St Hilary Transmitting Station
Encyclopedia
The St. Hilary transmitting station is a facility for telecommunications situated close to the village of St Hilary, Glamorgan
in the Vale of Glamorgan
, Wales
, in the UK
. It comprises a 750 feet (229 m) guyed mast
with antennas
attached at various heights.
to build a mast at the site was controversial (prompting a House of Lords debate in May 1957). This was due to its proximity to Rhoose Airport (now Cardiff International Airport
, and IBA's initial plan for a 1000 ft (305 m) mast on a site that itself is 125 m (410 ft) above sea level.
Objections were noted, the mast height was eventually limited to 750 ft (229 m) and it was built in Summer 1957 to provide 405-line
VHF television to south Wales and the west of England. Test transmissions commenced on 2nd September 1957 on Band III
channel 10 (199.75 MHz) from antennas at 340 m above sea level and the station entered broadcast service on that frequency in January 1958. The programming was initially provided by TWW
.
The site remained on air until the closure of 405-line television in 1985.
In 1965, Band III channel 7 (184.75 MHz) was added to the mast, transmitting from an antenna array sited about 20 m below the existing channel 10 array. This was to carry the programmes of ITV's new Welsh ITV region initially provided by TWW, and from 1968 by Harlech Television (HTV Wales)
. From that point onwards, the channel 10 transmissions carried the programmes of ITV's new Westcountry region (again, initially provided by TWW, and from 1968 by HTV West
). Channel 10's power output was decreased to 55 kW and the Wales-facing antennas were removed, though the e.r.p towards the West of England remained about the same as it had been previously.
In 1985, when 405-line TV closed, the site was re-engineered to remove the VHF television antennas. St. Hilary became just a telecommunications mast and remained so until October 2000 when Real Radio
commenced FM Radio broadcasting from the site. In late 2000, DAB Digital Radio was added to the radio broadcasting repertoire initially transmitting the Cardiff & Newport multiplex on channel 11C, but with Swansea SW Wales on channel 12A commencing in February 2004.
In 2006 OFCOM
received a proposal for a new Rock-Orientated FM station to transmit from the site, but nothing has come of it.
St Hilary, Glamorgan
St Hilary is a small village in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.-Location:The village lies just south of the A48, a few miles west of Cardiff and a mile east of the market town of Cowbridge. On the high ground to the north of the village stands the St...
in the Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, in the UK
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...
. It comprises a 750 feet (229 m) guyed mast
Guyed mast
A guyed mast is a tall thin vertical structure that receives support from guy lines.Guyed masts are frequently used for radio masts. The mast can either support aerials mounted at its top, or the entire structure itself can function as an antenna ; this is called a mast radiator...
with antennas
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
attached at various heights.
History
The plan by the IBAIndependent Broadcasting Authority
The Independent Broadcasting Authority was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television - and commercial/independent radio broadcasts...
to build a mast at the site was controversial (prompting a House of Lords debate in May 1957). This was due to its proximity to Rhoose Airport (now Cardiff International Airport
Cardiff International Airport
Cardiff Airport is an international airport serving Cardiff, and the rest of South, Mid and West Wales. Around 1.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010....
, and IBA's initial plan for a 1000 ft (305 m) mast on a site that itself is 125 m (410 ft) above sea level.
Objections were noted, the mast height was eventually limited to 750 ft (229 m) and it was built in Summer 1957 to provide 405-line
405-line
The 405-line monochrome analogue television broadcasting system was the first fully electronic television system to be used in regular broadcasting....
VHF television to south Wales and the west of England. Test transmissions commenced on 2nd September 1957 on Band III
Band III
Band III is the name of a radio frequency range within the very high frequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum.Band III ranges from 174 to 230 MHz, and it is primarily used for radio and television broadcasting...
channel 10 (199.75 MHz) from antennas at 340 m above sea level and the station entered broadcast service on that frequency in January 1958. The programming was initially provided by TWW
Television Wales and the West
Television Wales and the WestTelevision Wales and the WestTelevision Wales and the West , accessed 19 August 2006, accessed 19 August 2006 was the British "Independent Television" contractor for the franchise area serving 'South Wales and West of England' 1956–68 Television Wales and the...
.
The site remained on air until the closure of 405-line television in 1985.
In 1965, Band III channel 7 (184.75 MHz) was added to the mast, transmitting from an antenna array sited about 20 m below the existing channel 10 array. This was to carry the programmes of ITV's new Welsh ITV region initially provided by TWW, and from 1968 by Harlech Television (HTV Wales)
HTV
HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales & West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, which operated from studios in Cardiff and Bristol. The company provided commercial television for the dual-region 'Wales and West' franchise, which it won from TWW in 1968...
. From that point onwards, the channel 10 transmissions carried the programmes of ITV's new Westcountry region (again, initially provided by TWW, and from 1968 by HTV West
HTV
HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales & West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, which operated from studios in Cardiff and Bristol. The company provided commercial television for the dual-region 'Wales and West' franchise, which it won from TWW in 1968...
). Channel 10's power output was decreased to 55 kW and the Wales-facing antennas were removed, though the e.r.p towards the West of England remained about the same as it had been previously.
In 1985, when 405-line TV closed, the site was re-engineered to remove the VHF television antennas. St. Hilary became just a telecommunications mast and remained so until October 2000 when Real Radio
Real Radio
Real Radio is a network of adult contemporary independent local radio stations in England, Scotland and Wales and is operated by . Each station broadcasts local breakfast through to drive time shows and network programming in the evening and through the night...
commenced FM Radio broadcasting from the site. In late 2000, DAB Digital Radio was added to the radio broadcasting repertoire initially transmitting the Cardiff & Newport multiplex on channel 11C, but with Swansea SW Wales on channel 12A commencing in February 2004.
In 2006 OFCOM
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
received a proposal for a new Rock-Orientated FM station to transmit from the site, but nothing has come of it.
14th January 1958 - 15th February 1965
| Frequency | VHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 199.75 MHz | 10 | 200 | TWW TWW TWW may refer to:* Television Wales and the West, a commercial television contractor serving Wales and England from 1958-1968* TheWolfWeb, an internet message board for students at North Carolina State University... |
15th February 1965 - 3rd January 1985
| Frequency | VHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 184.75 MHz | 7 | 100 | TWW TWW TWW may refer to:* Television Wales and the West, a commercial television contractor serving Wales and England from 1958-1968* TheWolfWeb, an internet message board for students at North Carolina State University... /HTV Wales HTV HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales & West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, which operated from studios in Cardiff and Bristol. The company provided commercial television for the dual-region 'Wales and West' franchise, which it won from TWW in 1968... |
| 199.75 MHz | 10 | 55 | TWW TWW TWW may refer to:* Television Wales and the West, a commercial television contractor serving Wales and England from 1958-1968* TheWolfWeb, an internet message board for students at North Carolina State University... /HTV West HTV HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales & West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, which operated from studios in Cardiff and Bristol. The company provided commercial television for the dual-region 'Wales and West' franchise, which it won from TWW in 1968... |
October 2000 - present day
| Frequency | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 105.4 MHz | 5 | Real Radio Real Radio Real Radio is a network of adult contemporary independent local radio stations in England, Scotland and Wales and is operated by . Each station broadcasts local breakfast through to drive time shows and network programming in the evening and through the night... |
October 2000 - 31 January 2004
| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 220.352 MHz | 11C | 2 | NOW Cardiff & Newport |
February 2004 - present day
| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 220.352 MHz | 11C | 2 | NOW Cardiff & Newport |
| 223.936 MHz | 12A | 1 | Swansea SW Wales |
See also
- Radio masts and towersRadio masts and towersRadio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. They are among the tallest man-made structures...
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Great Britain