Hillsborough
Sheffield
S6 2LL
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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.
its location because there is no large city within 30 miles so it`s population coverage is
only about 500 thousand. Ridge Hill has seventeen smaller repeaters to improve its coverage in poor reception areas. At 100kW analogue power it is one of the smaller
main transmitters so the fact there are only half a dozen large towns within this 30 mile range makes it more unusual still. Digital is broadcast at 2kW for all the MUXES.
Where Ridge Hill is useful is as an alternative (importance of “line of sight”) to other transmitters which may be nearer. A selection of the latter, namely Mendip, Wenvoe,
The Wrekin, Sutton Coldfield, Bromsgrove, Malvern, Lark Stoke and Oxford are included
on the Ridge Hill Channel Allocation Guides (for before & after the DSO) which lists
the transmitters frequencies. Note how they all “dove tail” together.
The Channel Allocation Guide 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 without suffering from co-
Ofcom report a small amount of attenuation on all the transmissions to the South East.
DSO is due to occur in August 2011 and it has been confirmed by Ofcom that
Ridge Hill will be returning to an A group at DSO.
There are two interleaved spectrum channels allocated to Ridge Hill, CH23 and CH30,
which are both within the previously announced post DSO group.
Ridge Hill was originally an A group but as can be seen on the Channel Allocation Guide
it has now become a wideband for the Digital channels, though analogue Channel 5 is still within band. See Ridge Hill graph
Ridge Hill from an outer stay point.
This is my wife`s favourite picture on the entire site. As I was prone on the floor trying to get the right angle for this shot (hopefully not lying in anything too unmentionable...), a herd of bullocks became very interested and were advancing towards me in a menacing fashion. Believe me they look big and frightening when they`re towering over you so I sprang up and promptly landed in a pile of something or other (probably the other....),
all the while my good
lady was beside herself with laughter. I hope
you appreciate the resultant picture.......
Picture Justin Smith ATV
Close up of the very bottom of Ridge Hill, a cable stayed mast. Note that the design allows
a certain amount of movement necessary to enable the structure to sway slightly and thus
avoid too much stress on the space frame steelwork. Picture Justin Smith ATV
Note. There are huge forces on the base of “stayed” masts. This design of structure
weighs between 150 and 250 tons (depending on the size) but the tubular types,
e.g. Mendip, are about twice this weight. Then you have the additional force imparted by
the tension on the stays, in approximate terms this would double the effective “weight”.
For details of self supporting towers see Taylors of Oldham`s Catalogue.
Ridge Hill television transmitter showing some of the fabulous views. Pic Justin Smith ATV.
The base of Ridge Hill TV transmitter.
Note the cables carrying all the various signals up to the transmitting aerials, also see picture below.
Picture
Justin Smith ATV
Ridge Hill`s channels in relation to the UHF TV band and the gain curves of the aerials
we recommend for it. DM Log Log40 DY14WB XB22WB
Note the channels out of the original A group of the transmitter.
The “original A group curve” is that for post 1995 aerials, when the A group was extended
up to CH 37 from CH 34. Thus the response curve for aerials fitted prior to this date would
be about 3 channels down.
Also see other relevant Wideband curves.
and after (below) the DSO.
The frequencies given are for the analogue channels, for (most) digital MUXES add 3Mhz.
Also check Ridge Hill`s seventeen smaller repeaters
please help us increase the number of people reading it.
For Ridge Hill we recommend the DM log for strong signal areas, the Log 40 for
medium signal areas, the DY14WB for poor signal areas, and the XB22WB 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 XB22 because of the former aerial`s smaller size.
As with all main transmitters it is horizontally polarised and it was opened for VHF
(405 line) transmissions of ITV in 1968, UHF broadcasting on the present system started
in 1973. The height of the mast is 160m (a.g.l) and it has 4 sets of stays to keep it up, also
see How High is High ? The site height is 203m and this gives wonderful views over to the East. Clearly visible to the NE is the Herefordshire Beacon (site of the Iron Age "British Fort") which has an altitude of 338m and if you get a chance to visit the latter I would do
so as the views are stunning for almost 360 degrees. In fact the only obstructions are
North Hill (397m) and its neighbour the Worcestershire Beacon which is the highest of the lot at 425m. Surely one of the best 360 degree views in the country. Note for those not
keen on walking up mountains the Herefordshire Beacon is much the easiest to ascend !
The transmitter can be seen from miles around including from the M50 which runs about
5 miles to the South. The latter was opened (from the present Junc 1, A38 turn off) in 1960 and was extended Eastwards to the M5 (Northbound) in 1962. The Southbound M5 from
this point didn`t open until 1970. The railway was what really put this area (The Malverns)
on the map and the Worcester & Hereford Railway opened in stages from 1859 to 1861, this subsequently became the West Midland and finally part of the Great Western.
The Ex Hereford to Ross line passes to the West and was opened from 1855 to 1964 and
to the East the line from Ledbury to Gloucester opened in 1885, closed as far as Dymock
in 1959 and the remaining stub to Gloucester in 1964.
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