Tapton Hill transmitting station explained

Tapton Hill
Height2:50m (160feet)
Gridref:SK324870
Bbc:BBC Yorkshire
Itv:ITV Yorkshire
Localtv:Sheffield Live TV

The Tapton Hill transmitting station, more generally known as the Sheffield (Crosspool) transmitting station, is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility which serves Sheffield in South Yorkshire and is located on a hill in the suburb of Crosspool to the west of the city. It transmits digital television (with vertical polarisation), analogue radio (FM) and DAB digital radio. It was a relay of Emley Moor for analogue television until the signals were turned off permanently following the Digital Switchover in August 2011. The site is owned by Arqiva and its aerials are at a height of 295m (968feet) above mean sea level. It also feeds the Chesterfield Transmitter with its digital television signal by means of an underground fibre optic cable.

The transmitter was originally an A group for television broadcasts, but to accommodate analogue Channel 5, as well as digital television, it became a wideband until its switchover in 2011. At that point, technically, it became a K group although wideband aerials would still work. The 3 main PSB MUXES are all receivable on an A group aerial (see graph). Sheffield transmitter's 700MHz clearance is due in Feb 2020 when none of the main 6 MUXEs are due to change frequency, though MUXES 7 and 8 are due to be switched off.

Transmitted services

Analogue radio (FM VHF)

FrequencykW[1] Service
88.6 MHz 0.300 BBC Radio Sheffield
89.9 MHz 0.320 BBC Radio 2
92.1 MHz 0.320 BBC Radio 3
93.2 MHz 0.050 Sheffield Live
94.3 MHz 0.320 BBC Radio 4
97.4 MHz 0.400 Hits Radio South Yorkshire
99.5 MHz 0.320 BBC Radio 1
101.7 MHz 0.250 Classic FM
105.6 MHz 0.250 Capital Yorkshire
107.7 MHz 0.100 Heart Yorkshire

Digital radio (DAB)

FrequencyBlockkWOperator
216.928 MHz 11A 2.80 Sound Digital
220.352 MHz 11C 1.10 Sheffield
222.064 MHz 11D 2.00 Digital One
225.648 MHz 12B 2.00 BBC National DAB

Digital television

FrequencyUHFkWOperatorSystem
21+1PSB3 (BBC B)DVB-T2
241PSB2 (D3&4)DVB-T
271PSB1 (BBC A)DVB-T
350.4LTVmuxDVB-T
39+1COM6 (ARQ B)DVB-T
421COM4 (SDN)DVB-T
451COM5 (ARQ A)DVB-T

Before switchover

FrequencyUHFkWOperator
420.05Arqiva (Mux D)
450.05Arqiva (Mux C)
530.1Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)
570.1SDN (Mux A)
600.1BBC (Mux B)
63†0.1BBC (Mux 1)

† On UHF 39 until 17 March 2010.

Analogue television

Analogue television broadcasts permanently ended from Tapton Hill on 24 August 2011. BBC Two transmissions previously ceased on 10 August.

FrequencyUHFkW[2] Service
215Channel 4
245Yorkshire
275BBC2 North
315BBC1 North
672.5Channel 5

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Radio Listeners Guide 2010
  2. Television Viewers guide 2009