Winter Hill Transmitting Station & Radio Communications Site

[@sassteve1971]

On a clear day I can see Winter Hill from my home in Old Colwyn, North Wales. On Google earth that’s 53 miles as the crow flies.

[@longsighted]

In my time 1968 to 1970 at the ITA transitter Winterhill as a JET (junior engineer in training ) it was shut after program close. However the transmitters were always to be fully funtional. Occasionaly over night work could be called for. Not sure about the BBC but ITA and BBC had similar govermental responcibilties. The information in the video is very accurate. I was on a training course at Marconi Chelmsford when Emley More fell down. When I returned to Winter Hill a caravan had been installed down the access road out of harms way with a basic control panel for the transmitters. A box of electronic tricks was installed in the small signal electronics room for monitoring the many strain gauges that had been plastered on the mast. These were fed to a data recorder along with wind speed etc. This data triggered an alarm, time for immeadiate evacuation. One person stayed behind a civil engineer who had been appointed to the station. He monitored the mast. It was from this data that the solution to the problem of tubular steel mast oscillation was resolved. The same chain mass damping solution had already been employed on the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo Space lunar missions. This technology has saved Winter Hill and the higher 1104 ft Belmont masts, cutting edge for it's time.

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

Interning info, thanks. You would be the one to ask it seems. What murder was he referring to at Winterhill at the end of the video?

[@janetwinslow2039]

A great summary for us anoraks. Thank you. I spent seven years in Bury looking at it from my bedroom window as a teenager. Now I'm retired maybe I should venture back up north and have a closer look. Thanks again young man!

[@followthetrawler]

me and my friend walked to the transmitters from Atherton when we were 13. Took us many hours, and by the time we had walked down to Belmont we couldnt walk another step and so my Dad had to come and collect us. Reckon we had probably walked 15 miles before we gave up.... we were the perfect example of people who go walking on the moorland with no preparation, we hadn't even taken anything to eat or drink! On a nice warm day it's beautiful up there, but the weather closes in fast so if you do decide to go up, be prepared, and tell someone...

[@DaimlerSleeveValve]

When I was first looking for a job (1976!) I saw an ad for someone to work at the transmitter. A requirement was ability to climb the tower when the lift was out of action, but there would be a bonus payment when that was needed. 30 years later, I saw a similar job ad. The bonus payment had disappeared.

[@memyself1566]

Does that really surprise you? If too many people apply for the job and do it well, there is no need to pay any bonus!

[@Dave64track]

I have been up winter hill but never up to the tower but that was years ago I will have to have re-visit this summer. Wow I just checked something and it's nearly twice the high of Blackpool tower that's crazy and those platforms around it OMG you need some nerve to go up there. A very informative video thanks for sharing stay safe.

[@olafelsberry420]

Lewis I have to say you have taught me a lot about radio communication as I watch your videos on a full duplex hand held device.

[@markanthonyelo]

I had the opportunity to visit the site during the analog to digital transition. It was owned by Castle back then. The DAB radios where active, but TV was still Analog. It’s hard to get your head around - the 12in diameter pipes are actually coax cables, and the huge oil drums are combiners!

[@LeShark75]

Nice video indeed. I've been walking over Winter Hill most of my life since my Father first took me to the mast back in the early 80's. The last walk I did over there was a clear cold day, when I got to the mast the cloud came in and it started to rain. I swear I could only see around 10 feet in front of me, it was awesome. The only thing I've not done is a night walk to the mast, I intend to do something about that later in the year.

[@johnnorth9355]

My feet are staying firmly on the ground !

[@carlashby6174]

Another very informative video Lewis please keep them coming 73 s C.

[@stephengunrunnerhanson3550]

Thank you Lewis lots of good spots and once again lots of good information until the next video

[@profpep]

In the 60s one of the smaller masts was always known locally as the 'Police Mast'. Friends once brought me a pile of very hefty coax with 'N' series connectors that they had found dumped near one of the small masts in the late 70s. I had no use for the cable, (it was about 12mm diameter), but some of the connectors are still in use today.

[@wizard8838]

Very interesting video. There are a few transmitting sites on top of a couple of hills near to me, Wrotham and Bluebell Hill, also close by is the old home chain site too. 73 De M0HLG

[@psmith77271]

On a slightly elevated part of sunderland i have picked up signals from this transmitter

[@jamste1977]

Brilliant video! I did paid a visit to Winter Hill over 25 years ago and was baffled at the time as to what all the different smaller towers did. Keep up the good work

[@Peakwanderer]

Very informative Lewis, I've watched TV from Winter Hill on Anglesey in my Motorhome.

[@HooverA3060]

Finally figured out what I can currently see from my window on the top floor of the Premier Inn hotel in MediaCityUK....and seeing how the cloud rolls in on Winter Hill, explains why I can see some of the lights going on and off

[@dodgydd]

I just looked up the accident at Belmont, bloody hell that must have been terrifying.

[@Bernard-John]

Hi,good positive video, watching this video gave me goosebumps, around 40 years old we were busy Dx-ing there,check out the Chinese Gardens close by, thanks from Rotterdam 73👍👍

[@freesaxon6835]

Interesting video, never realised Winter hill had access through the middle of the mast. As for Moel Y parc we are on the other side of that, and can see it through the kitchen window

[@yorkshirebikerbitsnbobs]

Ahh, now I finally know what this massive tower is! I pass it regularly and often wondered? Thanks for explanation... M3VRS

[@BenHelweg]

Love those old 1960s feedhorns.

[@adamritchison4924]

Really enjoy your videos! Something I’ve wondered for awhile now is what would happen if you walked in front of a microwave drum while it was in operation? Would it heat you up? Seems dangerous to have so many so low to the ground

[@jordylyons4648]

Very little if anything at all, i’ve been climbing masts for over 20 years and the only incident I ever had was a burn to my hand because an antenna beam tilt failure had heated the front panel and stupidly and admittedly I wasn’t wearing gloves so it was my own fault.

[@adamritchison4924]

@@jordylyons4648 Thanks! I envoy your job. I would love to see the sites from some of them towers. Happy climbing

[@adamritchison4924]

@@jordylyons4648 Do you ever take lunch break half way up a tower and microwave some popcorn?

[@Eon119]

You can't comprehend just how tall that mast/tower is until you see it in real life.

[@mw7gwr580]

Another informative and interesting video buddy, well done and thanks for keep making these. Love Winter Hill.

[@tanyano9]

Very interesting, can you tell me more about the accident with the lift at Belmont..? I've been in side the Waltham mast which i guess is the same...Thanks..

[@danielscotcher]

Another great video 👌 Lots of them this week what’s good

[@chrislynch924]

Another great video mate, 👍

[@therealchayd]

I remember seeing the tower twinkling in the distance when was at uni in Bolton. Now living within spitting distance of Sandy Heath transmitter which isn't half as impressive, but is equally twinkly 🙂

[@Phil-M0KPH]

Been a few times, but never actually up to the masts themselves. The Heaton Park Tower just doesn’t look the same with the dishes removed.

[@bpjones7687]

Same for Windy Hill, it used to be festooned with dishes, now you have to wonder what its purpose is.

[@TelfordO]

Back in the early 80's i was into TVDXing Granada from Winter Hill from my Location Telford was as strong as the Wrekin Transmitter just 3 miles line of sight from my then QTH on a phased array of 2 x Unix 92 UHF wideband antennas atop of a mast with rotatator, mind i could Pull in Yorkshire. Anglia, West Country and NED3 from Holland on a weak signal daily basis, as well as BANDS III and 1 TV.. along with radio, i do miss analogue signals and Tropo lifts, DE G0SGO

[@moneymoney3358]

Them satellites are massive. Reminds me of gchq. Great video. Thank you Lewis.

[@kevinreid3529]

As a amateur radio operator, This antenna would look good in my back yard. (Grin). Great vid thanks for sharing.

[@christopherhulse8385]

Used to be able to watch Granada in Wolverhampton back in the 80s/90s on analogue, the picture quality was slightly grainy but well worth the time and effort erecting a second aerial on the chimney and a real alternative to Central when having another ITV region was worth it.

[@MINI-4X4-RADIO]

We had a Radio Club(Stockport) visit to there in 1975(76?) I think somebody worked for the IBA/ITA

[@tony_w839]

I was told an anecdote about Winter Hill. When it was manned 24 hr (might still be) one engineer always volunteered for Winter shifts around xmas, when the snow came he often was stuck and could not be relieved - so earned lots of overtime.

[@longsighted]

In my time 1968 to 1970 at the ITA transitter Winterhill ,it was shut after program close. However the transmitters were always to be fully funtional. Occasionaly over night work could be called for. If blocked in by snow the shift stayed behind, there were beds and food sufficient for several days in the station kitchen. When the plane crashed nearby not long after the station opened the evening shift were blocked in and reported so to Granada control before shut down. As the shift were preparing for the night the co pilot of the crashed Dekota uniform in tatters staggered through the foya door. It took many hours for a bulldozer to clear a way up the access road. Meanwhile, as an engineer present that dreadful night, related to me they moved the living to the warm of the station and the dead to the garage. The station was very self sufficient at that time. Not sure about the BBC but ITA and BBC had similar govermental responcibilties. The BBC arrived I think with new mast and used our catering facilities. I was on a training course at Marconi Chelmsford when Emley More fell down. When I returned to Winter Hill a caravan had been installed down the access road out of harms way with a basic control panel for the transmitters.

[@paulmorrey733]

Thanks Lewis Great video Very knowledgeable

[@TheNoCodeTech]

Love your videos man. Keep on keeping on!

[@TomWilliams-st6pf]

Hey there! Could you tell me what is inside the mast? Is their a ladder or elevator to assend the inside of the mast? Cheers.

[@conormcloud6426]

There is a Ladder up the inside all the way, the elevator/lift is no longer inside the mast but alot of the steel work remains inside. Multiple rest platforms, dampeners and feeders/cables run up the inside of the tube

[@gammaleader96]

You got some incredible close up views of the antennas, very nice. Is there a specific reason, why the UK has such a large number of radio towers and wireless infrastructure? It seems like a lot considering the size of the country. Seeing all the microwave dishes, it might be very interesting for you to make a video about the shut down Ionica microwave Internet system. Greetings, Michael

[@abandoninplace2751]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4WZg36kqNhnZrs kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWLVnJZogZKgla8

[@markg6jvy135]

Quality Lewis 👌 👍👏👏

[@madcarew.3256]

Joderell bank is qrp i believe! ! Any info.of structures around Brum? Cheers 7.3.

[@OC35]

Worked up there many times. Dangerous in winter when big lumps of ice fall off the guys!

[@DaimlerSleeveValve]

Not many folk realise that the ground underneath the big tower needed a huge amount of reinforcement In the 19th century , a coal mine took out a fair slice only 50 feet beneath the summit. The remains of shafts can be seen alongside the access road to the site.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

I remember the old square type dishes. Never bothered to really study them, but seeing the photo of them jogged the memory. Don't see those these days. Never been uo a tower that you could work from inside. Excellent idea, but not piratical when it is a few hundred feet high.

[@alexdelchini2802]

Another great video Lewis how about a video of Menwith Hill site if you can get close to it without being arrested 😄

[@MI7DJT]

Just blend in like the cops do.

[@brekaman]

I used to make deliveries to menwith hill, as a radio jam I loved it.

[@GateKommand]

Again thanks for an informative article mate

[@wilsonk]

great video

[@leehewitt9559]

Brilliant Lewis!

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

Three must use the tower also or are they else were else.

[@tonybalm1513]

It used to take around 7 minutes to reach the top of Emily Moor via the lift!!!

[@bpjones7687]

Any idea Tony about what's going on at the moment at EM?

[@tonybalm1513]

@@bpjones7687 They're replacing the antenna array on the top you may see it with it's fibre glass cover off. That is the old antenna array underneath. All they did was put the muxes on the bottom of this when it went digital. Most of the other transmitters were done like this. The work is due to last till 2022. They put the other mast at the side so as they didn't have to take it off the air. One of my friends has been up it in 1992 to check the lightening conductors. I asked back then but they wouldn't allow it due to insurance.

[@Rob2]

That is a nice tower! We have one of similar height here in the Netherlands, the Gerbrandy tower in IJsselstein. Do amateurs have the opportunity to put repeaters or beacons on there? We have several repeaters here on the tower.

[@RingwayManchester]

It’s just far too expensive for amateurs on sites like this

[@Rob2]

@@RingwayManchester We are very lucky to have access for free for many many years already... but the electricity costs of all the equipment already are a fair amount.

[@arbutuswatcher]

It would be interesting to bring a good HP Spectrum Analyzer there, just to see what portions of the frequency spectrum are active, & which are clear/vacant.

[@U2021-k4c]

If you did take a spectrum analyser to Winter Hill, you would not find many clear frequencies due to the sheer power of what is up there swamping the RF circuits Best moving a few miles away.

[@arbutuswatcher]

@@U2021-k4c Sort of wide frequency jamming in the near field. I've found similar situations, in the larger towns, where there are numerous roof-top transmitters.

[@raymondmartin6737]

Nice video, Lewis. It certainly is a great radio site. In the US midwest and other flat areas like Florida, towers have to be tall above sea level at about 1000 feet in Florida, and 2000 feet in the Midwest US. You can see those towers from far away, because it's flat. One of the flares cities I have been to is Winnipeg, Manitoba. The view from the room up in a hotel there is like looking out over a billiard table. Here, now living in the NE US, I am about 100 miles south of MT. Washington, the tallest in the NE US, at over 6000 feet above see level, and I receive WHOM, on 94.9 Mhz, in Stereo clearly and the US 🇺🇸 NOAA weather from there on 162.500 MHz. Ray, W2CH.

[@beardyweirdy7936]

Remember working up there for the fist time and seeing the Beware Of Falling Ice signs .After my work on site only to find a beachball sized lump of ice with a of steel bar through it within 10ft from my van..scary.....g4wws

[@richcampoverde]

Ah winter hill seen the red lights many a time never actualy been there but i have been to others in the area like holm moss and emly moor amongst others

[@Bruh-iv1dr]

Could you do a video on craigkelly?

[@TonyBlews]

Anything about the old Backbone system?

[@RingwayManchester]

It’s on my list mate

[@TonyBlews]

@@RingwayManchester cool. I live near the Pye Green tower and have that as one of my mobile "sitting" places.

[@jaimz33]

Are there pmr repeaters?

[@RingwayManchester]

Yes

[@Chris_at_Home]

Those are some big towers. My last job we had two 15M satellite antennas. The biggest tower I ever went on was in the jungles of Iran Jaya. It was only 150M. I climbed in some unusual places from Kuwait watching the oil wells burn in 1991 to the Arctic oil fields in the middle of the winter. I have found European made towers sucked compared to ones made in the USA. The ladder rungs are made for someone about 7’ or 213 cm tall.

[@gazwild438]

Very informative

[@sstudholme]

You should do Belmont!

[@kc0eks]

Never been out of north america but I love your vids

[@judcrandall2959]

Brilliant for mountain biking

[@wisteela]

Very cool stuff. What was the lift accident?

[@RingwayManchester]

www.heraldscotland.com/news/12067398.three-hurt-as-lift-falls-470ft-at-100mph/

[@wisteela]

@@RingwayManchester Oh wow! That's a long time ago too.

[@charlesloukas5909]

The outro music sounded like Faust

[@GeorgeLiquor]

You'd like the Roxborough antenna farm in Philadelphia

[@EastAngliaUK]

I need to get my FM 87.7 on that mast.

[@StevieCooper]

Why aren’t those large microwave horns used at all anymore? Compared to other radio types that never became obsolete. I don’t know much about radio apart from what I learn on KZbin.

[@electrotab]

Love the video Lewis. You’ve nailed it again. I want to climb to the top and call CQ! Wonder how far you would get?! Ashley M7TTI

[@RingwayManchester]

Thanks mate! I got Kent from the base on 5w FM on a vertical once and France during lift conditions! The top would be unreal!

[@bearfreeman7604]

@@RingwayManchester I spoke to someone at Winter Hill on 934MHz in the early 90s, I was at Dunstable Downs in Bedfordshire

[@bpjones7687]

@@RingwayManchester I remember when people started to use CB with US AM sets (illegally) in the early 80s. One day my 'ole man' on his 4W rig actually managed to contact a road haulier on his 1KW rig over in America (I think it was New Jersey). He was hooked and a couple of years later got his ham licence and morse so worked the world on his handkey.

[@charlesloukas5909]

Have you heard of the beast of Winter Hill ? It's been active recently

[@RingwayManchester]

I have mate

[@ANDREWB7360]

brilliant

[@TomMurnan]

I live near the mast

[@LoftechUK]

Great story

[@U2021-k4c]

If you go at night, hold a fluorescent tube in your hand and it will light because of all the RF up there.

[@indiana146]

I can see it from my house on pole lane in darwen

[@karengill8234]

Great video. Many thanks. Kaz. G4OWW. ...

[@paultootill7062]

I really enjoy your videos and it is oddly comforting to hear your voice, reminding me of where I was born. Please, please - get a better microphone and add some sound damping to the room you record the audio in. It will sound so much better.

[@AdAm-dd4jq]

Same height as The Shard in London

[@PaulStrickland]

No it is not owned by Arqiva, they sold their radio mast business to a Spanish company last year!

[@crackerwood661]

Cool

[@KDill29]

Winter Hill Gang..... Oh...wrong Winter Hill...

[@jonjohnson2844]

Impressive, no Emley Moore though, this type seems fragile and somewhat temporary in nature.

[@mikecawood]

Owned by Arquiva? Surely it's owned by the UK government.

[@RingwayManchester]

No.. arqiva

[@farty1000]

I grew up fascinated with winter hill, could see it from my home in Wigan, used to ride my bike up to te summit, then Dx'ed on CB from there. I live in the south of England, and when visiting family back u north, I always get ecited when I see its lights lit up from J16 of the M6 or coming over the thelwall viaduct, sad tey have stopped you driving up to the mast ow tho. great Vid as always Lewis .....check this out kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX3IYpprab95hNk

[@csusie8780]

hi

[@raymondmartin6737]

The Winter Hill gang was a group in South Boston, Mass, US, with the now dead leader, Whitey Bulgar, last century. There was a movie about them and him called Black Mass, starring Johnny Depp, as Whitey Bulgar. Ray W2CH

[@oliverlee9491]

Plane crashes and murder?

[@chox7517]

"Aside from plane crashes and murder" Mate say again?

[@RingwayManchester]

Yeah a plane crashed in the 60’s up there and a guy was murdered a couple of hundred years ago too

[@bpjones7687]

@@RingwayManchester Wasn't there something about a guy being murdered up near there at some reservoir a few years ago?