Bressay transmitting station

Bressay
	Bressay transmitting station (Shetland)
Tower height	70 metres (230 ft)
Coordinates	60°07′48″N 1°05′45″W / 60.13°N 1.095833°W
Grid reference	HU5022838667
Built	1964
BBC region	BBC Scotland
ITV region	STV North

Bressay transmitting station is a broadcasting transmission facility for the Shetland Islands, located on the isle of Bressay, owned and operated by Arqiva (previously National Grid Wireless). The transmitting station is based on the Ward of Bressay, the island's highest peak.

The facility includes two steel lattice towers both over 70m high. It first came into service on 1 April 1964 transmitting BBC Television on Band I VHF channel 3 and the Scottish Home Service, Light Programme and Third on Band II VHF, using the same frequencies as today. (Home Service now Radio Shetland, Light R2 and Third R3).^[1]

Services listed by frequency

Analogue radio

Frequency	kW^[2]	Service
88.3 MHz	43	BBC Radio 2
90.5 MHz	43	BBC Radio 3
92.7 MHz	43	BBC Radio Shetland
94.9 MHz	43	BBC Radio 4
96.2 MHz	15†	SIBC
97.9 MHz	43	BBC Radio 1

† Licensed to transmit at 50 kW.

Digital television

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator	System
474.166 MHz	21+	2	Arqiva B	DVB-T
482.166 MHz	22+	2	BBC B	DVB-T2
498.000 MHz	24	2	Arqiva A	DVB-T
506.000 MHz	25	2	Digital 3&4	DVB-T
522.000 MHz	27	2	SDN	DVB-T
530.000 MHz	28	2	BBC A	DVB-T

Before switchover

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator
474.000 MHz	21	1	BBC (Mux 1)
497.833 MHz	24-	1	Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)
521.833 MHz	27-	1	SDN (Mux A)
553.833 MHz	31-	1	BBC (Mux B)
834.000 MHz	66	1	Arqiva (Mux C)
842.000 MHz	67	1	Arqiva (Mux D)

Analogue television

Frequency	UHF	kW	Service
479.25 MHz	22	10	BBC One Scotland
503.25 MHz	25	10	STV (North) (Grampian)
527.25 MHz	28	10	BBC Two Scotland
559.25 MHz	32	10	Channel 4

Digital switchover

The digital switchover happened in two stages.

In Stage One, BBC Two Scotland was switched off and anyone with Freeview, BT Vision or Top Up TV needed to re-tune. The date for this was 5 May 2010.

In Stage Two, analogue was permanently switched off and anyone with Freeview, BT Vision or Top Up TV needed to re-tune again. The date for this stage was 19 May 2010.

HD and high-powered Freeview services replaced the analogue signals.

References

^ Transmitting aerials for the Shetland v.h.f. television and v.h.f. sound station. Technological Report No. E-103 (1964/28) (PDF) (Report). May 1964.
^ Radio Listeners Guide 2010

External links

[1] Transmitting aerials for the Shetland v.h.f. television and v.h.f. sound station. Technological Report No. E-103 (1964/28) (PDF) (Report). May 1964.

[2] Radio Listeners Guide 2010

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