Delta FM
Encyclopedia
Delta Radio was a United Kingdom
local radio station, broadcasting to East Hampshire
, South West Surrey
and North-West Sussex
. The station provided local news, community information, and specialist music programming to the towns of Alton
, Petersfield
, Haslemere
, Liphook
, Bordon
and Four Marks
.
The station broadcast 24 hours a day from its studio centre in Bordon, Hampshire. These studios were opened at the end of 2005 and were equipped with the latest broadcasting technology. Delta originally operated two separate studios, one in Prospect Place, Alton, and another in Weyhill, Haslemere.
After County Sound merged with Radio Mercury to form Allied Radio, Delta Radio was closed down by its new owners in 1992 and the transmitter went back to being a relay. However, when Mike Powell's UKRD Group
won the Guildford licence (after it came up for renewal), Delta Radio was relaunched in 1996. Wey Valley Radio had already been operating as a full time service in nearby Alton and Four Marks since 1992. This station was launched as a "community" station by David Way and Paul Mann after years of campaigning for such a licence and is still the licence holder today. It was acquired by UKRD in 1994.
The decision to merge the two stations together operationally was made in 1998 and the Wey Valley service was renamed Delta, and then in 2000, the Haslemere licence (which had previously been a part of the Surrey and North East Hampshire franchise) was merged with the Alton licence to finally form a single radio station.
s to cover its transmission area, which broadcast on four separate frequencies. The 97.1 FM transmitter was situated at the Holy Cross Hospital in Haslemere and served Haslemere and the surrounding area.
Two transmitters operated on 101.6 FM. The first of these was situated in Medstead
which is close to Four Marks. This transmitter covers the West of the Delta FM transmission area. The second operated from the Hindhead crossroads on the A3 and operated as in "in-fill" between the service areas of the 97.1 and 102 transmitters.
A transmitter on 101.8 served Petersfield and the surrounding area. This transmitter was added in 2003 after many years of campaigning. The final transmitter, on 102, operated from Holybourne
near to Alton. This transmitter could be heard from Farnham
to Four Marks and also covered Bordon.
in Basingstoke and share some programming. However, after the relocation, only a regional breakfast continued. After many weeks of trails announcing "Kestrel is coming", Delta Radio was replaced by Kestrel FM at 9am on the 3rd of June 2010.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
local radio station, broadcasting to East Hampshire
East Hampshire
East Hampshire is a local government district in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Petersfield. Other towns are Alton, Horndean and Whitehill-Bordon....
, South West Surrey
South West Surrey
South West Surrey is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
and North-West Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. The station provided local news, community information, and specialist music programming to the towns of Alton
Alton, Hampshire
Alton is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of the English county of Hampshire. It had a population of 16,584 at the 1991 census and is administered by East Hampshire district council. It is located on the source of the River Wey and is the highest town in...
, Petersfield
Petersfield, Hampshire
Petersfield is a market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is north of Portsmouth, on the A3 road. The town has its own railway station on the Portsmouth Direct Line, the mainline rail link connecting Portsmouth and London. The town is situated on the...
, Haslemere
Haslemere
Haslemere is a town in Surrey, England, close to the border with both Hampshire and West Sussex. The major road between London and Portsmouth, the A3, lies to the west, and a branch of the River Wey to the south. Haslemere is approximately south-west of Guildford.Haslemere is surrounded by hills,...
, Liphook
Liphook
Liphook is a large village in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 4.1 miles west of Haslemere, on the A3 road, and lies on the Hampshire/West Sussex border.Liphook has its own railway station, on the Portsmouth Direct Line....
, Bordon
Bordon
Bordon is a town in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It lies 5.4 miles southeast of Alton and forms a part of the civil parish of Whitehill, the adjoining village. Both settlements are on the A325 road and close to the A3 road between London and Portsmouth...
and Four Marks
Four Marks
Four Marks is a large village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is southwest of Alton, on the A31 road....
.
The station broadcast 24 hours a day from its studio centre in Bordon, Hampshire. These studios were opened at the end of 2005 and were equipped with the latest broadcasting technology. Delta originally operated two separate studios, one in Prospect Place, Alton, and another in Weyhill, Haslemere.
Background
The original Delta Radio first broadcast in January 1990. It was the brainchild of County Sound CEO, Mike Powell who successfully lobbied the Radio Authority for permission to put separate programming for the Haslemere district on what was originally intended to be a relay transmitter for Guildford's County Sound. The station was launched by County Sound's Terry Mann, formerly Programme Director of Radio 210, Reading.After County Sound merged with Radio Mercury to form Allied Radio, Delta Radio was closed down by its new owners in 1992 and the transmitter went back to being a relay. However, when Mike Powell's UKRD Group
UKRD Group
The UKRD Group Ltd is a British media company which owns 16 commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The name originates from UK Radio Developments.-History:...
won the Guildford licence (after it came up for renewal), Delta Radio was relaunched in 1996. Wey Valley Radio had already been operating as a full time service in nearby Alton and Four Marks since 1992. This station was launched as a "community" station by David Way and Paul Mann after years of campaigning for such a licence and is still the licence holder today. It was acquired by UKRD in 1994.
The decision to merge the two stations together operationally was made in 1998 and the Wey Valley service was renamed Delta, and then in 2000, the Haslemere licence (which had previously been a part of the Surrey and North East Hampshire franchise) was merged with the Alton licence to finally form a single radio station.
Transmitters
Due to the geographical conditions, Delta Radio used five transmitterTransmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
s to cover its transmission area, which broadcast on four separate frequencies. The 97.1 FM transmitter was situated at the Holy Cross Hospital in Haslemere and served Haslemere and the surrounding area.
Two transmitters operated on 101.6 FM. The first of these was situated in Medstead
Medstead
Medstead is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 4.3 miles west-southwest of Alton. The village has a population of around 2,000 and adjoins the village of Four Marks. At over 700 feet above sea level, they are some of the highest villages in...
which is close to Four Marks. This transmitter covers the West of the Delta FM transmission area. The second operated from the Hindhead crossroads on the A3 and operated as in "in-fill" between the service areas of the 97.1 and 102 transmitters.
A transmitter on 101.8 served Petersfield and the surrounding area. This transmitter was added in 2003 after many years of campaigning. The final transmitter, on 102, operated from Holybourne
Holybourne
Holybourne is a village in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 1.3 miles northeast of Alton, just off the A31 road.The nearest railway station is 1.3 miles southwest of the village, at Alton....
near to Alton. This transmitter could be heard from Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
to Four Marks and also covered Bordon.
Presenters
- Andy Luckman
- Bill Sheldrake
- Chas Byrne
- David Blower
- David Way
- Fred Marden
- Greg Williams
- James Sloan
- Julie Cottrell
- Keith Woodhouse
- Kevin Huffer
- Marcus Durham
- Mark Watson
- Nathan James
- Richard Wyeth
- Rick Davies
- Simon Winyard
- Stuart Clark
- Tom Langston
- Tony Cook
News editors
- Clare Playle
- David Blower
- Julie Cotterill
- Nik Turner
- Rob Burberry
- Terry Heath
Closure
On 29 April 2010, it was announced that Delta Radio would co-locate and merge with Kestrel FM107.6 Kestrel FM
Kestrel FM is the local radio station covering Alton, Basingstoke, Bordon, Four Marks, Haslemere, Hindhead, Petersfield and the surrounding area of Hampshire, and Surrey UK.-History:...
in Basingstoke and share some programming. However, after the relocation, only a regional breakfast continued. After many weeks of trails announcing "Kestrel is coming", Delta Radio was replaced by Kestrel FM at 9am on the 3rd of June 2010.