Hillsborough
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Craigkelly Transmitter OS Grid Ref NT 233 872
Note, as work takes place on various digital transmitters (to prepare for the DSO)
you may experience problems, e.g. with certain MUXES disappearing.
First try rescanning your set top box (do it manually if possible), but if this fails to work check on Transmitter work or call the reception advice phone numbers.
Craigkelly transmitter was built in 1971, or rather more accurately it was rebuilt on its present site. The tower was originally in use at Emley Moor in 1956 by the IBA, as the
first of the three transmitters to have been in existence there.
The tower is situated about 8 miles North of Edinburgh, overlooking the Firth of Forth and
the most famous bridge in the world. Its population coverage is about 1 million and it uses nine small repeater transmitters to improve its coverage in fringe areas.
The site altitude is 182m and the structure height is 125m with the transmitting arrays possibly another 10m or so above that, see How High Is High ?
Being a "main transmitter" it is horizontally polarised. Craigkelly was originally an A group but the advent of C5 and digital means it`s now a K group, or wideband because MUXES 5 and 6 are out of group, on channels 42 and 39 respectively.
That said, if you live in a strong signal area you may well pick them up OK, particularly if you have an "enhanced A group antenna". The original A group only went up to CH35 but was modified in the mid 90s. Since analogue C5 (on CH48) is also outside the original
group if you can get a reasonable picture on it then that indicates that you`ve already got
a K group or wideband aerial fitted.
The transmission power is 100kW for the four main analogue channels but only 4kW
for analogue C5. Digital power is 4kW for MUXES 1 to 4, and 2kW for MUXES 5 and 6.
For Craigkelly we recommend the DM log aerial for strong signal areas, the Log 40 for medium signal areas, the Yagi18K for poor signal areas and the XB16K for those with the most marginal signals. The dimensions and test performance of the aerials can be found on the relevant tables. The prices of the aerials are on the Sales page.
For Craigkelly`s frequencies see its Channel Allocation Guides for before and after
the DSO. These tables also include the same information for some of the other
transmitters receivable in the area, namely Angus, Black Hill, Darvel, Penicuik,
Selkirk and Chatton. This data can be of great use in determining possible causes
of co-
together in an attempt to minimise co-
The Channel Allocation Guides can also be invaluable if you are trying to find a spare channel for a modulated output (e.g. for a Sky box or CCTV system) to be added to your
TV setup / distribution system system without suffering from co-
According to Ofcom Craigkelly has an essentially omnidirectional digital output.
Craigkelly is due to remain a K group at switchover in October 2010. In fact, technically speaking, rather than just two MUXES being out of band (as there
are pre DSO) there will actually be three. Worse still, they will be further outside
the band than they were before. Fortunately the 3 main PSB MUXES will be still receivable on an original A group antenna.
There are two interleaved spectrum channels allocated to Craigkelly, CH30 and CH52,
which are both within the previously announced post DSO group.
The transmitter over looks the town of Burntisland which has rather an interesting history form the railways point of view. From 1847/1848 the town was the Southern terminus of
the Edinburgh & Northern Railway which extended up to Perth and Tay Port. But this was despite being separated from its namesake by 6 miles of water in the shape of the Firth of Forth ! The trains could travel straight onto the pier for transhipment onto ferries to
complete the journey to the Scottish Capital. This anomaly came to an end with the
opening of the fabulous Forth bridge in 1890, although by then the Edinburgh & Northern
had been absorbed by the North British Railway.
Incidentally the aforementioned Forth Bridge was jointly owned by no fewer than four
railway companies, namely the North British, the North Eastern, the Great Northern
and the Midland !
Craigkelly TV transmitter from the Royal Yacht Britannia. (Picture Mike Smith)
Craigkelly television transmitter. (Pictures MB21)
The close up on the right shows (from the top) the digital transmitting arrays for CH39 and CH42 MUXES, the analogue transmitting arrays and the other digital MUXES (under the glass fibre shroud), the FM radio transmitting arrays (note the mixed polarity) and at the bottom, well to be honest I`m not sure what they are !
Craigkelly transmitter at night, picture taken from the southern shore
of the Firth of Forth. (Picture Bill Wright)
Craigkelly transmitter`s channel guides for before (above) and after (below) the DSO.
Also check Craigkelly`s nine small repeater transmitters, and Black Hill`s fifty five.
Craigkelly transmitter`s channels in relation to the UHF TV band and the gain curves of
the aerials we recommend for it. DM Log Log40 Yagi18K XB16K
If you really need a “high gain” aerial for Craigkelly you should try and use a K group.
Note how analogue C5 is out of the original A group`s reception band, and MUX 5 is too.
MUX 6 may be receivable on some A group aerials.
Post DSO the situation becomes even more problematic as MUXES 4 to 6 are all likely to be unobtainable off an A group. Fortunately the 3 main PSB MUXES will be still receivable on an original A group antenna.
Note that the “original A group curve” is that for post 1995 aerials, when the A group was extended up to CH37 from CH35. Thus the response curve for aerials fitted prior to this
date would be about two channels down.
In fact because of Wideband antennas poor response at the bottom of the band nobody should ever fit a “high gain” wideband on any K group transmitter, e.g. Craigkelly.
If the site is in a poor spot an “high gain” K group aerial should be used.
On the other hand if the signal is strong (or medium) then by definition it doesn`t need a “high gain” antenna anyway ! Under these circumstances a Log Periodic should be fitted instead. See Craigkelly`s Graph
