Moorside Edge transmitting station

Moorside Edge
Mast height 158 metres (518 ft)
Coordinates 53°38′07″N 1°53′40″W / 53.6353°N 1.8944°W / 53.6353; -1.8944Coordinates: 53°38′07″N 1°53′40″W / 53.6353°N 1.8944°W / 53.6353; -1.8944
Grid reference SE070154
Built 1930-31

Moorside Edge transmitting station, opened in 1931, was originally constructed to radiate the BBC's North Regional (from May 17 on 626 kHz) and National Programmes (from July 12 on 995 kHz).[1]

It is – at 200 kW erp – one of the most powerful mediumwave radio transmitters in Britain. Formed of two 158-metre-high steel lattice towers, it is located just above Moorside Edge (grid reference SE070154). Other nearby transmitting stations are Holme Moss (11.56 km, bearing 168.17°) and Emley Moor (15.4 km, bearing 99.41°).

As with most mediumwave transmitters, a good "signal earth" is important and this is assured by the waterlogged nature of the ground on which it is built. The site's location on the Pennine Hills means that signals from Moorside Edge can be received at very long distances: as far north as Scotland, as far south as the Midlands, as far west as Dublin, and well beyond the country's eastern (North Sea) coast.

One of the four Ruston generating sets originally installed at Moorside Edge, now preserved at the Internal Fire Museum of Power

The station is now owned and operated by Arqiva and broadcasts the following services:

Frequency kW Service
909 kHz 200 BBC Radio 5 Live
1089 kHz 100 Talksport
1215 kHz 100 Absolute Radio

See also

References

  1. ↑ DEVELOPMENT OF THE (BBC) A.M. TRANSMITTER NETWORK
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