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North Hessary Tor transmitting station

Coordinates: 50°33′01″N 4°00′30″W / 50.5503°N 4.0083°W / 50.5503; -4.0083
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

North Hessary Tor
North Hessary Tor transmitting station is located in Devon
North Hessary Tor
North Hessary Tor
Caradon Hill
Caradon Hill
Mast height196 metres (643 ft)
Coordinates50°33′01″N 4°00′30″W / 50.5503°N 4.0083°W / 50.5503; -4.0083
Grid referenceSX578742
Built1955
Relay ofCaradon Hill
BBC regionBBC South West
ITV regionITV West Country
Mast with worker at base

Standing on the summit of North Hessary Tor in Devon, England is an FM radio and television transmitter which uses as aerial a 196 metres (643 ft) high guyed mast.

History

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It was built by BICC for the BBC in 1955 when a transmitter was needed to introduce 405 line television into Devon, alongside Rowridge and Pontop Pike (both 500ft). It now carries a small UHF TV transmitter which serves Princetown and Dartmoor. FM radio transmissions began in 1956 and cover most of Devon and eastern parts of Cornwall, along with Somerset and South Wales as a backup for Wenvoe. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Transmitter building and foot of mast

Services listed by frequency

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Analogue radio (FM VHF)

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Frequency kW Service
88.1 MHz 160 BBC Radio 2
90.3 MHz 160 BBC Radio 3
92.5 MHz 160 BBC Radio 4
97.7 MHz 160 BBC Radio 1
100.0 MHz 160 Classic FM
103.4 MHz 15 BBC Radio Devon

In all BBC publications the national FM ERPs for North Hessary Tor are listed as 160 kW (mixed polarisation): Classic FM list their ERP as 80 kW (horizontal) and 80 kW (vertical) for North Hessary Tor which equates to the same power as the BBC.

The mast covers a large area including Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and South Wales.

Digital radio (DAB)

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Frequency Block kW Operator
225.648 MHz 12B 3.2 BBC National DAB

Analogue television

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17 December 1954 – 3 January 1985

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Frequency VHF kW Service
51.75 MHz 2 15 BBC Television

Until 12 August 2009

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Frequency UHF kW Service
743.25 MHz 55 0.012 BBC1 South West
775.25 MHz 59 0.012 Westcountry
799.25 MHz 62 0.012 BBC2 South West
823.25 MHz 65 0.012 Channel 4

Analogue and digital television

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12 August 2009 – 9 September 2009

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Frequency UHF kW Service System
743.25 MHz 55 0.012 BBC1 South West PAL System I
775.25 MHz 59 0.012 Westcountry PAL System I
801.833 MHz 62 0.0025 BBC A DVB-T
823.25 MHz 65 0.012 Channel 4 PAL System I

Digital television

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9 September 2009 – June 2013

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Frequency UHF kW Operator System
746.000 MHz 55 0.0025 BBC B DVB-T2
778.000 MHz 59 0.0025 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
801.833 MHz 62 0.0025 BBC A DVB-T

From June 2013

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In June 2013, BBC A moved from UHF 62 to UHF 50, to allow for the clearance of the 800 MHz band for 4G LTE mobile services.

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
706.000 MHz 50 0.0025 BBC A DVB-T
746.000 MHz 55 0.0025 BBC B DVB-T2
778.000 MHz 59 0.0025 Digital 3&4 DVB-T

See also

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References

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