UK Broadcast Transmission
Main indexMain GalleryFeaturesInfo
Send in your photosMailing listsFAQsContact
The LibraryTeletextMHPTBS

WROTHAM

A CHRONOLOGY OF THE WROTHAM SITE

1949 Work started on site construction
1951 Tests conducted to compare AM and FM transmissions
2-May-1955 Station in full programme service
28-Aug-1962 Start of the experimental stereo transmissions using the Zenith GE  multiplex system
17-Apr-1966 The afternoon concert on the BBC Music Programme was broadcast in stereo - the BBC's first live stereo broadcast
Jul-1966 Start of stereo service on Third Programme
1968 R3 Stereo extended to Sutton Coldfield (21/7/1968) and Holme Moss (10/8/1968) - both fed re-broadcast link (RBL) from Wrotham
06-Oct-1970 BBC Radio London transmissions start on 95.3MHz
18-Dec-1970 BBC Radio Medway transmissions start on 97.0MHz
14-Sep-1972 PCM digital programme link from Broadcasting House installed to provide much better audio quality allowing stereo broadcasting by R2 and R4
21-Jun-1973 BBC Radio Medway changes frequency to 96.7MHz and BBC Radio London changes frequency to 94.9MHz one week later
1979 Plans are laid to re-equip much of the country's national FM radio service to improve reception on car and portable radios. Wrotham will be the first station to be re-engineered and a new mast will be required.
Aug-1980 Work starts on construction of new mast about 100m away from the existing mast.
Jul-1981 Mixed polarisation aerials by ADC installed on new mast
Oct-1981 BBC Radio London transfers to Crystal Palace
11-Dec-1981 New mast, aerials and transmitters in service | BBC Press Release
Sep-1982 Work starts on dismantling original mast
2-Jul-1983 Radio Medway becomes Radio Kent
18-Dec-1989 Radio 1 FM stereo launched on 98.8MHz replacing temporary low power FM stereo transmitter on 104.8MHz at Crystal Palace
Sep-1992 The UK's first independent national radio station launches using frequencies between 99.9-101.9MHz. Transmissions from Wrotham are on 100.9MHz. For several weeks test transmissions consist of a recording of birdsong.
1994 Work carried out at Wrotham to allow synchronous operation with a proposed filler relay at Crystal Palace. After initial tests rebroadcasting R4 from Crystal Palace on 93.2MHz the service is extended to the remaining national networks from March 1995
5-Feb-1996 West Kent ILR service initially called KFM commenced service on 101.6MHz. Currently KMFM.
Dec-2010 Addition of DAB services

Wrotham index | The quality and the width

Back to TX Gallery index | TX main index


 
mb21 by Mike Brown
Hosted by Astrohosts

Top