Bluebell Hill transmitting station

Bluebell Hill

Tower height	52.5 metres (172 ft) (A) 55 metres (180 ft) (B) 46 metres (151 ft) (C) 43 metres (141 ft) (South)
Coordinates
Grid reference	TQ757613
Built	1974
BBC region	BBC South East
ITV region	ITV Meridian

The Bluebell Hill transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located at Blue Bell Hill between Maidstone and Rochester in the English county of Kent.

The station is situated on the crest of the North Downs and comprises five steel lattice towers, each 45 to 50 metres high. It broadcasts digital television, FM and DAB radio to much of north, west, and central Kent, and an overspill service into southern Essex. It stopped broadcasting analogue television when the digital switchover was completed on 27 June 2012.

Services broadcast include BBC One (South East), BBC Two, ITV (Meridian), Channel 4, Heart Kent, KMFM Medway and KMFM Maidstone. Between its opening in 1974 and 31 December 1981 the transmitter broadcast Thames Television (weekdays) and London Weekend Television (weekends), being switched on 1 January 1982 to carry signals from the new ITV franchise TVS (Television South), until superseded on 1 January 1993 by ITV Meridian for ITV in the south east.

Services available

Analogue radio

Frequency	kW	Service
100.4 MHz	—	KMFM Medway
103.1 MHz	2	Heart Kent
105.6 MHz	—	KMFM Maidstone
107.9 MHz	—	KMFM Medway

Digital radio

Frequency	Block	kW	Operator
218.640 MHz	11B	0.9	DRG London
220.352 MHz	11C	2	NOW Kent
222.064 MHz	11D	6.3	Digital One
223.936 MHz	12A	2	Switch London
225.648 MHz	12B	6.3	BBC National DAB
227.360 MHz	12C	1	CE London

Digital television

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator	System
618.000 MHz	39	20	Arqiva A	DVB-T
626.000 MHz	40	20	BBC B	DVB-T2
650.000 MHz	43	20	Digital 3&4	DVB-T
666.000 MHz	45	20	SDN	DVB-T
674.000 MHz	46	20	BBC A	DVB-T
738.000 MHz	54	20	Arqiva B	DVB-T

Before switchover

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator
498.000 MHz	24	2	Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)
522.000 MHz	27	2	SDN (Mux A)
618.000 MHz	39	3	Arqiva (Mux D)
641.833 MHz	42-	3	Arqiva (Mux C)
665.833 MHz	45-	3	BBC (Mux B)
778.000 MHz	59	3	BBC (Mux 1)

Analogue television

Analogue television transmissions have now ceased. BBC Two was closed on 13 June 2012 and the remaining three services on 27 June.

Frequency	UHF	kW	Service
623.25 MHz	40	30	BBC One
647.25 MHz	43	30	ITV1
671.25 MHz	46	30	BBC Two
823.25 MHz	65	30	Channel 4

External links

• The Transmission Gallery: Bluebell Hill