Receiving UK VHF in N. Ireland in early 1950's!

Digifriendly · 16-12-2009 12:29AM #1

Saw book in Waterstones today celebrating 50 years of UTV. Interested to read of gentleman who lived high up near Black Mountain on the Springfield Road, West Belfast. He could pick up TV pictures from Holme Moss transmitter near Manchester in days when there were no transmitters in N. Ireland. Pictures were snowy admittedly most of the time but still sometimes watchable. Also know of another man who lived on high ground on the Bush Road outside Dungannon, Co. Tyrone who also picked up reception from Holme Moss. Did any in ROI pick up signals in 1950's from across the Irish sea? Interested to find out more.

Mike 1972 · 18-12-2009 01:08AM

I remember hearing somewhere that Holme Moss was recieved by enthusiasts as far West as Athlone !!!!! The use of high power on band 1 and the fact that the VHF band in Ireland at the time was completly empty of "native" signals probably helped. Although in the early 1950's TV was still considered a toy for the wealthy (especially considering the punative import duties at the time).

Reception of Welsh (and in a few cases Cornish) transmitters in many places continues right up to this day while parts of Inishowen can get Scottish TV (not sure which TX)

Digifriendly · 18-12-2009 10:33AM

Mike 1972 wrote: »

I remember hearing somewhere that Holme Moss was recieved by enthusiasts as far West as Athlone !!!!! The use of high power on band 1 and the fact that the VHF band in Ireland at the time was completly empty of "native" signals probably helped. Although in the early 1950's TV was still considered a toy for the wealthy (especially considering the punative import duties at the time).

Reception of Welsh (and in a few cases Cornish) transmitters in many places continues right up to this day while parts of Inishowen can get Scottish TV (not sure which TX)

Thanks for that. Inishowen is interesting as there is a distinct lack of aerials for Scotland along North coast of NI. I have only seen one aerial that is aimed at Scotland (presumably Black Hill as most relays are low powered) and it's in Ballycastle. It is a very large high gain one. BTW here in Moira (c15 miles SW of Belfast just beside M1) we have a Panasonic idtv in our Church Hall which has detected BBC Scotland and put it on EPG! AFAIK this is without amplification although aerial is well elevated and on reasonably high ground.

Freddie59 · 21-12-2009 11:39AM

Digifriendly wrote: »

Saw book in Waterstones today celebrating 50 years of UTV. Interested to read of gentleman who lived high up near Black Mountain on the Springfield Road, West Belfast. He could pick up TV pictures from Holme Moss transmitter near Manchester in days when there were no transmitters in N. Ireland. Pictures were snowy admittedly most of the time but still sometimes watchable. Also know of another man who lived on high ground on the Bush Road outside Dungannon, Co. Tyrone who also picked up reception from Holme Moss. Did any in ROI pick up signals in 1950's from across the Irish sea? Interested to find out more.

My Dad picked up UK 405 Line signals in Waterford City in 1957. There are still a tiny amount of 405 line aerials in the City.

Digifriendly · 21-12-2009 05:51PM

Freddie59 wrote: »

My Dad picked up UK 405 Line signals in Waterford City in 1957. There are still a tiny amount of 405 line aerials in the City.

Thanks for that. Any idea what transmitter signals came from and what picture was like?

Freddie59 · 28-12-2009 01:44PM

Digifriendly wrote: »

Thanks for that. Any idea what transmitter signals came from and what picture was like?

I think it was somewhere in Cornwall. Reception was sporadic (much like the later UHF). Could be excellent, but 90% of the time fading, etc.

Here's a few shots of 405 VHF aerials still around the City. The second one is the original 1957 install at our old address. Says a lot for the installers!:eek: As you can see the aerial has turned (it should be aimed roughly the same direction as the Sky dish in the image). I remember talking to the manager of RTV Rentals some years ago, and in Glenmore South Kilkenny, the UK reception was so good they used to get complaints from viewers because they couldn't view RTE. How times have changed! There was also a place called Sallypark, which had no line of sight to Mount Leinster, and was almost at sea level on the quays. All the aerials faced at a rock escarpment across the river, which the signals bounced off. A fill-in, if you will!

Freddie59 · 28-12-2009 02:08PM

Mike 1972 wrote: »

I remember hearing somewhere that Holme Moss was recieved by enthusiasts as far West as Athlone !!!!! The use of high power on band 1 and the fact that the VHF band in Ireland at the time was completly empty of "native" signals probably helped. Although in the early 1950's TV was still considered a toy for the wealthy (especially considering the punative import duties at the time).

Reception of Welsh (and in a few cases Cornish) transmitters in many places continues right up to this day while parts of Inishowen can get Scottish TV (not sure which TX)

I have the rental agreement for the 1957 Bush TV. IR£160. Probably like ten or fifteen grand nowadays. And we were FAR from wealthy!:D

Digifriendly · 28-12-2009 05:46PM

Freddie59 wrote: »

I think it was somewhere in Cornwall. Reception was sporadic (much like the later UHF). Could be excellent, but 90% of the time fading, etc.

Here's a few shots of 405 VHF aerials still around the City. The second one is the original 1957 install at our old address. Says a lot for the installers!:eek: As you can see the aerial has turned (it should be aimed roughly the same direction as the Sky dish in the image). I remember talking to the manager of RTV Rentals some years ago, and in Glenmore South Kilkenny, the UK reception was so good they used to get complaints from viewers because they couldn't view RTE. How times have changed! There was also a place called Sallypark, which had no line of sight to Mount Leinster, and was almost at sea level on the quays. All the aerials faced at a rock escarpment across the river, which the signals bounced off. A fill-in, if you will!

Thanks a million for all the info. Find it fascinating. You should write a book or create a special website.

Freddie59 · 28-12-2009 06:13PM

Digifriendly wrote: »

Thanks a million for all the info. Find it fascinating. You should write a book or create a special website.

Hmmm. Now THERE'S a suggestion!:)

Cheers,

Freddie.

Mike 1972 · 30-12-2009 08:51PM

Freddie59 wrote: »

I have the rental agreement for the 1957 Bush TV. IR£160. Probably like ten or fifteen grand nowadays. And we were FAR from wealthy!:D

Also worth mentioning that in the early fifties electricity provision outside of towns/cities could be rather patchy.

Antenna · 30-12-2009 09:16PM

Freddie59 wrote: »

I think it was somewhere in Cornwall. Reception was sporadic (much like the later UHF). Could be excellent, but 90% of the time fading, etc.

AFAIK the 405 line Band 1 reception would have been from Wenvoe (near Cardiff) which was 100kW on Band 1

http://tx.mb21.co.uk/info/405/bbc/wenvoe.shtml

which opened in 1952. According to the page linked below Wenvoe later added a BBC Wales variant on Band 3 in 1964, with Band 1 carrying BBC West (England)

The only Band 1 transmitter in Cornwall of any reasonable power listed here:

http://www.bvws.org.uk/405alive/info/tx_list.html

was Redruth, opened in 1962 and was just 10kW and was horizontally polarised (the old Band I aerials pictured were vertically polarised, which would have been the case for Wenvoe).

Freddie59 · 31-12-2009 01:24AM

Antenna wrote: »

AFAIK the 405 line Band 1 reception would have been from Wenvoe (near Cardiff) which was 100kW on Band 1

That would tie in with the direction the aerials are pointing at.

Receiving UK VHF in N. Ireland in early 1950's!

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