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Wrexham-Rhos transmitting station

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Coordinates: 53°04′34″N 3°02′42″W / 53.0762°N 3.045°W / 53.0762; -3.045
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Wrexham-Rhos
Coordinates53°04′34″N 3°02′42″W / 53.0762°N 3.045°W / 53.0762; -3.045
Relay ofMoel-y-Parc
BBC regionBBC Wales
ITV regionITV Wales

The Wrexham-Rhos transmitting station (informally known as "The Welsh" and "The Wand" by locals) is an analogue television relay of Moel-y-Parc. Despite its name, the station is situated in Moss Village and serves Wrexham and its surrounding villages. However, the area is predominately served by English transmitters at Winter Hill and The Wrekin, simply because they offer both the English Channel 4 (while Wrexham-Rhos gives Welsh variant, S4C), and Five, although being in the ‘incorrect’ television region. Another factor is that both Granada Television and ATV, (received from Winter Hill and The Wrekin respectively) were on air much earlier than Welsh ITV contractor, WWN. Since then, WWN has been replaced by TWW and later HTV Wales, while ATV has been replaced by Central. The mast was constructed to offer Welsh television channels to the area, initially just S4C and BBC One Wales.[1]. Since then however, both HTV Wales and BBC Two Wales have been broadcasting from the mast, most recently being HTV in 1997 [2]. The relay is maintained by transmission company, Arqiva. Its tower is a free-standing lattice structure. Despite the poor reception, Moel-y-Parc is the nearest main transmitter to the Wrexham area, but its line of sight is disrupted by local terrain.

Television

At present, the station broadcasts four of the five national terrestrial television channels. It is in Wales so it includes Channel 4 variant, S4C. Channels 1 to 3 are broadcast at 200W ERP, while S4C broadcasts at 400W. In 1998, due to the upcoming launch of ONdigital from neighbouring transmission site, The Wrekin, S4C from the relay was required to change frequency. A message was displayed telling viewers to re-tune their televisions of the channel were carried for a couple of months. When the original frequency was switched off, the power on the newer version was increased.

After digital switchover, the station will broadcast three of the six digital multiplexes, giving half of all Freeview channels.[3]. The shutdown date for the Wrexham-Rhos relay is 25 October 2009 [4] [5].

To carry on receiving Welsh transmissions from the Wrexham-Rhos site from October 2009, viewers must purchase a digital receiver.

Radio

Heart Wrexham transmits from this site on 103.4 FM.

See also

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