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thebigtower |
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rosemarkie |
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| THE ROSEMARKIE TRANSMITTER is the UHF and BBC National FM main station for the Moray Firth area of the Northern Scotland and is located on The Black Isle, near Inverness, at a high position alongside the peninsula's north-eastern coastline. The station was originally the main BBC Band I 405-line television transmitter for the same area. The Independent Television Authority (ITA) located their equivalent 405-line transmitter at nearby Mounteagle, from where DAB and non-BBC FM radio services are currently broadcast and, until Digital Switchover, the analogue version of Channel 5. Of the nine UHF main stations sited on the Scottish mainland, Rosemarkie is the only one of BBC origin, with ex-BBC sites being the more dominant off mainland. TRANSMISSION STRUCTURE/UHF AERIAL |
| The Rosemarkie mast is a 110.8m (364-ft) square cross sectioned structure with a surmounting spine that supports the main UHF aerial. Masts of similar height are sited at Beacon Hill, Knock More, Llanddona and Midhurst. In common with Midhurst, the main UHF aerial cylinder at Rosemarkie was replaced during the 1990s and since Digital Switchover the current aerial has undergone a reduction in the number of tiers. See Aerials for details. |
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Updated July 2017 |
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Updated July 2017 |
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EARLY TELEVISION HISTORY |
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The Rosemarkie transmitter was brought into operation by the BBC on 16 August 1957, extending their television service to Inverness and the Moray Firth - the most northerly of Scotland's populated areas which was somewhat detached geographically from the country's other major cities, as well as beyond the intended range of the existing transmitters that served them. As the third permanent BBC Television transmitter to be sited in Scotland, Rosemarkie followed on from the first station at Kirk o'Shotts (serving the Lowlands and Borders) which opened in March 1952 and Meldrum (serving Aberdeenshire and some Highland areas) which opened in October 1955. Following the example of Meldrum in being a medium-power installation, Rosemarkie transmitted the service on VHF Channel 2 at a maximum output of 20kW (vision e.r.p). The BBC extended their coverage to the Upper Highlands and islands in 1958 with the opening of stations at Thrumster (near Wick) and Orkney (the site now known as Keelylang Hill). From 30 September 1961, Rosemarkie began sharing the Black Isle with the ITA 405-line transmitter at Mounteagle. |
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START OF UHF |
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Rosemarkie commenced its first regular UHF-colour transmissions on 11 July 1970 with BBC2 on Channel 45. Despite the adjacent ITA 405-line transmitter at Mounteagle utilising an 800ft (243.8m) mast, Rosemarkie was designated as the UHF main station for the Inverness and Moray Firth area, primarily because its mast could safely support the required UHF aerial system. From October 1973, UHF colour transmitters for BBC1 and ITV were also in service. |
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| Mast Images> Aerials> Site Images> Landscapes> UHF Coverage Map |
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SITE INFORMATION |
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Location: |
Upper Eathie, Rosemarkie, Black Isle |
Grid Reference: |
NH762623 |
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Landlord: |
Arqiva (Legacy: BBC/Crown Castle/NGW) |
Ground Height: |
211.5m |
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BBC Region: |
Scotland |
Mast Height: |
110.8m |
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ITV Region: |
STV North |
Aerial Height: (*) |
323m |
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UHF Tx Number: |
15600 |
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(*) Average UHF aerial height above sea level (a.o.d) |
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CURRENT TRANSMISSIONS |
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Digital Television |
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Analogue Radio (FM) |
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: Ch/Polarisation/e.r.p |
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Service: |
(MHz) |
(e.r.p) |
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PSB1 |
: 45 / H / 20kW |
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BBC Radio 1: |
99.2 |
20kW |
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PSB2 |
: 49 / H / 20kW |
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BBC Radio 2: |
89.6 |
20kW |
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PSB3 |
: 42 / H / 20kW |
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BBC Radio 3: |
91.8 |
20kW |
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COM4 |
: 43 / H / 10kW |
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BBC Radio 4: |
103.6 |
20kW |
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COM5 |
: 46 / H / 10kW |
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BBC Scotland (Inverness): |
94.0 |
20kW |
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COM6 |
: 50 / H / 10kW |
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BBC Radio nan Gaidheal: |
104.9 |
20kW |
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Digital Radio |
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Analogue Radio (AM) |
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No service - transmitted from Mounteagle |
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Service: |
(khz) |
(e.r.p) |
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TalkSport |
1053 |
TBC |
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PRE-DIGITAL SWITCHOVER UHF TRANSMISSIONS |
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(Shutdown completed 20 October 2010) |
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| Analogue Television |
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Digital Television |
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Service |
Ch/Polar/e.r.p |
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Service |
Ch/Polar/e.r.p |
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| BBC1 |
: 39 / H / 100kW |
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Mux1 |
: 47 / H / 10kW |
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| BBC2 |
: 45 / H / 100kW |
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Mux2 |
: 51 / H / 10kW |
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| ITV1 |
: 49 / H / 100kW |
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MuxA |
: 41 / H / 10kW |
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| Ch4 |
: 42 / H / 100kW |
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MuxB |
: 44 / H / 10kW |
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| Ch5 |
: No service - transmitted from Mounteagle |
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MuxC |
: 46 / H / 8kW |
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MuxD |
: 50 / H / 8kW |
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