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Pontop Pike transmitting station

{{short description|Telecommunications and broadcasting facility in England}}

{{multiple issues|

{{More citations needed|date=November 2018}}

{{more footnotes needed|date=March 2022}}}}

{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}

{{Infobox UK Transmitter |

|name = Pontop Pike

|image = 250px

|caption = Pontop Pike mast, left, with dish aerial array to the right

|map_name = County Durham

|coordinates = {{coord|54.868889|-1.771111|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

|height = {{convert|149|m|ft|0}}

|gridref= NZ148526

|built = 1953

|BBC = BBC North East and Cumbria

|ITV = ITV Tyne Tees

|localtv = LOCAL TV Tyne & Wear

}}

The Pontop Pike transmitting station is a facility for telecommunications and broadcasting situated on a 312-metre (1,024-ft) high hill of the same name between Stanley and Consett, County Durham, near the village of Dipton, England. The mast is {{convert|149|m|ft|0}} high, giving an average antenna height of {{convert|461|m|ft|0}} above sea level. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

History

The mast was built in 1953, by BICC with Rowridge (also {{Convert | 500 | ft}}) and North Hessary Tor in Devon ({{Convert | 650 | ft}}).

Its construction was brought forward by the BBC so that people in North East England could watch the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II live on the 405-line television system VHF then in use in the UK. Test transmissions from a low-power temporary aerial began on Monday, 20 April 1953, and the first programmes were transmitted on Friday, 1 May 1953, in plenty of time for the Coronation on 2 June. UHF transmissions began in 1966 with the first colour transmissions in 1970, and the VHF television signal was switched off in 1985.{{cite news|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/north-east-england-enjoyed-colour-9492587|archive-url=https://archive.today/20181124101150/https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/north-east-england-enjoyed-colour-9492587|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-11-24|title=North East England enjoyed colour TV for the first time on this day in 1970|date=20 June 2015|access-date=24 November 2018|work=ChronicleLive}}

Coverage

The Pontop Pike transmitter provides digital television transmissions to Tyne and Wear, County Durham, Tees Valley, most of Northumberland and parts of North Yorkshire. This includes the cities of Newcastle, Durham and Sunderland. It also carries the national BBC Radio FM signals, covering the whole North East, as well as 95.4 MHz FM BBC Newcastle. It was one of the first national FM transmitters in December 1955. All of its television output is within the C/D aerial group.

Digital TV switchover

Analogue TV transmissions from this mast began to close from 12 September 2012 and completely ceased on 26 September that year, making Pontop Pike, alongside Bilsdale and Chatton, the last-but-one transmitter group in the United Kingdom to complete digital switchover (DSO) with Northern Ireland being the last area to switch. In July 2007 it was confirmed by Ofcom that Pontop Pike would remain a C/D group after DSO.

Pontop Pike underwent its 700 MHz clearance between September and November 2019 when its output moved down the band from a C/D group to a K group. Thus people with original C/D group aerials, who live in poor reception areas, may struggle to pick up some channels (see [https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/transmitters/pontop-pike-transmitter#pontop-pike-graph graph]).

Services listed by frequency

=Analogue radio=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!kW

!Service

88.5 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 2

90.7 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 3

92.9 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 4

95.4 MHz

|10

|BBC Radio Newcastle

98.1 MHz

|250

|BBC Radio 1

100.3 MHz

|65

|Classic FM

=Digital radio=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!Block

!kWRadio Listeners Guide 2010{{Full citation needed|date=March 2022}}

!Operator

222.064 MHz

|11D

|6.3

|Digital One

225.648 MHz

|12B

|10

|BBC National DAB

=Digital television=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!UHF

!kWTelevision Viewers Guide 2009{{Full citation needed|date=March 2022}}

!Operator

!System

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

|32

|100

|COM4 (SDN)

|DVB-T

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

|33

|5

|LTVmux

|DVB-T

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

|34

|100

|COM5 (Arqiva A)

|DVB-T

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

|35

|100

|COM6 (Arqiva B)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=39}}

|39

|100

|PSB1 (BBC A)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=42}}

|42

|100

|PSB2 (D3&4)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=45}}

|45

|100

|PSB3 (BBC B)

|DVB-T2

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

|55

|19.498

|COM7 (Arqiva C)

|DVB-T2

==Before 700 MHz clearance==

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW{{Full citation needed|date=March 2022}}

!{{no2}}Operator

!{{no2}}System

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

|33

|33.8

|COM7 (ARQ C)

|DVB-T2

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

|34

|9.5

|COM8 (ARQ D)

|DVB-T2

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

|49

|100

|PSB3 (BBC B)

|DVB-T2

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

|50

|50

|COM4 (SDN)

|DVB-T

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

|54

|100

|PSB2 (D3&4)

|DVB-T

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

|55

|50

|COM6 (ARQ B)

|DVB-T

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

|56

|5

|LTVmux

|DVB-T

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

|58

|100

|PSB1 (BBC A)

|DVB-T

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

|59

|50

|COM5 (ARQ A)

|DVB-T

==Before switchover==

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW{{Full citation needed|date=March 2022}}

!{{no2}}Operator

!{{no2}}System

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

|48

|10

|BBC (Mux 1)

|DVB-T

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

|53-

|10

|Arqiva (Mux D)

|DVB-T

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

|55+

|10

|Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)

|DVB-T

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

|59+

|10

|SDN (Mux A)

|DVB-T

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

|62+

|10

|BBC (Mux B)

|DVB-T

{{UK DVB-T|ch=63}}

|63

|10

|BBC B (Mux HD)

|DVB-T2

{{UK DVB-T|ch=65|off=pos}}

|65+

|10

|Arqiva (Mux C)

|DVB-T

=Analogue television=

Analogue television from Pontop Pike has now ceased permanently. BBC2 analogue was switched off on 12 September 2012 and the remaining three on 26 September 2012. Pontop Pike never transmitted analogue Channel 5. Instead it was transmitted from Burnhope on UHF 68.

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

{{UK System I|ch=54}}

|54

|500

|Channel 4

{{UK System I|ch=58}}

|58

|500

|BBC1 North East

{{UK System I|ch=61}}

|61

|500

|Tyne Tees

{{UK System I|ch=64}}

|64

|500

|BBC2 North East

Relay services

Being the main broadcasting transmitter, there are also a number of relays (or repeaters) to cover patches where this transmitter can't properly serve.

=Analogue radio=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Transmitter

!kW

!R1

!R2

!R3

!R4

!CFM

Bilsdale

|5

|{{yes|align=left|98.6 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|89.0 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|91.2 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|93.4 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|101.6 MHz}}

Fenham

|0.042

|{{yes|align=left|99.4 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|89.8 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|92.0 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|94.2 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|101.0 MHz}}

Oliver's Mount

|0.25

|{{yes|align=left|99.5 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|89.9 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|92.1 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|94.3 MHz}}

|{{N/A}}

Newton

|0.1

|{{yes|align=left|99.0 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|89.4 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|91.6 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|93.8 MHz}}

|{{N/A}}

Weardale

|0.18

|{{yes|align=left|99.3 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|89.7 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|91.9 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|94.1 MHz}}

|{{N/A}}

Wensleydale

|0.054

|{{yes|align=left|97.9 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|88.3 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|90.5 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|92.7 MHz}}

|{{N/A}}

Woolmoor

|5

|{{yes|align=left|99.6 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|90.2 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|92.2 MHz}}

|{{yes|align=left|94.4 MHz}}

|{{N/A}}

=Digital television=

The following is a list of the television relays served by Pontop Pike:

class="wikitable sortable"

!Transmitter

!kW

!BBCA

!BBCB

!D3&4

!SDN

!ARQA

!ARQB

!Pol.

!A.G.

Allenheads

|0.002

|27

|21

|24

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Alston

|0.08

|33

|48

|36

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Bellingham

|0.02

|27

|21

|24

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Blaydon Burn

|0.002

|44

|47

|41

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Byrness

|0.01

|27

|21

|24

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Catton Beacon

|0.028

|40

|46

|43

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Durham

|0.003

|41

|47

|44

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Esh

|0.0024

|29

|37

|31

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Falstone

|0.004

|44

|47

|41

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Felling

|0.002

|40

|43

|46

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Fenham

|0.4

|23

|30

|26

|25

|22

|28

|V

|A K

Haltwhistle

|0.4

|21

|37

|31

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Haydon Bridge

|0.02

|44

|41

|47

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Hedleyhope

|0.004

|41

|47

|44

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Humshaugh

|0.0118

|29

|37

|31

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Ireshopeburn

|0.0022

|29

|37

|31

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Kielder

|0.0054

|26

|23

|29

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Morpeth

|0.0088

|22

|28

|25

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Newton

|0.4

|21

|27

|24

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Seaham

|0.059

|41

|47

|44

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Shotleyfield

|0.04

|22

|28

|25

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|A K

Staithes

|0.004

|33

|48

|36

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|K

Sunderland

|0.006

|41

|47

|44

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Wall

|0.0042

|40

|46

|43

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|H

|B K

Weardale

|0.2

|44

|41

|47

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

Whitaside

|0.0025

|44

|41

|47

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|{{n/a}}

|V

|B K

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/transmitters/pontop-pike-transmitter Info and pictures of Pontop Pike transmitter including historical power/frequency changes and present co-receivable transmitters.]
  • [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/pontoppike/index.php Entry on Pontop Pike on The Transmission Gallery]
  • [http://www.testcardcircle.org.uk/Back50s.html Historical essay with some background detail]
  • [http://www.thebigtower.com/live/PontopPike/Index.htm Pontop Pike Transmitter at thebigtower.com]

{{Television transmitters in the UK}}

{{Pontop_Pike_VHF_405-line_Transmitter_Group}}

Category:Radio masts and towers in Europe

Category:Buildings and structures in County Durham

Category:Transmitter sites in England