Huntshaw Cross transmitting station
Encyclopedia
Huntshaw Cross transmitting station is a telecommunications facility serving North Devon
including the towns of Barnstaple
and South Molton
. It broadcasts television, radio and mobile telephone services. It is located on the B3232 road at Huntshaw
, Great Torrington
. Grid reference
SS527220. The mast is 164 metres high. The high power output of the transmitter and its location allow its signal to be received clearly in parts of south Wales, before Freeview it was a popular transmitter to receive Channel 4 which was not broadcast on Welsh transmitters.
The site is owned by Arqiva
and was opened by the Independent Television Authority
using the 405 line transmission system on 22 April 1968 carrying the ITV
programmes of Westward Television
. It switched to 625 line colour transmission on 5 November 1973.
Digital switchover began at the site in the early hours of 1 July 2009 when the BBC Two
analogue service was switched off just after 01:20 BST. Switchover was completed in the early hours of 29 July 2009 with the analogue services disappearing one by one, starting with BBC One at a few seconds after 01:30. Viewers were required to perform another retune on 30 September 2009 as SDN and Arqiva A reached their final frequency positions and increased in power. A further retune will be required at a future date in 2012 when Arqiva B will increase to its final power level. Freeview HD became available to viewers using this transmitter on 24 September 2010.
† Will increase to 10kW in 2012.
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
including the towns of Barnstaple
Barnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
and South Molton
South Molton
"Molton" redirects here. Or see Molten or Moulton.South Molton is a small town in Devon, England. It is part of the North Devon local government district. The town is on the River Mole. According to the 2001 census the civil parish of South Molton had a population of 4,093.The town was one of...
. It broadcasts television, radio and mobile telephone services. It is located on the B3232 road at Huntshaw
Huntshaw
Huntshaw is a village and civil parish located two and a half miles NNE of Great Torrington, in the Torridge district, in the county of Devon, England. Huntshaw has a church called St. Mary Magdelene's Church which is Grade II* Listed. There is a mast in Huntshaw called Huntshaw Cross transmitting...
, Great Torrington
Great Torrington
Great Torrington is a small market town in the north of Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge below...
. Grid reference
Grid reference
Grid references define locations on maps using Cartesian coordinates. Grid lines on maps define the coordinate system, and are numbered to provide a unique reference to features....
SS527220. The mast is 164 metres high. The high power output of the transmitter and its location allow its signal to be received clearly in parts of south Wales, before Freeview it was a popular transmitter to receive Channel 4 which was not broadcast on Welsh transmitters.
The site is owned by Arqiva
Arqiva
Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless...
and was opened by the Independent Television Authority
Independent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
using the 405 line transmission system on 22 April 1968 carrying the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
programmes of Westward Television
Westward Television
Westward Television was the first ITV franchise holder for the South West of England from 29 April 1961 until 31 December 1981. After a difficult start, Westward provided a popular, distinctive and highly regarded service to its region, until public boardroom squabbles led to its franchise not...
. It switched to 625 line colour transmission on 5 November 1973.
Digital switchover began at the site in the early hours of 1 July 2009 when the BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
analogue service was switched off just after 01:20 BST. Switchover was completed in the early hours of 29 July 2009 with the analogue services disappearing one by one, starting with BBC One at a few seconds after 01:30. Viewers were required to perform another retune on 30 September 2009 as SDN and Arqiva A reached their final frequency positions and increased in power. A further retune will be required at a future date in 2012 when Arqiva B will increase to its final power level. Freeview HD became available to viewers using this transmitter on 24 September 2010.
Digital television
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 690.0 MHz | 48 | 10 | SDN S4C Digital Networks SDN is a company that operates Multiplex A, one of the six groups of channels on digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom... |
| 722.0 MHz | 52 | 10 | Arqiva Arqiva Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless... A |
| 745.8 MHz | 55- | 20 | BBC BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff... B |
| 754.0 MHz | 56 | 4† | Arqiva B |
| 777.8 MHz | 59- | 20 | Digital 3&4 Digital 3&4 Digital 3&4 is a consortium consisting of regional Channel 3 companies and Channel 4 Television Corporation, which operates a multiplex broadcasting from a number of transmitter sites in the UK, carrying television and radio channels from both ITV and Channel 4; however three per-cent of the... |
| 801.8 MHz | 62- | 20 | BBC A |
† Will increase to 10kW in 2012.
Analogue radio
| Frequency | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 94.8 MHz | 0.675 | BBC Radio Devon BBC Radio Devon BBC Radio Devon is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Devon. It began transmissions on 17 January 1983, replacing a previous breakfast show for Devon and Cornwall broadcast on the local frequencies of Radio 4.... |
| 96.2 MHz | 2.5 | Heart Devon Heart Devon Heart Devon is a Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to Devon. The station began broadcasting on Friday 27 August 2010 as a result of a merger between Heart Exeter and Heart Torbay , Heart Plymouth , Heart North Devon and Heart South Devon .-History:The regional station... |
- Heart Devon also broadcasts on 97.3 MHz in the IlfracombeIlfracombeIlfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
area.
Digital radio
| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 222.064 MHz | 11D | 4 | Digital One Digital One Digital One is a national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva. , the multiplex covers more than 90% of the populationfrom a total of 137 transmitters... |
| 225.648 MHz | 12B | 2.5 | BBC National DAB |