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THE MELDRUM STATION is the main BBC National FM and DAB transmitter for Aberdeenshire.  It is sited fifteen miles north of Aberdeen and is named after the nearby town of Oldmeldrum.

The BBC FM service covers an approximate 40-mile radius, bounded by the Grampian Hills towards the south-west but taking in almost all of Aberdeenshire, plus some coastal areas of Moray in the north-west and Angus in the south-east.  Towards the south-west of Aberdeen, the transmitter is supported by two relays - the first at the Durris main UHF transmitter and the second at Tullich.  

The BBC National DAB radio service commenced simultaneously from here and the Durris transmitter on 18 February 2004.  


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TELEVISION HISTORY

The Meldrum transmitter was originally built as a medium-power installation for the BBC Band I 405-line television network, principally serving Aberdeenshire and parts of the Central Highlands.  This extended the BBC television service beyond the central and lowland areas of Scotland as served by the first Scottish television transmitter at Kirk o'Shotts.

Regular service from Meldrum commenced on 13 October 1955 with transmissions on VHF Channel 4 at a peak vision e.r.p of 17kW. The next BBC Band I transmitter to open in Scotland was at Rosemarkie from 16 August 1957, serving Inverness and the Moray Firth.

Other medium-power 405-line transmitters established by the BBC included Divis, North Hessary Tor, Pontop Pike, Rowridge, Sandale and Tacolneston.  Of these stations, Pontop Pike bears the closest resemblance to Meldrum having come into service as a permanent installation the same year.

ADJACENT STATIONS and UHF

The Independent Television Authority (ITA) Band III 405-line transmitter for Aberdeenshire was built at Durris, a non-adjacent site towards the south-west of Aberdeen approximately twenty miles from Meldrum.

As with other instances of non-adjacent siting by the ITA, Durris was the preferred choice for UHF transmission.  Meldrum therefore continued to provide only a 405-line service for BBC1 until this ceased in January 1985, since when the station has concentrated solely on radio broadcasting. 


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SITE INFORMATION


Location:

Core Hill, Cross of Jackston, Oldmeldrum

Grid Reference:

NJ761329

Landlord:

Arqiva (Legacy: BBC/Crown Castle/NGW)

Ground Height:

245m

ITV Region:

N/A - Transmitted from Durris

Mast Height:

135m

BBC Region:

N/A - Transmitted from Durris

Aerial Height:

 

 

UHF Tx Number:

N/A

 

 

 


  CURRENT TRANSMISSIONS

Digital Television 

 

 

 

Analogue Radio (FM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

None - Transmitted from Durris   

 

 Service:

(MHz)

(e.r.p)

 

 

 

BBC Radio 1:

98.3

150kW

 

 

 

BBC Radio 2:

88.7

150kW

 

 

 

BBC Radio 3:

90.9

150kW

 

 

 

BBC Radio 4:

95.3

150kW

 

BBC Radio Scotland (Aberdeen opt-out):

93.1

150kW

 

BBC Radio nan Gaidheal:

104.2

150kW

 

classic fm:

100.5

150kW

 

NECR:

102.1

1.25k

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digital Radio

 

 

 

 

 

Service:

Block

(e.r.p)

 

 

 

BBC National:

12B

10kW

 

 

 

Switch Aberdeen:

11C

8.51kW


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