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THE TRANSMISSION GALLERY
TACOLNESTON
With thanks to Sean Cooper
Originally published on
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Official Opening of Full-Power VHF Radio from Tacolneston The command "full power", followed by an impressive whine like the noise of a rising lift on the radio at 6.35pm last night heralded the start of full V.H.F. broadcasting throughout the Midland Region. With it this new high-fidelity system of transmission which has been a reality in East Anglia since Christmas was officially past its teething stage, and to mark the occasion the Press for the first time was allowed through the doors of the new Tacolneston transmitter, which is the source of both V.H.F. and television relays for this area. The words "full power" only applied to sound radio, unfortunately, and television must remain on half power for some time yet. This is because of past agreements with Continental stations. Continental Complication If Tacolneston had gone over in full power TV last night there would have been some very curious results for Belgian televiewers, and Belgium might have retaliated. Just how disastrous this "out-shouting" policy can become is best shown on the overcrowded medium wave. If it had ever come to a pitched battle for air-space between us and North-West Europe, East Anglia would have been right in the firing line, for Yarmouth is nearer to the Dutch station at Hilversum than it is to its regional headquarters in Birmingham. The only "out-shouting" that has been allowed is in the matter of height. The 500-foot needle mast at Tacolneston has completely overshadowed the spire of Norwich Cathedral as a landmark. The mast weights 30 tons, but the downward thrust of the "piano wires" that hold it in place can, in stormy weather, equal a pressure of 180 tons. It is now nearly three years since the B.B.C. acquired 12 acres of scrubland ten miles from Norwich, two years since the contractors arrived on the site to sink the foundations, and six months since the transmitter was first used. No Bare Cupboards Inside the single-story building, which stands on the site of High Park Wood, the abiding impression is of banks of grey steel cupboards containing thousands of valves and unfold miles of cable. The most complicated mass goes not to television but to the V.H.F. relays, for each of the three programmes has two alternative circuits so that if one should fail, the other can take over. There are also duplicate sources of electric power. Oddly enough this spacious building only employees a staff of 15 divided into two shifts. Gone are the days of human monitoring of much of the B.B.C. output, for today automation is in the air and not only does a transmitter sound a buzzer if it breaks down, but it also shows on a dial roughly what is wrong - like a patient who has spent too long in hospital. The second shorter mast at Tacolneston is already an anachronism - part of the experimental stage, and it is likely to be dismantled before long. On the other hand, Postwick transmitter on the far side of Norwich will continue to relay medium wave transmission for the foreseeable future, but it was thought unsuitable for a television station because much of its area would spill out beyond the coast. |
Originally published on
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Stereo radio comes to Norfolk Stereo on Radios 2 and 3 will be broadcast from the Tacolneston transmitters from Friday. Advice about reception of the BBC's stereophonic service may be obtained from the BBC's Engineering Information Department, Broadcasting House, London, W1A 1AA. |
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