Removal of Tullamore MW mast.

medoc · 27-03-2020 7:00pm #1

Not sure if it was mentioned anywhere here. I couldn’t find a thread. RTÉ have plans to remove the old MW mast in Ballycommon.

https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/home/530097/offaly-landmark-set-to-be-removed-from-the-skyline.html

ford fiesta · 27-03-2020 8:47pm

Is the Athlone mast still there?

ka2 · 27-03-2020 11:47pm

Last I heard Athlone was donated to a preservation society but that was a few years ago.

Too new to post links but there's an Irish Times article from 2018.

BuzzG · 30-03-2020 11:49am

Wonder why something like this could not be refurbished and repurposed as a high powered DAB MUX site. Given the location it could significantly increase coverage. Given RTÉ are planning to close their DAB network cannot see something like that happening.

RINO87 · 30-03-2020 12:54pm

ka2 wrote: »

Last I heard Athlone was donated to a preservation society but that was a few years ago.

Too new to post links but there's an Irish Times article from 2018.

Only one of the supporting towers was still in athlone I think. The cable used to run between two

Infoanon · 30-03-2020 12:59pm

BuzzG wrote: »

Wonder why something like this could not be refurbished and repurposed as a high powered DAB MUX site. Given the location it could significantly increase coverage. Given RTÉ are planning to close their DAB network cannot see something like that happening.

DAB transmissions are the same as FM and therefore DAB should be co located with the FM masts ie 3 Rock,Kippure, Mt. Leinster etc.

AM/MW transmission locations are a different beast altogether, eg being near the sea can greatly enhance transmission.

ka2 · 30-03-2020 1:35pm

RINO87 wrote: »

Only one of the supporting towers was still in athlone I think. The cable used to run between two

That’s correct. The demolished tower was still physically onsite though. I used to see the remaining tower a lot on the N6 but haven’t been out that way for a few years now. I think it was being used for mobile phone services so it’s probably still there.

coylemj · 30-03-2020 2:06pm

ka2 wrote: »

That’s correct. The demolished tower was still physically onsite though. I used to see the remaining tower a lot on the N6 but haven’t been out that way for a few years now. I think it was being used for mobile phone services so it’s probably still there.

+1 the remaining tower has a large number of dishes on it so it's being hired out as vertical space to comms. companies....

2rn provides site hosting for mobile telephone operators, the emergency services, wireless broadband and other private mobile communications service providers.

We have a network of over 150 sites with towers and masts ranging in size from 10m to over 300m in height.

Our large main sites are ideally located to provide wide coverage from a single location, or for use as collection points for our smaller sites and for those of other site owners and operators.

https://www.2rn.ie/telecoms/

coylemj · 30-03-2020 2:15pm

ka2 wrote: »

Last I heard Athlone was donated to a preservation society but that was a few years ago.

Too new to post links but there's an Irish Times article from 2018.

This might be it, Sept. 28th 2018 ......

Plans have been unveiled for a new €7.5 million national science and visitor centre in the midlands.

The purpose-built facility, which is to be located on the site of a decommissioned RTÉ radio transmitter station in Athlone, will have the capacity to welcome up to 100,000 visitors a year.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/athlone-to-get-7-5m-national-science-centre-1.3645038

Antenna · 31-03-2020 3:47pm

The Tullamore mast is notable as being the tallest structure in the country.

re. Athlone

ka2 wrote: »

That’s correct. The demolished tower was still physically onsite though. I used to see the remaining tower a lot on the N6 but haven’t been out that way for a few years now. I think it was being used for mobile phone services so it’s probably still there.

+ also RTE 'filler' FM transmitters for Athlone town itself (89.3 , 91.5) was moved from the town itself (had been at the former RTE studio building in Athlone) out to there (so once again 'Athlone' being used to transmit RTE radio! albeit just to Athlone) using a directional FM band panel on the remaining mast.

medoc · 20-10-2020 11:26pm

Offaly county council has now granted permission to remove to old MW mast in Tullamore.

http://www.eplanning.ie/OffalyCC/AppFileRefDetails/2033/0

An Ri rua · 20-10-2020 11:36pm

I might be wrong but I think a German national died during the construction of Ballycommon aerial?

Edit: I can't find anything on it. Just something I was told when younger. Most likely to stop us trying to climb it!!

Antenna · 05-12-2020 7:16pm

a somewhat related/similar story but a 300 ft (91 metres) high mast on the south coast near Ardmore in West Waterford , used by the defunct marine navigation system called 'Decca' , was taken down a few days ago, removing what was a notable landmark.

It went out of use about 20 years ago (due to GPS) so the mast was idle since then, . The 'Decca' navigational system used frequencies below the LW band and had 4 sites around the Irish coast.

You can still see the mast here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9478378,-7.7471347,3a,75y,45.39h,105.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMq2AfpeNFc00Fkdr5ig19A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

a local report about it's dismantling here:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=177958248928690&story_fbid=3700247800033033
though incorrectly says it ceased operating 10 years ago, when actually it was 20 years ago

RINO87 · 05-12-2020 9:52pm

Antenna wrote: »

a somewhat related/similar story but a 300 ft (91 metres) high mast on the south coast near Ardmore in West Waterford , used by the defunct marine navigation system called 'Decca' , was taken down a few days ago, removing what was a notable landmark.

It went out of use about 20 years ago (due to GPS) so the mast was idle since then, . The 'Decca' navigational system used frequencies below the LW band and had 4 sites around the Irish coast.

You can still see the mast here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9478378,-7.7471347,3a,75y,45.39h,105.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMq2AfpeNFc00Fkdr5ig19A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

a local report about it's dismantling here:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=177958248928690&story_fbid=3700247800033033
though incorrectly says it ceased operating 10 years ago, when actually it was 20 years ago

Thanks for that info, I've often wondered what that was for

Mickey Mike · 22-02-2021 11:39pm

BuzzG wrote: »

Wonder why something like this could not be refurbished and repurposed as a high powered DAB MUX site. Given the location it could significantly increase coverage. Given RTÉ are planning to close their DAB network cannot see something like that happening.

The only use for the 298 meter mast would be Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). This radio platform has totally failed in Europe. This radio mode uses the AM band (LW, MW, SW) and there's no demand for the service in Ireland, even worse than DAB.

Cube98 · 14-03-2021 8:54pm

RTE spent a fortune doing major maintenance on this mast in the mid 00s and it was a long painstaking job. Only 3 years later it was switched off permanently. To be fair to RTE, they were under the impression when they commissioned the refurbishment work that DRM would ikely to take off in the coming decade.

Mickey Mike · 20-03-2021 9:59pm

RTE did indeed spend a fortune on upgrading the mast, I don't know about the TX itself as it sounded the same after, its hard to understand such high cost maintenance back in 2004 and turned it off in 2008. Just like the upgrade in Long Wave 252, a new transradio 300kw TX installed in 2007 and now doing their best to switch it off.
I hope going forward, RTE turn up the power on the repeater transmitters, Today FM have a much more powerful signal.

Hotblack Desiato · 21-03-2021 12:57am

Mid-00s RTE literally did not know how to get rid of all the money they had, and they thought the good times would last forever...

Antenna · 28-03-2021 3:32pm

An Ri rua wrote: »

I might be wrong but I think a German national died during the construction of Ballycommon aerial?

Edit: I can't find anything on it. Just something I was told when younger. Most likely to stop us trying to climb it!!

I never heard of that. It would be in newspaper archives from the time if it did happen.

I know that a tragic accident did occur at a RTE link tower at Kildorrery near the Cork-Limerick border sometime in the 1990s when a local man who attempted to climb the structure one night died from a fall.

( Kildorrery is part of a link between main transmitters at Mt Leinster and Mullaghanish )

marno21 · 14-05-2021 11:08pm

Tender notice out for controlled demolition of the Tullamore mast today.

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/189012/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Mickey Mike · 14-05-2021 11:52pm

What a shame and a shock to hear of its demolition, CAN WE SAVE IT, anybody out there, if only Tullamore TX can be preserved and used it would be wonderful, sad and an end of an era.

CJmasgrande · 16-05-2021 7:40am

Mickey Mike wrote: »

What a shame and a shock to hear of its demolition, CAN WE SAVE IT, anybody out there, if only Tullamore TX can be preserved and used it would be wonderful, sad and an end of an era.

Amusing, 30 years ago a similar mast was erected between Summerhill in Co. Meath and Kilcock for Atlantic 252 radio and later RTE long wave and there was huge opposition to it's construction. Locals were up in arms big-time

coylemj · 17-05-2021 5:33pm

CJmasgrande wrote: »

Amusing, 30 years ago a similar mast was erected between Summerhill in Co. Meath and Kilcock for Atlantic 252 radio and later RTE long wave and there was huge opposition to it's construction. Locals were up in arms big-time

+1 can you just imagine the reaction today if the ESB applied for PP to erect 2 x 200m tall concrete chimneys at the North Wall?

Stovepipe · 17-05-2021 5:39pm

The respective masts could be picked up by aircraft from a very long way away.You could tune the ADF to 276 or 376 and hear RTE clearly. Same with 252.

marno21 · 17-05-2021 6:11pm

Tender out for the construction of the 48m replacement mast.

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/189082/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

Mickey Mike · 03-07-2021 10:46pm

Is the radio mast still standing, I'm hoping to go and see it at the end of the month, it will be my holiday trip, would I be able to get access into the site? I want to take pictures before it sadly comes down

Ger Roe · 04-07-2021 9:22am

It is still there... I am currently on hols in Edenderry and can see it from here. I don't think you will get direct site access although you should get some good pics from the site perimeter.

I thought it was a sad sight when I saw it heading down - knowing it is doomed to fall. All the more reason now to push to have the Athlone site preserved and operated as a technical museum.

I would love to have a look around there.

http://homepage.eircom.net/~totalbroadcast/athlone2.html

04-07-2021 10:56am

Would it be easy to put the transmitters back on air today after them being off for 13 years ? Like could 2rn fire up a tone on 567? I remember in late 2002- early 2003, Tom Hand used to fire up a tone on 252 and it got anoraks excited

Glaceon · 04-07-2021 11:05am

Johns nephew wrote: »

Would it be easy to put the transmitters back on air today after them being off for 13 years ? Like could 2rn fire up a tone on 567? I remember in late 2002- early 2003, Tom Hand used to fire up a tone on 252 and it got anoraks excited

Not sure where I heard it but I understand that the transmitter has been removed.

Mickey Mike · 07-08-2021 12:23pm

Is the mast still standing? if not it will be an end of an era.

07-08-2021 12:28pm

I think I read somewhere that the tender was awarded to a Connemara based building contractor.

19-09-2021 4:29pm

Photo from site

Mickey Mike · 19-09-2021 6:19pm

I feel its bad news, have you any more pictures or video footage of the site?

19-09-2021 7:02pm

It's still standing

Mickey Mike · 19-09-2021 7:12pm

Thanks, its a shame they won't get it going again, even if they installed a 200kw TX, it could act as an infill when FM txs are down.

Mickey Mike · 19-09-2021 7:18pm

It looks to be in perfect condition, they could erect the other 48 meter mast at the other end of the building.

Rikand · 19-09-2021 7:19pm

Its something i always look out for when I pass through Tullamore. I saw it this weekend. I'm very saddened to hear it's coming down.

Ballycommon Mast · 27-12-2021 9:54pm

Mickey Mike · 28-12-2021 1:54am

I hope they don't knock it, it would be great for Newstalk if they installed a new or second hand 200kw transmitter. It cost millions to set up, why tear it down.

Infoanon · 29-12-2021 6:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118380529#Comment_118380529

Cost to run a 200kw TX would be prohibitive for any station let alone Newstalk.

Newstalk recently pulled their astra feed to save what would be minimal costs .

Spirit , who are supposed to be AM only , can't keep their <5kw TX operational with the TX now off - and no sign of it returning....

Infoanon · 29-12-2021 6:42pm

TheBMG · 29-12-2021 10:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118379407#Comment_118379407

I can think of some ex pirate radio types from the 70s/80s who could drop a mast in about five seconds and often did 😂

Mickey Mike · 30-12-2021 4:11pm

Yes Newstalk has been taken off the Astra satellite from the 1st of September on cost grounds, truly amazing, its the first of maybe changes to come by Beauer Media Audio. They could tear down what Dennis O Brien has built up. However I'd like to see Newstalk on Saorview. As for Spirit radio, its AM 549 service was a joke.

Ballycommon Mast · 30-12-2021 5:40pm

Spirit are very very cheeky calling 5kw from Monaghan an "national service". It's a far cry from the 200kw from Athlone or Tullamore that was originally promised back in 2007.

marno21 · 30-12-2021 7:42pm

Bauer are closing AM outlets left right and centre in the UK. There is zero chance of a new one in a country that hasn’t had a widely listened to medium wave service since 2008.

Ballycommon Mast · 30-12-2021 8:23pm

RTE in their planning application to Offaly COCO say that the mast is currently being used by local broadband providers but it is too expensive and awkward to maintain due to it's size and age, they go on to say that the new 48m mast is for them to continue working with the local broadband providers

L1011 · 30-12-2021 8:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118380529#Comment_118380529

"great for Newstalk" and "great for the few people that care about AM" are not the same thing.

It would be of no use to Newstalk.

Ballycommon Mast · 30-12-2021 8:46pm

I remember when RTE announced that MediumWave was going to close down in 2008, the Irish Times tried to whip up a frenzy about "rural elderly people" not being able to use FM, Every rural elderly person I knew than had been listening daily to Paul Claffey on FM since 1989 😕 😕 😕 😕

Ballycommon Mast · 30-12-2021 8:58pm

In saying that tho, I think Medium wave was killed way before it's time, if RTE Gold had launched on 567 around 2002- 2003, 2fm could have become a proper BBC Radio 1 style youth station with Larry, Gareth, John Clarke and all the other smashie and nicie Djs moving to this new "RTE Gold 567". Gerry Ryan would have moved to RTE Radio 1 as Ronan Collins and John Creedon would also be moved to this new RTE 567

Ballycommon Mast · 30-12-2021 9:10pm

Look at all the great Young talent 2fm had on their books that time that could never be utilized properly. Jenny Huston, Cormac Battle, Wes Darcy, Conor Glenan, Jay Ahern. Ann Harrington. It's tragic when you think about it ☹️

Mickey Mike · 17-04-2022 10:39am

Is the Tullamore 567khz medium wave mast still standing? I haven't heard anything at all anywhere.

Removal of Tullamore MW mast.

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