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THE TRANSMISSION GALLERY

PUR DOWN

Photos by Shaun Chew, Peter Barrington and Paul Todd Page last updated: 2022-08-25

Shaun: Pur Down is a BT site and provides some stunning views of Bristol and the surrounding areas. It's also one of those sites that is easy to see, yet deceptively difficult to reach - even with a good map!

Originally a GPO site, the current concrete tower was completed in 1970. The first broadcast service from here was "For the People", on 97.2 MHz, which went on air on 21st April 1990. However after only a year, it was acquired by the Chiltern Radio Group and renamed Galaxy 97.2. Galaxy won the Severn Estuary regional licence but retained Pur Down as their filler for Bristol - (Mendip can be notoriously difficult to receive in the city) at a power of 200W.

[Ed] Eagle 107.3 launched on 28th November 1999. Changed to 107.2 in January 2004. Classic FM was added in 2002. DAB service dates: Digital One, 31st January 2002; BBC, 12th August 2004; Bristol, 30th November 2015; Sound Digital, 29th February 2016.

The first four pictures are from Shaun and will have been taken around 2002/3. At this time Pur Down transmitted Galaxy 101 (97.2 MHz), Classic FM (101.4 MHz), Star 107.3 (107.3 MHz) and Digital One DAB only.




The Digital One DAB aerials are clearly seen in this photo - two tiers of 5 element,
band III Yagis on the left and right. In between them (to the right of the small
SHF antenna) are two slanted folded dipoles. These transmit Classic FM and
Kiss 101 (97.2 MHz). At the top, to the right of the SHF antenna, are two
vertical dipoles, which transmitted Star 107.3.




[Ed]. The last three pictures were taken after 2004 by Peter. By then BBC DAB aerials had been added
and Star 107.3 had become Star 107.2, with an ERP increase and change to slant polarisation.




In between the second and third platform on this picture are the BBC DAB aerials, consisting of two tiers of two folded band III dipoles.


At the top are the slanted band II transmit dipoles for the 107.2 MHz, ILR service and below the platform are the two tiers of slant, folded dipoles transmitting Classic FM and the 97.2 MHz ILR service.


This last spectacular aerial shot was captured by Paul Todd during summer 2022

Pur Down index

Mendip

Wikipedia page on Pur Down BT Tower

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