Droitwich Transmitting Station: Difference between revisions

Droitwich
	Masts at the Droitwich transmitting station
	Droitwich Transmitting Station (Worcestershire)
Location	Droitwich, Worcestershire
Mast height	213.36 metres (700 ft)
Coordinates	52°17′48″N 2°06′19″W / 52.296666666667°N 2.1052777777778°W
Grid reference	SO929663
Built	1934

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Revision as of 19:23, 31 October 2018

The Droitwich transmitting station is a large broadcasting facility for long-wave and medium-wave transmissions, established in 1934 in the civil parish of Dodderhill, just outside the village of Wychbold, near Droitwich in Worcestershire, England (grid reference SO929663). The site is the location of the British Broadcasting Corporation's most powerful long-wave transmitter, which together with the two Scottish long-wave transmitters at Burghead and Westerglen forms a network broadcasting on the same frequency. The masts can be seen to the east from the M5 motorway, between Droitwich and Bromsgrove, as well as to the west from the Herefordshire/Worcestershire border. At night, the two sets of aircraft warning lights are visible from a long distance. Due to the bright red lights illuminated at night, some locals have renamed the site "the devil horns of Wychbold". The station is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Technical specifications

The long-wave frequency used was 200 kilohertz (frequently referred to by the wavelength, 1,500 metres) until 1 February 1988^[1] when it was changed to 198 kilohertz, and the power is currently 500 kilowatts. The carrier frequency is controlled by a rubidium atomic frequency standard in the transmitter building, enabling the transmission to be used as an off-air frequency standard. For long-wave, a T-aerial is used, which is suspended between two 213-metre-high (700 ft) guyed steel lattice radio masts, which stand 180 metres (590 ft) apart from each other. There are also two guyed mast radiators at the site, which are used for transmitting AM medium-wave radio programmes on 693 kilohertz, 1053 kilohertz and 1215 kilohertz.

Transmissions

BBC Radio 4 Longwave is transmitted on 198 kHz. This signal also carries radio data encoded using phase modulation, giving a time-of-day signal, and radio teleswitch control signals for Economy 7 electric-heating systems.

BBC Radio 5 Live is broadcast on 693 kHz medium wave (MW), providing coverage for most of the English Midlands and Wales at a signal strength (150 kW) which is one of the strongest for that station, equal to Brookmans Park and second only to Moorside Edge.

During World War II coded messages, read during normal programme broadcasts, were sent to the French Resistance using the transmitter.^[2]

In 2011 as part of the BBC cuts it was announced that there would be no re-investment in long wave which may mean an eventual end to BBC Radio 4 in this part of the radio spectrum.^[3] The Guardian published a story in October 2011 saying that the transmitter relies upon a pair of glass valves, of which there are fewer than 10 left in the world, and the BBC did not believe it was safe enough to manufacture more.^[4]

Reception

The Radio 4 LW signal from Droitwich covers most of England and Wales. There are supplementary long-wave transmitters in Scotland (Burghead and Westerglen, both 50 kW), with medium-wave transmitters in various parts of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The station can also be heard clearly in most of the Republic of Ireland, particularly along eastern and southern counties. Reception is also possible in Western Europe, including Italy.

Services available

Frequency	kW	Service
198 kHz	500	BBC Radio 4
693 kHz	150	BBC Radio 5 Live
1053 kHz	500	Talksport
1215 kHz	105	Absolute Radio

References

^ "BBCEng.Info - Droitwich Calling". Retrieved 31 January 2012.
^ BBC Feature Retrieved 29 July 2009
^ BBC set to cut 2,000 jobs by 2017
^ Radio 4's long wave goodbye

External links

[1] "BBCEng.Info - Droitwich Calling". Retrieved 31 January 2012.

[2] BBC Feature Retrieved 29 July 2009

[3] BBC set to cut 2,000 jobs by 2017

[4] Radio 4's long wave goodbye

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-The '''Droitwich transmitting station''' is a large broadcasting facility for [[longwave|long-wave]] and [[mediumwave|medium-wave]] transmissions, established in 1934 in the [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] of [[Dodderhill]], just outside the village of [[Wychbold]], near [[Droitwich]] in [[Worcestershire]], [[England]] ({{gbmapping|SO929663}}). The site is the location of the [[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]]'s most powerful long-wave transmitter, which together with the two Scottish long-wave transmitters at [[Burghead transmitting station|Burghead]] and [[Westerglen transmitting station|Westerglen]] forms a [[Single frequency network|network broadcasting on the same frequency]]. The masts can be seen to the east from the [[M5 motorway]], between Droitwich and [[Bromsgrove]], as well as to the west from the Herefordshire/Worcestershire border. At night, the two sets of [[aircraft warning lights]] are visible from a long distance. Due to the bright red lights illuminated at night, some locals have renamed the site "the devil horns of Wychbold. The station is owned and operated by [[Arqiva]].
+The '''Droitwich transmitting station''' is a large broadcasting facility for [[longwave|long-wave]] and [[mediumwave|medium-wave]] transmissions, established in 1934 in the [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] of [[Dodderhill]], just outside the village of [[Wychbold]], near [[Droitwich]] in [[Worcestershire]], [[England]] ({{gbmapping|SO929663}}). The site is the location of the [[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]]'s most powerful long-wave transmitter, which together with the two Scottish long-wave transmitters at [[Burghead transmitting station|Burghead]] and [[Westerglen transmitting station|Westerglen]] forms a [[Single frequency network|network broadcasting on the same frequency]]. The masts can be seen to the east from the [[M5 motorway]], between Droitwich and [[Bromsgrove]], as well as to the west from the Herefordshire/Worcestershire border. At night, the two sets of [[aircraft warning lights]] are visible from a long distance. Due to the bright red lights illuminated at night, some locals have renamed the site "the devil horns of Wychbold". The station is owned and operated by [[Arqiva]].
 ==Technical specifications==