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THE TRANSMISSION GALLERY

WEST KILBRIDE

Photos by Dan Glover Page last updated: 2015-10-26

June 2011 - DSO and other information - updated October 2015

(Editor's note: additional information on DSO changes has been obtained via planning applications - see below)

Lack of time and proper information about access meant we didn't get very near the site. However it is possible to fill in some of the gaps which may help whoever is up there next.

The Update Hit List requirement was for detailed photos - which sadly we don't have yet...

This site was originally a TV relay of Darvel and the trough almost certainly was part of the initial installation. From 9th February 2004 until 7th January 2010, reception was via the nearby Knockewart link. As part of DSO, West Kilbride now relays Black Hill.

According to Megalithia, Darvel is on bearing 110 and Knockewart on 093. Would the beamwidth of the trough be such that it continued to be used? Black Hill is at 073 and possibly the reason why some logs have been installed.

The Ofcom data for the FM services is incomplete but for DAB we are given maximum ERP on bearing 120 - this site transmits a regional multiplex only.

One of David Neale's photos shows a couple of HP VHF yagis near the base of the tower. One appears to be directed at Black Hill for the national radio RBL, and the other is aimed at Rothesay for the Radio Scotland feed.



Taken from the B781 just north of the site. Notable features are the trough about half way up and just above that what appears to be a pair of logs. Further up are, possibly, a couple of DAB 5-element yagis. All of these are facing in a generally easterly direction, which seems to agree with expectations

Notes from planning applications:
Receive: Two logs at 27 m bearing 093 added after 2003 (for Knockewart link). Two logs at 28 m bearing 075 added for DSO, receiving Black Hill. The trough (27.5 m) was to be removed post-DSO but it seems the Knockewart logs had been removed by June 2011, not the trough...

Transmit: A Sira UTV 14C was added for DSO "bearing 240" - on the corner of the tower.
The original panels ("bearing 261 and 317") were to be removed after DSO

Other: VSAT dish at 5 m and new cabin, original cabin to be removed


Now were're a bit closer, but in a residential development below and to the south west of the site. It's also much brighter round here!

The trough is just visible on the right. The FM transmit antenna is the dipole on the left (44m), just below the top of the main structure - but all that's visible is the centrepiece. TV transmission comes from the panels above - but we now know that a new antenna had been installed for DSO

I believe the red antenna at the very top is likely to be a direction-finding arrangement for VHF marine band


The Sira UTV-14 is an omnidirectional antenna - in effect a colinear - see data sheet linked below - but the planning document says "bearing 240". This is possibly the same sort of arrangement used at Margate

West Kilbride index

Knockewart (link site) | Margate

Sira UTV-14 Data Sheet (PDF)

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