Transmitter Trail #3 - Ashton, Oldham, Lees, Saddleworth.

[@nicc5122]

Back in the golden days of radio, in the evening we used the directional properties to do some DXing on medium wave. Turning your radioset 90 degrees to the "Piccadilly 261" signal (ferrite rod antenna great for that) other not so local stations could be received in the evening. I have (on tape) IDs from Plymouth Sound, Radio Clyde. LBC and BRMB were very dificult to catch. Same was true of the BBC Manchester on 206m but less success as it was a stronger local signal. I think that signal propagation and distance also have a factor in what you could and could not recieve. I have a recording of my friend, Chris, making a bit of a fool of himself on a phone in competition on Plymouth Sound with a bemused presenter wondering why some guy is calling in from Bolton!

[@freddielaker02]

I'm in Blackpool (dont laugh!) I love this kind of thing but Im trying to find how the long wire on an official longwave transmitter is "woven". I have never got up too close to one, although I do see Inskip when/if I go past.

[@andyhowlett2231]

The Ashton Moss West towers were built in 1972 IIRC to provide a MW outlet on 206 metres, 1457 kHz but were delayed. So the station used a hastily erected wire aerial slung-up in Cheetham Hill, Manchester. Prior to this the station was on VHF FM only, 95.1 MHz. The towers were damaged a few years later in high winds and were rebuilt with those unusual tops. *Disclaimer* Dates, facts and details may not be correct due to fading memory! Aaargh, shoot me now...

[@andyhowlett2231]

@frankjohnson7204 Thanks for the correction, Frank. As I said, my memory of this event is foggy now, and I recall there seemed to be two versions of the story at the time. One said the towers had been 'damaged', the other said they had collapsed. Pity we didn't have the internet back then, as it would have been full of real-time photos and videos!

[@harrybroughton4999]

Lees transmitter was built in 1992 but knowing the local area well I cannot think of a single location in Lees, Springhead, Grotton etc. that cannot pick up Saddleworth or Winter Hill hence why I don't really see the point of Lees transmitter at all if I'm being honest! a very strange one ... Saddleworth transmitter for TV does ouput quite far down to the South past Stalybidge and Hyde and beyond.

[@RingwayManchester]

Cheers for the info! Interesting stuff. Can I ask how you footprint of Saddleworth and Lees?

[@harrybroughton4999]

What do you mean 'footprint'. :)

[@RingwayManchester]

So you said Saddleworth ouputs down past stalybridge and hyde. And Lees, springhead, grotton all pick up saddleworth and winter. So how do you know the coverage :)

[@harrybroughton4999]

ukfree.tv has coverage maps of all transmitters in the UK if you have a browse around. Saddleworth transmitter outputs VERY LITTLE to the West across Oldham and Manchester and beyond - largely since these areas are covered by Winter Hill anyway and Saddleworth is co-channelled with Moel-Y-Parc in Wales (hence why you can often get Welsh signals in Oldham/Manchester area). This means for example Scouthead which has line of site to Saddleworth and is only 2-3 miles away cannot receive good signals. Grotton, Springhead and Lees are also therefore not officially 'covered' by the Saddleworth relay and only patchy coverage is available. Instead, the Saddleworth transmitter outputs Northwards (though due to hills not further North than Denshaw) and Southwards (towards Mossley and Stalybridge where it is widely used, I guess signals will probably travel further too). ukfree.tv/maps/tvregions/51

[@RingwayManchester]

Cheers for the info :)

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

2:45 Quick, someone ask that horse what he's doing there.

[@TheMisphit]

You said 5 watt transmitter but it's actually 5 kilowatts... (1,000 times more)

[@RingwayManchester]

Sorry mate yeah I slipped up there

[@TheMisphit]

@@RingwayManchester Easily done

[@msn164]

Oldham Edge doesn't broadcast any radio and is a relay of Winter Hill, as is Lees. Holme Moss doesn't transmit TV but is in Yorkshire so when it did it wouldn't be in the correct region. Saddleworth transmits BBCs nationals in FM and DAB, full service DTV (excl HD), Radio Manchester, Key103, Digital One, and DAB Manchester. Oldham's two FMs broadcast atop Oldham Civic Centre, despite the studio for one being a couple of metres away from that mast!

[@RingwayManchester]

Thanks for the info Joe! Much appreciated mate

[@harrybroughton4999]

When Holme Moss did transmit TV though before the 1980s the regions were one for both sides of the Pennines (BBC North and ITV)

[@JaySubi53]

Do you work with the antennas mate?

[@RingwayManchester]

No mate why

[@JaySubi53]

Just wondered mate I'm looking to find a career scaling them

[@harrybroughton4999]

Me too also based in Oldham :(