Burnhope transmitting station
Encyclopedia
The Burnhope transmitting station was originally built by the Independent Television Authority
(ITA) as its sole 405-line transmitting station service the Tyne Tees Television
region.
Test transmissions started in December 1958 approximately one month before the launch on Tyne Tees Television
on January 15, 1959. It was built close to the existing BBC
Band I station at Pontop Pike. This was the eighth transmitter opened by the ITA.
From the station's 750 foot mast, transmissions from Burnhope were on VHF Channel 8 at a peak vision ERP
of 100kW, successfully covering a region spanning the North Yorkshire
moorlands and Teesside
in the South, to the remote upper reaches of Northumberland
in the North.
With the advent of UHF with its 625-lines, the adjacent Pontop Pike transmitting station carried these services to the Newcastle and County Durham area from 1967 onwards, confining Burnhope to 405-line transmission. In due course, further main UHF transmissions were established at Bilsdale West Moor (serving North Yorkshire and Teesside) and Chatton (serving upper Northumberland).
The transmitter would later get a new lease of life with the advent of Independent Local Radio
(commercial radio or ILR). Burnhope extended its remit by providing the transmissions for the first ILR service in the North East of England - Metro Radio
on 97.0 MHz (now on 97.1 MHz).
After the 405-line television service ceased in January 1985, Metro Radio
was for many years, the only broadcasting duty performed by the transmitter until the early 1990s, when a new tranche of commercial radio (regional) became available.
On September 1, 1994, the transmitter started broadcasting the first new regional radio service to the North East. Launched as Century Radio
, it now broadcasts as Real Radio North East. It was followed almost five years later (June 1, 1999), by Galaxy North East, now Capital North East.
Channel 5's analogue transmission from Burnhope will cease upon closure of the analogue TV service in the North East of England, which is scheduled to take place in the final phase of the digital switchover in September 2012. Channel 5 would then only be available digitally via the Pontop Pike transmitting station.
launched a low-powered service to County Durham with a third and final regional service launched on January 8, 2008 (97.5 Smooth Radio
).
The transmitter is also used to carry the two local DAB signals (Bauer Digital) locally, and MXR Digital regionally.
Independent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
(ITA) as its sole 405-line transmitting station service the Tyne Tees Television
Tyne Tees Television
Tyne Tees Television is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. As of 2009, it forms part of a non-franchise ITV Tyne Tees & Border region, shared with the ITV Border region...
region.
Test transmissions started in December 1958 approximately one month before the launch on Tyne Tees Television
Tyne Tees Television
Tyne Tees Television is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. As of 2009, it forms part of a non-franchise ITV Tyne Tees & Border region, shared with the ITV Border region...
on January 15, 1959. It was built close to the existing BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Band I station at Pontop Pike. This was the eighth transmitter opened by the ITA.
From the station's 750 foot mast, transmissions from Burnhope were on VHF Channel 8 at a peak vision ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 100kW, successfully covering a region spanning the North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
moorlands and Teesside
Teesside
Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
in the South, to the remote upper reaches of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
in the North.
With the advent of UHF with its 625-lines, the adjacent Pontop Pike transmitting station carried these services to the Newcastle and County Durham area from 1967 onwards, confining Burnhope to 405-line transmission. In due course, further main UHF transmissions were established at Bilsdale West Moor (serving North Yorkshire and Teesside) and Chatton (serving upper Northumberland).
The transmitter would later get a new lease of life with the advent of Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
(commercial radio or ILR). Burnhope extended its remit by providing the transmissions for the first ILR service in the North East of England - Metro Radio
Metro Radio
Metro Radio is an independent local radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne and broadcasting to Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. The station's output is principally contemporary pop and dance music...
on 97.0 MHz (now on 97.1 MHz).
After the 405-line television service ceased in January 1985, Metro Radio
Metro Radio
Metro Radio is an independent local radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne and broadcasting to Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. The station's output is principally contemporary pop and dance music...
was for many years, the only broadcasting duty performed by the transmitter until the early 1990s, when a new tranche of commercial radio (regional) became available.
On September 1, 1994, the transmitter started broadcasting the first new regional radio service to the North East. Launched as Century Radio
Century Radio
Century Radio, also marketed as Century 100 and later Century FM, was an early short-lived national commercial radio station in Ireland .-Transmission:...
, it now broadcasts as Real Radio North East. It was followed almost five years later (June 1, 1999), by Galaxy North East, now Capital North East.
TV returns
In between the launch of the first two regional services, a new television service launched in 1997. March 1997 saw the launch of Channel 5, with Burnhope, along with a number of other ITA-built transmitter stations which had not been used since the 405-line closure, broadcasting the new television service.Channel 5's analogue transmission from Burnhope will cease upon closure of the analogue TV service in the North East of England, which is scheduled to take place in the final phase of the digital switchover in September 2012. Channel 5 would then only be available digitally via the Pontop Pike transmitting station.
Further radio
Two further analogue radio services would launch using this transmitter. On December 5, 2005, Durham FMDurham FM
Durham FM was an Independent Local Radio station based in Durham, County Durham, England.-History:Since its launch in 2005, Durham FM has been owned and operated by TLRC....
launched a low-powered service to County Durham with a third and final regional service launched on January 8, 2008 (97.5 Smooth Radio
97.5 Smooth Radio
97.5 & 107.7 Smooth Radio was an independent local radio station broadcasting to the north east of England. It launched at 8am on 8 January 2008, and was broadcast from new studios based at the Team Valley complex in Gateshead. The station competed with BBC Radio 2, aiming its music at listeners...
).
The transmitter is also used to carry the two local DAB signals (Bauer Digital) locally, and MXR Digital regionally.
Analogue radio
| Frequency | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 97.1 MHz | 10 | Metro Radio Metro Radio Metro Radio is an independent local radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne and broadcasting to Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. The station's output is principally contemporary pop and dance music... |
| 97.5 MHz | 9 | Smooth Radio |
| 101.8 MHz | 10 | Real Radio (North East) |
| 102.8 MHz | 0.5 | Star Radio North East Star Radio North East Star Radio North East is a radio station serving County Durham and North Yorkshire.-History:... (Durham) |
| 105.3 MHz | 10 | Capital North East |
Digital radio
| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 220.352 MHz | 11C | 4.8 | Bauer Tyne & Wear Bauer Tyne & Wear Bauer Tyne and Wear is a local commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, which serves the Tyne and Wear television area.-History:EMAP was the only applicant for the Tyne & Wear licence by the closing date of 10 August 1999... |
| 227.360 MHz | 12C | 5 | MXR North East MXR North East MXR North East is a regional commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, which serves the North East.-Transmitters:MXR North East is transmitted on frequency block 12C from the transmitter sites: -Stations broadcast:- Previous services :... |
Analogue television
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 847.25 MHz | 68 | 50 | Channel 5 |
External links
- http://www.thebigtower.com/live/Burnhope/Index.htm
- http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/burnhope/index.php