 | |
  Huntshaw Cross transmitting station (Devon) | |
| Mast height | 164 metres (538 ft) |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°58′37″N 4°06′04″W / 50.977°N 4.101°W |
| Grid reference | SS527220 |
| Built | 1968 |
| BBC region | BBC South West |
| ITV region | ITV West Country |
Huntshaw Cross transmitting station is a telecommunications facility serving North Devon including the towns of Barnstaple and South Molton. It broadcasts television, radio and mobile telephone services and is currently owned by Arqiva. It is located on the B3232 road at Huntshaw, Great Torrington. Grid reference SS527220. The mast is 164 metres (538 ft) high.
The site was opened by the Independent Television Authority on 22 April 1968 carrying the ITV programmes of Westward Television using the now defunct 405 line VHF transmission system. In this context, the site was treated as an off-air relay of Stockland Hill.
625 line UHF colour TV transmissions commenced on 5 November 1973. The high power output of the UHF station and its location allowed its signal to be received clearly in parts of south Wales. It became a popular station from which to receive network programmes from the BBC South West and ITV Westward/TSW regions, as well as Channel 4 which was not broadcast on Welsh transmitters. Evidence of this can easily be seen in Swansea (for instance) where many Group C/D TV aerials can be seen pointing south, across the water.
The 405-line transmissions from Huntshaw Cross were discontinued in the 2nd quarter of 1983, somewhat before the final UK-wide shutdown of the VHF system in January 1985.
Digital switchover began at the site in the early hours of 1 July 2009 when the BBC Two analogue service was switched off just after 01:20 BST. Switchover was completed in the early hours of 29 July 2009 with the analogue services disappearing one by one, starting with BBC One at a few seconds after 01:30. Viewers were required to perform another retune on 30 September 2009 as SDN, Arqiva A and Arqiva B reached their final frequency positions. Final post-DSO power levels were not reached by all multiplexes on this station until March 2012.
Freeview HD became available to viewers using this site from 24 September 2010.
A local DAB multiplex for North Devon began transmitting on 2 February 2012 ahead of full launch on 6 February 2012, the local DAB service is an exact mirror of the DAB service for Exeter and Torbay.
Channels listed by frequency
Analogue television
22 April 1968 – 5 November 1973
| Frequency | VHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 204.75 MHz | 11H | 0.5 | Westward |
5 November 1973 – 1 November 1982
UHF colour television commenced.
| Frequency | VHF | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 204.75 MHz | 11H | — | 0.5 | Westward (TSW from 1982) |
| 743.25 MHz | — | 55 | 100 | BBC1 South West |
| 775.25 MHz | — | 59 | 100 | Westward (TSW from 1982) |
| 799.25 MHz | — | 62 | 100 | BBC2 South West |
1 November 1982 - Second Quarter 1983
The UK's fourth UHF television channel started up, but wasn't broadcast from Huntshaw Cross until July 1984.
| Frequency | VHF | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 204.75 MHz | 11H | — | 0.5 | TSW |
| 743.25 MHz | — | 55 | 100 | BBC1 South West |
| 775.25 MHz | — | 59 | 100 | TSW |
| 799.25 MHz | — | 62 | 100 | BBC2 South West |
| 823.25 MHz | — | 65 | 100 | Channel 4 |
Second Quarter 1983 - March 1997
405 line television was discontinued early,[1] and for the next 14 years only the four primary analogue UHF channels were radiated.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 743.25 MHz | 55 | 100 | BBC1 South West |
| 775.25 MHz | 59 | 100 | TSW (Westcountry from 1993) |
| 799.25 MHz | 62 | 100 | BBC2 South West |
| 823.25 MHz | 65 | 100 | Channel 4 |
March 1997 - 1 November 1998
The fifth UK analogue UHF channel was added.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 743.25 MHz | 55 | 100 | BBC1 South West |
| 775.25 MHz | 59 | 100 | Westcountry |
| 799.25 MHz | 62 | 100 | BBC2 South West |
| 823.25 MHz | 65 | 100 | Channel 4 |
| 839.25 MHz | 67 | 2 | Channel 5 |
Analogue and Digital television
1 November 1998 – 1 July 2009
The initial roll-out of digital television involved running the digital services interleaved (and at low ERP) with the existing analogue services.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 729.833 MHz | 53- | 4 | Arqiva (Mux C) | DVB-T |
| 737.833 MHz | 54- | 4 | BBC (Mux 1) | DVB-T |
| 743.25 MHz | 55 | 100 | BBC1 South West | PAL |
| 761.833 MHz | 57- | 4 | Arqiva (Mux D) | DVB-T |
| 769.833 MHz | 58- | 4 | Digital 3&4 (Mux 2) | DVB-T |
| 775.25 MHz | 59 | 100 | Westcountry | PAL |
| 793.833 MHz | 61- | 4 | SDN (Mux A) | DVB-T |
| 799.25 MHz | 62 | 100 | BBC2 South West | PAL |
| 817.833 MHz | 64- | 4 | BBC (Mux B) | DVB-T |
| 823.25 MHz | 65 | 100 | Channel 4 | PAL |
| 839.25 MHz | 67 | 2 | Channel 5 | PAL |
1 July 2009 – 29 July 2009
Digital Switchover started at Huntshaw Cross.[2] The analogue BBC2 service on channel 62 was switched off, along with the BBC Mux 1 service on channel 54- and the new "BBC A" multiplex started up on the newly vacated channel 62 at full post-DSO power.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 729.833 MHz | 53- | 4 | Arqiva (Mux C) | DVB-T |
| 743.25 MHz | 55 | 100 | BBC1 South West | PAL |
| 761.833 MHz | 57- | 4 | Arqiva (Mux D) | DVB-T |
| 769.833 MHz | 58- | 4 | Digital 3&4 (Mux 2) | DVB-T |
| 775.25 MHz | 59 | 100 | Westcountry | PAL |
| 793.833 MHz | 61- | 4 | SDN (Mux A) | DVB-T |
| 801.833 MHz | 62- | 20 | BBC A | DVB-T |
| 817.833 MHz | 64- | 4 | BBC (Mux B) | DVB-T |
| 823.25 MHz | 65 | 100 | Channel 4 | PAL |
| 839.25 MHz | 67 | 2 | Channel 5 | PAL |
Digital television
23 July 2009 – 30 September 2009
All the remaining analogue TV channels were shut down and the new post-DSO digital multiplexes for the PSB channels started up at full power. Huntshaw Cross was subject to a complex multi-stage switchover, and the COM multiplexes (Mux A, Mux C and Mux D) were not switched from their pre-DSO configurations immediately.[3]
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 729.833 MHz | 53- | 4 | Arqiva (Mux C) | DVB-T |
| 745.833 MHz | 55- | 20 | BBC B | DVB-T |
| 761.833 MHz | 57- | 4 | Arqiva (Mux D) | DVB-T |
| 777.833 MHz | 59- | 20 | Digital 3&4 | DVB-T |
| 793.833 MHz | 61- | 4 | SDN (Mux A) | DVB-T |
| 801.833 MHz | 62- | 20 | BBC A | DVB-T |
30 September 2009 – 28 March 2012
With the post-DSO retune event at Mendip, the post-DSO COM multiplexes replaced the pre-DSO COM multiplexes on their final channel allocations,[4] though only the SDN multiplex gained full power at this point.[5]
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 690.000 MHz | 48 | 10 | SDN | DVB-T |
| 722.000 MHz | 52 | 4 | Arqiva A | DVB-T |
| 745.833 MHz | 55- | 20 | BBC B | DVB-T |
| 754.000 MHz | 56 | 4 | Arqiva B | DVB-T |
| 777.833 MHz | 59- | 20 | Digital 3&4 | DVB-T |
| 801.833 MHz | 62- | 20 | BBC A | DVB-T |
28 March 2012 - May 2013
With the second post-DSO retune event at Mendip, the Arq A and Arq B multiplexes gained full power.[5]
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 690.000 MHz | 48 | 10 | SDN | DVB-T |
| 722.000 MHz | 52 | 10 | Arqiva A | DVB-T |
| 745.833 MHz | 55- | 20 | BBC B | DVB-T |
| 754.000 MHz | 56 | 10 | Arqiva B | DVB-T |
| 777.833 MHz | 59- | 20 | Digital 3&4 | DVB-T |
| 801.833 MHz | 62- | 20 | BBC A | DVB-T |
From May 2013
Yet another retune was needed in May 2013 as part of the Europe-wide tactic of clearing Band V above 800 MHz so as to make space for future 4G mobile phone services.[6] The BBC A multiplex was reassigned to channel 50.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 690.000 MHz | 48 | 10 | SDN | DVB-T |
| 706.000 MHz | 50 | 20 | BBC A | DVB-T |
| 722.000 MHz | 52 | 10 | Arqiva A | DVB-T |
| 745.833 MHz | 55- | 20 | BBC B | DVB-T |
| 754.000 MHz | 56 | 10 | Arqiva B | DVB-T |
| 777.833 MHz | 59- | 20 | Digital 3&4 | DVB-T |
From 19 June 2019
A retune will be needed from 19 June 2019 due to the 700 MHz clearance programme.[7] The recommended television aerial for Huntshaw Cross will change from group C/D to group A.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 546.000 MHz | 30 | 20 | BBC A | DVB-T |
| 554.000 MHz | 31 | 20 | Digital 3&4 | DVB-T |
| 562.000 MHz | 32 | 10 | SDN | DVB-T |
| 578.000 MHz | 34 | 10 | Arqiva A | DVB-T |
| 586.000 MHz | 35 | 10 | Arqiva B | DVB-T |
| 602.000 MHz | 37 | 20 | BBC B | DVB-T2 |
Analogue radio
| Frequency | kW[8] | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 94.8 MHz | 0.5 | BBC Radio Devon |
| 96.2 MHz | 2 | Heart West |
Digital Radio
| Block | Frequency (MHz) | Power (kW) | Multiplex Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10C | 213.360 | 4.0 | Devon |
| 11D | 222.064 | 4.55 | D1 National |
| 12B | 225.648 | 2.5 | BBC National DAB |
References
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/installer_newsletters_transmitter_groups2009_pdfs/Installer_Newsletter_Huntshaw_Cross__1_month_out_Jun09_FINAL17Jun.pdf[bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Digital Switchover: North Devon / Huntshaw Cross". 21 June 2009.
- ^ http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/installer_newsletters_transmitter_groups2009_pdfs/Special_edition-_W_C_installers_-_HC-R-P_-_30_Sept.pdf[bare URL PDF]
- ^ a b http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/transmitternetwork/tools__and__resources/almanac/special_editions/Special_edition-installers_MENDIP_retune_event_Sept2011_300811_Final.pdf[bare URL PDF]
- ^ "EU States Must Allow 4G on Analogue TV Spectrum". 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Digital UK | Home". www.digitaluk.co.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
- ^ Radio Listeners Guide 2010
External links
- MB21's page on 405 TV to Wales and the West
- "405 Alive's list of transmitters"
- More details on 405-line ITV transmitters
- Entry at The Transmission Gallery
- UKfree.tv information on Huntshaw Cross
- Huntshaw Cross Transmitting Station at thebigtower.com
This page was last edited on 5 March 2024, at 14:28