Transmitter Fire Turns Off TV

I notice that report says service is restored only for some people, and links to other reports which say loss is indefinite.
 
Probably means they've got some sort of temporary mast up and it only reaches some of the previous coverage. Likely because it isn't 1000ft tall, and may be broadcasting at lower power.
 
Undoubtedly. Like when Emley Moor fell down. Or when Peterborough caught fire (that was only radio though).
 
Photos of the mast and coverage area before it caught fire:

mb21 - The Transmission Gallery

tx.mb21.co.uk

Appears to be the tubular mast clone of the Emley Moor that fell down, there were two (at least). No wonder some of the videos show smoke coming out of the top like it's a chimney.
 
prpr said:
Undoubtedly. Like when Emley Moor fell down. Or when Peterborough caught fire (that was only radio though).
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I receive FM from Peterborough. That was a right pain when it caught fire, I had to put up another aerial in the loft to receive from Tacolneston (if I remember correctly) and I could never get stereo without hiss. It was a relief when Peterborough came back at full power.
 
Yes, they must have been rubbing them so hard that they could've started a fire...
I wonder what will happen next. Would they conceivably use this as an excuse not to replace the mast if it's declared unviable, as a test-the-water exercise to switching off terrestrial TV, given that Bilsdale's coverage is for a relatively small population compared with say CP, or SC or Winter Hill?
 
prpr said:
I wonder what will happen next. Would they conceivably use this as an excuse not to replace the mast if it's declared unviable, as a test-the-water exercise to switching off terrestrial TV, given that Bilsdale's coverage is for a relatively small population compared with say CP, or SC or Winter Hill?
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I doubt it. Arqiva have commercial contracts to fulfill and they'd be in breach of those contracts if they didn't replace it.

At Emley Moor as part of 700MHz clearance a temporary mast has been erected next to the tower, because the work was so extensive for 700MHz they needed something else to broadcast from. If there was a desire to see if we could do without terrestrial broadcast, they could have tried with Emley Moor and saved the expense of the temporary mast.

Originally the Emley Moor temporary mast was meant to have been taken down by now. It's been there for several years now and is as tall as Emley Moor, about 1000ft in fact same height as Bilsdale. So one option for Bilsdale is to get on with finishing Emley Moor 700Mhz and then move that temporary mast to Bilsdale, maybe making it permanent.
 
Owen Smith said:
If there was a desire to see if we could do without terrestrial broadcast, they could have tried with Emley Moor
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They would never do it with somewhere like Emley, given the area and number of people it serves. Just like they wouldn't try it with CP, SC or WH.
Bilsdale is a bit big for such a test (which is why the first 700 MHz clearance test was at somewhere small like Selkirk), but you never know when somebody might like to be a bit bolshie/bolshy and push things (managers like doing things like that sometimes IME - shake it up, see what falls out and to hell with the consequences).
 
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