A (as much as possible) rough guide for non-geek types to the radio and television transmitters covering our area
If you tune in to your local radio station or switch your Freeview box, there’s a great chance you’ll be getting your TV programmes from Winter Hill, or your radio station from Harrop Edge. Given how far Winter Hill is from Tameside (about 20 miles or so away), you will find that it is supported by a number of relays.
A relay repeats signals from its main transmitter, using a direct line of sight. Given that Tameside is well and truly in Granadaland, our TV signals come from Winter Hill which is just outside Bolton. Besides Winter Hill and its relays, Tameside and surrounding area has a number of radio transmitters. Some of which are not only for tuning in to BBC Radio Manchester or the like, but also police radio and amateur radio.
Some of the UK’s television and radio transmitters were formerly part of the Independent Broadcasting Authority, which also had responsibilities for independent local radio. The BBC’s were owned by Crown Castle and now owned by the National Grid. After being transferred to NTL, IBA’s transmitters were sold to Arqiva, its present owners.
Today we may take them for granted, but without them, how on earth do we catch up with our favourite programmes?
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Transmitter Gazetteer
1. Ashton Moss:
- Height: 30m;
- Type of Transmitter: tower;
- Frequencies: 1152kHz (Piccadilly Magic 1152), 1377kHz (Asian Sound Radio), 1458kHz (Gold);
- Power: 1.5kW, 0.08kW, 5kW;
- OS Grid References: SJ9146698517 and SJ9235299412.
Ashton Moss’ installation was erected in 1974 to cater for medium wave stations. Its quartet of towers were constructed for BBC Radio Manchester’s and Piccadilly Radio’s Medium Wave frequencies. On giving up its 1458kHz in favour of an FM only service, BBC’s transmitters were handed to Fortune 1458 AM. Today, that belongs to Capital Radio’s ‘Gold’ station. Piccadilly Radio’s MW service became Piccadilly Gold, then Piccadilly 1152 before adopting its present name of ‘Piccadilly Magic 1152′. A low powered transmitter, at 0.08kW is Asian Sound Radio’s.
2. Harrop Edge:
- Height: 12.2m;
- Type of Transmitter: guyed pole;
- Frequencies: 103.6MHz (Tameside Radio);
- OS Grid Reference: SJ984964.
The Harrop Edge site has seen recent expansion since Tameside Radio began broadcasting in 2007. Prior to then, it was a favourite location for local pirate radio stations Aquarius and Andromeda. Tameside Radio’s transmitters are also shared with amateur radio services. Given its topography as well as its powerful, Tameside Radio’s signal can be picked up as far as Chadderton and Altrincham.
3. Mottram:
- Height: 17m;
- Type of Transmitter: tripole;
- OS Grid Reference: SJ987962.
The rise of digital television has seen a number of smaller digital transmitters appear. One in Mottram, just south of Harrop Edge serves as a sub-relay to Glossop’s relay with Winter Hill.
4. Saddleworth:
- Height: 45.7m;
- Type of Transmitter: tower;
- Analogue Radio Frequencies: 89.8MHz (BBC Radio 2), 91.9MHz (BBC Radio 3), 94.1MHz (BBC Radio 4), 99.3MHz (BBC Radio 1), 103MHz (Key 103), 104.6MHz (BBC Radio Manchester);
- OS Grid Reference: SD98700500.
Most of Tameside’s radio and televisual requirements are serviced by the Saddleworth transmitter. It relays the borough’s FM radio frequencies, such as Key 103 and BBC Radio Manchester. It is also a relay for digital terrestrial television services, relaying the signals from Winter Hill. BBC’s national radio stations are relayed from the Black Hill transmitter, between Woodhead and Holmfirth.
5. Werneth Low:
- Height: 33m;
- Type of Transmitter: square lattice tower;
- Frequencies: unknown;
- OS Grid Reference: SJ96549289.
For several years, the transmission masts on Werneth Low have remained the preserve of the emergency services. Today, Greater Manchester Police are among its main users, with their transmitter upgraded to accommodate the digital TETRA system. This uses similar frequencies to cellular phones and was the source of most headaches suffered by police officers.
S.V., 10 February 2013.
Fantastic stuff! So many little pieces of information you never hear of.
I’m also a geek for these things, TV transmitters!
I just thought I’d say though the transmitter on Black Hill is more well known as the Holme Moss transmitter. It’s odd when you think 93.7 (BBCR4) from Holme Moss/Black Hill for example can be heard as far as North Wales and beyond the East Coast … yet our local Pennine Hills seem to provide a dark spot for signals from that transmitter!
I’d also point out incase you didn’t know, there is a tripole transmitter located at Brook Bottom in Mossley which relays the signal from Winter Hill (but via Saddleworth) for Digital TV multiplexes.
It is located in a field above Greenway Drive and provides coverage across the whole of Mossley (although of course most of the town uses the feed directly from Saddleworth).
The Brook Bottom transmitter proved a blessing for residents to the left of Quickedge road and indeed the Waterton Lane estate at the bottom of the valley which is shadowed slightly from the Saddleworth transmitter (since the digital switchover however I’m sure any aerial install in these areas would happily receive a signal from Saddleworth).
Anyway, a brilliant article and it just goes to show how much these hilly locations (in this case the South Western Pennines) take for granted these small relay transmitters for local radio and national TV.
Hi Harry,
I was going to mention Brookbottom, but it came to me shortly after I finished the article. Also, the transmitter is referred as ‘Brook Bottom’ which is the incorrect spelling (should actually be one word).
I alternately refer to the Black Hill transmitter as either Holme Moss or Black Hill, and it doesn’t surprise me about the reception problems Tameside residents faced. In the old analogue days, my late Nana who once lived in Mossley, had some problems getting Channel Four. Sometimes, from Chez Vall, we could also get analogue UHF signals from Wales and the Midlands. Sometimes, S4C reception was just as clear as Granada; even on a portable black and white TV, I could on odd occasions pick up Central.
Also missing the final cut last night, is a seventh one to the list: Broadbottom. Again another relay to Winter Hill, via Glossop, carrying digital TV signals.
Bye for now,
Stuart.
I suspect the HTV Wales and S4C is interface from Moel Y parc in North Wales, the reason for this is that the Saddleworth transmitter also uses the same frequences on freeview as Moel y Parc to otherwise bring strong Welsh TV signals across Greater Manchester and Cheshire (less so in Saddleworth itself because of the hills).
I remember when I lived in Diggle our aerial pointing to the Saddleworth transmitter would also receive off beams from Winter Hill and indeed as you say Central ITV (The Wreckin most likely).
I mention North Wales, the same principles apply for radio reception in the Greater Manchester Area, for example BBCR2 in large parts of Greater Manchester can be heard on 89.8 (Saddleworth), 89.3 (Holme Moss) and 88.9 (Langollen in North Wales).
I have always found it very interesting the cross over coverage of Welsh TV and radio signals in the Greater Manchester and Cheshire areas (and indeed the other way around), for example Key 103 can be heard well into North Wales.
Hi Harry,
Most definitely Moel-y-Parc. It is stated that Moel-y-Parc’s pictures can be picked up as far as Blackpool, as well as in Greater Manchester. You too are bang on about Central Independent Television’s pictures coming from the Wrekin. I too have noticed being able to get BBC Radio 2 frequencies from other transmitters.
Bye for now,
Stuart.