Pictures of Claremont Carn Tx.

Mayo Exile

Was up at the the CC mast during the week and took these pictures of the main mast and its "stumpy brother" (the old mast). Originally RTENL wanted to leave the old mast fully in place but Louth Co Co made them take some of it down. Can people identify all the bits and bobs especially anything connected with the DTT trial? (If its in the pics!)

Pure guess here: The very top section is the main UHF analogue transmitter isn't it? Would the next section down be the DTT transmitter? The picture was taken looking north so its roughly on the southwest facing part of the mast possibly sending the signal in that direction?

lucernarian

That sounds like Louth Co. Co. allright:rolleyes: That old mast would hardly make much difference when there's an even bigger piece of steel beside it. Looks like there's mostly microwave links on the old mast, plus a couple of other antennae.

I'd suspect by the looks of the new transmitter that the 2nd highest s would be for DTT. It also seems to be incomplete. Can you tell us if there's only one segment of antennae on the southwest side of the mast? It's hard to see how many antenna segments are on the lower section.

If there's only the one pointing SW, that would explain the poor reception northwards.

Are both pictures taken looking northwards?

L1011

The actual transmitters won't be on the mast (would be fun to imagine the wind load if they were!), and the aerials for ATT and DTT will look identical - if not actually be one in the same due to being combined.

musa

Can I take it from this thread that the suggestion made to me recently that the trials are coming from Carrickdale transmitter are nonsense?

See previous reception reports thread.

lucernarian

MYOB wrote:

The actual transmitters won't be on the mast (would be fun to imagine the wind load if they were!), and the aerials for ATT and DTT will look identical - if not actually be one in the same due to being combined.

Did you not see the second set of antennae on the main mast? They look almost identical, only the lower set seem to be missing some segments.

I think that Carrickdale transmitter report was nonsense. I'm not sure if there's even a relay serving Carrickdale.

DMC

Nice pics Mayo Exile, you caught CC on a good day weather wise. I cant seem to time a trip up north with decent weather to get a good snap of the site, which is very accessible.

Latest attempt

As for identifying the bits of the aerial, the two white cones nearest the top of the main mast are UHF antennas. Underneath, a stack of mixed polarized FM antennas, and the DAB antennas I think are near where the small white dishes are (just above the 3rd platform down)

A useful guide... HOW TO RECOGNISE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BROADCASTING AERIALS FROM A QUITE A LONG WAY AWAY

lawhec

The second aerial stack pointing SW I believe was put on the time the new mast was erected and was left idle for some time before being used for the current DTT trial. Also Clermont Carn wasn't shut down for a time to combine its DTT and ATT transmitters into the one aerial (Three Rock was).

Mayo Exile

Originally posted by To_be_confirmed: Can you tell us if there's only one segment of antennae on the southwest side of the mast? It's hard to see how many antenna segments are on the lower section.

If there's only the one pointing SW, that would explain the poor reception northwards.

Are both pictures taken looking northwards?

Yes, on the 2nd section from the top there is one segment facing southwest. The picture of the main mast is looking north, while the picture of the older mast is looking northeast.

lucernarian

Thanks for that. At a guess, the microwave links on the older mast must be separately for ATT and DTT. I don't know why there's two links pointing in the Belfast direction.

I can see a small aerial, looks to be VHF 3, pointing in the Dublin direction. It's a little hard to make out some of the smaller items on the old mast. I think there's a single UHF panel antenna some way down the old mast, if I read that Useful Guide right!

lawhec

To_be_confirmed wrote:

I can see a small aerial, looks to be VHF 3, pointing in the Dublin direction.

Its more than likely the RTÉ DAB broadcasting aerial.

Mayo Exile

Finally managed to get up to the mast again for more pictures. (If you couldn't do it on a day like today, you never will!) Have re-posted a picture from 2007 (post #1) to compare with todays pictures. Can't see any changes from then to now myself.



From today. DTT stack below main UHF stack. It faces southwest.




Different angle. DTT stack on the right below main UHF stack.


More 'artistic' this one:

Rick_

Why didn't you climb up and turn some of that DTT stack northwards?

great pics though!