The BBC reports that engineers have been on the scene today to straighten the top third of the affected mast, which has developed a noticeable tilt.
The official BBC transmitter fault checker confirms that transmissions from the Arqiva-owned site have continued as normal throughout the day.
Start Point was the home to important tests by BBC Engineers during the Second World War when horizontally-polarised transmissions were tested, to see if broadcasts could be made without providing enemy aircraft with a navigational radio beacon and the site has transmitted a number of different radio services over the years. It is now solely used for BBC Radio 5 Live.
External Link
Images of bent Start Point mast (mb21)
a516digital is not responsible for the permanent availability or content via external links. Please contact us if you find the link is broken.
O my goodness, the UK is now the last place for AM broadcasts in Europe, are we now keeping those AM transmitters on for 'sentimental' reasons, namely "because of test broadcasts during the war" they should have just let the transmitter mast crash down.
ReplyDeleteDepends who the mast is going to fall on, many of them are near roads. It would be very irresponsible to just let it collapse, these things need to be dismantled carefully.
ReplyDeleteAnd keeping MW going is nothing to do with the war and this mast. The BBC cannot shut services down without consultation, which as we've seen with BBC3 and Radio 6 Music takes years. The only other ways to receive 5 Live are on a TV (not convenient in a shed in the allotment), DAB or Internet. Many listeners would easily be able to switch to kit they already own, but not all listeners at all locations. Cars without DAB would lose 5 Live if MW were switched off for example.
radio five live talk sport absolute will leave medium wave when more white vans trucks have dab many years yet
DeleteThe BBC should set a date for a switch off of MW transmissions [only where FM & DAB coverage is available for the services] & sick to it. Advertise it properly so everyone knows to switch to FM and up grade to DAB if they want. We've been dragging our feet about this for way to long and its wasting money. Britain and BBC are doing a bad job at saving money and moving away from old tech
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with people like you James is you are a radio nurd. Millions of people don't give a damn about DAB, they just turn their radio on to their favourite station & leave it there. Blissfully unaware if its on medium or long wave or even a cats whisker.
DeletePart of my point was the companies like the situation the BBC is in need to save money. Dated technology is high maintenance. No I'm not a radio nerd. I like to listen to two services I don't care that they are between DAB & FM. But times move on. and FMs time will come too. People need to recognise that they will need to upgrade from listening to MW. BBC radio Bristol switches off MW transmissions nxt month. I believe it's good for the company. But education the listener is the most important.
DeleteFive Live can't move to FM, there are no spare frequencies unless some other station is chucked off FM. And Five Live is a national station, the only national FM stations are all the other BBC ones plus Classic FM. Which of those are you proposing ditching to move Five Live to FM?
DeleteSorry. Wasn't referring to the national MW radio stations. I know that's not possible
Deleteowen smith radio five live could go on fm using bbc local radio transmitters wit local news incerts
ReplyDeleteowen smith radio five live could go on fm using bbc local radio transmitters wit local news incerts
ReplyDeleteThere's a thought. Maybe it could!
Delete