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Moorside Edge transmitting station

Coordinates: 53°38′07″N 1°53′40″W / 53.635278°N 1.89444°W / 53.635278; -1.89444
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Moorside Edge
Moorside Edge transmitting station is located in West Yorkshire
Moorside Edge transmitting station
Moorside Edge transmitting station (West Yorkshire)
Mast height158 metres (518 ft)
Coordinates53°38′07″N 1°53′40″W / 53.635278°N 1.89444°W / 53.635278; -1.89444
Grid referenceSE070154
Built1930-31

Moorside Edge transmitting station, opened in 1931, was originally constructed to radiate the BBC's North Regional (from 17 May on 626 kHz) and National Programmes (from 12 July on 995 kHz).[1]

It is – at 400 kW – one of the most powerful mediumwave radio transmitters in Britain. Formed of two 158-metre-high steel lattice towers, it is located just above Moorside Edge (grid reference SE070154). Other nearby transmitting stations are Holme Moss (11.56 km, bearing 168.17°) and Emley Moor (15.4 km, bearing 99.41°).

Moorside Edge MW radio transmitter

As with most mediumwave transmitters, a good "signal earth" is important and this is assured by the waterlogged nature of the ground on which it is built. The site's location on the Pennine Hills means that signals from Moorside Edge can be received at very long distances: as far north as Scotland, as far south as the Midlands, as far west as Dublin, and well beyond the country's eastern (North Sea) coast.

One of the four Ruston generating sets originally installed at Moorside Edge, now preserved at the Internal Fire Museum of Power

The station is now owned and operated by Arqiva and broadcasts the following services:

Frequency kW Service
909 kHz 400 BBC Radio 5 Live
1089 kHz 400 (night) 200 (day) Talksport

Formerly:

Frequency kW Service Ceased
1215 kHz 200 Absolute Radio 20 January 2023[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ McCarthy, Clive (28 May 2007). "Development of the BBC A.M. Transmitter Network" (PDF). bbceng.info. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Absolute Radio to switch off all AM transmitters across the UK". 4 January 2023.
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