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THE TRANSMISSION GALLERY
BRIGHTON (WHITEHAWK HILL)
| Photos by David Neale, Peter Bigwood, Colin Wiseman, Michael Bryan and mb21 | Page last updated: 2023-03-19 |
| Whitehawk Hill was built in 1959 to replace the original TV relay for Brighton situated at Truleigh Hill. Links below refer to BBC reports on the selection of Whitehawk Hill and the addition of VHF Radio in 1967. The original tower was replaced in 1983 for the re-engineering of BBC FM radio to mixed polarisation. This set of photos has been compiled from a number of individual contributions. They pre-date the addition of Channel 5 and DAB but include DTT. Editor's note: we would be happy to include the dates taken if contributors can provide this. Prior to DSO, Whitehawk Hill's feed arrangments were: SHF link from Findon for BBC1 and BBC2, ITV line fed, Ch4 fed off-air from Rowridge. Ch5 & Mux A fed via D-Sat, all other DTT fibre fed. Service Dates: 5-Aug-1959 405-line BBC TV. Closed January 1984 13-Mar-1967 BBC National FM radio 14-Feb-1968 BBC Radio Brighton on 88.1 MHz 21-Sep-1970 UHF BBC 1 & 2 29-May-1971 BBC Radio Brighton frequency changed to 95.8 MHz 28-Apr-1972 ITV 28-Jun-1973 BBC Radio Brighton frequency changed to 95.3 MHz May 1983 Channel 4 July 1983 BBC FM radio re-engineered for mixed polarisation 29-Aug-1983 ILR Brighton (Southern Sound) on 103.4 MHz 19-Nov-1986 ILR frequency changed to 103.5 MHz 6-Dec-1990 Radio 1 11-Jun-1996 Classic FM May 1999 Interim DTT 27-May-2002 Digital 1 DAB 18-Sep-2002 Replacement band II aerial in service 4-Nov-2003 Channel 5 7-Nov-2003 BBC National DAB Feb-2004 Sussex Coast DAB 7th and 21st March 2012 DSO 5-Mar-2014 Local TV mux 29-Feb-2016 Sound Digital DAB 17-Jul-2018 Capital FM (Brighton) |
| The shrouded logs just below the main cylinder transmitted pre-DSO Mux 2. The reason being to create a null in the direction of the Patcham service area, which was co-channel (Ch 50). This picture (along with photos 3 and 6) is historically interesting as it shows the original Marconi mixed pol panels that were installed in July 1983. These were subsequently replaced in September 2002 by ADC panels. Whitehawk Hill isn't the only site where this happened; Guildford originally had Marconi panels (installed about the same time, ie 1983) and these too were replaced by ADCs in July 1995. It's not clear whether this was to allow for the addition of interleaved DAB aerials or whether there is some other technical explanation. |
| The trough antenna is pointing at Rowridge |
| This old mast outline (above) shows the somewhat unusual arrangement of the original UHF cylinder at Whitehawk Hill; it was attached to one face of the mast rather than being inserted centrally into the lattice-work. (And the drawing isn't mistaken, it really was like that). |
Brighton (Whitehawk Hill) index
BBC Report on selection of new Brighton TV relay
BBC Report on VHF Radio Installation
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