TV and radio transmitter on Gallow Hill - geograph

The Angus transmitting station is a

broadcasting Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...

and

telecommunications Telecommunication, often used in its plural form or abbreviated as telecom, is the transmission of information over a distance using electronic means, typically through cables, radio waves, or other communication technologies. These means of ...

facility, situated approximately five miles due north of

Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...

, between the villages of Charleston and

Tealing Tealing (Scottish Gaelic: Tèalainn) is a village in Angus, Scotland, Angus in eastern Scotland, nestled at the foot of the Sidlaw Hills. It is just north of the city of Dundee and south of Forfar. With a population of just over 700 people livi ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

(). It includes a guyed steel lattice mast which is 229.5 metres (753 ft) in height. Mounted at the top are the

UHF Ultra high frequency (UHF) is the ITU designation for radio frequencies in the range between 300 megahertz (MHz) and 3 gigahertz (GHz), also known as the decimetre band as the wavelengths range from one meter to one tenth of a meter ...

television antennas, contained within a GRP shroud. These antennas have an average height above Ordnance Datum of 547 metres (1,795 ft). It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

History

It was constructed in 1965 by the ITA, having been chosen as a suitable site for high power colour

transmissions. The construction contract was given to J. L. Eve Construction in April 1963, to be built at Harecairn by early 1964, for the

Tayside Tayside () was one of the nine regions used for local government in Scotland from 16 May 1975 to 31 March 1996. The region was named after the River Tay. History Tayside region was created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act ...

area, but not Dundee, which had a separate relay station. The relay station was built by Laird Brothers, of

Forfar Forfar (; , ) is the county town of Angus, Scotland, and the administrative centre for Angus Council, with a new multi-million-pound office complex located on the outskirts of the town. As of 2021, the town had a population of 16,280. The town ...

, to open in the summer of 1964. The site would open in October 1965, with ITV on Channel 11. It was built at Balcalk Hill.

Opening

The first broadcasts began on VHF channel 11 in black and white, from 13 October 1965 A new television production site in Dundee, was to be later built.

Transmission

Trade testing of BBC2 in colour began on Monday 14 July 1969, to go into full service on Monday 28 July 1969 on channel 68. BBC1 in colour began from Saturday 2 October 1971, for 300,000 viewers, six months early. In May 1972, the ITA announced that ITV would broadcast in colour from September 1972. ITV would go colour from Saturday 30 September 1972.

Coverage area

It covers parts of the

Dundee City council area Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...

, eastern

Perth and Kinross Perth and Kinross (; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. It is bordered by Highland (council area), Highland and Aberdeenshire to the north, Angus, Scotland, Angus, Dundee, and F ...

, southern

Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...

and north and east

Fife Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...

. Reception is also possible in much of north and east

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

and the coastal areas of

East Lothian East Lothian (; ; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In ...

, as far along as the town of

Dunbar Dunbar () is a town on the North Sea coast in East Lothian in the south-east of Scotland, approximately east of Edinburgh and from the Anglo–Scottish border, English border north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Dunbar is a former royal burgh, and ...

Relay transmitters

*Tay Bridge transmitting station (), which is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Channels listed by frequency

Analogue radio (FM VHF)

† Mixed polarisation.

Digital radio (DAB)

Television

Analogue

=28 July 1969 – 1972

=1972 – November 1982

=November 1982 – 14 November 1998

Analogue and digital

=15 November 1998 – 3 August 2010

= Digital terrestrial television was first transmitted from the Angus mast from 15 November 1998 using the frequency gaps between the analogue TV broadcasts. To limit interference to the analogue transmissions, power output on the digital multiplexes was low.

=4 August 2010 - 17 August 2010

= On 4 August 2010, BBC2 was switched off on UHF 63 and STV was switched from UHF 60 for its final weeks of service. Multiplex 1 on UHF 68 was closed and replaced by BBC A on UHF 60 (which had just been vacated by analogue STV). BBC A was transmitted at full power (20 kW) and in 64QAM, 8k carriers mode from the start.

Digital

=18 August 2010 to 16 April 2013

= Following the completion of analogue TV shutdown on 18 August 2010, Angus transmitted all of its higher powered multiplexes at 20 kW for PSB 1, 2 and 3, and 10 kW for COM 4, 5 and 6. From this date the frequency allocation was:

=17 April 2013 to 26 November 2019

= Due to the clearance of the 800 MHz band, Arqiva B was moved from UHF 61 to UHF 49 and BBC A gained a negative offset. Also during this time, COM 7 and 8 and the Local TV multiplex launched.

=27 November 2019 to 24 June 2020

= Due to the clearance of the 700 MHz band, the following channels come into use:

=25 June 2020 to Present

= Due to the clearance of UHF 56 (COM8), in the 700 MHz band, the following channels come into use:

References

External links

Photographs and information
at '' The Transmission Gallery''

at ''thebigtower'' * {{Durris VHF 405-line Transmitter Group 1965 establishments in Scotland Infrastructure completed in 1965 Towers completed in 1965 Transmitter sites in Scotland