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Mynydd Pencarreg transmitting station

{{Short description|Transmitter in Carmarthenshire, Wales}}

{{Infobox UK transmitter

|name = Mynydd Pencarreg

|image =

|map_name = Wales Carmarthenshire

|coordinates = {{coord|52.067501|-4.076674|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

|height = {{convert|99|m|ft|0}}

|gridref= SN577430

|built = 1956

|demolished =

|collapsed =

|relay = Carmel

|BBC = BBC Wales

|ITV = ITV Cymru Wales

}}

The Mynydd Pencarreg transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located on high ground about {{convert|10|km|mile}} south of Lampeter, in Ceredigion, Wales. The site has a guyed {{convert|99|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} lattice mast erected on land that is itself about {{convert|410|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above sea level. It was originally built by the GPO as a telecommunications relay, and (amongst other things) was responsible for handling the microwave feed carrying the now-defunct 405-line VHF BBC television service to the television transmitter at Blaenplwyf about {{convert|35|km|mile}} to the northwest near Aberystwyth. Despite this, Mynydd Pencarreg was never a 405-line TV broadcast site.

Broadcast UHF television was added to the site in early 1981,{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_4.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106011307/http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_4.pdf |archive-date=2009-01-06 |url-status=dead }} launching with just the three programme services that were active at the time. S4C was added in 1982 when it launched.

Currently, the transmitter provides DVB-T digital television to the Lampeter area, along with FM radio.

Services listed by frequency

=Analogue television=

==February 1981 - 1 November 1982==

When 625-line colour television came to the area, the site became a relay of Preseli about {{convert|50|km|mile}} to the southwest.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System I|ch=58}}

|58

|0.12

|BBC1 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=61}}

|61

|0.12

|HTV Wales

{{UK System I|ch=64}}

|64

|0.12

|BBC2 Wales

==1 November 1982 - 19 August 2009==

Channel 4 was added to the set transmitted from the site when it launched in November 1982. Being in Wales, Mynydd Pencarreg radiated the S4C variant.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System I|ch=54}}

|54

|0.12

|S4C

{{UK System I|ch=58}}

|58

|0.12

|BBC1 Wales

{{UK System I|ch=61}}

|61

|0.12

|HTV Wales

{{UK System I|ch=64}}

|64

|0.12

|BBC2 Wales

=Analogue and digital television=

==19 August 2009 - 16 September 2009==

The UK's digital switchover commenced, mirroring the changes taking place at the parent transmitter at Preseli. Analogue BBC Two Wales closed on channel 64 and ITV1 Wales took over on that frequency for what would be its final 3 weeks of service, vacating channel 61 as it did so. The new digital BBC A multiplex started up at full power in 64-QAM mode on channel 61.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

!{{no2}}System

{{UK System I|ch=54}}

|54

|0.12

|S4C

|PAL System I

{{UK System I|ch=58}}

|58

|0.12

|BBC One Wales

|PAL System I

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

|61

|0.024

|BBC A

|DVB-T

{{UK System I|ch=64}}

|64

|0.12

|ITV1 Wales

|PAL System I

=Digital television=

==16 September 2009 - 31 October 2012==

All the analogue television services closed and the new digital multiplexes took over their frequencies.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{No2}}Frequency

!{{No2}}UHF

!{{No2}}kW

!{{No2}}Operator

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

|54

|0.012

|BBC B

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

|58

|0.012

|Digital 3&4

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

|61

|0.012

|BBC A

==31 October 2012 - present==

OFCOM have announced that channel 61 is also to be cleared so as to make space for future 4G mobile phone services.{{cite web| url = http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051995| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120526112939/http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051995| archive-date = 2012-05-26| title = 4G changes to relay transmitters - list of C61 and C62 shifts {{!}} ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice}} At Mynydd Pencarreg, BBC A was moved from channel 61 to channel 49.{{cite web| url = http://www.a516digital.com/p/4g-clearance-retunes.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120721065556/http://www.a516digital.com/p/4g-clearance-retunes.html| archive-date = 2012-07-21| title = a516_digital: 4G clearance retunes}}

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!UHF

!kW

!Operator

{{UK DVB-T|ch=49}}

|49

|0.012

|BBC A

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

|54

|0.012

|BBC B

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

|58

|0.012

|Digital 3&4

=Analogue radio (FM VHF)=

==August 1981 - Late 1980s==

FM radio from Mynydd Pencarreg launched in 1981,{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_6.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109031507/http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_6.pdf |archive-date=2015-01-09 |url-status=dead }} initially with just the three services that were typical of the time. For radio, the site was an off-air relay of Blaenplwyf.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{No2}}Frequency

!{{No2}}kW

!{{No2}}Service

89.7 MHz

|0.2

|BBC Radio 2

91.9 MHz

|0.2

|BBC Radio 3

94.1 MHz

|0.2

|BBC Radio Cymru

==Present==

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!kW

!Service

89.7 MHz

|0.2

|BBC Radio 2

91.9 MHz

|0.2

|BBC Radio 3

94.1 MHz

|0.2

|BBC Radio Cymru

96.6 MHz

|0.2

|Nation Radio Wales

99.3 MHz

|0.2

|BBC Radio 1

103.7 MHz

|0.2

|BBC Radio 4

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/mynydd-pencarreg.php The Transmission Gallery: Photographs and Information]
  • [http://www.ukfree.tv/shutdowndetail.php?tx=SN577430 The 'ukfree' listing for Mynydd Pencarreg]

{{Transmitter sites in Wales}}

{{FM radio transmitter sites in Wales}}

{{Blaenplwyf_VHF_FM_radio_Transmitter_Group}}

{{Preseli UHF 625-line Transmitter Group}}

{{Preseli UHF DVB Transmitter Group}}

{{Television transmitters in the UK}}

Category:Buildings and structures in Carmarthenshire

Category:Transmitter sites in Wales