The Sandale transmitting station is the main radio transmitting station for the county of Cumbria, including the Lake District, and eastern Dumfries and Galloway. It used to broadcast regional variations of BBC One and BBC Two until digital switchover happened in the region. All television channels now come from the nearby Caldbeck transmitting station.
The station is situated on the Caldbeck Fells close to the B5299 road and eight miles south of Wigton. Its mast is high.
History The site was chosen in May 1956, at 1,200ft above sea level, and 14 miles south west of Carlisle. It would bring BBC television to Cumberland and Westmorland, and to south west of the Scottish Borders reaching Moffat, Stranraer, and Portpatrick, and BBC national radio.Times Wednesday May 16 1956, page 12
The 14 acre site took three years to build.
Transmission Radio In mid 1958, it would be one of three transmitters to take the Scottish BBC Home Service on 92.5 VHF, which became BBC Radio 4 Scotland in 1967 until November 1978.Times Wednesday January 8 1958, page 5 National VHF radio began on August 18 1958, with the current FM frequencies.Liverpool Echo Thursday 24 July 1958, page 5
Until 1993 it broadcast Radio Solway. Now it broadcasts BBC Radio Scotland on the same frequency.
Television BBC television started at 2pm on Monday December 9 1957, with tests from December 2 1957, with BBC 'News from the North', alongside the transmitter at Pontop Pike, originating from Manchester.Times Thursday November 21 1957, page 7
From January 5 1959, with Pontop Pike, it took BBC local news originating from Newcastle, on 405 lines.
Services from this transmitter
Analogue radio (FM VHF) FrequencykWService88.1 MHz250BBC Radio 290.3 MHz250BBC Radio 392.5 MHz250BBC Radio 494.7 MHz250BBC Radio Scotland95.6 MHz15BBC Radio Cumbria97.7 MHz250BBC Radio 199.9 MHz125Classic FM
Digital radio (DAB) FrequencyBlockkWOperator225.648 MHz12B10BBC National DAB
Analogue television
8 November 1956 – 27 September 1965 FrequencyVHFkWService430BBC Television
27 September 1965 – 1 June 1979 FrequencyVHFkWService430BBC1 North East670BBC1 Scotland
1 June 1979 – 3 January 1985 FrequencyVHFUHFkWService4—30BBC1 North East6—70BBC1 Scotland—22500BBC1 Scotland
3 January 1985 - 1992 405 LINE TV Ceased. and till 1992, BBC1 Scotland was the only channel from Sandale/ FrequencyUHFkWService22500BBC1 Scotland
1992 - 22 July 2009 After the Digital Switchover in Sandale/Caldbeck. this led to Sandale ceasing Television because its (Scotland) Multiplex were moved to Caldbeck. (the BBC's transmittions was moved to Caldbeck Scotland,
FrequencyUHFkWService22500BBC1 Scotland67126BBC2 Scotland
See also List of tallest buildings and structures in Great Britain
References
External links The Transmission Gallery: Photographs and Information The Transmission Gallery: FM Coverage Map Sandale Transmitter at thebigtower.com