View source for Sutton Coldfield transmitting station

{{Short description|Broadcasting and telecommunications facility in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox UK Transmitter
| name    = Sutton Coldfield
| image   =
| map_name = West Midlands
| location   = [[Sutton Coldfield]], Birmingham, England
| height     = {{cvt|270.5|m|ft|0}}
| gridref    = SK113003
| coordinates = {{coord|52|36|2|N|1|50|2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| built      = {{Start date|1949}}
| demolished = 
| collapsed  = 
| BBC        = [[BBC West Midlands]]
| ITV        = [[ITV Central]]
| localtv    = [[Made in Birmingham]]
}}

The '''Sutton Coldfield transmitting station''' is a [[broadcasting]] and [[telecommunications]] facility located in [[Sutton Coldfield]], Birmingham, England. In terms of population covered, it is the third most important transmitter in the UK, after [[Crystal Palace transmitting station|Crystal Palace]] in London and [[Winter Hill transmitter|Winter Hill]] near [[Bolton]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/information-for-industry/guidance/tech-guidance/dttcoverage |title=Predicted coverage of public service and commercial digital television multiplexes following switchover |date=29 September 2016}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Sutton Mast.jpg|thumb|left|Sutton Coldfield's mast in June 2007]]
On 17 December 1949, it became the first television [[transmitter]] to broadcast outside London and the [[Home Counties]], bringing [[BBC One|BBC Television]] to viewers outside of the south-east of England for the first time.

In 1949 the site housed Britain's first post-war Band 1 [[405 line]] television transmitter. When it was taken out of service in 1981 it was one of the oldest working television transmitters in the world. It was actually two transmitters combined into a single antenna: T1 was a Marconi 12&nbsp;kW sound transmitter of conventional design. T2 was the 50&nbsp;kW vision transmitter. Its unusual design used high-level modulation dc-coupled to the final RF stage's grid. The modulator stages were built by EMI, most of the RF stages by Marconi and the power supplies by Metropolitan-Vickers. They were later supplemented by two Marconi medium-power reserves: T3 2&nbsp;kW sound and T4 5&nbsp;kW vision.

For most of 1965, it had a low-power [[BBC Two|BBC2]] service; this was turned onto full power on 4 October 1965; the [[East Midlands]] had no BBC2 service until [[Waltham transmitting station|Waltham]] began transmissions on 31 August 1968.

A new [[Radio masts and towers|mast]] was built around 1983 to replace the original structure, primarily to support new mixed-polarisation FM antennas.

A {{convert|788|ft|adj=on}} tall temporary mast was erected alongside the 1983 mast in the spring of 2009 while the latter's height was increased by {{cvt|100|ft}} to {{cvt|887.5|ft}}. After four years in service and almost a year after the completion of [[Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom#Digital switchover|digital switch over]], the temporary mast was removed during August 2013.

All analogue TV transmissions ceased on 21 September 2011, as part of the digital switchover. This made it one of the oldest transmitters in the country to formally end analogue broadcasts.

==Services==
With a mast height of {{cvt|270.5|m|ft|0}}, it is one of the most powerful transmitters in England, powered at 200 [[kilowatt]]s [[Effective radiated power|ERP]] for digital [[television]] and 250&nbsp;kW for FM radio. The coverage extends as far south as [[Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire|Chipping Norton]] in [[Oxfordshire]] and as far north as [[Stoke-on-Trent]]. However, there are many relay transmitters around the [[English Midlands|Midlands]] that extend coverage even further.

The transmitter broadcasts eight [[digital television]] [[multiplexing|multiplexes]], as well as [[VHF]] or [[FM broadcasting|FM]] transmitters for the four [[BBC]] national stations; the BBC's local service BBC WM on FM and [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]]; independent national station [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]] and local commercial radio stations [[Hits Radio Birmingham]], [[Heart West Midlands]], [[Greatest Hits West Midlands]] (previously [[Kerrang 105.2]] until June 2013, [[Planet Rock (radio station)|Planet Rock]] until September 2015, and [[Absolute Radio]] until December 2018) and [[Smooth Radio (2014)|Smooth West Midlands]].

When opened as a UHF TV transmitter, Sutton Coldfield was a B grouping, but with the advent of digital broadcasting one of the six muxes could not be fitted into the original B group due to co-channel considerations. Thus mux 6 was transmitted slightly out of band on UHF Channel 55, though this would still be receivable on most B group aerials as this [http://www.aerialsandtv.com/suttoncoldfieldtx.html#SuttonColdfieldGraph graph] makes clear. In July 2007, it was confirmed by [[Ofcom]] that Sutton Coldfield would return to an undisputed B group transmitter post-digital switchover; a process that was completed on 21 September 2011.

An [[Mediumwave|MF]] transmitter for Radio Birmingham (now BBC WM) used to be installed at this site, but could only be operated at 5&nbsp;kW instead of the planned 10&nbsp;kW because of interference to video equipment on the site. It was eventually replaced with a transmitter at the nearby [[Langley Mill MF site]] owned by [[Arqiva]]. This transmitter is currently used for the [[BBC Asian Network]].

The station is now owned by Arqiva.

===Radio===

====Analogue (FM)====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Frequency
!kW<ref name="Radio Listeners Guide 2010">Radio Listeners Guide 2010</ref>
!Service
|-
|88.3 [[MHz]]
|109.9
|[[BBC Radio 2]]
|-
|90.5&nbsp;MHz
|109.9
|[[BBC Radio 3]]
|-
|92.7&nbsp;MHz
|109.9
|[[BBC Radio 4]]
|-
|95.6&nbsp;MHz
|11.4
|[[BBC Radio WM]]
|-
|96.4&nbsp;MHz
|10
|[[Hits Radio Birmingham]]
|-
|97.9&nbsp;MHz
|109.9
|[[BBC Radio 1]]
|-
|100.1&nbsp;MHz
|219.8
|[[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]]
|-
|100.7&nbsp;MHz
|11
|[[Heart West Midlands]]
|-
|105.2&nbsp;MHz
|11
|[[Greatest Hits Radio Birmingham & The West Midlands]]
|-
|105.7&nbsp;MHz
|11
|[[Smooth West Midlands]]
|}

====Digital (DAB)====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Frequency
!Block
!kW<ref name="Radio Listeners Guide 2010"/>
!Operator
|-
|211.648&nbsp;MHz
|11A
|20
|[[Sound Digital|SDL National]]
|-
|222.064&nbsp;MHz
|11D
|8.7
|[[Digital One]]
|-
|225.648&nbsp;MHz
|12B
|10
|[[BBC National DAB]]
|}

===Television===

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

====Digital====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Frequency
!UHF
!kW<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/broadcast/guidance/tech-guidance/Central.pdf |title=Digital Switchover Transmitter Details: Central Region |publisher=[[Ofcom]] |date=25 May 2011 |access-date=14 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0036/189729/comux-licence-technical-plan-v13.pdf |title=Comux Technical Plan |publisher=[[Ofcom]]}}</ref>
!Operator
!System
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=36}}
|36
|1
|Comux
|[[DVB-T]]
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=39|off=pos}}
|39+
|200
|Arqiva B
|DVB-T
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=40|off=pos}}
|40+
|200
|[[BBC]] B
|DVB-T2
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=42}}
|42
|200
|[[S4C Digital Networks|SDN]]
|DVB-T
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=43}}
|43
|200
|BBC A
|DVB-T
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=45}}
|45
|200
|Arqiva A
|DVB-T
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=46}}
|46
|200
|[[Digital 3&4]]
|DVB-T
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=48}}
|48
|10
|Comux
|DVB-T
|}

{{col-2}}

=====Before switchover=====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!{{no2}}Frequency
!{{no2}}UHF
!{{no2}}kW<ref>Television Viewers Guide 2009</ref>
!{{no2}}Operator
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=41|off=pos}}
|41+
|8
|[[BBC]] (Mux 1)
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=44|off=pos}}
|44+
|8
|[[Digital 3&4]] (Mux 2)
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=47|off=pos}}
|47+
|8
|[[S4C Digital Networks|SDN]] (Mux A)
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=51|off=pos}}
|51+
|8
|BBC (Mux B)
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=52|off=pos}}
|52+
|8
|[[Arqiva]] (Mux C)
|-
|{{UK DVB-T|ch=55}}
|55
|8
|Arqiva (Mux D)
|}

{{col-end}}

====Analogue====
Analogue television signals are no longer broadcast from Sutton Coldfield as of 21 September 2011.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!{{no2}}Frequency
!{{no2}}UHF
!{{no2}}kW<ref>Television Viewers guide 2009</ref>
!{{no2}}Service
|-
|{{UK System I|ch=40}}
|40
|1000
|[[BBC Two|BBC2 West Midlands]]
|-
|{{UK System I|ch=43}}
|43
|1000
|[[ITV Central|Central]]
|-
|{{UK System I|ch=46}}
|46
|1000
|[[BBC One|BBC1 West Midlands]]
|-
|{{UK System I|ch=50}}
|50
|1000
|[[Channel 4]]
|}

== Relays ==
The transmitter is served by a set of 35 local relays, delivering signals to areas shaded from it by hills and the curve of the Earth. These are:<ref name="DigitalUK">{{cite web |url=http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch/central/sutton_coldfield |title=Sutton Coldfield |work=Digital UK |access-date=19 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928231738/http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch/central/sutton_coldfield |archive-date=28 September 2011}}</ref>

{{flatlist|
* Allesley Park
* Brailes
* Bretch Hill
* Bridgnorth
* Brierley Hill
* Bromsgrove
* Cheadle
* Earl Sterndale
* Edgbaston
* Fenton
* Gib Heath
* Gravelly Hill
* Haden Hill
* Hamstead
* Harborne
* Hartington
* Ipstones Edge
* Ironbridge
* Kenilworth
* Kidderminster
* Kinver
* Leamington Spa
* Leek
* Long Compton
* Malvern
* Oakamoor
* Perry Beeches
* Queslett
* Redditch
* Repton
* Rugeley
* Tenbury Wells
* Turves Green
* Whittingslow
* Winchcombe
* Winshill
* Woodford Halse
}}

==Digital switchover==
[[Digital switchover]] took place at Sutton Coldfield in September 2011.<ref name="DigitalUK" /> In preparation for this, major engineering works took place at the station. The mast height was increased from {{cvt|245|m|ft|0}} to {{cvt|270.5|m|ft|0}} and the UHF television antennas were replaced. This was accomplished through the use of a temporary {{cvt|240.2|m|ft|0}} mast constructed to broadcast all the area's services so that the main mast could be worked on 'cold'.<ref>Birmingham Council Planning Control: Application No. N/04511/07/FUL</ref>

As at other stations, the digital switchover took place in two stages:<ref name="DigitalUK" />

'''In the first stage (7 September 2011):'''

* BBC Two analogue (Channel 40) closed down
* Low-power BBC multiplex (Mux 1) on channel 41 closed down
* Low-power SDN multiplex (Mux A) moved from channel 47 to channel 41 (until stage 2)
* ITV analogue moved from channel 43 to channel 40 (until stage 2)
* High-power multiplex BBC A started on channel 43

'''In the second stage (21 September 2011):'''

* BBC One analogue (Channel 46) closed down
* ITV analogue (Channel 40) closed down
* Channel 4 analogue (Channel 50) closed down
* Mux 1 (C41), Mux 2 (C44), Mux A (C47), Mux B (C51), Mux C (C52) and Mux D (C55) closed down
* All multiplexes increased in power to 200,000 watts (200&nbsp;kW)
* New multiplexes came on air: SDN on C42, Arqiva A on C45, Arqiva B on C39, Digital 3&4 on C46 and BBC B on C40.

HD broadcasts were moved from the [[Lichfield transmitting station|Lichfield transmitter]] to Sutton Coldfield on the BBC B multiplex (C40, 626.2&nbsp;MHz). The Lichfield transmitter ceased the broadcast of all television services (Analogue Channel 5 and Digital BBC B (Mux HD)), with all six multiplexes being broadcast from Sutton Coldfield.

==Further reading==
* Pawley, Edward (1972), ''BBC Engineering 1922–1972'', London, BBC. pp 355, 368–70. {{ISBN|0-563-12127-0}}
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/features/coldfield/ Cooper, Ray (2006), ''Tales from a Cold Field''.]

==See also==
*[[Lichfield transmitting station]]
*[[List of masts]]
*[[List of radio stations in the United Kingdom]]
*[[List of tallest buildings and structures in Great Britain]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=229 The Transmission Gallery: photographs, coverage maps and information]
* [https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/transmitters/sutton-coldfield-transmitter Info and pictures of Sutton Coldfield TV transmitter including historical power/frequency changes and present co-receivable transmitters]
* [https://www.thebigtower.com/live/SuttonColdfield/index.htm Sutton Coldfield Transmitter at thebigtower.com]
* [https://txfeatures.mb21.co.uk/coldfield/index.shtml Tales from a cold field -Reminiscences of a former BBC engineer]
{{Birmingham buildings}}
{{Television transmitters in the UK}}
{{Sutton_Coldfield_VHF_405-line_Transmitter_Group}}

[[Category:Mass media in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Transmitter sites in England]]
[[Category:Sutton Coldfield]]