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THE TRANSMISSION GALLERY

PLYMPTON

Photos by Mark Carver and Hedley Hope Page last updated: 2014-06-23

1983 and 2005 Pictures

Plympton started life on 23rd November 1973 as a major relay of Caradon Hill to cover significant reception black spots in the Plymouth area. It was also used to carry the VHF service for one the UK's original ILR stations, Plymouth Sound, which launched on 19th July 1975. Channel 4 was added in September 1985 and Channel 5 was available from the launch on 30th March 1997.

BBC national FM radio went into service in May 1994, with Radio Devon being added as late as 14th June 2005.

DAB service dates are: 5th December 2001, Digital One, 9th December 2003, BBC, 21st October 2004, Plymouth local.


Mark Carver took this shot in 1983, not much detail can be seen, but back then all it carried was the UHF Tx cylinder, two circular polz Tx aerials for VHF, and two UHF 'trough' receiving panels for the off air feed from Caradon Hill.


Headly Hope took the remaining shots on this page in 2005. The site is a lot busier. The UHF skew fire panels just below the main cylinder were for the C5 analogue service and have an omni directional radiation pattern. The main cylinder is a north-west facing cardioid. Pre DSO DTT used the main cylinder. The second smaller mast carries a cantilever pole with Band III dipoles to provide the BBC, D1, and local Plymouth DAB services.






Close up of the two circular polarisation radiators for ILR Plymouth. These are thought to be made by RCA in the US, and still believed to be the original installation from 1975. Just below the lower one, there are two single vertical dipoles, these provide BBC VHF radio services (national and local)






Downlink dishes for some of the programme feeds




This is the view from the site looking across towards Staddon Heights and the masts there. This is where the BBC has a web camera which looks across the sound and is used for the backdrop on Spotlight, and also occasionally in the BBC Weather reports.

Fort Staddon is also the Tx site for Plymouth community station, Radio Plymouth

Plympton index

Fort Staddon

This site is now included in the Update List for the following reason:
August 2018: modifications to DAB tx aerial

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