Bilsdale transmitter latest!

[Woodentop]

For the information of anyone living in or visiting North Yorkshire/Teesside/Co Durham* and likely to use Bilsdale TV transmitter please be aware that:-
Transmissions from the new mast start on Monday 22nd May on the same broadcast channels as before;
There may be short transmission interruptions whilst tests are performed;
The HD channels (station numbers 101-106) may be inactive at the start whilst the new HD aerials are erected.
[* That is anywhere from Harrogate and to the south of York up to Durham and Peterlee and many places in between.]

For clarification, broadcast channel numbers are those of the actual frequencies used on the site - which are 21, 24, 27, 40, 43 and 46. Channel 21 is the HD service and will only be available on TV receivers that have a HD tuner. Your aerial should be horizontal.
Station numbers are those that you select on the TV remote, e.g. 3 for ITV1, 10 for ITV3, 14 for Film 4 etc. The transmitter uses BBC NE and ITV Tyne-Tees on channels 1 and 3 in SD, or 101 and 103 in HD.

Bilsdale transmitter is on the ridge to the west side of the B1257 between Helmsley and Stokesley. At 300m+ high the mast is visible from a large area.

 

[Mr Plodd]

I bet the view from the top is something !

 

[Mel]

Is this the one that something catastrophic happened to many months ago, causing major problems for the area; or am I making that up ( wouldnt be the first time!)
mel

 

[Woodentop]

Is this the one that something catastrophic happened to many months ago, causing major problems for the area; or am I making that up ( wouldnt be the first time!)
mel

Yes, it is the one that caught fire on 10 Aug 2021. Look at tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/ and its on the front page.

I bet the view from the top is something !

The view from the ground is pretty staggering anyway!

 

[Buckman]

I bet the view from the top is something !

It is the climbing to the top of any transmitter that is the killer. Did it once to halfway up a 500' transmitter and never again as you cannot use a safety harness during the climb. However as you say the view from the top would be fantastic.

 

[Woodentop]

That is the one major thing I miss from taking early retirement almost exactly 10 years ago.
I was based at Emley Moor and had the opportunity to go up the tower very often for broadcast and mobile radio maintenance purposes. Indeed the day I retired a new DAB transmitter was coming on line and as I was the only person sitting in the office I was charged with taking a BBC Look North reporter and cameraman up top.
Oh, and you don't climb - there are two lifts up to the tower room which is at the top of the concrete section and the view is amazing (even moreso at night with a clear sky.) The non-stop passenger lift takes 7 minutes or so to travel the 900 feet: the goods lift which can stop at several points takes well over twice that time!

 

[Hutch]

It is the climbing to the top of any transmitter that is the killer. Did it once to halfway up a 500' transmitter and never again as you cannot use a safety harness during the climb. However as you say the view from the top would be fantastic.

I had a friend in Nigeria who worked for Cable and Wireless, and he regularly climbed the Comms towers there, offered me the chance to go with him. I preferred to be in our Helicopter, but he was always clipped onto the structure.

 

[Buckman]

I had a friend in Nigeria who worked for Cable and Wireless, and he regularly climbed the Comms towers there, offered me the chance to go with him. I preferred to be in our Helicopter, but he was always clipped onto the structure.
View attachment 4763

The masts I had to climb were the lattice type so very difficult to clip onto the structure as you are moving up. In those days I could walk or even run for miles, but going up the mast was very challenging.