Waltham transmitting station

The Waltham transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility
at Waltham-on-the-Wolds, 5 miles north-east of Melton Mowbray. It sits inside the Waltham civil parish near Stonesby, in the district of Melton, Leicestershire, UK. It has a guyed steel tubular mast. The main structure height to the top of the steelwork is 290.8 metres, with the UHF television antennas contained within a GRP shroud mounted on top.

Construction

First structure

The first mast was built in 1966. On 16 November 1966, it collapsed. Parts of the wreckage are still in use as pig shelters. It had been built by the British Insulated Cables Construction Company. It was to have begun broadcasts in the summer of 1967.

Second structure

The structure was rebuilt in 1968 by the BBC. This delayed its first transmissions until 31 August 1968 of BBC2 only. It broadcast ITV from February 1970 and BBC1 from August 1970. On 9 April 1970, the whole region lost the signal when an excavator damaged the station's main cable. The mast was one of three similar types built at the same time by the BBC, with Mendip and Bilsdale.
It is a shorter version of the second Emley Moor transmitter which collapsed whilst broadcasting on 19 March 1969, due to the weight of ice on the structural cables. The Waltham mast has four sets of stay levels as opposed to the six of the former Emley mast. The latter was identical to the current 385m high Belmont mast, both built by the ITA.
It is east of the A607 between Grantham and Melton Mowbray.

Coverage

The mast was originally built to provide BBC2 to the East Midlands. It became the main mast for ITV's Central East Midlands from 1982 and BBC East Midlands from 1991. Previously it had carried broadcasts from Birmingham. NICAM was transmitted from 31 March 1992.
It is now the main TV transmitter for all digital terrestrial channels covering the East Midlands, predominantly including most of Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and parts of Lincolnshire. Waltham is the main transmitter that covers the cities of Nottingham, Leicester and Derby. It can also be received in parts of Norfolk, Staffordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Digital TV

Waltham first broadcast digital TV on 15 November 1998. In July 2007 it was confirmed by Ofcom that at DSO Waltham would be transmitting five – of the six – MUXes within its original C/D group. For reception of all 6 MUXES a wideband is required.
When Waltham undertook the 700 MHz clearance in 2020, it became an A group. MUXES 7 and 8 became redundant before the end of 2022.

Relay stations

The two most powerful relays are at Nottingham situated west of the M1 J26 and at Stanton Moor near Bakewell The Nottingham relay at Kimberley began on 30 March 1973, following tests from late February 1973. Channel 4 arrived on 10 February 1984, 15 months after Waltham.
Waltham has also 13 low-power relay stations located in Derby, Leicester, Ashbourne, Matlock, Belper, Birchover, Darley Dale, Ambergate, Ashford in the Water, Parwich, Eastwood, Little Eaton and Stamford.

Transmitted services

Digital television

On 4 March 2020, the following channels came into use as a result of the 700 MHz clearance programme.

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator	System
	29	25	COM4	DVB-T
	31	25	COM6	DVB-T
	32	50	PSB1	DVB-T
	34	50	PSB2	DVB-T
	35	50	PSB3	DVB-T2
	37	25	COM5	DVB-T
	41	2	LTVmux	DVB-T

Before 700MHz clearance

Prior to 4 March 2020, the following channels were used.

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator	System
	26	5	LTVmux	DVB-T
	29	25	COM4	DVB-T
	31	10.2	COM7	DVB-T2
	37	25	COM5	DVB-T
	49	50	PSB1	DVB-T
	54-	50	PSB2	DVB-T
	56	1.4	COM8	DVB-T2
	57	25	COM6	DVB-T
	58	50	PSB3	DVB-T2

Analogue television

Analogue television is no longer transmitted from Waltham. BBC Two closed on UHF 64 on 17 August 2011. ITV1 was moved into its frequency at the time and the BBC A multiplex began transmitting on UHF 61. The remaining four analogue channels were switched off on 31 August.

Frequency	UHF	kW	Service
	35	250	Channel 5
	54	250	Channel 4
	58	250	BBC1 East Midlands
	61	250	Central
	64	250	BBC2 East Midlands