The Wrekin transmitting station

The Wrekin

Location	Telford, Shropshire
Tower height	52 metres (171 ft)
Coordinates	52°40′15″N 2°33′01″W / 52.67083°N 2.55028°WCoordinates: 52°40′15″N 2°33′01″W / 52.67083°N 2.55028°W
Grid reference	SJ628082
BBC region	BBC West Midlands
ITV region	ITV Central

The Wrekin transmitting station is a telecommunications and broadcasting facility on The Wrekin, a hill in the county of Shropshire, England. It includes a 52 metres (171 ft) tall free-standing lattice tower with transmitting antennas attached at various heights. The DTT transmitting arrays add about another 10m to this. It broadcasts digital television, alongside digital and FM (analogue) radio. The station was first proposed in 1966. As The Wrekin is a local beauty spot, many objections had to be overcome and alternative sites analysed before planning consent was given. The transmitter opened in 1975.^[1] The building is semi-underground and the tower stands on its roof.

Television

Like the neighbouring Granada transmitter, Winter Hill, The Wrekin serves a large part of North and Mid Wales, despite being the incorrect regional variation. The reason for this was because of the obvious carriage of Channel 5 at the same quality as channels 1-4, and also it carried the English Channel 4 as opposed to the Welsh equivalent, S4C. Since the digital switchover, The Wrekin carries all six multiplexes while local relays only carry three. This is a problem, as the Welsh terrain disables many Welsh viewers from receiving DTT from the nearest Welsh transmitter, Moel-y-Parc, so the relays of the transmitter to "fill in the gaps" only carry half the channels.

Digital

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator	System
490.000 MHz	23	20	Digital 3&4	DVB-T
514.000 MHz	26	20	BBC A	DVB-T
545.833 MHz	30-	20	BBC B	DVB-T2
634.166 MHz	41+	10	SDN	DVB-T
658.000 MHz	44	10	Arqiva A	DVB-T
682.000 MHz	47	10	Arqiva B	DVB-T

Before switchover

Unlike analogue television, The Wrekin had a sub-transmission site, also known as The Wrekin B, designed to serve the east of the region, to fill areas in which the main transmitter didn't broadcast into. This was necessary due to co-channel interference issues with Moel-y-Parc, on channels 42, 45 and 49 (see external links). After digital switchover, the frequencies serving the east of the region were removed for compromise frequencies that has better reception in all areas of the region.

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator
474.000 MHz	21	2	BBC (Mux 1)
498.166 MHz	24+	2	SDN (Mux A)
522.166 MHz	27+	2	BBC (Mux B)
554.000 MHz	31	2	Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)
618.166 MHz	39+†	2	BBC (Mux 1)
642.000 MHz	42†	2	SDN (Mux A)
666.000 MHz	45†	2	BBC (Mux B)
698.000 MHz	49†	2	Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)
730.000 MHz	53	1	Arqiva (Mux C)
762.000 MHz	57	1	Arqiva (Mux D)

† Transmitted from The Wrekin B.

Analogue

Analogue television was switched off during April 2011; BBC Two analogue was switched off on 6 April and the remaining four on 20 April.

Frequency	UHF	kW	Service
487.25 MHz	23	100	ITV1
511.25 MHz	26	100	BBC One
535.25 MHz	29	100	Channel 4
567.25 MHz	33	100	BBC Two
583.25 MHz	35	100	Channel 5

Radio

Alongside television, the Wrekin broadcasts a number of local and national radio stations.

Analogue radio

Frequency	kW	Service
96.0 MHz	4.8	BBC Radio Shropshire
103.1 MHz	2.7	Free Radio (Shropshire)

Digital radio

Frequency	Block	kW[2]	Operator
218.640 MHz	11B	0.5	NOW Wolverhampton
222.064 MHz	11D	8	Digital One
223.936 MHz	12A	4	MXR West Midlands
225.648 MHz	12B	5	BBC National DAB

See also

• List of towers

References

1. http://www.thebigtower.com/live/TheWrekin/131P24200306051.htm
2. Radio Listeners Guide 2010

External links

• Entry at the Transmission Gallery
• Info and pictures of The Wrekin transmitter (including co-receivable channels)
• The Wrekin Transmitter at thebigtower.com