Bill Wright writes: I’ve seen this one from a distance many times, because we used to visit Plockton on every Scottish trip, so I felt like having a look.
The approach is a forest track and we found a large notice at the start saying that the footpath access was suspended and that we must keep out on pain of prosecution, the reason being that large scale forestry work was taking place. However we got there at 5pm on Friday, and there was no-one about, so we carried on.
I was interested in the various UHF aerials fixed around the lower parts of the structure. They point in all directions. If they are actually receiving aerials for UHF TV it suggests that there have been problems.
An 18 element Group A VP yagi of great antiquity looks towards Skriaig (Image 4). Clearly the ignorant domestic installer’s long-held belief that support arms should not be between directors in the same plane is misguided. This aerial also has a stub between the midpoint of one half (only) of the dipole and the boom.
There is a more recent stack of five short yagis, also Group A, looking the same way. Have there been problems with tidal fading?
Then there’s a long HP Group A yagi looking towards Eitshal (I think). But what of the others? An HP yagi looking towards Skriaig? Why? HP yagis looking towards Torosay and Rosneath? It seems very improbable that reception from there would be possible.
Duncraig was originally a BBC landlord site which entered service in March 1981, with Channel 4 added on
22-Nov-1985. The original structure was replaced in May 2002 to permit the addition of site sharers.
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