The Heathfield transmitting station is a facility for FM and

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

transmission Transmission or transmit may refer to: Science and technology * Power transmission ** Electric power transmission ** Transmission (mechanical device), technology that allows controlled application of power *** Automatic transmission *** Manual tra ...

Heathfield, East Sussex Heathfield is a market town and former civil parish, now in the parish of Heathfield and Waldron, in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The town had a population of 7,667 in 2021. Locals know it by "Heffle". Location Heathfield lies ...

, UK (grid reference TQ566220). Opened in 1969, its antenna mast is a tall guyed structure, giving the transmitter a height of above sea level. A Group B (or wideband or K group) horizontally polarised aerial is required to receive digital TV signals. The original analogue signals were in the Group C/D band, but all the digital MUXES should still be receivable on a C/D group aerial in reasonable signal areas
see graph
. The station's coverage area suffers from co-channel interference problems, particularly to the south, not only with Brighton (Whitehawk Hill) but with the continent as well. It is owned and operated by

Arqiva Arqiva () is a British telecommunications company which provides infrastructure, broadcast transmission and smart meter facilities in the United Kingdom. The company is headquartered at the former Independent Broadcasting Authority headquart ...

. The transmitter broadcasts television and radio services to

East Sussex East Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement ...

and parts of

West Sussex West Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west. The largest settlement is Cr ...

. This includes towns such as

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. It is also a non-metropolitan district, local government district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, bor ...

, Bexhill,

St Leonards-on-Sea St Leonards-on-Sea (commonly known as St Leonards) is a town and seaside resort in the borough of Hastings in East Sussex, England. It has been part of the borough since the late 19th century and lies to the west of central Hastings. The origin ...

, Heathfield,

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...

Uckfield Uckfield () is a town in the Wealden District, Wealden District of East Sussex in South East England. The town is on the River Uck, one of the tributaries of the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse, on the southern edge of the Weald. Etymology "Uck ...

, Seaford,

Newhaven Newhaven is a port town in the Lewes district of East Sussex, England, lying at the mouth of the River Ouse. The town developed during the Middle Ages as the nearby port of Seaford began drying up, forcing a new port to be established. A ...

Peacehaven Peacehaven is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Lewes (district), Lewes district of East Sussex, England. It is above the chalk cliffs of the South Downs about east of Brighton city centre, on the A259 road. It is the ...

Crowborough Crowborough is a town and civil parish in East Sussex, England, in the Weald at the edge of Ashdown Forest and the highest town in the High Weald AONB, High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is located south-west of Royal Tunbridge ...

Hailsham Hailsham is a town, a civil parish and the administrative centre of the Wealden district of East Sussex, England.OS Explorer map Eastbourne and Beachy Head Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Dat ...

Haywards Heath Haywards Heath ( ) is a town in West Sussex, England, south of London, north of Brighton, south of Gatwick Airport and northeast of the county town, Chichester. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the southwest, Horsham to the northwest, ...

Burgess Hill Burgess Hill () is a town and civil parish in West Sussex, England, close to the border with East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park, south of London, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town, Chichester. ...

and

East Grinstead East Grinstead () is a town in West Sussex, England, near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders, south of London, northeast of Brighton, and northeast of the county town of Chichester. Situated in the northeast corner of the county, bord ...

. Along with Bluebell Hill,

Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...

and

Whitehawk Hill Whitehawk Hill is a Local Nature Reserve in Brighton, East Sussex. It is owned and managed by Brighton and Hove City Council. At the top of the hill is Whitehawk Camp, a Neolithic causewayed enclosure which is a Scheduled Monument. This is s ...

, Heathfield transmits regional television services from BBC One South East and

ITV Meridian ITV Meridian (previously Meridian Broadcasting) is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station was launched at midnight on 1 January 1993, replacing previous broadcaster Television South, and is owned ...

(east). Heathfield has 13 local relays: Bexhill, Ham Street, Haywards Heath, Hollington Park, East Dean, Eastbourne, Eastbourne (Old Town), Lamberhurst, Lewes, Mountfield, Newhaven, Sedlescombe and Wye.

Services listed by frequency

Analogue radio

Digital radio

Digital television

*Aerial Group: B *Polarisation: Horizontal *Heathfield completed 700 MHz clearance on 19 July 2018, therefore ceasing the use of UHF 49 and UHF 52.

Before switchover

*Aerial group: W

Analogue television

BBC2 closed on 30 May 2012. The remaining analogue services closed on 13 June 2012. *Aerial group: C/D *Polarisation: horizontal

References

External links

The Transmission Gallery: Heathfield Transmitter photographs and informationInfo and pictures of Heathfield transmitter including historical power/frequency changes and present co-receivable transmitters
Transmitter sites in England {{UK-bcast-stub