Tacolneston transmitting station

{{Infobox transmitter

|name = Tacolneston transmitting station

|image = 250px

|caption = 165m (pre-DSO) mast at Tacolneston

|map_name = Norfolk

|coordinates = {{coord|52.517778|1.138889|type:landmark_region:GB|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

|location = Wymondham Road, Tacolneston, Norfolk

|mast_height =

|tower_height =

|height = {{convert|165.0|m|ft|0}}

|gridref = TM131958

|built = 1954, August 1956

|demolished =

|collapsed =

|relay =

|BBC = BBC East

|ITV = ITV Anglia

|localtv = That's Norfolk

|switchover = 9 November 2011 / 23 November 2011

|footnotes =

}}

The Tacolneston transmitting station is a facility for both analogue and digital VHF/FM radio and UHF television transmission near Tacolneston, {{convert|11|mi|km}} south-west of Norwich, Norfolk, England.

It includes a {{convert|206.1|m|ft|0}} tall guyed steel lattice mast, which was built between 2009 and 2012, and previously a {{convert|149.0|m|ft|0}} tall guyed steel lattice mast, which was built in 1956 (completed in late September/early October that year). On top of the current mast is located the UHF television transmitting antenna, which brings the overall height of the structure to {{convert|206.1|m|ft|0}} (the overall height of the previous mast being {{convert|165.0|m|ft|0}}).[http://wam.south-norfolk.gov.uk/WAM/pas/findCaseFile.do?appNumber=2008%2F0162 South Norfolk District Council planning application, January 2008]

The transmitter provides broadcast television and radio services to Norfolk and north Suffolk. However, northwestern parts of Norfolk including King's Lynn and Wells-next-the-Sea receive better TV signals from the Belmont TV transmitter situated in north Lincolnshire but the local relay transmitters in both towns are transmitted from the Tacolneston transmitter.{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Kings_Lynn|title=Freeview Light on the Kings Lynn (Norfolk, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=28 November 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Wells-next-the-Sea|title=Freeview Light on the Wells next the Sea (Norfolk, England) transmitter

|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=28 November 2023}}

History

=Construction=

The station's original mast, built from early 1954, was {{convert|61|m|ft|0}} tall and first broadcast television transmissions, albeit temporarily, from 1 February 1955.{{cite news|publisher=Eastern Counties Newspapers (Archant)|title=Eastern Daily Press|date=15 August 1997}}Suffolk and Essex Free Press Wednesday 26 January 1955, page 4

VHF (FM) radio broadcasts began on a test basis from 22 December 1956, in order to allow East Anglia to receive programmes on VHF over the Christmas period.{{cite news|work=Eastern Daily Press|publisher=Eastern Counties Newspapers|date=22 December 1956|page=5|title=East Anglia has VHF for Christmas}} The BBC Light Programme was not available during this test phase, and there were warnings that the service would occasionally be interrupted for engineering reasons.

The main structure was built by J. L. Eve Construction in August 1956, for the new BBC East region. The Peterborough BBC mast was the same height and shape as Tacolneston, built in October 1959, and carried BBC television, before Sandy Heath.

In February 1958, the ITA was looking to put a Anglia transmitter, possibly at either Tacolneston, Snetterton, or Mendlesham in central Suffolk.Peterborough Evening Telegraph Thursday 20 February 1958, page 4

=Transmissions=

The station began broadcasting regular programmes from Norwich purely for East Anglian audiences on the Midlands Home Service from Tuesday 5 February 1957,{{cite news|publisher=Eastern Counties Newspapers|work=Eastern Daily Press|date=6 February 1957|title=TV and Radio - Clumsy Drama|page=5|quote=On the radio, the first special VHF programme for East Anglia only was presented from 6.35 to 6.45.}} and the transmitter went to full power for VHF from 6.35pm on Tuesday 30 April 1957.{{cite news|publisher=Eastern Counties Newspapers|title=Eastern Daily Press|date=1 May 1957}}

Regular television broadcasts began from Monday 8 October 1956. On 27 January 1957 the first regional television broadcast for East Anglia only was made, from Tacolneston itself, to publicise the VHF service.{{cite news|url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/20634349.tv-first-broadcast-east-anglia/|title=When Was the First TV Broadcast in East Anglia?|date=26 January 2022|accessdate=14 December 2024|publisher=Eastern Daily Press}} On Monday 9 June 1958 the TV transmitter strength was doubled.

The transmission site is located at 52° 31' 3.9" North, 1° 8' 19.3" East{{cite web|title=Zoom Earth|url=https://zoom.earth/#52.517775,1.138705,17z,map|work=Zoom Earth, formerly Flash Earth|publisher=Neave.com|accessdate=12 July 2016}} (National Grid Reference: TM131958{{cite book|title=Television Transmitting Stations Handbook|publisher=BBC & ITC|date=January 1994}}). In July 1989, it was reported that the transmitting station cost almost £500,000 a year to run.{{cite news|publisher=Eastern Counties Newspapers (Archant)|title=Eastern Daily Press|date=11 July 1989|page=9}}

Arqiva (formerly National Grid Wireless) announced, on 6 August 2007,{{cite web|title=Eastern Evening News|url=http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/News/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=enonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED06%20Aug%202007%2009%3A59%3A54%3A687|accessdate=17 August 2007}}{{cite news|publisher=Archant Newspapers|title=Eastern Daily Press|date=7 August 2007}} that they plan to replace the current {{convert|165|m|ft|0}} mast with a new {{convert|206.1|m|ft|0}} mast in order to ensure good digital TV reception across East Anglia after digital switchover, which took place in the area in November 2011. Arqiva also plan to replace the original transmitter hall at this site as it has now reached the end of its useful life.{{cite web|url=http://tx.mb21.co.uk/news/index.shtml|title=MB21 Transmission Gallery (News)|accessdate=17 August 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929133922/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/news/index.shtml |archivedate=29 September 2007}}{{cite web|url=http://tx.mb21.co.uk/news/index.shtml|title=Internet Archive (MB21 Transmission Gallery News)|accessdate=2 January 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929133922/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/news/index.shtml|archivedate=29 September 2007}} Work has been completed on the new structure, and for the moment there will be three structures (two masts and a lattice tower) on the site. The old 165m mast is expected to start being dismantled in 2013.

Structure

The current mast has an average height of 221 metres above sea level.{{cite web|url=http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP709.PDF|title=Radar Vector Areas in UK Airspace|accessdate=29 November 2006|author=Civil Aviation Authority|author-link=Civil Aviation Authority|page=22|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041218025604/http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP709.PDF|archivedate=18 December 2004}} It is now owned and operated by Arqiva, but was owned by the BBC before they privatised their transmission department prior to 1997.

Radio services listed by frequency

=Analogue radio (FM VHF)=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency (MHz)

!kW

!Service

89.7

|125 (V) + 125 (H)

|BBC Radio 2

91.9

|125 (V) + 125 (H)

|BBC Radio 3

94.1

|125 (V) + 125 (H)

|BBC Radio 4

99.3

|125 (V) + 125 (H)

|BBC Radio 1

101.5

|125 (V) + 125 (H)

|Classic FM

=Digital radio (DAB)=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency (MHz)

!Block

!kWRadio Listeners Guide 2010

!Operator

218.640

|11D

|1.4

|Digital One

225.648

|12B

|BBC National DAB

Television services listed by frequency

=Digital television=

Digital transmissions became at least ten times stronger in power after the digital switchover (DSO), and their frequencies were reorganised.{{cite web|title=Ofcom - DSO Transmitter Details: Anglia Region|url=http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/pdfs/DSOTransmitterDetails_Anglia_DSO_v1.pdf|accessdate=30 September 2010}}

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency (MHz)

!UHF

!kW

!Operator

!System

|39

|100

|Arqiva B

|DVB-T

|40

|100

|BBC A

|DVB-T

|42

|100

|SDN

|DVB-T

|43

|100

|D3+4

|DVB-T

|45

|100

|Arqiva A

|DVB-T

|46

|100

|BBC B

|DVB-T2

At Tacolneston, extra HD muxes are being broadcast on UHF 55 and UHF 56, along with a local TV service (That's Norfolk) using an interleaved frequency on UHF 32 (QPSK 8K 3/4 8.0 Mbit/s).

class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency (MHz)

!UHF

!kW

!Operator

!System

|32

|10

|LNR

|DVB-T

|55

|18

|Com 7

|DVB-T2

==Before switchover==

class="wikitable sortable"

!{{no2}}Frequency (MHz)

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kWTelevision Viewers guide 2009

!{{no2}}Operator

|53+

|SDN (Mux A)

|58-

|BBC (Mux B)

|60

|10

|Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)

|61

|Arqiva (Mux C)

|63

|10

|BBC (Mux 1)

|64

|Arqiva (Mux D)

=Analogue television=

Tacolneston switched to digital-only television transmissions in November 2011;{{cite web|url=http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch/anglia/tacolneston|title=Digital UK - Tacolneston|accessdate=30 September 2010}} analogue BBC Two transmissions ceased on 9 November, and two weeks later, on 23 November 2011, the other four analogue channels ceased analogue transmissions.

class=wikitable sortable

!{{no2}}Frequency (MHz)

!{{no2}}UHF

!{{no2}}kW

!{{no2}}Service

|52

|Channel 5

|55

|250

|BBC2 East

|59

|250

|Anglia

|62

|250

|BBC1 East

|65

|250

|Channel 4

References

http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=TM131958

External links

[http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=724 The Transmission Gallery: photographs, coverage maps and information]
[http://www.TheBigTower.com/live/Tacolneston/Index.htm Tacolneston transmitter at TheBigTower.com]

Category:1956 establishments in England

Category:Buildings and structures in Norfolk

Category:Infrastructure completed in 1956

Category:Transmitter sites in England