

|collapsed =

|relay =

|BBC = BBC South West

|ITV = ITV West Country

|switchoverdate =

|switchoverdate2 =

|footnotes =

}}

Huntshaw Cross transmitting station is a telecommunications facility serving North Devon including the towns of Barnstaple and South Molton. It broadcasts television, radio and mobile telephone services and is currently owned by Arqiva. It is located on the B3232 road at Huntshaw, Great Torrington. Grid reference SS527220. The mast is {{convert|164|m|ft|0}} high.

The site was opened by the Independent Television Authority on 22 April 1968 carrying the ITV programmes of Westward Television using the now defunct 405 line VHF transmission system. In this context, the site was treated as an off-air relay of Stockland Hill.

625 line UHF colour TV transmissions commenced on 5 November 1973. The high power output of the UHF station and its location allowed its signal to be received clearly in parts of south Wales. It became a popular station from which to receive network programmes from the BBC South West and ITV Westward/TSW regions, as well as Channel 4 which was not broadcast on Welsh transmitters. Evidence of this can easily be seen in Swansea (for instance) where many Group C/D TV aerials can be seen pointing south, across the water.

The 405-line transmissions from Huntshaw Cross were discontinued in the 2nd quarter of 1983, somewhat before the final UK-wide shutdown of the VHF system in January 1985.

Digital switchover began at the site in the early hours of 1 July 2009 when the BBC Two analogue service was switched off just after 01:20 BST. Switchover was completed in the early hours of 29 July 2009 with the analogue services disappearing one by one, starting with BBC One at a few seconds after 01:30. Viewers were required to perform another retune on 30 September 2009 as SDN, Arqiva A and Arqiva B reached their final frequency positions. Final post-DSO power levels were not reached by all multiplexes on this station until March 2012.

Freeview HD became available to viewers using this site from 24 September 2010.

A local DAB multiplex for North Devon began transmitting on 2 February 2012 ahead of full launch on 6 February 2012, the local DAB service is an exact mirror of the DAB service for Exeter and Torbay.

Channels listed by frequency

=Analogue television=

==22 April 1968 – 5 November 1973==

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}VHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System A|ch=11}}

|11H

|0.5

|Westward

==5 November 1973 – 1 November 1982==

UHF colour television commenced.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}VHF

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System A|ch=11}}

|11H

|—

|0.5

|Westward (TSW from 1982)

{{UK System I|ch=55}}

|—

|55

|100

|BBC1 South West

{{UK System I|ch=59}}

|—

|59

|100

|Westward (TSW from 1982)

{{UK System I|ch=62}}

|—

|62

|100

|BBC2 South West

==1 November 1982 - Second Quarter 1983==

The UK's fourth UHF television channel started up, but wasn't broadcast from Huntshaw Cross until July 1984.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}VHF

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System A|ch=11}}

|11H

|—

|0.5

|TSW

{{UK System I|ch=55}}

|—

|55

|100

|BBC1 South West

{{UK System I|ch=59}}

|—

|59

|100

|TSW

{{UK System I|ch=62}}

|—

|62

|100

|BBC2 South West

{{UK System I|ch=65}}

|—

|65

|100

|Channel 4

==Second Quarter 1983 - March 1997==

405 line television was discontinued early,{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_8.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=17 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205070538/http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_8.pdf |archive-date=5 December 2014 |url-status=dead }} and for the next 14 years only the four primary analogue UHF channels were radiated.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System I|ch=55}}

|55

|100

|BBC1 South West

{{UK System I|ch=59}}

|59

|100

|TSW (Westcountry from 1993)

{{UK System I|ch=62}}

|62

|100

|BBC2 South West

{{UK System I|ch=65}}

|65

|100

|Channel 4

==March 1997 - 1 November 1998==

The fifth UK analogue UHF channel was added.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System I|ch=55}}

|55

|100

|BBC1 South West

{{UK System I|ch=59}}

|59

|100

|Westcountry

{{UK System I|ch=62}}

|62

|100

|BBC2 South West

{{UK System I|ch=65}}

|65

|100

|Channel 4

{{UK System I|ch=67}}

|67

|2

|Channel 5

=Analogue and Digital television=

==1 November 1998 – 1 July 2009==

The initial roll-out of digital television involved running the digital services interleaved (and at low ERP) with the existing analogue services.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Operator

!{{no2}}System

{{UK DVB-T|ch=53|off=neg}}

|53-

|4

|Arqiva (Mux C)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=54|off=neg}}

|54-

|4

|BBC (Mux 1)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=55}}

|55

|100

|BBC1 South West

|PAL

{{UK DVB-T|ch=57|off=neg}}

|57-

|4

|Arqiva (Mux D)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=58|off=neg}}

|58-

|4

|Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=59}}

|59

|100

|Westcountry

|PAL

{{UK DVB-T|ch=61|off=neg}}

|61-

|4

|SDN (Mux A)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=62}}

|62

|100

|BBC2 South West

|PAL

{{UK DVB-T|ch=64|off=neg}}

|64-

|4

|BBC (Mux B)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=65}}

|65

|100

|Channel 4

|PAL

{{UK System I|ch=67}}

|67

|2

|Channel 5

|PAL

==1 July 2009 – 29 July 2009==

Digital Switchover started at Huntshaw Cross.http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/installer_newsletters_transmitter_groups2009_pdfs/Installer_Newsletter_Huntshaw_Cross__1_month_out_Jun09_FINAL17Jun.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} The analogue BBC2 service on channel 62 was switched off, along with the BBC Mux 1 service on channel 54- and the new "BBC A" multiplex started up on the newly vacated channel 62 at full post-DSO power.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Operator

!{{no2}}System

{{UK DVB-T|ch=53|off=neg}}

|53-

|4

|Arqiva (Mux C)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=55}}

|55

|100

|BBC1 South West

|PAL

{{UK DVB-T|ch=57|off=neg}}

|57-

|4

|Arqiva (Mux D)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=58|off=neg}}

|58-

|4

|Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=59}}

|59

|100

|Westcountry

|PAL

{{UK DVB-T|ch=61|off=neg}}

|61-

|4

|SDN (Mux A)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=62|off=neg}}

|62-

|20

|BBC A

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=64|off=neg}}

|64-

|4

|BBC (Mux B)

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=65}}

|65

|100

|Channel 4

|PAL

{{UK System I|ch=67}}

|67

|2

|Channel 5

|PAL

=Digital television=

==23 July 2009 – 30 September 2009==

All the remaining analogue TV channels were shut down and the new post-DSO digital multiplexes for the PSB channels started up at full power. Huntshaw Cross was subject to a complex multi-stage switchover, and the COM multiplexes (Mux A, Mux C and Mux D) were not switched from their pre-DSO configurations immediately.{{cite web | url=http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1053739 | title=Digital Switchover: North Devon / Huntshaw Cross | date=21 June 2009 }}

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{No2}}Frequency

!{{No2}}UHF

!{{No2}}kW

!{{No2}}Operator

!{{No2}}System

{{UK DVB-T|ch=53|off=neg}}

|53-

|4

|Arqiva (Mux C)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=55|off=neg}}

|55-

|20

|BBC B

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=57|off=neg}}

|57-

|4

|Arqiva (Mux D)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=59|off=neg}}

|59-

|20

|Digital 3&4

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=61|off=neg}}

|61-

|4

|SDN (Mux A)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=62|off=neg}}

|62-

|20

|BBC A

|DVB-T

==30 September 2009 – 28 March 2012==

With the post-DSO retune event at Mendip, the post-DSO COM multiplexes replaced the pre-DSO COM multiplexes on their final channel allocations,http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/installer_newsletters_transmitter_groups2009_pdfs/Special_edition-_W_C_installers_-_HC-R-P_-_30_Sept.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} though only the SDN multiplex gained full power at this point.http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/special_editions/Special_edition-installers_MENDIP_retune_event_Sept2011_300811_Final.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{No2}}Frequency

!{{No2}}UHF

!{{No2}}kW

!{{No2}}Operator

!{{No2}}System

{{UK DVB-T|ch=48}}

|48

|10

|SDN

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=52}}

|52

|4

|Arqiva A

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=55|off=neg}}

|55-

|20

|BBC B

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=56}}

|56

|4

|Arqiva B

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=59|off=neg}}

|59-

|20

|Digital 3&4

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=62|off=neg}}

|62-

|20

|BBC A

|DVB-T

==28 March 2012 - May 2013==

With the second post-DSO retune event at Mendip, the Arq A and Arq B multiplexes gained full power.

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!UHF

!kW

!Operator

!System

{{UK DVB-T|ch=48}}

|48

|10

|SDN

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=52}}

|52

|10

|Arqiva A

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=55|off=neg}}

|55-

|20

|BBC B

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=56}}

|56

|10

|Arqiva B

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=59|off=neg}}

|59-

|20

|Digital 3&4

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=62|off=neg}}

|62-

|20

|BBC A

|DVB-T

==From May 2013==

Yet another retune was needed in May 2013 as part of the Europe-wide tactic of clearing Band V above 800 MHz so as to make space for future 4G mobile phone services.{{cite web | url=https://thenextweb.com/eu/2012/02/15/eu-states-must-allow-4g-internet-use-on-analogue-tv-spectrum-by-january-2013/ | title=EU States Must Allow 4G on Analogue TV Spectrum | work=The Next Web | date=15 February 2012 | last1=Bryant | first1=Martin }} The BBC A multiplex was reassigned to channel 50.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{Yes2}}Frequency

!{{Yes2}}UHF

!{{Yes2}}kW

!{{Yes2}}Operator

!{{Yes2}}System

{{UK DVB-T|ch=48}}

|48

|10

|SDN

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=50}}

|50

|20

|BBC A

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=52}}

|52

|10

|Arqiva A

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=55|off=neg}}

|55-

|20

|BBC B

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=56}}

|56

|10

|Arqiva B

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=59|off=neg}}

|59-

|20

|Digital 3&4

|DVB-T

== From 19 June 2019 ==

A retune will be needed from 19 June 2019 due to the 700 MHz clearance programme.{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitaluk.co.uk|title=Digital UK {{!}} Home|website=www.digitaluk.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-14}} The recommended television aerial for Huntshaw Cross will change from group C/D to group A.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{Yes2}}Frequency

!{{Yes2}}UHF

!{{Yes2}}kW

!{{Yes2}}Operator

!{{Yes2}}System

{{UK DVB-T|ch=30}}

|30

|20

|BBC A

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=31}}

|31

|20

|Digital 3&4

|DVB-T

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

|32

|10

|SDN

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=34}}

|34

|10

|Arqiva A

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=35}}

|35

|10

|Arqiva B

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=37}}

|37

|20

|BBC B

|DVB-T2

=Analogue radio=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!kWRadio Listeners Guide 2010

!Service

94.8 MHz

|0.5

|BBC Radio Devon

96.2 MHz

|2

|Heart West

= Digital Radio =

class="wikitable sortable"

!Block

!Frequency (MHz)

!Power (kW)

!Multiplex Name

10C

|213.360

|4.0

|Devon

11D

|222.064

|4.55

|D1 National

12B

|225.648

|2.5

|BBC National DAB

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/info/405/itv/wales_west.shtml MB21's page on 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/20120414222659/http://www.pembers.freeserve.co.uk/405-Lines/tx-list.html#ITA#ITA More details on 405-line ITV transmitters]
  • [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/huntshawcross/index.php Entry at The Transmission Gallery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504095845/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/huntshawcross/index.php |date=4 May 2009 }}
  • [http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=SS527220 UKfree.tv information on Huntshaw Cross] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428122910/http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=SS527220 |date=28 April 2009 }}
  • [http://www.thebigtower.com/live/Huntshaw/index.htm Huntshaw Cross Transmitting Station at thebigtower.com]

{{Television transmitters in the UK}}

{{Stockland Hill VHF 405-line Transmitter Group}}

{{Huntshaw Cross UHF 625-line Transmitter Group}}

{{Huntshaw Cross UHF DVB Transmitter Group}}

Category:Buildings and structures in Devon

Category:Transmitter sites in England

Category:Torridge District