Wrotham Transmitter
Encyclopedia
The Wrotham Transmitting Station is located on the North Downs
, close to the village of Wrotham
in Kent
, England
and just north of the M20 motorway
. Its National Grid
Reference is . The current mast on the site was constructed in 1981, is 176.6 metres (579 feet) tall, and was built to replace the original mast of equal height that was constructed in 1951.
It is the main VHF FM
transmitter for the national BBC
radio networks in London
and South East England
. It currently transmits BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 & 4 and the independent national network Classic FM (125 kW ERP
), BBC Radio Kent
on 96.7 MHz (4.4 kW ERP) and KMFM West Kent
on 101.6 MHz (0.2 kW ERP). (There are two prominent towers in the south of Greater London
, Croydon and Crystal Palace, which provide a medium power (4 kW ERP) relay of the national radio channels, in addition to local stations).
Wrotham was the first station in the UK
to broadcast on VHF/FM
, with three services beginning officially on 2 May 1955. It broadcast the Home Service
(now Radio 4
), the Third Programme
(now Radio 3
) and the Light Programme
(now Radio 2
). The frequencies it used for these programmes on FM in 1955 are still in use today. On 17 April 1966, it became the first BBC transmitter to broadcast in stereo
, with regular stereo broadcasts on the Third Programme from July 1966. On 18 December 1970, it began broadcasting Radio Medway (now Radio Kent
) on 97.0 MHz.
On the 3rd December 2010, Wrotham began transmitting DAB
: CE London
(London 1), Switch London
(London 2), DRG London
(London 3), Digital One
and the BBC National DAB multiplex. The BBC National DAB multiplex is on the network's standard SFN, improving DAB coverage in North Kent and South London.
It is owned and operated by Arqiva
.
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs...
, close to the village of Wrotham
Wrotham
Wrotham is a village situated on the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, at the foot of the North Downs. It is located one mile north of Borough Green and approximately five miles east of Sevenoaks. It is within the junction of the M20 and M26 motorways....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and just north of the M20 motorway
M20 motorway
The M20 is a motorway in Kent, England. It runs from the M25 motorway to Folkestone, providing a link to the Channel Tunnel and the ports at Dover. It is long...
. Its National Grid
British national grid reference system
The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, different from using latitude and longitude....
Reference is . The current mast on the site was constructed in 1981, is 176.6 metres (579 feet) tall, and was built to replace the original mast of equal height that was constructed in 1951.
It is the main VHF FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
transmitter for the national BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio networks in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
. It currently transmits BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 & 4 and the independent national network Classic FM (125 kW ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
), BBC Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Kent.It broadcasts on FM on 96.7 , 97.6 and 104.2 also 774 and 1602 MW and DAB.- History :The radio station was launched in 1970 under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the...
on 96.7 MHz (4.4 kW ERP) and KMFM West Kent
KMFM West Kent
KMFM West Kent is an Independent Local Radio serving the towns of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England...
on 101.6 MHz (0.2 kW ERP). (There are two prominent towers in the south of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, Croydon and Crystal Palace, which provide a medium power (4 kW ERP) relay of the national radio channels, in addition to local stations).
Wrotham was the first station in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to broadcast on VHF/FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
, with three services beginning officially on 2 May 1955. It broadcast the Home Service
BBC Home Service
The BBC Home Service was a British national radio station which broadcast from 1939 until 1967.-Development:Between the 1920s and the outbreak of The Second World War, the BBC had developed two nationwide radio services, the BBC National Programme and the BBC Regional Programme...
(now Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
), the Third Programme
BBC Third Programme
The BBC Third Programme was a national radio network broadcast by the BBC. The network first went on air on 29 September 1946 and became one of the leading cultural and intellectual forces in Britain, playing a crucial role in disseminating the arts...
(now Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
) and the Light Programme
BBC Light Programme
The Light Programme was a BBC radio station which broadcast mainstream light entertainment and music from 1945 until 1967, when it was rebranded as BBC Radio 2...
(now Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
). The frequencies it used for these programmes on FM in 1955 are still in use today. On 17 April 1966, it became the first BBC transmitter to broadcast in stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
, with regular stereo broadcasts on the Third Programme from July 1966. On 18 December 1970, it began broadcasting Radio Medway (now Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Kent.It broadcasts on FM on 96.7 , 97.6 and 104.2 also 774 and 1602 MW and DAB.- History :The radio station was launched in 1970 under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the...
) on 97.0 MHz.
On the 3rd December 2010, Wrotham began transmitting DAB
Digital audio broadcasting
Digital Audio Broadcasting is a digital radio technology for broadcasting radio stations, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format....
: CE London
CE London
CE London is a Digital Audio Broadcasting multiplex available in the London area and has been broadcasting since May 2000. It is also referred to as the Greater London 1 multiplex...
(London 1), Switch London
Switch London
Switch London is a DAB ensemble operated by Switch Digital; it broadcasts from a variety of sites in and around London Switch London is a DAB ensemble operated by Switch Digital; it broadcasts from a variety of sites in and around London Switch London is a DAB ensemble operated by Switch Digital;...
(London 2), DRG London
DRG London
DRG London is a Digital Audio Broadcasting multiplex available in the London area that has been broadcasting since January 2002. It is also referred to as the Greater London 3 multiplex...
(London 3), Digital One
Digital One
Digital One is a national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva. , the multiplex covers more than 90% of the populationfrom a total of 137 transmitters...
and the BBC National DAB multiplex. The BBC National DAB multiplex is on the network's standard SFN, improving DAB coverage in North Kent and South London.
It is owned and operated by Arqiva
Arqiva
Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless...
.
Analogue radio (FM VHF)
| Frequency | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 89.1 MHz | 125 | BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres... |
| 91.3 MHz | 125 | BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation... |
| 93.5 MHz | 125 | BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the... |
| 96.7 MHz | 4.4 | BBC Radio Kent BBC Radio Kent BBC Radio Kent is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Kent.It broadcasts on FM on 96.7 , 97.6 and 104.2 also 774 and 1602 MW and DAB.- History :The radio station was launched in 1970 under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the... |
| 98.8 MHz | 62.5 | BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock... |
| 100.9 MHz | 125 | Classic FM Classic FM (UK) Classic FM, one of the United Kingdom's three Independent National Radio stations, broadcasts classical music in a popular and accessible style.-Overview:... |
| 101.6 MHz | 0.2 | KMFM West Kent KMFM West Kent KMFM West Kent is an Independent Local Radio serving the towns of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England... |
Digital radio (DAB)
| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 218.640 MHz | 11B | 4.5 | DRG London DRG London DRG London is a Digital Audio Broadcasting multiplex available in the London area that has been broadcasting since January 2002. It is also referred to as the Greater London 3 multiplex... |
| 222.064 MHz | 11D | 4.5 | Digital One Digital One Digital One is a national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva. , the multiplex covers more than 90% of the populationfrom a total of 137 transmitters... |
| 223.936 MHz | 12A | 4.5 | Switch London Switch London Switch London is a DAB ensemble operated by Switch Digital; it broadcasts from a variety of sites in and around London Switch London is a DAB ensemble operated by Switch Digital; it broadcasts from a variety of sites in and around London Switch London is a DAB ensemble operated by Switch Digital;... |
| 225.648 MHz | 12B | 10 | BBC National DAB |
| 227.360 MHz | 12C | 4.5 | CE London CE London CE London is a Digital Audio Broadcasting multiplex available in the London area and has been broadcasting since May 2000. It is also referred to as the Greater London 1 multiplex... |