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Pontop Pike was opened in 1953 (though the date on the buildings at its base is 1955 ! )
to transmit BBC television on the "old" VHF 405 line system. Transmission of this signal
finally ceased in 1985, though since 1966 Pontop had been broadcasting (in colour) on the UHF 625 line system. It is situated 10 miles SW of Newcastle and its population coverage
is approaching two million. The transmissions are received in most areas of the North East including Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Hartlepool, Darlington, Stockton and Middlesborough. Bilsdale would probably be the main choice for the last three, but in the end transmitter choice is all down to "line of sight"......
The mast is a cable stayed spaceframe with height (to the base of the transmitting array`s shroud) of 134m, so the tip of the mast is probably another 20 or so metres above that,
also see How High is High ?
The transmitter broadcasts the four main analogue channels at 500kW (and that is a lot
of power) though it doesn`t transmit C5 -
is four miles to the SE.
Digital / Freeview power is 10kW apart from MUX6 which is 8kW. Being a main transmitter Pontop is Horizontally polarised and it is C/D group. It has twenty six smaller repeaters to improve its coverage in poor signal areas. The channel planners managed to fit in all the Digital MUXES within this band so, with luck, an aerial change should not be required to pick up Freeview, see Pontop Pike graph.
According to Ofcom Pontop Pike is nominally omni directional for all the Digital MUXES.
DSO is due on the 12th and 26th Sept 2012. and it has been confirmed by Ofcom that Pontop will remain a C/D group.
At switchover Pontop`s digital power output will increase from the pre DSO 8 to 10kW output up to the post DSO level of 50 to 100kW (the latter for the PSBs).
Pontop Pike is planned to transmit a pre switchover low power HDTV MUX (on CH63 at
10kW) from Feb 2010. Due to co-
You will need a Freeview HD set top box though, due on the market from 2010.
There are two interleaved spectrum channels allocated to Pontop Pike, CH 51 and 56,
which are both within the C/D group.In addition there is a possibility of 2 or 3 more MUXES being transmitted between CHs 31 and 37. Some of these would only be receivable from a C/D group in a good signal area, fortunately there are alternatives.
For Pontop`s frequencies see its Channel Allocation Guides for before & after the
DSO. The guides also include the same information for some of the other transmitters
in Pontop`s coverage area, namely Bilsdale, Emley Moor, Chatton, Fenham, Newton,
Haltwhistle, Alston, Shotleyfield and Weardale. The Channel Allocation Guides can
be very useful in the diagnosis of co-
Burnhope transmitter was opened in 1959 to broadcast the "new" ITV channel on the
VHF system which it continued to do until 1985. The fact that Burnhope is only 4m
SE of Pontop is no accident because it was intended to be effectively "co-
-
Sutton Coldfield / Lichfield and Holme Moss / Emley Moor. The first two pairs also use the former ITV transmitters to broadcast C5. Burnhope is located about 6m WNW of Durham
(at NZ 184 474) and just like Pontop Pike it is a cable stayed spaceframe with five stay levels, though the mast height is 229m, which is somewhat taller than the BBC structure. One assumes that Burnhope will cease TV transmission when the analogue signal is
turned off in 2012.
At one time there were numerous railway lines around Pontop Pike but now if you want to visit this area it`s a car or a bus.The ex Stanhope & Tyne Railway used to run about half a mile away and this was one of the first built in this country in 1834. It was the last to
survive in the area but when the steel works at Consett shut in 1980 the line soon followed, closing in 1985.
Beamish the extensive heritage site/museum is only about four miles away, it opened in 1971 and has been expanding ever since. It`s well worth a visit but there`s so much to see that I`d plan to stay all day if I were you.
It`s actually good value if one considers that everything is "free" once you get in,
the opposite of, say, "Center Parcs" (SPX) for instance......
External links
Pontop Pike transmitter page on MB21
Pontop Pike transmitter page at The Big Tower
Pontop Pike transmitter page on Wikipedia
Digital UK details of Tyne Tees transmitters
Ofcom Tyne Tees transmitters details
Burnhope transmitter page on MB21
Base buildings at Pontop Pike. The date on the crest is 1955 though the mast began TV transmissions in 1953. Maybe it was something
to do with the start of VHF/FM radio
broadcasting which did begin in 1955.
Note the style of the structure, only marred by the security shutters and so forth needed to combat the moronic members of our society......
The whole thing, including the impressive crest,
has gravitas. Nowadays you`d just get a plastic
sign which would probably be in grammatically
inaccurate lower case *. Oh to be trendy......
On the subject of gravitas, when Pontop was
built TV news readers had some. You`d get a gentleman (or lady) behind a desk, not a pair of them poncing about like a pair of love struck teenagers.
Quite apart from anything else who is paying for
this under employment ? I say get rid of one of
them and cut the cost of the TV licence.......
Pontop Pike TV Transmitter, from the SW.
Pontop Pike viewed from Burnhope TV transmitter.
Burnhope transmitter.
Pontop Pike television transmitter from an outer stay anchor.
See Pontop Pike`s height in relation to other transmitters.
Pontop Pike`s TV frequencies/channels* for before DSO (above) and after DSO (below).
Also check Pontop`s twenty six smaller repeaters
The frequencies given are for (most) digital MUXES, for analogue channels deduct 3MHz.
* There are a few retune events (temporary MUX reallocations) just before and after DSO which may not be shown on these tables.
Note the gaps in the table below for channels 31 to 35, 37 and 61 to 68, they`re reserved for “other uses”........
Pontop Pike`s channels in relation to the UHF TV band and the gain curves of the aerials
we recommend for it. DM Log Log40 Yagi18C/D DY14WB XB16E
Also see other relevant C/D group curves.
* I know what you`re thinking, he`s a fine one to talk about “grammatically incorrect lower case” with his aerialsandtv.com, .......but that`s a URL !
Spectrum = Interleaved Spectrum Channels
Some post switchover MUX allocations (particularly CHs 61/62 and 49/50) may well be changed due to the 800MHz clearance.
If you`ve found this site informative and, hopefully, interesting as well,
Pontop Pike Transmitter OS Grid Ref NZ 148 526
(& Burnhope) (OS Grid Ref NZ 184 474)
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
TV / 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. Also see basic digital fault finding.
Digital switchover at Pontop Pike is due on the 12th and 26th Sept 2012.
We are more than willing to give advice to those actually purchasing from us.
Could those only seeking information please just find the answer somewhere on this site,
or ring an aerial installer local to them, or call the reception advice phone numbers.
For Pontop we recommend the DM log for strong signal areas, the Log 40 for
medium signal areas, the Yagi18CD* or the DY14WB for poor signal areas, and the XB16E for those with the most marginal signals. The dimensions and test performance of the aerials can be found on the relevant tables. If requiring a “high gain aerial” in the loft we recommend the DY14WB over the XB16 because of the former aerial`s smaller size.
* See "covering all eventualities"