Bressay transmitting station

60°07′48″N 1°05′45″W / 60.13°N 1.095833°W / 60.13; -1.095833Grid referenceHU5022838667Built1964BBC regionBBC ScotlandITV regionSTV North

Bressay transmitting station is a broadcasting transmission facility for the Shetland Islands, located on the isle of Bressay, owned and operated by Arqiva (previously National Grid Wireless). The transmitting station is based on the Ward of Bressay, the island's highest peak.

The facility includes two steel lattice towers both over 70m high. It first came into service on 1 April 1964 transmitting BBC Television on Band I VHF channel 3 and the Scottish Home Service, Light Programme and Third on Band II VHF, using the same frequencies as today. (Home Service now Radio Shetland, Light R2 and Third R3).[1]

Services listed by frequency

Analogue radio

Frequency kW[2] Service
88.3 MHz 43 BBC Radio 2
90.5 MHz 43 BBC Radio 3
92.7 MHz 43 BBC Radio Shetland
94.9 MHz 43 BBC Radio 4
96.2 MHz 15† SIBC
97.9 MHz 43 BBC Radio 1

† Licensed to transmit at 50 kW.

Digital television

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
474.166 MHz 21+ 2 Arqiva B DVB-T
482.166 MHz 22+ 2 BBC B DVB-T2
498.000 MHz 24 2 Arqiva A DVB-T
506.000 MHz 25 2 Digital 3&4 DVB-T
522.000 MHz 27 2 SDN DVB-T
530.000 MHz 28 2 BBC A DVB-T


Before switchover

Frequency UHF kW Operator
474.000 MHz 21 1 BBC (Mux 1)
497.833 MHz 24- 1 Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)
521.833 MHz 27- 1 SDN (Mux A)
553.833 MHz 31- 1 BBC (Mux B)
834.000 MHz 66 1 Arqiva (Mux C)
842.000 MHz 67 1 Arqiva (Mux D)

Analogue television

Frequency UHF kW Service
479.25 MHz 22 10 BBC One Scotland
503.25 MHz 25 10 STV (North) (Grampian)
527.25 MHz 28 10 BBC Two Scotland
559.25 MHz 32 10 Channel 4

Digital switchover

The digital switchover happened in two stages.

In Stage One, BBC Two Scotland was switched off and anyone with Freeview, BT Vision or Top Up TV needed to re-tune. The date for this was 5 May 2010.

In Stage Two, analogue was permanently switched off and anyone with Freeview, BT Vision or Top Up TV needed to re-tune again. The date for this stage was 19 May 2010.

HD and high-powered Freeview services replaced the analogue signals.

See also

References

  1. ^ Transmitting aerials for the Shetland v.h.f. television and v.h.f. sound station. Technological Report No. E-103 (1964/28) (PDF) (Report). May 1964.
  2. ^ Radio Listeners Guide 2010

External links

  • The Transmission Gallery: Bressay Transmitter photographs and information
  • The Transmission Gallery: Television coverage map
  • The Transmission Gallery: Radio coverage map
  • www.mds975.co.uk: Images and info on Bressay transmitter
  • v
  • t
  • e
Television transmitter and major relay sites in the United Kingdom
England
East
East Midlands
Greater London
North East
North West
South East
South West
West Midlands
Yorkshire and the Humber
ScotlandWalesNorthern IrelandChannel IslandsIsle of Man
  • Douglas
Italics denotes a transmitter no longer used for transmitting television signals
  • v
  • t
  • e
Meldrum VHF 405-line Transmitter Group
Transmitter stations
  • Ballater
  • Bressay
  • Keelylang Hill
  • Thrumster