Blaenplwyf transmitting station

Blaenplwyf

Blaenplwyf transmitting station (Ceredigion)
Mast height	152 metres (499 ft)
Coordinates	52°21′36″N 4°06′07″W / 52.36°N 4.101944°W / 52.36; -4.101944
BBC region	BBC Wales
ITV region	ITV Cymru Wales

The Blaenplwyf transmitting station (sometimes written "Blaen Plwyf" or "Blaen-Plwyf") is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located near the village of Blaenplwyf about 10 kilometres (6 mi) to the south west of the town of Aberystwyth, in Ceredigion, Wales (grid reference SN569756). It was originally built by the BBC, entering service in October 1956 acting as a main transmitter for BBC Band II VHF FM radio.

It had been planned that the BBC's 405-line VHF television service would commence on the same date, but delays at Rowridge^[1] caused the official switch-on to happen six months later on 29 April 1957.^[2][3] Blaenplwyf was considered a main transmitter for VHF television (despite radiating only 3 kW ERP) as it was fed from a microwave link from Mynydd Pencarreg just south of Lampeter.

The facility is now owned and operated by Arqiva.

The site has a 152 metres (499 ft) guyed steel lattice mast standing on land that is itself 175 metres (574 ft) above sea level. The television and radio broadcasts were originally designed to cover the majority of the Cardigan Bay coastline, the antennas being designed for maximum ERP to the north and to the south-west.

Blaenplwyf became a main transmitter for UHF analogue colour television from 1970 onwards, and was transmitting all three original UHF channels in colour from mid 1973.^[4]

It currently carries all six UK digital television multiplexes.