Alexandra Palace television station

The Alexandra Palace television station in North London (grid reference TQ297901) is the oldest television transmission site in the world. What was at the time called "high definition", (405-line) the world's first TV broadcasts on VHF were beamed from this mast from 1936 until the outbreak of World War II. It then lay dormant until it was used very successfully to foil the German Y-Gerät radio navigation system during the last stages of the Battle of Britain. After the war, it was reused for television until 1956, when it was superseded by the opening of the BBC's new main transmitting station for the London area at Crystal Palace. In 1982 Alexandra Palace became an active transmitting station again, with the opening of a relay transmitter to provide UHF television service to parts of North London poorly covered from Crystal Palace.

Alexandra Palace
The transmission mast above the BBC wing of Alexandra Palace, photographed in 2001.
Alexandra Palace television station is located in Greater London
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace
Tower height65.5 metres (215 ft)
Coordinates51°35′40″N 0°07′45″W
Grid referenceTQ297901
Built1936
Relay ofCrystal Palace
BBC regionBBC London
ITV regionITV London
Local TV serviceLondon Live
Alexandra Palace television tower, June 2012.

The transmitter is owned and maintained by Arqiva.

Channels listed by frequency

Analogue radio (FM)
Frequency kW Service
103.3 MHz 0.05 London Greek Radio
107.1 MHz 0.1 Capital Xtra

Digital radio (DAB)
Frequency Block kW[1] Operator
218.640 MHz 11B 0.2 DRG London
222.064 MHz 11D 2 Digital One
223.936 MHz 12A 0.1 Switch London
225.648 MHz 12B 3.2 BBC National DAB
227.360 MHz 12C 0.25 CE London

Digital television

Digital television replaced the analogue television signals during the digital switchover of April 2012. However, only 3 of the 6 multiplexes are available: BBC A & B and Digital 3&4.

BBC A launched on UHF 61 on 4 April 2012, before moving to its final allocation of UHF 49 on 18 April, when BBC B and Digital 3&4 launched. As part of the 700 MHz clearance programme the UHF channel numbers were changed in March 2018.[2]

Frequency UHF kW Operator System
554.000 MHz 31 0.07 BBC A DVB-T
602.000 MHz 37 0.07 BBC B DVB-T2
562.000 MHz 32 0.07 Digital 3&4 DVB-T

Analogue television

Analogue television is no longer transmitted from Alexandra Palace. BBC Two was closed on UHF 64 on 4 April 2012, when ITV1 temporarily moved into its frequency. The remaining three analogue services closed down on 18 April 2012.

Frequency UHF kW Service
735.25 MHz 54 0.065 Channel 4
767.25 MHz 58 0.065 BBC1
791.25 MHz 61 0.065 ITV London
815.25 MHz 64 0.065 BBC2
  • Aerial group: C/D
  • Polarisation: horizontal

References
  1. Radio Listeners Guide 2010
  2. digitaluk.co.uk
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