The Kirk o' Shotts transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications site at The Hirst which lies just outside the village of Salsburgh which is near the town of Shotts in North Lanarkshire central Scotland. (Kirk o' Shotts means 'Church of Shotts' and takes its name from nearby Kirk o' Shotts Parish Church and Kirk o' Shotts Primary School both located as you enter the nearby village of Salsburgh.)
  Kirk o' Shotts transmitting station (North Lanarkshire) | |
| Location | Salsburgh, North Lanarkshire |
|---|---|
| Mast height | 183 metres (600 ft) |
| Coordinates | 55°51′10″N 3°49′34″W / 55.852778°N 3.826111°W |
| Grid reference | NS8569563679 |
| Built | 1952 |
| BBC region | BBC Scotland (1952–1985) |
History
editConstruction
editTransmission
editThe BBC 405-line television service in Scotland started from Kirk o' Shotts on 14 March 1952 using low power reserve transmitters (Marconi). Full service began on 17 August 1952 using the main high power transmitters (Vision EMI Type 5704, Sound STC Type CTS-12). The station provided a service to a potential 4.1 million viewers and operated on Channel 3 (Vision 56.75 MHz, Sound 53.25 MHz) and transmissions were vertically polarised.
It subsequently became the main national FM transmitting station for the area, although that role is now filled by the nearby site at Black Hill.
Three DAB multiplexes are broadcast from the site: BBC (12B), Digital One (12A) and Switch Scotland (11D).[2]
It has a 183 metres (600 ft) tall guyed mast, built in 1952. The mast was originally 228.6 metres (750 ft) tall.
The station is owned by Arqiva.
Services available
editDigital radio
edit| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 222.064 MHz | 11D | 1.88 | Switch Scotland |
| 223.936 MHz | 12A | 4.6 | Digital One |
| 225.648 MHz | 12B | 10 | BBC National DAB |
Analogue television
editVHF analogue television was transmitted from Kirk o' Shotts from its launch in 1952 until the nationwide shutdown of VHF signals in 1985.
| Frequency | VHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56.75 MHz | 3 | 100 | BBC1 Scotland |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Times Tuesday 27 October 1959, page 6
- ^ "The Transmission Gallery: Kirk o' Shotts Transmitter photographs and information".
Further reading
edit- Pawley, Edward, BBC Engineering 1922–1972, BBC Publications 1972, ISBN 0-563-12127-0
External links
edit- Kirk o' Shotts mast and towers at www.lamont.me.uk
- Kirk o' Shotts at The Big Tower at www.thebigtower.com