Ashton Moss former BBC site.
I recall this site transmitting BBC Radio Manchester on 1458 KHz and living some 30 odd miles over the Pennines it was possible to receive a weak signal from this site on 1458 KHz in the daytime, but at night other transmitters in the UK would dominate the channel, especially the service from Brookmans Park near London.
The BBC was required to give up 1458 KHz and the channel was handed over for commercial radio usage providing a service which was similar to the one already provided on the nearby IBA site at Ashton Moss.
This BBC built site is located to west of the IBA built Ashton Moss site and makes use of three towers. Not certain what the antenna arrangement is for the end fire array, but it could be power is fed to all towers or fed to the middle tower only.
In my fairly out of date notes I have the Radio Manchester service running 5kw using a 10kw Marconi B6029 (solid state with valve PA) transmitter. This transmitter was replaced by a Nautel ND5 solid state transmitter when the service changed from BBC to commercial radio.
In recent years planning permission has been given to develop unused land near the transmitter site. This land has since been fenced off with intentions of developing the land for a golf course, but the developer website does not mention if this development affects the former BBC site. |
