The Selkirk transmitting station is a telecommunications facility located next to Lindean Loch, near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. It includes a high guyed steel lattice mast, surmounted by a UHF television transmitting antenna array, which brings the overall height of the structure to . It is owned and operated by Arqiva.
Services It is the main television broadcasting station for the Borders area, and was the first high power main station in the United Kingdom to be upgraded as part of digital switchover. This upgrade was completed on 20 November 2008, when the analogue signal was turned off and replaced by high power digital television signals.
Selkirk also broadcasts a number of radio services, including local commercial station Greatest Hits Radio Scottish Borders and North Northumberland, national station Classic FM, and DAB multiplexes from the BBC and Digital One.
History
Selkirk was built by the Independent Television Authority (ITA) in 1961 in order to bring the commercial franchisee Border Television to south east Scotland, using the 405 line monochrome system on VHF channel 13.
The other Border Television transmitter was the Caldbeck transmitting station, which opened in September 1961. Border Television started broadcasting on December 1 1961.Edinburgh Evening News Thursday 2 November 1961, page 7 The first broadcaster was the announcer Mary Marquis.
405 line television was discontinued in the UK in 1985. 625 line UHF television was introduced at Selkirk in March 1972,The Scotsman Wednesday 16 February 1972, page 4 carrying BBC1, BBC2 and Border Television (ITV) . Channel 4 was added when it launched in November 1982, and Channel 5 was added in March 1997. Radio Borders started from Selkirk in January 1990, with Classic FM following in November 1996. The Digital One and BBC DAB services both commenced in October 2007. BBC national FM services are transmitted from neighbouring Ashkirk transmitting station.
Channels listed by frequency
Digital television FrequencyUHFkWOperator3210BBC A335SDN34-10Digital 3&4 3510BBC B365Arqiva A48-5Arqiva B
Analogue radio (FM VHF) FrequencykWRadio Listeners Guide 2010Service96.8 MHz5Greatest Hits Radio Scottish Borders and North Northumberland100.9 MHz5Classic FM
Digital radio (DAB) FrequencyBlockkWOperator223.936 MHz12A10Digital One225.648 MHz12B10BBC National DAB
Analogue television All Analogue television services ceased in 2008. It was the first transmitter in the UK to switch off analogue signals. + Frequency UHF kW Service 719.25 MHz 52 50 Channel 5 743.25 MHz 55 50 BBC1 Scotland 775.25 MHz 59 50 ITV Border 799.25 MHz 62 50 BBC2 Scotland 823.25 MHz 65 50 Channel 4
Digital Switchover: On the 6th of November 2008, BBC2 Scotland ceased on UHF 62 and High power BBC A launched for the first time. On the 20th of November 2008 the remaining analogue channels switched off and viewers with BT Vision, Freeview & Top Up TV needed to retune.
See also List of masts List of tallest buildings and structures in Great Britain List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
References
External links Entry for Selkirk transmitting station at The Transmission Gallery Selkirk Transmitter at thebigtower.com