Mendip last night - what happened?
SpamTrapSeeSig
It looked like multiple lightning strikes, followed by a power failure,
but R4 this morning hinted that the mast itself might have been
physically damaged, if not brought down.
Anyone who's in the area professionally care to comment (Dennis Lomax,
John Bennett)?
Regards,
Simonm.
--
simonm_at_muircom_dot_demon_dot_see_oh_dot_you_kay
Simon Muir, http://www.iits.dircon.co.uk/newalliance/fasti.htm
UKIP and http://www.kc3ltd.co.uk/profile/eurofollie/
Democracy Movement, Bristol http://members.aol.com/eurofaq
http://www.freebrit.demon.co.uk/
Jamie
<no-...@nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> I was watching and recording (Msgr. Reynard).
>
> It looked like multiple lightning strikes, followed by a power failure,
> but R4 this morning hinted that the mast itself might have been
> physically damaged, if not brought down.
>
> Anyone who's in the area professionally care to comment (Dennis Lomax,
> John Bennett)?
>
> Regards,
>
> Simonm.
Both the SWEB HV electricity supplies where brought down.
J.
--
SpamTrapSeeSig
<jim....@argonet.co.uk> writes
>
>Both the SWEB HV electricity supplies where brought down.
>
>J.
to R. Bristol. The R4 version was tantalisingly uninformative...
Mark
>> I was watching and recording (Msgr. Reynard).
>>
>> It looked like multiple lightning strikes, followed by a
>> power failure, but R4 this morning hinted that the mast
>> itself might have been physically damaged, if not brought
>> down.
>>
>> Anyone who's in the area professionally care to comment
>>(Dennis Lomax, John Bennett)?
>Both the SWEB HV electricity supplies where brought down.
>J.
Doesn't Mendip have a Generator back-up like most of the other
Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at the
same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
Mark
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Richard Lamont
Mark <mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> writes:
> Jamie <jim....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>> I was watching and recording (Msgr. Reynard).
>>>
>>> It looked like multiple lightning strikes, followed by a
>>> power failure, but R4 this morning hinted that the mast
>>> itself might have been physically damaged, if not brought
>>> down.
>>>
>>> Anyone who's in the area professionally care to comment
>>>(Dennis Lomax, John Bennett)?
>
>>Both the SWEB HV electricity supplies where brought down.
>>J.
>
> Doesn't Mendip have a Generator back-up like most of the other
> Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
> board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at the
> same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
My knowledge is very rusty, but AFAIK the only BBC/Castle UHF sites with
generators are those which were equipped with 'DF diesels' in the early
1960s. These were the high-power and medium-power FM and 405-line TV
sites. These generators were part paid for by a government grant as
part of the BBC's civil defence expenditure. The intention was two
provide just enough power to run one or two FM transmitters at each
site and Band I TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
--
** I've written to my MP about the RIP bill. **
Richard Lamont ** Have you written to yours? **
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Mark
>> Doesn't Mendip have a Generator back-up like most of the other
>> Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
>> board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at
>> the same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
>
>Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
>
>My knowledge is very rusty, but AFAIK the only BBC/Castle UHF
>sites with generators are those which were equipped with 'DF
>diesels' in the early 1960s. These were the high-power and
>medium-power FM and 405-line TV sites. These generators were
>part paid for by a government grant as part of the BBC's civil
>defence expenditure. The intention was two provide just enough
>power to run one or two FM transmitters at each site and Band I
>TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
It's quite a few years since I visited Bilsdale so I maybe out of
date, but it did have a Gas turbine last time I visited.
Alot of BBC stations were fitted with generators so that the
Transmitters would remain on air when the power was cut. Most
I gather were installed in the late 60's and 1970's when
industrial action was common. I'm not certain who payed for the
installation.
Holme Moss has 2x125 KW generators which was used a few month
back. They keep the engines warm so that starting easy.
Even recently NTL installed a generator at Emley Moor after a
embarrassing incident were all the networks and control room were
put action due to a power cut. I gather that Castles and NTL have
installed some Generators at some of the smaller sites they have
in the past few years.
The IBA(rip) used to install generators at the transmitter sites
used for ILR. I believe they also used to make it part of a
stations licence for a generator to be installed at the studio
of a ILR station, sufficent in size to drive all the gear and
emergency equipment at a studio. I don't think some of the
stations being licenced today are doing that. Mind you the
BBC studios have generators.
Doesn't TVC have a 5 megawatt generator powering all the site
all year round ?. I remember watching a OU programme one night
about it.
Mark.
Tony Sayer
<ric...@stonix.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <107b6fb0...@usw-ex0102-014.remarq.com>,
> Mark <mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> writes:
>
>> Jamie <jim....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>> I was watching and recording (Msgr. Reynard).
>>>>
>>>> It looked like multiple lightning strikes, followed by a
>>>> power failure, but R4 this morning hinted that the mast
>>>> itself might have been physically damaged, if not brought
>>>> down.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone who's in the area professionally care to comment
>>>>(Dennis Lomax, John Bennett)?
>>
>>>Both the SWEB HV electricity supplies where brought down.
>>>J.
>>
>> Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
>> board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at the
>> same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
>
>Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
>
>My knowledge is very rusty, but AFAIK the only BBC/Castle UHF sites with
>generators are those which were equipped with 'DF diesels' in the early
>1960s. These were the high-power and medium-power FM and 405-line TV
>sites. These generators were part paid for by a government grant as
>part of the BBC's civil defence expenditure. The intention was two
>provide just enough power to run one or two FM transmitters at each
>site and Band I TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
>
>
As if joe public would have a generator also to run his tv...
--
Tony Sayer
Bancom Communications Ltd U.K. Tel +44 1223 566577 Fax +44 1223 566588
P.O. Box 280, Cambridge, England, CB2 2DY E-Mail to...@bancom.demon.co.uk
TL447-553 52* 10.57'N 0* 6.96 E
Ian Jelf
<mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> writes
>The IBA(rip) used to install generators at the transmitter sites
>used for ILR. I believe they also used to make it part of a
>stations licence for a generator to be installed at the studio
>of a ILR station, sufficent in size to drive all the gear and
>emergency equipment at a studio.
realised that it couldn't treat ILR contractors in small service areas
in quite the same way as it treated major network TV franchise holders!
:-)
> I don't think some of the
>stations being licenced today are doing that.
I would find it *very* unlikely! (But I'm open to correction.)
--
Ian Jelf http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk
Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide
for the Heart of England and London
Jamie
>
> ric...@stonix.demon.co.uk (Richard Lamont) wrote:
>
> >> Doesn't Mendip have a Generator back-up like most of the other
> >> Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
> >> board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at
> >> the same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
> >
> >Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
> >
> >My knowledge is very rusty, but AFAIK the only BBC/Castle UHF
> >sites with generators are those which were equipped with 'DF
> >diesels' in the early 1960s. These were the high-power and
> >medium-power FM and 405-line TV sites. These generators were
> >part paid for by a government grant as part of the BBC's civil
> >defence expenditure. The intention was two provide just enough
> >power to run one or two FM transmitters at each site and Band I
> >TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
>
> date, but it did have a Gas turbine last time I visited.
>
> Alot of BBC stations were fitted with generators so that the
> Transmitters would remain on air when the power was cut. Most
> I gather were installed in the late 60's and 1970's when
> industrial action was common. I'm not certain who payed for the
> installation.
> Holme Moss has 2x125 KW generators which was used a few month
> back. They keep the engines warm so that starting easy.
>
> Even recently NTL installed a generator at Emley Moor after a
> embarrassing incident were all the networks and control room were
> put action due to a power cut. I gather that Castles and NTL have
> installed some Generators at some of the smaller sites they have
> in the past few years.
Only some of the main stations have backup generators. The cost of
installing such powerful generators at all main sites would not be
ecnomical. Even those sites that have generators will normally being
running on reduced power when supported by a generator.
I think most, if not all, of the DTT sites have small generators - much
easier, and cheaper, to install because of the reduced load.
--
Ted Richardson
>
>
>
> It's quite a few years since I visited Bilsdale so I maybe out of
> date, but it did have a Gas turbine last time I visited.
>
>
Thanks, very interesting thread. But what has changed? When the UHF
txs went in to the sites in the 70s the IBA said that there would not be
generator backup as the power requirements were too great, and public
power suppliers were then much more reliable. Double or triple 11kv
supplies were deemed sufficient.
Possible reasons for reversing this would be (a) greater commercial
pressures within ITV (b) Thatcher's Government wanting to isolate TV
transmission from industrial action in the power and mining industries
(c) relative cost reductions of generating sets.
Jack FitzSimons
Lamont) wrote:
>> Doesn't Mendip have a Generator back-up like most of the other
>> Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
>> board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at the
>> same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
>
>Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
Don't think there's any diesel backup at Waltham.
Generally, the rule of thumb was that there was little point in
providing a diesel for TV as the viewers would also be hit by the same
mains failure and would be unable to watch anyway. Radio (both AM and
FM) was a different matter and many BBC stations had and, no doubt,
still do have diesels capable of maintaining radio services at reduced
power.
Microwave links feeding radio and TV transmitters are almost always
backed up, usually with batterey supplies as their power requirements
are fairly small.
Regards,
Jack
charles.hope
Richard Lamont <ric...@stonix.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> In article <107b6fb0...@usw-ex0102-014.remarq.com>,
> Mark <mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> writes:
> > Jamie <jim....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >>> I was watching and recording (Msgr. Reynard).
> >>>
> >>> It looked like multiple lightning strikes, followed by a
> >>> power failure, but R4 this morning hinted that the mast
> >>> itself might have been physically damaged, if not brought
> >>> down.
> >>>
> >>> Anyone who's in the area professionally care to comment
> >>>(Dennis Lomax, John Bennett)?
> >
> >>Both the SWEB HV electricity supplies where brought down.
> >>J.
> >
> > Doesn't Mendip have a Generator back-up like most of the other
> > Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
> > board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at the
> > same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
> Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
Not totally OTT. Bilsdale is in a very isolated site. There is only one
11kV supply over rough country. At the time it was built the local
electricity board said it could takeup to three weeks to restore supplies
if the lines were brought down by bad weather. So a gas turbine was
installed since most of the viewers would not suffer from the same failure.
Only one, though, and only at Bilsdale.
2n3...@my-deja.com
Jamie <jim....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
> In article <09a0405a...@usw-ex0102-014.remarq.com>, Mark
> <mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> >
> > ric...@stonix.demon.co.uk (Richard Lamont) wrote:
> >
> > >> Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
> > >> board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at
> > >> the same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
> > >
> > >Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
> > >
> > >sites with generators are those which were equipped with 'DF
> > >diesels' in the early 1960s. These were the high-power and
> > >medium-power FM and 405-line TV sites. These generators were
> > >part paid for by a government grant as part of the BBC's civil
> > >defence expenditure. The intention was two provide just enough
> > >power to run one or two FM transmitters at each site and Band I
> > >TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
> >
> > date, but it did have a Gas turbine last time I visited.
> >
> > Transmitters would remain on air when the power was cut. Most
> > I gather were installed in the late 60's and 1970's when
> > industrial action was common. I'm not certain who payed for the
> > installation.
> > Holme Moss has 2x125 KW generators which was used a few month
> > back. They keep the engines warm so that starting easy.
> >
> > Even recently NTL installed a generator at Emley Moor after a
> > embarrassing incident were all the networks and control room were
> > put action due to a power cut. I gather that Castles and NTL have
> > installed some Generators at some of the smaller sites they have
> > in the past few years.
>
> Only some of the main stations have backup generators. The cost of
> installing such powerful generators at all main sites would not be
> ecnomical. Even those sites that have generators will normally being
> running on reduced power when supported by a generator.
> I think most, if not all, of the DTT sites have small generators -
much
> easier, and cheaper, to install because of the reduced load.
>
> --
already said Most DDT sites have diesel support, Waltham now also has a
diesel to support the ntl: analogue services, not sure how CCI manage.
Mendip is fed with two separate HV lines, from opposite geographical
directions and the likelyhood of both failing is rare but it does
happen.
if lightening did hit the mast, I am glad I wasn't there, I was on site
at Ridge Hill once and saw lightening hit one of the guy wires, not an
experience I want to see again!
Solid state
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Richard Lamont
Tony Sayer <to...@bancom.demon.co.uk> writes:
> In article <8cg0h0$c1g$2...@stonix.demon.co.uk>, Richard Lamont
>>My knowledge is very rusty, but AFAIK the only BBC/Castle UHF sites with
>>generators are those which were equipped with 'DF diesels' in the early
>>1960s. These were the high-power and medium-power FM and 405-line TV
>>sites. These generators were part paid for by a government grant as
>>part of the BBC's civil defence expenditure. The intention was two
>>provide just enough power to run one or two FM transmitters at each
>>site and Band I TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
>
> As if joe public would have a generator also to run his tv...
The assumption at the time, rightly or wrongly, was that mains supplies
would not necessarily be totally destroyed everywhere.
It was discussed at interminable length by the BBC, the Post Office,
the CoI, the Army, the RAF, the Treasury and the Cabinet Office. With
hindsight, we can see that some of their planning assumptions turned out
wrong, but the decisions based on them were rational enough at the time.
Ted Richardson
>
> These generators were part paid for by a government grant as
> part of the BBC's civil defence expenditure. The intention was two
> provide just enough power to run one or two FM transmitters at each
> site and Band I TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
>
Even with Band 1 only sets in the early 60s, did they not rely on
intercarrier sound. If so what was the point of powering up the TV
sound Tx?
Am I wrong about intercarrier on 405 line sets?
Richard Lamont
Yes. Band I/III TV sets had proper sound IFs, and could receive sound
quite happily in the absence of the vision carrier. Rather too happily
in fact, because if^H^Hwhen the vision transmitter went bang the
receiver's AGC brought the sound gain up!
At Sutton Coldfield, it was possible to run the main sound TX with the
reserve vision TX (50 kW (cough) main, 5 kW reserve.) To compensate
for the 10 dB drop in vision carrier strength, there was a button on
the desk which switched a 6dB pad into the audio feed to the HP sound
TX, so that viewers didn't get deafened by the increase in receiver
gain.
charles.hope
Ted Richardson <t...@tedjrr.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> Richard Lamont wrote:
> >
> > These generators were part paid for by a government grant as
> > part of the BBC's civil defence expenditure. The intention was two
> > provide just enough power to run one or two FM transmitters at each
> > site and Band I TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
> >
> Even with Band 1 only sets in the early 60s, did they not rely on
> intercarrier sound. If so what was the point of powering up the TV
> sound Tx?
> Am I wrong about intercarrier on 405 line sets?
Yes. Intercarrier detection was not introduced in domestic sets until uhf
came along. 405 used positive vision modulation, so the vision carrier
could become zero at sync bottoms. No use for intercarrier detection.
uhf used negative vision mod and there was always a reference carrier for
6MHz detection (except when the transmitter became misaligned and caused
"Ceefax Buzz").
Tony Sayer
>In article <na.10ebf849aa....@argonet.co.uk>,
> Jamie <jim....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
>> In article <09a0405a...@usw-ex0102-014.remarq.com>, Mark
>> <mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
>> >
>> > ric...@stonix.demon.co.uk (Richard Lamont) wrote:
>> >
>> > >> Doesn't Mendip have a Generator back-up like most of the other
>> > >> Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2 electric
>> > >> board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were built at
>> > >> the same time have a couple of Gas turbines as backup.
>> > >
>> > >Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
>> > >
>> > >sites with generators are those which were equipped with 'DF
>> > >diesels' in the early 1960s. These were the high-power and
>> > >part paid for by a government grant as part of the BBC's civil
>> > >defence expenditure. The intention was two provide just enough
>> > >power to run one or two FM transmitters at each site and Band I
>> > >TV (sound only) after a nuclear attack!
>> >
So what did happen when the lightning hit. tell us then!..
spike
Several thousand amps of direct strike can have serious consequences.
You get a VERY large BANG, and other effects.
The lights can go out of course.
I've seen steel trunking flash over to other steel trunking, apparently
physically attached.
<g>It was shortly after this that I felt a sticky sensation in my
shorts.</g>
--
Give a man a fire and he will be warm for the rest of the day.
Set fire to him and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
( From a book by Terry Pratchet)
Change spike to mike to reply direct.
Jonathan Swift
Diesels are all well and good but there are often two feeds in a
building - the general supply and the technical supply, the latter
being fed through a large building UPS which can hold it up until
the generator can get up to power. Often, a diesel will need 5-10
minutes and a bit of TLC to take over and power the technical
supply. Another good idea is to have a second generator for
the general supply - at any time when the grid goes non-essentials
go off, but can later be brought up again using the 2nd diesel.
One problem is that of maintaining computer systems - these can
go directly on to the technical supply but place a very heavy
burden on it. Better to have them in individual UPS units which
hold up the systems until the general supply generator comes on-line.
It can get quite complicated, but big diesels can provide a very
great deal of power. For example, I was recently involved in
tests where power for the hole of BH in London was turned off and
the whole building was supported on two diesels - and that's huge.
charles.hope
Jonathan Swift <j.s...@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
> For example, I was recently involved in tests where power for the hole
> of BH in London was turned off and the whole building was supported on
> two diesels - and that's huge.
I know that a lot of BH is below ground .. or did you mean "whole"?
[James]
<sp...@spikey-mike.freeserve.co.uk> writes
>I've been on site when it hits.
I drove past Manningtree one night when there was a thunder storm, I saw
it hit twice. The sight is spectacular. I've seen M'tree hit when I've
been on the usual side of the river looking out. BBC Radio Suffolk does
cut out and then goes to Mono for a while until Stereo cuts in a little
while later.
There was a major hit a Tacolneston a few years back - they relayed BBC
Newsroom South East via Sudbury. I don't know what they got from Sandy
Heath. Tacolneston (and I presume Aldeburgh as well) was out for a long
time that night.
I don't know what the connections are for Sudbury - but last I heard it
was landline to Tacolneston and a back-up from X'tal Palace.
Someone on here was talking about test transmissions once where X'tal
Palace was the only feed and each TX relayed itself off neighbouring
TX's.
J.
--
[J]
Reply to address is valid.
Jonathan Swift
We managed to keep the whole building on-line on 2 diesels,
which are down in the bowels. But it's quite amazine what power
can be provided by diesels.
Jamie
<to...@bancom.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> So what did happen when the lightning hit. tell us then!..
When you build a mast that sticks a 1000 feet into the sky, it has to be
designed so that when it is struck by lightning so major damage occurs.
Transmitter masts are hit by lightning all the time. The result is normally
that transmissions are disrupted for upto 30 seconds. Sometimes protection
units trip and have to be reset on site.
Except for some of the much smaller relay stations, I don't recall (any
recent) major stations having equipment physically damaged by lightning to
such an extent to cease transmissions.
Jamie
--
[James]
<jim....@argonet.co.uk> writes
>Except for some of the much smaller relay stations, I don't recall (any
>recent) major stations having equipment physically damaged by lightning to
>such an extent to cease transmissions.
Tacolneston - 2 yrs ago.
Paul Cummins
wrote:
Guildford Hogs Back, 1987 Great Storm. of the Guildford IBA transmitters,
the only one left working was the Godalming AM transmitter on 1476AM.
Oh yes, I remember it well. I was the only Channel 9 monitor working in
North West Surrey, since I had a Car Battery Inverter, and even then I had
to switch to low power :-)
--
Paul Cummins - always a NetHead
Wasting bandwidth since 1981
Mark
>> > Doesn't Mendip have a Generator back-up like most of the
>> > other Crown Castles (BBC) main stations as well as 1 or 2
>> > electric board supplys. (IIRC) Bilsdale, Waltham which were
>> > built at the same time have a couple of Gas turbines as
>> > backup.
>> Gas turbines? That sounds a bit OTT for a broadcast site.
>Not totally OTT. Bilsdale is in a very isolated site. There ?
>is only one 11kV supply over rough country. At the time it was
>built the local electricity board said it could takeup to three
>weeks to restore supplies if the lines were brought down by bad
>weather. So a gas turbine was installed since most of the
>viewers would not suffer from the same failure.
>Only one, though, and only at Bilsdale.
Yes your correct Charles. I was thinking of some of the VHF sites
which were built in the 1950's and 60's were the BBC installed
generators and large fuel tanks due to concerns over a supply
fail which could happen in mid winter. I believe at places like
Melvaig in Scotland the generators can be on for weeks at a time.
Like somebody else said before, generators were not installed at
the UHF main stations due to the power which would be required.
4 services with 2 Transmitters each (one on air, one stand-by)
which can use in total several hundred killowatts.
Today on some sites they are installing small generators to power
the digital TV/Radio equipments when the supply fails due to the
low power demand digital transmitters and associated equipment
have. I believe it is a contract requirement with some
Broadcasters to have more than one back-up to the power supply
and 2 or more programme feeds.
[James]
Paul Cummins <tram...@lineone.net.com.org> writes
>Guildford Hogs Back, 1987 Great Storm. of the Guildford IBA transmitters,
>the only one left working was the Godalming AM transmitter on 1476AM.
They all failed around here. I went to BBC Essex on the Southend MW
transmitter for my local news and I am in S. Suffolk! With many so
stations out the signal came through OK!
Sudbury TV was off - so was Manningtree FM/MW.
J.
Jamie
wrote:
>
> In Usenet Article <na.f2b30c49ac....@argonet.co.uk>, Jamie
> <jim....@argonet.co.uk> writes
>
> >Except for some of the much smaller relay stations, I don't recall (any
> >recent) major stations having equipment physically damaged by lightning
> to
> >such an extent to cease transmissions.
>
> Tacolneston - 2 yrs ago.
>
stations to be taken out. Although the mast was struck, this was not the
cause of transmission failure.
J.
--
charles.hope
Paul Cummins <tram...@lineone.net.com.org> wrote:
> In article <U6SCk4LC...@iceni.boadicea>, jg...@bigfoot.com ([James])
> > In Usenet Article <na.f2b30c49ac....@argonet.co.uk>, Jamie
> > <jim....@argonet.co.uk> writes
> >
> > >Except for some of the much smaller relay stations, I don't recall
> > >(any recent) major stations having equipment physically damaged by
> > lightning to
> > >such an extent to cease transmissions.
> >
> > Tacolneston - 2 yrs ago.
> Guildford Hogs Back, 1987 Great Storm. of the Guildford IBA
> transmitters, .
That wasn't lightning. That was the overhead power line coming down.
But there has been Durris (Aberdeen) off air for 6 weeks -all 4 services
-and Eitshal (Lewis) where one service was off for even longer.
mark_...@my-deja.com
Jamie <jim....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
> Except for some of the much smaller relay stations, I don't recall
(any
> recent) major stations having equipment physically damaged by
lightning to
> such an extent to cease transmissions.
>
>
> --
What happened at Rowridge one Wednesday evening in June 1998 ???
I remember at about 9pm all TV and Radio died, everything came back
within 20 mins, except ITV. They had no sound carrier, and the Vision
carrier was at a tiny output power, (I estimated about 1-10Kw ERP)
It stayed like that certainly until I went to bed at 12:30.
Next morning it was back to normal. Meridian News said the TX
had been damaged by a lightning strike.
True, or Jornos getting it wrong/exaggerating ????
Incidently what do NTL/Castle Tower do to get to Rowridge if the IOW
ferries are not running due to stomy weather !!??
Mark
mark_...@my-deja.com wrote:
>Incidently what do NTL/Castle Tower do to get to Rowridge if
>the IOW ferries are not running due to stomy weather !!??
Crown Castles have a small team of engineers based at Rowridge
and who live on the Isle of Wight.
Not certain what NTL do, but they may do the same. If so NTL
might use the old Band 3 station at Chillerton Down a few miles
away from Rowridge.
Most older Crown Castles VHF stations are also bases for local
engineers. i.e. North Hessary Tor, Wenvoe, Sutton Coldfield,
Holme Moss, Divis. There are very few exceptions were it is more
convenient for the staff to be based someplace else.
Crown Castles no longer have regional operation centres were
local transmitters were monitored and controlled from a nearby
site and were all repairs, maintainance was planned.
All monitoring, planning and maintainance is done from done from
the Warwick Headoffice while any other type of work such as
repairs to equipment is done from the old Shortwave station at
Daventry. At Daventry they have spare Transmitters and
Transmitter parts, Towers, test equipment, Feeders ect.
Most staff these days work from home and only realy use the
local office to visit the local office (See Above) for dealing
with paperwork and getting parts for future work.
I think NTL do the same were everything operation wise is based
up at Emley Moor. NTL staff also work from home like Crown
Castles.
Mark
Marcus Durham
Cummins <tram...@lineone.net.com.org> shared the following with us in
uk.tech.broadcast:
[snip]
>
>Guildford Hogs Back, 1987 Great Storm. of the Guildford IBA transmitters,
Dear me, I remember that. County Sound were making a big fuss that they
were the only station left on-air. IIRC, from what they were saying, the
BBC stuff from up there was also down. But it was all a long time ago.
Of course, their MW transmissions have been awful over the last few
years as they were being zapped by some foreign station. Last month they
moved frequencies to 1566 with increased power.
--
Marcus Durham
The UMTSDW Homepage. News, Reviews, Features and Locations.
http://www.zenn.demon.co.uk/drwho/drwho.htm
Jamie
> What happened at Rowridge one Wednesday evening in June 1998 ???
>
> I remember at about 9pm all TV and Radio died, everything came back
> within 20 mins, except ITV. They had no sound carrier, and the Vision
> carrier was at a tiny output power, (I estimated about 1-10Kw ERP)
>
> It stayed like that certainly until I went to bed at 12:30.
>
> Next morning it was back to normal. Meridian News said the TX
> had been damaged by a lightning strike.
>
> True, or Jornos getting it wrong/exaggerating ????
There was a *massive* mains spike which was so severe it damaged the safety
equipment that prevents too high a current from entering the transmission
system. I believe that Southern Electric paid compensation for this
incident.
There were no spare parts on the island and new parts had to be couriered
from the mainland. (I think they delayed the last ferry that night, so that
the parts could be taken!)
J.
--
Jamie
<mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> Crown Castles have a small team of engineers based at Rowridge
> and who live on the Isle of Wight.
> Not certain what NTL do, but they may do the same. If so NTL
> might use the old Band 3 station at Chillerton Down a few miles
> away from Rowridge.
>
Yep, NTL do use Chillerton Down.
> Most older Crown Castles VHF stations are also bases for local
> engineers. i.e. North Hessary Tor, Wenvoe, Sutton Coldfield,
> Holme Moss, Divis.
Same goes for the old NTL VHF sites.
>NTL staff also work from home like Crown Castles.
I'm sure the 'management' would love them to work from home, but in reality
most of them still work from bases!!
J.
--
Mark
>But there has been Durris (Aberdeen) off air for 6 weeks -all 4
>services - and Eitshal (Lewis) where one service was off for
>even longer.
What happened at Durris and Eitshal for the services to be
off air for such a long period ?
Charles Hope!. Not the same Charles Hope who used to work for
BBC Engineering Info ?.
I've still got aload of Info which I think it was you, sent me on
Nicam in the early 1990's.
Jamie
<mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> What happened at Durris and Eitshal for the services to be
> off air for such a long period ?
The Durris incident is well known in the transmission industry! There was a
heavy build up of ice on the antenna. This caused the power to be reflected
back down the feeder, which in turn tripped off the transmitters.
The IBA Regional Operations Centre at Black Hill was then responsible for
the monitoring and control of the site at Durris. The operations staff,
under instructions from senior staff, sent repeated remote controls to reset
the transmission system everytime the transmitters tripped off. In the end
the reflected power down the feeder was so great that feeder itself caught
fire and the end result was a loss of service.
Folklore has it that the weather conditions where so bad at the time, that
when the engineers finally arrived on site, the transmitter buildings where
buried underneath the snow and the engineers had to dig themselves in!!
J
--
Alan
Mark <mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:197e71d5...@usw-ex0101-006.remarq.com...
> Jamie <jim....@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >> So what did happen when the lightning hit. tell us then!..
>
> >When you build a mast that sticks a 1000 feet into the sky, it
> >has to be designed so that when it is struck by lightning so
> >major damage occurs.
> >Transmitter masts are hit by lightning all the time. The result
> >is normally that transmissions are disrupted for upto 30
> >seconds. Sometimes protection units trip and have to be reset
> >on site.
> >
> >recall (any recent) major stations having equipment physically
> >damaged by lightning to such an extent to cease transmissions.
>
> Aerial Cylinder can suffer damage. Two reasons for this is the
> transmitter drives not being turned off fast enough or the
> Lightning being so powerful as to damage the steel frame of
> tower or aerial cylinder top.
> At Crystal Palace 5 or 6 years ago the very top of the Aerial
> Cylinder was badly damaged due to the Transmitter drives not
> being removed in time and this meant the service being on
> reduced power for a few weeks while repairs were carried out.
>
> Quite a few things can be done to protect the Transmitters and
> Towers from lightning damage, such as good earthing of the tower
> and guy cables. Locating the antennas a few feet from the top of
> the tower, instead at the very top. In some cases using RF
> chokes in the feeders which send the lightning to earth. Using
> light sensors within the Aerial Cylinder which turns the
> Transmitters off when the bright light of the lightning is seen.
> (These are the units which shut the transmitters off for a
> minute or until the lightning has disappeard).
> It is essential that the RF on a high powered station is removed
> as the lightning can cause serious damage.
>
> On MF/LF stations, other problems arise due to the tower being
> being the antenna. On high power stations 50 KW and above it is
> vital that the power is removed. If it not and lightning
> strikes the tower can be destroyed due to the RF holding the
> lightning energy on the tower (Not certain why, but I think its
> because of the differences between electro-magnetic radiation
> and lightning). So again light sensors located at various points
> around the Tx site will detect a increase in light and remove
> the Transmitter drives for a few minutes. Other devices are used
> are used to allow the lightning to be earthed such as RF chokes
> at the base of tower. Metal points located a few inches apart to
> allow the lightning to jump to earth. Sometimes metal balls.
>
> I can only recall a few stations being off air for a few hours
> due to lightning over past few years. Radio 1 from Holme Moss
> needed both A&B modulators replacing due to damage during a
> storm. Moorside Edge last year was off air for a few hours due to
> the PLC's needed to be reset and the output stage realigned. I
> think part of the casing on Transmitter cabinet may have been
> damaged. As somebody else has said some services from
> Tacolneston were put off air a few years back. Crystal Palace
> suffered Aerial Cylinder damage.
>
> If you ever get a chance to go to CCI control room at Warwick
> you can watch a strom start from one side of the country and
> watch it as the Transmitters go off air and reset as it goes
> across the country. ie Starts in South Wales with Presley and
> Haverfordwest and finishes at Sudbury and Manningtree.
>
> I was once up Emley Moor when it got struck by lightning and all
> I can say is what a sight.. Something which I wont forget.
>
> Mark
>
>
> * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet's Discussion Network
*
> The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!
>
I seem to recall, on a visit to Emley Moor many years ago, a stunning photog
raph in the entrance, of a lightning strike of the tower. It must be amazing
to be there when it happens!
Alan S.
charles.hope
> >But there has been Durris (Aberdeen) off air for 6 weeks -all 4
> >services - and Eitshal (Lewis) where one service was off for
> >even longer.
> What happened at Durris and Eitshal for the services to be
> off air for such a long period ?
Lightning strikes.
> Charles Hope!. Not the same Charles Hope who used to work for
> BBC Engineering Info ?.
I fear so.
Jamie
> news:197e71d5...@usw-ex0101-006.remarq.com...
> > I was once up Emley Moor when it got struck by lightning and all
> > I can say is what a sight.. Something which I wont forget.
> >
> > Mark
In article <8d2sfr$5oa$1...@gxsn.com>, "Alan" <ala...@globalnet.co.uk> wrote:
> I seem to recall, on a visit to Emley Moor many years ago, a stunning
> photog
> raph in the entrance, of a lightning strike of the tower. It must be
> amazing
> to be there when it happens!
I have been on site several times when the tower has been struck. It is
quite normal for it to be struck several times a year. Unforetunately I've
always been in the Control Room, and what normally happens is we lose
transmissions for a few seconds and the off air monitoring for Winter Hill
(the rx aerials are up the top of tower) normal goes off for a couple of
seconds. I guess it would be much more exciting to be outside and see it
strike!!
J.
--
John Ames
<jim....@argonet.co.uk> writes
>In article <03513730...@usw-ex0101-008.remarq.com>, Mark
><mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
>
>> What happened at Durris and Eitshal for the services to be
>> off air for such a long period ?
>
>heavy build up of ice on the antenna. This caused the power to be reflected
>back down the feeder, which in turn tripped off the transmitters.
>
>The IBA Regional Operations Centre at Black Hill was then responsible for
>the monitoring and control of the site at Durris. The operations staff,
>under instructions from senior staff, sent repeated remote controls to reset
>the transmission system everytime the transmitters tripped off.
Apologies for responding to this article so long after posting.
The Durris incident was a long time ago now, but I do not believe that
this story is an accurate record of the events of the evening in
question.
>In the end
>the reflected power down the feeder was so great that feeder itself caught
>fire and the end result was a loss of service.
>
>Folklore has it that the weather conditions where so bad at the time, that
>when the engineers finally arrived on site, the transmitter buildings where
>buried underneath the snow and the engineers had to dig themselves in!!
>
Folklore is wrong, I drove a 4 wheel vehicle up to the front door of the
building that evening, parking close to the one that arrived a short
while before. Yes, there was a lot of snow in the area that evening, and
some roads were difficult. This is what we expected in the area at that
time of the year.
>J
>
--
John Ames
Daniel Monaghan
> > Ime about to begin a design project which involves building
> > the appropiate
> > technology to recieve image information in R,G,B pixel form,
> > from a PC and
> > convert it to a REC601 video signal.
> >
> > Would you be able to offer any information or contacts who would have
> > relevant information on this subject, or even any relevant
> > sites which to
> > visit.
> >
> > many thanks
> >
> > D.Monaghan
> > danmo...@hotmail.com
John Ames <j...@amesline.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:jWf5THAb...@amesline.fsnet.co.uk...
John Ames
<j...@amesline.fsnet.co.uk> writes
>In article <na.2a3c8249ae....@argonet.co.uk>, Jamie
><jim....@argonet.co.uk> writes
>>In article <03513730...@usw-ex0101-008.remarq.com>, Mark
>><mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> What happened at Durris and Eitshal for the services to be
>>> off air for such a long period ?
>>
>>The Durris incident is well known in the transmission industry! There was a
>>heavy build up of ice on the antenna. This caused the power to be reflected
>>back down the feeder, which in turn tripped off the transmitters.
>>
>>The IBA Regional Operations Centre at Black Hill was then responsible for
>>the monitoring and control of the site at Durris. The operations staff,
>>under instructions from senior staff, sent repeated remote controls to reset
>>the transmission system everytime the transmitters tripped off.
>
>Apologies for responding to this article so long after posting.
>
>The Durris incident was a long time ago now, but I do not believe that
>this story is an accurate record of the events of the evening in
>question.
>
>>In the end
>>the reflected power down the feeder was so great that feeder itself caught
>>fire and the end result was a loss of service.
>>
>>Folklore has it that the weather conditions where so bad at the time, that
>>when the engineers finally arrived on site, the transmitter buildings where
>>buried underneath the snow and the engineers had to dig themselves in!!
>>
>
>Folklore is wrong, I drove a 4 wheel vehicle up to the front door of the
TFGTV Scotland
questions which have been on my mind since I was about 10? (I grew up in the
Red Road flats and the transmitter was clearly visible from the living room
window; it always fascinated me sad child that I was\am)
What Exactly is up there at Blackhill\Kirk-o'-Shotts now; why are there two
masts a few miles apart? I know it used to be some sort of major control
centre having been taken on a tour there as a trainee; what gets sent from
which mast? What are all the buildings about? ..and what (if anything) do
the TX guys think about the wee station that's now working out of Hartwood
mental hospital? ...is this the future of terrestrial broadcasting ;-)
As someone who has spent his working life at the beginning of the
'transmission line' I've always wondered slightly about these mysterious
buildings out in the wilds.... They always look to me like something out of
Dr Who or 'Timeslip' (remember that anyone?) .....interesting but slightly
scary.
Matt
Mark
>Would some of you transmitter blokes care to answer a few of
>the silly questions which have been on my mind since I was
>about 10? (I grew up in the Red Road flats and the transmitter
>was clearly visible from the living room window; it always
>fascinated me sad child that I was\am) What Exactly is up there
>at Blackhill\Kirk-o'-Shotts now; why >are there two masts a few
>miles apart?
Yes there is still 2 towers a few miles apart. When the BBC was
renewing it's towers and transmission equipment (Transmitters)
they decided to use the near by Black Hill site rather than
renew the tower ect at Kirk-O-Shotts. Recently DAB which is on
Band 3 has been put on Kirk-O-Shotts due to Black Hill being
Full with aerials already at near it's mechanical limit.
I think Kirk-O-Shotts was reduced in height but given a
refurbish. Removed the VHF band 2 aerial cylinder and equipment.
Charles Hope maybe able to give more light on this due to he
was at the BBC at the time. I think late 1980's.
>I know it used to be >some sort of major control centre having
>been taken on a tour >there as a trainee; what gets sent from ?
>which mast?
All TV and Band 2 services come from the former IBA site at
Black Hill. With exception of DAB.
>What are all the buildings about?
They are for housing the Transmitters and associated equipment.
>and what (if anything) do the TX guys think about the wee
>station that's now working out of Hartwood mental
>hospital? ...is this the future of terrestrial broadcasting ;-)
Unable to help OM.
>As someone who has spent his working life at the beginning of
>the 'transmission line' I've always wondered slightly about
>these mysterious buildings out in the wilds.... They always
>look to me like something out of Dr Who or 'Timeslip' (remember
>that anyone?) .....interesting but slightly scary.
Scary? Not realy it's nothing more than a tower with aerials on
and a building at the bottom with a transmitter(s) inside.
Possibly the most important part of broadcasting line, If the
transmitter fails then stations off air. You can get away with
just plugging a microphone in the Transmitter input if things
became bad, alot more than you can at the studio.
>Matt
TFGTV Scotland
Some interesting info there Mark, thanks. I didn't even know DAB was
available in these parts!
I had actually guessed that the buildings houseed the transmitting equipment
I was more wondering what operations go on there now; is it a swtching
centre, what's routed through it etc.
>>>> Scary? Not realy it's nothing more than a tower with aerials on
and a building at the bottom with a transmitter(s) inside.<<<<<
...Ah but we 'creative' types always like to read a little more into things
than is actually there <g>
I was at a small air show in East Fortune last week with my Father and
Brother; Dad (ex-Hunterston power engineer; steadfast unflappable type) saw
aeroplane; we were imagining the place in the dead of winter with ghostly
airmen wandering around....
Kirk o' Shots is quite an atmospheric place at night; I often travel right
past it late at night and you could shoot a good ghost story on the road up
there... (in fact we have palns to do just that)
>>>>> Possibly the most important part of broadcasting line, If the
transmitter fails then stations off air. <<<<<
Quite so; It's a field I have only a passing knowledge of. I think it's
something many people in the industry can be less appreciative of than they
ought.
Regards,
Matt
Jamie
<ma...@tfgtv.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> What Exactly is up there at Blackhill\Kirk-o'-Shotts now; why are there
> two
> masts a few miles apart? I know it used to be some sort of major control
> centre having been taken on a tour there as a trainee; what gets sent from
> which mast? What are all the buildings about? ..and what (if anything) do
> the TX guys think about the wee station that's now working out of Hartwood
> mental hospital? ...is this the future of terrestrial broadcasting ;-)
I guess that in the early days of TV the BBC transmitted it's VHF 405 line
service from KoS and the ITA transmitted it's VHF 405 line service from
Black Hill.
When 625 line TV was introduced it was decided to share all TX sites and so
a choice had to made between the two sites.
Both the IBA/NTL and BBC had control rooms and maintenance bases at Black
Hill. The Control Rooms moved to central locations a few years back (NTL to
Emley Moor and BBC to Warwick) the maintenance bases still exist on the site
and other buildings on the site house the transmitters themselves for all
the analogue & digital TV services and the radio services.
Major services transmitted from Black Hill are: BBC1, BBC2, ITV (STV), Ch4,
Ch5, DTT (6 multiplexes) BBC Radio 1 to 4, Classic FM, Scot FM, BBC local
radio (?) and loads of other bits and bobs
Jamie
--
charles.hope
> Charles Hope maybe able to give more light on this due to he
> was at the BBC at the time. I think late 1980's.
Can't help too much. I thought that Kirk o Shotts - the original BBC VHF
TV mast - was sold to a company called "Band III" as a communications mast
when the new (mixed polarized) FM aerials were put on Black Hill.
> >As someone who has spent his working life at the beginning of
> >the 'transmission line' I've always wondered slightly about
> >these mysterious buildings out in the wilds.... They always
> >look to me like something out of Dr Who or 'Timeslip'
My first visit to KoS was in the early 70's. It was still very much a
copy of "Marconi Marine". Most windows were round (portholes) and the
kitchen was called the "Galley" by the Engineer in Charge.
Mark
>Can't help too much. I thought that Kirk o Shotts - the
>original BBC VHF TV mast - was sold to a company called "Band
>III" as a communications mast when the new (mixed polarized) FM
>aerials were put on Black Hill.
Did they sell the whole KoS site (Buildings, Land ect) as
well?.
(IIRC) The Black Hill mast was rebuilt in early 1960's with the
intention to carry Band 2 as well as UHF and VHF Television, so
it would seem the BBC and IBA came to an agreement to use this
capacity on the mast and relocated all the BBC staff and
offices. Also install new Band 2 transmitters using the mixed
polorized antennas.
The last I had any dealings with anybody at Black Hill was
5 years ago just after an accident were some riggers were sent
into the antenna array. I don't know what happened to those guys
but I did hear some were badly burnt, shortly afterwards another
load of riggers nearly got killed at Belmont when the lift
inside the tower went crashing towards the ground from a very
high level. I think NTL were ordered to put all the lifts out of
action until they had been inspected by the health and safety
inspector. I think they still have to climb the ladders at
Belmont and Black Hill.
1000ft climb, stuff that.
>>As someone who has spent his working life at the beginning
>>of the 'transmission line' I've always wondered slightly about
>>these mysterious buildings out in the wilds.... They always
>>look to me like something out of Dr Who or 'Timeslip'
>My first visit to KoS was in the early 70's. It was still very
>much a copy of "Marconi Marine". Most windows were round
>(portholes) and the kitchen was called the "Galley" by the
>Engineer in Charge.
Alot of the early BBC transmitter buildings are impressive.
Ever been to Washford MF station Charles?. You know what I mean
if you have. Someplace around my Den here I have a photo of
Moorside Edge before they removed the upper story and replace it
by a green corrigrated roof.
Jamie
<charle...@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
>
> In article <185409b2...@usw-ex0103-023.remarq.com>,
>
>
> > Charles Hope maybe able to give more light on this due to he
> > was at the BBC at the time. I think late 1980's.
>
> TV mast - was sold to a company called "Band III" as a communications mast
> when the new (mixed polarized) FM aerials were put on Black Hill.
I don't think Kirk o Shotts was sold to Band III (now called Dolphin). They
don't actually own any of their masts, they rent them all. Infact I think
they sold all of their buildings and stuff to NTL who now manage them, and I
certainley know NTL don't own KoS.
KoS is, I think, owned by CTI. I guess that is how DAB has managed to get
put up there. CTI also have a riggers base there. I think;-)
Jamie
--
Jamie
<mark_mst...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> The last I had any dealings with anybody at Black Hill was
> 5 years ago just after an accident were some riggers were sent
> into the antenna array. I don't know what happened to those guys
> but I did hear some were badly burnt, shortly afterwards another
> load of riggers nearly got killed at Belmont when the lift
> inside the tower went crashing towards the ground from a very
> high level. I think NTL were ordered to put all the lifts out of
> action until they had been inspected by the health and safety
> inspector. I think they still have to climb the ladders at
> Belmont and Black Hill.
Yes, apparently the 'basket' the riggers were in was sent up instead of down
and as the 'basket' got closer to the antenna it was hitting the side of the
array, and the guys actually had to push on the array with their hands so
they could move the 'basket' away. Very nasty incident.
The guys at Belmont fell some 400 feet and suffered appalling injuries to
their legs.
The design of the lift at Belmont was, in retospect, poor and since the
incident the lifts at Winter Hill and Belont have never been used.
--
Mark
> charles.hope <charle...@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
>>> Charles Hope maybe able to give more light on this due to he
>>> was at the BBC at the time. I think late 1980's.
>> Can't help too much. I thought that Kirk o Shotts - the
>>original BBC VHF TV mast - was sold to a company called "Band
>>III" as a communications mast when the new (mixed polarized)
>>FM aerials were put on Black Hill.
>I don't think Kirk o Shotts was sold to Band III (now called
>Dolphin). They don't actually own any of their masts, they rent
>them all. Infact I think they sold all of their buildings and
>stuff to NTL who now manage them, and I certainley know NTL
>don't own KoS. KoS is, I think, owned by CTI. I guess that is
>how DAB has managed to get put up there. CTI also have a
>riggers base there. I think;-)
>Jamie
Just had a look through the book of Crowncastle Sites and it's
owned by Crowncastle.
Kirk O Shotts NS858638
Site Height AOD: 277.4 metres.
Structure Height AGL: 183 metres.
Structure type: Stayed triangular mast.
Team Base: Central Scotland Black Hill.
Talking to a couple of guys at Warwick today it seems that you
maybe correct Jamie, that its the Aerials and Masts engineers
and riggers who are based/work from KoS and the other staff are
at Black Hill.
charles.hope
> The last I had any dealings with anybody at Black Hill was
> 5 years ago just after an accident were some riggers were sent
> into the antenna array. I don't know what happened to those guys
> but I did hear some were badly burnt,
I heard about that one too.
> Alot of the early BBC transmitter buildings are impressive.
> Ever been to Washford MF station Charles?.
Only seen it from the road. I went round Start Point once tho'. probably
very similar.
Russell W. Barnes
I started out at Kirk O'Shotts in 1983, where I spent time on
the "M.I.C" - Monitoring and Information Centre -, one of five
covering the U.K. Our team base was there, as was the Band I
405 line transmitters, the standards converters, and the VHF
radio transmitters and associated PIE. We used to do "VITS"
with Glasgow studios every morning, and their cry of "It's OK
leaving us!", concomitant with the picture/sync ratio suddenly
coming good happened on a regular basis!
I remember traipsing over to Blackhill past the quarry in snow
blizzards, getting stuck at the bottom of KOS drive on several
occasions....
>
>Alot of the early BBC transmitter buildings are impressive.
>Ever been to Washford MF station ?
Washford is a beautiful art-deco designed transmitting station,
like Westerglen, Burghead and Droitwich. When I worked there in
1990 the front of the building was in use as a "tropiquarium",
using waste heat from the transmitters to keep the snakes,
reptiles, etc alive. The building is, I think, listed. A shame
the front of Westerglen was demolished, it looked rather like a
crematorium when I used to visit. Droitwich was designed, as
were other BBC transmitters, and indeed Broadcasting house, in
the style a ship, with portholes, galleys, atria, etc.
I think the same architect designed Kirk O'Shotts TX, as it had
portholes, rounded wall edges, solid wooden doors etc, and, of
course, the BBC crest above the entrance. No expense spared.
Regards,
Russell W. Barnes
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~rwbarnes