BBC NW Tech Facilities 20 odd yrs Ago [g]

Studio and Transmission Facilities
from Twenty-Odd Years Ago
By
Joseph P Campbell

Disclaimer
This PDF and Microsoft PowerPoint presentation work on
BBC North West and BBC North is, in no way, endorsed by
the British Broadcasting Corporation, either locally, regionally
or nationally.

The facts expressed in this document originate from the
author’s experiences of being shown around various BBC
North West premises on college visits etc. He’s also
incorporated some of his knowledge gained from Unpaid
Training Attachments and visits to a related BBC region during
the early to mid-1990’s.

CONTENTS
1. The BBC North West Radio & Television Editorial Coverage Area by Autumn
1987

2. Local Radio Studio Facilities:
Radio Cumbria, GMR, Radio Lancashire and Radio Merseyside

3. New Broadcasting House: Television News Facilities

4. BBC North West’s Main Television Transmitter at Winter Hill

5. National Radio Facilities

6. The Transition From BBC North West Into BBC North

7. The BBC North Night Network Stations

8. Synopsis

9. References

10. About The Author

1. The BBC North West Radio & Television
Editorial Coverage Area by Autumn 1987:

…The BBC North West region, in literal geographical
form, as it was defined by Autumn 1987, is shown in
figure 1. It extended, South, as far as the Crewe area of
Cheshire, as far West as Oldham and as far North as
Carlisle. By this period, the region had been assigned
an additional main UHF TV transmitter-site; this being
located at Caldbeck. Prior to late-’87, the Caldbeck TV
transmitter took its BBC regional-programme feed from
BBC North East, based at a broadcasting centre within
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, in order to screen “Look North”
originating from there. With the co-operation of BT
plc’s Network Switching Centres (NSCs), the BBC’s
Caldbeck transmitter’s sound and vision-circuit feed
regional “opt-out” system was reconfigured in order to
allow a permanent arrangement for New Broadcasting
House (NBH) in Manchester so that the weekday
transmissions of “Northwest Tonight” and the morning,
afternoon and evening transmissions of “News
Northwest CUMBRIA”* which originated from Radio
Cumbria’s former studio complex† in Carlisle, could be
transmitted from the site at issue …
*see Radio Cumbria feature
fig. 1 †based at Hilltop Heights

2. Local Radio Studio Facilities:

No picture
available

*

*BBC GMR was formerly
known as “BBC Radio
Manchester” until late-
1988. However, by 2005, the
station had reverted back to
its original name. The
station’s original identity is
shown below:

The image in Photo 1 shows a monophonic-version of a UHER REPORT™ ¼ Inch
open-reel tape-recorder; standard broadcast-radio reporter open-reel recorder issue.
Photo 2 shows a UHER’ in its (optional) leather case and with (optional) UHER-
manufactured microphone. By the late-1980’s such radio-reporters also used Marantz®
CP-430 [three-head] cassette-recorders, pictured in Photo 3, and Sony Professional
Walkman® cassette-machines and with the use of high-coercivity cassettes e.g. “Metal
Position” and Chromium Dioxide (CrO2) Compact Cassette® tapes for optimal audio-
quality, shown next in Photo 4…

Photo 2

Photo 1

Photo 3 Photo 4
…Because of the advances made in the development of noise-reduction techniques for “high-end”
portable cassette-recorders e.g. the Dolby Laboratories™ dbx™ system, and improvements in the
engineering of later models, not all of them using dbx, it was possible, by the mid-1980’s, for BBC
local (and national) radio stations to aquire a range of machines which produced (first-generation)
recordings of BBC-standard broadcast quality when used with high-coercivity tape standards and
which were many times less expensive than the usually-used ¼-inch tape-format open-reel
machines. The Marantz CP-430 was an example of such a cassette-recorder. It’s pictured above, in
Photo 3. A UHER REPORT monophonic machine would have cost the BBC, on average,
approximately, £900.00 as they purchased a relatively large number per-year. In
contrast, a Marantz CP-430 machine would have cost the BBC approximately
£340.00…

…For stereo versions, the BBC would have been expected to pay approximately
£1200.00 for each machine. A private sound-recordist would have expected to have
paid about £1600.00 incl. VAT, in the late 1980’s for a UHER Report with stereo-
recording capability. The UHER Report stereo versions were used for recording
operations that normally required more creativity than that needed for local radio news
reporting e.g. location drama-production recording. The production of drama made up
a small amount of the total yearly broadcast-output time of Radio Merseyside, for
instance.

In BBC local radio, the Marantz CP-430 and Sony™ Walkman PROFESSIONAL™
cassette-recorders, despite being of stereo recording capability, were usually only used
in local radio news and current affairs operations i.e. by their radio-reporters who, in
the process of producing a radio report, would have gone out-and-about within their
editorial area in order to interview a relevant person or group of people.

The Bayer Dynamic™ M201 and AKG™ D202 microphones were usually used with
the ‘CP-430 and ‘Professional Walkman cassette-machines, see next slide…

…Fig. 14, on the next slide, shows an AKG D202 CS “pressure-gradient” microphone whilst fig.
15 shows an AKG C-414 “switchable-polar-response” microphone i.e. a microphone that has a
choice of directional characteristics that can be switched by the technical-assistant on-duty, here,
to a choice of five different polar responses; these being:

1. Omnidirectional,
2. Cardioid
3. Supercardioid
4. Hypercardioid
5. figure-of-eight, i.e. bi-directional directivity.

Meanwhile, fig. 16 shows a Rycote “basket” windshield, with hand-grip, and one covered with a
Rycote® fleece “Windjammer”. The use of a Windjammer lead to a greater number of decibels of
wind-noise rumble reduction when used with the associated basket windshield. These accessories
were usually used with the Sennheiser™ MKH-416 “short-gun” microphone; the microphone at
issue fitting into the basket windshield where it was mounted on two plastic holders which gripped
the casing of the mic’ at points towards each end of the “interference-tube” in which the actual
transducer capsules where contained…

…Some of the typical microphones, and accessories, used within BBC local
operations, both in-studio, and at outside-broadcast (OB) locations:

Photo 5 Photo 7

Photo 6

…Photo 8 shows a Bayer Dynamic M201 microphone. A
“dynamic” instrument uses a “moving-coil” attached to
the microphone’s diaphragm. When sound-waves of
sufficient amplitude ‒ proportional to the “sound-
pressure-level”– impinge on the instrument at issue’s
diaphragm, the coil of wire attached to the diaphragm
moves in harmony with it, and within a permanent
magnet’s magnetic field. The amplitude and frequency of
the induced electrical current* within the coil-of-wire,
is analogous to the amplitude and frequency of the
sound-waves being sensed by the dynamic microphone Photo 8
concerned…

*The amplitude of the current induced in the coil concerned, is dependent
on Faraday’s Laws of Electromagnetic-Induction (physics laws).

…Photo 9 shows a Sennheiser MKH-416 “short-gun”
interference-tube* microphone. This instrument was a lot more
directional than a ‘M201 microphone and was usually used, in
the context of BBC local radio, in outside-recording and/or OB
situations where this microphone was mounted in a Rycote
“basket-windshield” or, for indoor recording/OB activities,
used with a foam windshield. This would prevent low-
frequency noise (“rumble”) that was caused by draughts within
a building, from marring a recording/OB etc. This microphone
was a form of “capacitor-microphone”. Capacitor instruments
are more sensitive than dynamic ones, but more expensive in
the context of broadcast sound-quality applications. The MKH-
816 “long-gun” microphone could also be used in activities
requiring “lobar” polar-response i.e.
a highly directional sensitivity pattern. Additional MKH-816s
were usually temporarily obtained from the relevant audio- Photo 9
stores dept. within NBH in Manchester†, e.g. in the case of a
large OB/recording-activity…
*Within this presentation, there isn’t scope to cover the technical-theory behind this
microphone’s operation
† NBH was the north west’s BBC local radio stations associated regional broadcasting centre in
terms of administration, senior-management and the booking of other temporary technical resources etc.
The stations concerned could also draw on the technical, and other resources, of the BBC nationally.

fig. 3
fig. 2
…The table, shown in fig. 2, lists the three recommended TDK cassette-tape types for each of the
three possible tape-bias settings. BBC staff, trained to use Marantz CP-430 cassette-recorders, were
ordered to use Metal-formulation (IEC Type III) TDK MA or TDK MA R cassettes wherever
possible; the second choice being the CrO2 [Chromium Dioxide] formulation TDK SA cassette. For
broadcast-audio use, staff were told never to use the “Ferric” (IEC Type I) ‘tape-formulation as it
didn’t offer a high enough value of signal-to-noise ratio—even using the “dbx” noise-reduction
system. This was because IEC Type I ‘tape couldn’t accept the high signal-levels that IEC Type III,
and Type II tape-formulations could accept, without a distorted sound-recording being made. Thus,
the Type III (Metal) ‘formulation possessed a higher coercivity value than that offered by the Type
II (CrO2) tape-formulation. Because Metal-formulation cassette-tape possessed the highest value of
coercivity of the three ‘tape types under discussion, it was usually the choice of the radio-reporters
who usually used the ‘CP-430s. Type III ‘tape allowed – subject to setting the ‘CP-430
to its optimal recording-level…

…and switching-in the dbx noise-reduction system, shown in fig. 3, on record and
playback – the optimal S/N-ratio and lowest distortion-level to be obtained and so be
in-keeping with the BBC’s high-technical standards for recordings destined for
radio-transmission.

Figure 4 shows the left VU meter of the CP-430 cassette-recorder which also acted
as a battery-check indicator for the use of both rechargeable and non-rechargeable
batteries. Local radio reporters usually used rechargeable batteries/cells and charged
them up in the engineer-in-charge’s (EIC’s) workshop/office where such recharging
facilities were installed.

fig. 4

…I’ll now take an individual overlook of the then four BBC
North West local radio stations studio and transmission
facilities, in alphabetical order:

1. BBC Radio Cumbria

2. BBC GMR

3. BBC Radio Lancashire

4. BBC Radio Merseyside…

fig. 5
Photo 10
…Photo 10 shows Radio Cumbria’s former studio-centre whilst fig. 5 shows its former addresses. The station’s
main studio-centre was located on the third-floor of the “Hilltop Heights” building in the city of Carlisle, Cumbria.
This floor housed most of the radio station’s permanent radio broadcasting studios together with a remotely
robotically-operated one-camera news and current affairs (NCA) television studio for BBC North West, which also
had technical provision to “opt-out” of the Caldbeck UHF television transmitter (and dependent-relays) for “News
Northwest CUMBRIA” bulletins. A further two additional presenter-operated studios, and one NCA* radio-studio
(for an interviewee) were located in Barrow-in-Furness and had the facility to opt-out of Radio Cumbria’s
transmissions from four of their radio transmitter sites (officially) ; these being Barrow (837 KHz, MF)†, Kendal
(95.2 MHz, VHF-FM), Morecambe Bay (96.1 MHz, VHF-FM) and Windermere (104.2MHz, VHF-FM)…
*”NCA” is an abbreviation for “News and Current Affairs”
† The Barrow 837 KHz MF transmission is just intelligeably received in the presentation
author’s home in Wirral, Merseyside, using a hi-fi quality DENON™ tuner, and its supplied
MW /LW loop-aerial .

…Radio Cumbria’s Official
[engineering] coverage area for the
station’s MF*and VHF-FM (Band II)
stereo-transmitter sites is shown in fig.
6. Because of the hilly terrain within the
Cumbria area, which causes a
screening-effect ‒ particularly in the
case of VHF radio-wave propagation –
Radio Cumbria needed a total of four
VHF-FM transmitter sites and three MF
sites. The hilly and green nature of
Cumbria’s terrain is abstractly
represented in the station’s 1980’s to
late 90’s visual identity/insignia†…

*The term “medium-wave”(MW) is used when medium-frequency is expressed fig. 6
in wavelength terms.
†Top left-hand corner of this slide’s image.

…Figure 7 shows a BBC Engineering
Information coverage map specifically
showing the VHF Band II (FM Radio)
coverage area for Radio Cumbria’s Morecambe
Bay transmitter. This transmitter site had its
own dedicated coverage map because it also
transmitted the BBC national radio services of
Radios 1 to 4. The Radio Cumbria service
happened to use the same VHF aerial-system
that those of the BBC’s national VHF radio
stations used; an electrical component, known
as a “combining unit”, was used to accept an
input from the five radio transmitter RF power
output-stages concerned in order to provide an
output to the common VHF aerial system
without any damage being caused to any of the
transmitters ‘output-stages. The Radio Furness
opt-out service of Radio Cumbria also used
this transmitter site in addition to the three
others already mentioned previously… fig. 7

Photo 11
…Another view of a typical BBC local radio sound-mixing desk of the mid-to-late 1980’s,
in use by one of the station’s presenters. There was some limited use of personal-computer
software within this presenter-op’ studio, evidence of which can be seen in the background
of Photo 11, in the form of a green monochrome text-only VDU. This was used to display
telephone-call contributor information and any other information that the presenter’s
producer may have wanted to convey to the presenter during, say, a live ‘phone-in etc ‒ in
addition to addressing him over his headphones; this system being known as “talkback”.
Note the stack of Sonifex® ¼-inch-tape cartridges sitting on-top of the ‘mixing-desk. These
contained recorded musical station-identification “jingles” and presenters name “shouts”
together with in-house radio-station programme advertisements/-
promotions and BBC Local Radio North West programme-ads…

…These Sonifex® cartridges, and associated “cart-machines”, were identical to those
used in the hourly-news-bulletin studio area – featured next. Therefore, when the
presenter, seen in fig. 12, had opened an appropriate linear-fader control, fully, one of
his studio’s cart-machines would trigger and play a jingle, programme-ad or
promotion etc. After play-out, the cartridge concerned would automatically rewind to
a predetermined cue-point so that the recorded material concerned, could be aired
again, either during the original programme, or, by the presenter of a later
programme from the same studio that day. Unless there was a technical fault or some
other unplanned adverse occurrence, the programme that followed was originated
from another studio i.e. there wasn’t usually a “hot-seat” changeover by the
following presenter. The procedure for putting the next studio into circuit for the
proceeding programme, with Radio Cumbria’s transmitters, was simple to implement
(and still is). There was a couple of procedures available in order to achieve this. One
was:
The following presenter would check the signal-level coming into
their desk on the “pre-fade listen” facility so that it was of the right
amplitude to fade-up or switch in. The presenter’s sound mixing
desk operated on an EXOR logical function with the preceeding
studio.

Photo 12
…BBC Radio Cumbria’s former hourly-news-bulletin desk with newscaster, Bert Heuston (seated), is
shown in Photo 12. Note the Sonifex®¼-Inch-tape-cartridge machine comprising three actual
cartridge-players. After the newscaster had pressed the PLAY-button, and a news-report audio insert
had been played-out, the ‘tape-cartridge concerned would automatically rewind to the beginning, i.e.
its “cue-point”, so that it was ready for play-out on the next hourly newscast. No time was wasted,
therefore, manually rewinding the cartridges at issue, after each ‘bulletin had been transmitted. Radio-
broadcast reporters would usually have recorded their news-reports on UHER ¼ -Inch-tape-recorders,
editing the tape using a razor-blade and Chinagraph pencil and sometimes also tape-to-tape
techniques, and then dubbing the finished report onto a ¼-inch cartridge; Sonifex® machines
providing a record-mode facility...
*marked with a 1KHz audio tone-burst that was generated within the self-cueable ¼-inch-tape
cartridge player concerned

Late 1980’s “Bi-Media News-Working Policy”
within
Radio Cumbria
— its “News Northwest CUMBRIA” television studio facility —

…The remotely-operated one-camera
news-and-current-affairs (NCA) television
studio within Radio Cumbria’s former
premises is shown in Photo 13. The studio-
background, made from a combination of
plywood, another form of wood, and plastic,
together with a removable laminated-
cardboard “News Northwest CUMBRIA”
sign, is shown in Photo 13. The cardboard-
sign was removable because of the fact that
BBC network news programmes, and Photo 13
indeed other regions news-programme-
producers, could book the use of this TV
studio facility; it wouldn’t have been
appropriate for their viewers to see Radio
Cumbria’s Caldbeck opt-out news service’s
identity. A labelled photograph showing
most of the technical facilities of this TV-
studio is shown, next, in Photo 14…

A loudspeaker which was sometimes used to
monitor the studio’s sound-circuit output. If Black-coloured
used in the case of a live-programme vinyl window cover
Colour TV-monitor for monitoring “insert”, a “clean-feed” was used because of in order to stop
the vision-circuit output from this signal-delay reasons that caused an echo*. It shadows on studio-
studio. was listened-to at low volume, in the event of background and for
a live interview, because of regenerative- security-reasons.
feedback reasons. Autocue motor-drawn
Autocue® CRT-screen. This would be folded down and
Sound-reverberation damping paper-roll with
positioned beneath the camera aperture and associated
boxes CCTV-camera viewer
Autocue® , usually approx. 60° to the horizontal, glass-
above it.
plate reflector during use.
A ¼-inch tape
The actual TV-camera reproducer. This
tube aperture and lens- could be used to
system. originate a
recording for
Casing containing the robotics output down this
for remotely moving the TV- vision-studio’s
camera (shown above), associated sound-
together with a red-coloured circuit.
“WARNING” adhesive-sticker*
in order to warn studio- A DTMF telephone
personnel that the camera may which could be used to
move at anytime. contact NBH in M’CR
(and BT ’s Carlisle NSC)
The TV-studio’s sound-circuit etc, in order to quote the
Peak-Programme-Meter (PPM). In the current security-code to
late-1980’s there was only monophonic- M’CR technical
TV-sound, hence only one PPM present. Photo 14 personnel in order to
XLR 3-pin balanced-connection † “arm” the opt-out switch
A dual-deck Phillips LASER Video-Disc for News Northwest
Player ‒ the top deck being used to originate the opening title and microphone audio sockets, inset into
CUMBRIA opt-out etc.
signature tune for “News Northwest CUMBRIA” bulletins‡ and the newscaster’s/contributor’s desk,
for table-mounted microphones with The Bayer Dynamic
the lower one being used to originate the closing title and sig’ tune. microphone in use on
XLR 3-pin plug-terminated
A swivel-chair for a technical “balanced” cables. the day of my visit.
*A BBC health & Safety assistant ‒ usually used when the
requirement concerning †XLR-connections were less susceptable to 50Hz-
studio was used by a contributor to a hum, and other forms of EMI
remotely-operated
distant studio’s programme.
broadcast-camera
installations ‡This TV-news opt-out service was recorded, for legal-reasons, on Beta-SP video-cartridge format

Photo 15
...Its Colour TV tube-camera ‒ with the Autocue® monochrome CRT screen folded-up
above it, as not in use at time of visit ‒, is shown in Photo 15, as the first discerneable
object from the left. The Autocue® screen was fed with a “negative-video” CCTV signal
from a monochrome camera positioned 90° downward from the horizontal, in order to
view typed-text on a roll of paper and moving, with the aid of an electric-motor, under this
black-and-white camera focused down on it. This CCTV signal, now in mirror-image
form, was then fed to the screen fixed beneath the broadcast TV-camera lens’s transparent
glass plate on front of it*, in order that white text on a black background was reflected
from this glass plate which could be read by the on-duty TV newscaster looking directly at
the broadcast-camera. The use of an Autocue® system meant that the newscaster…
* approximately 60° to-the-horizontal plane, usually

…didn’t have to periodically look downwards at their script, which
would have looked unprofessional to the viewers at home. The reason why
viewers couldn’t see the white-coloured Autocue® text that the newscaster
was reading, was because of the angle of the glass-plate reflector in relation
to the broadcast-TV camera’s lens system and image-pickup tube. The laws
of physics, as they apply to the reflection of light, dictate that because of the
angle-of-incidence of light reflected from the Autocue® CRT-screen of the
glass-plate already mentioned, none of the white-light emitted from this
screen was detected by the broadcast-TV camera’s image pickup tube. It’s
interesting to note that Autocue® (and its competitor, Autoscript®) are still in
use, but in modern form, and involve the use of computer-software to
generate the typed-text that will be sent straight to the (now flatscreen)
monitor postioned beneath the TV studio-CCD cameras now in use in news
and current affairs settings and other areas of broadcast-TV production; the
motor-drawn typed-out paper-roll is now dispensed with. Another competing
system to Autocue® and Autoscript® is the Microsoft™ Corporation
“WinCue” software-application…

…The broadcast remotely operated PAL 625-line colour TV-camera could be turned
in the horizontal and vertical plane by servo-motors, constituting part of a robotics*
system, usually operated by a Regional Technical Operator, or Senior Vision
Supervisor, within the Central Technical Area of New Broadcasting House (NBH) in
Manchester when it was used for live contributions into the regional news magazine
“Northwest Tonight” etc. The command-signals used to move this remotely-operated
camera were in digital-form and were transmitted to Radio Cumbria’s robotically-
controlled TV-camera using a “dial-up” connection that involved the use of a low-
date-rate MODEM attached to a rented PSTN subscriber-line. There was also a
reserve PSTN subscriber-line, and associated subscriber-number that was made
available to relevant BBC staff, already commented on. A miniaturised-joystick
installed on a vision and sound-circuit switching console within NBH’s CTA could
be used to move the TV-camera at issue. There was also a miniature-plastic joystick
(black in colour) controller for the TV-camera concerned within the Radio Cumbria-
based TV-studio itself; this usually being used by the opt-out ‘CUMBRIA
newscaster. Next to it, was a television monitor. This was used by the on-duty opt-
out newscaster to view the vision-output to the transmitter that originated from their
studio. A wood-veneered loudspeaker was positioned a few centimetres
away from the monitor…
*robotics is a branch of the science known as “cybernetics”

…. However, because of the technical problems that would have been experienced if
it had been used to monitor live-audio originating within this studio during a “News-
Northwest CUMBRIA” opt-out, even using one of the table-mounted hyper-cardioid
directional microphones in the studio at that time – and taking into account sound-
reflection “damping” measures in the form of the white-perforated-boxes, filled with
fibre-glass wool, on the studio wall behind the remotely-operated camera – a low
level of sound-pickup from the rear of the table-mounted microphone would have
been experienced within the small confines of this studio as there would still be a
direct-path for sound-waves from the loudspeaker arriving at the instrument
mentioned, and other sound-waves arriving at approximately 90° to the tie-clip
microphone (with only cardioid sensitivity pattern) worn by the on-duty newscaster
at issue. This would have manifested itself as a whistle or howl being present, not
only on the studio’s loudspeaker, but also on the viewers television sound
loudspeaker output in their own homes; the effect being known as “regenerative-
feedback”*…
* The regenerative-feedback phenomenon can also be known as “positive-feedback”

…To avoid this regenerative-feedback problem, but provide the facility to listen
to audio signals at a comfortable level, the on-duty newscaster would wear an
earphone – known in TV broadcasting parlance, as an “earpiece”. This would
provide many tens-of-dBAs of sound-wave isolation between the two studio
microphones usually in use, and the earpiece worn by the newscaster, thus
avoiding the effect on the audio output concerned.
As has been said, in the case of Radio Cumbria’s one-camera ‘TV studio, it
had an “opt-out” facility for viewers served by the Caldbeck UHF Band IV
high-power transmitter – and dependent relays* – which served the Cumbria
area of the region at issue. Next, I’ll give some significant level of technical
explanation concerning the process of the station’s one-camera studio making
the Caldbeck UHF transmitter and depended relays, serving the population of
Cumbria with the BBC television services of the day, opt-out (usually) from
Television Centre’s “Network 1”† output from London…
*The term “dependent-relays” has now been replaced with the term
“transmitter-group” in the context of modern DTT systems
†“Network 1” is the term used to describe the BBC1 signal, (initially) originating
from Television Centre in London, before it’s radiated by the UHF transmitter
network that’s used by BBC TV.

…How the News Northwest CUMBRIA on-duty TV Newcaster put their studio
“in-circuit” with the Caldbeck UHF main television transmitter and dependent
relays ‒ known as an “opt-out”:

Some minutes before transmission, the on-duty newscaster – usually a member of
Radio Cumbria’s newsroom team – would contact the CTA at NBH in Manchester,
quoting a security-code that’s changed daily for security reasons, via a BT plc leased-
line telephony link, in order to request that the studio’s “opt-out switch” was “armed”.
When the duty-newscaster then switched this armed opt-out switch, built into the TV
studio’s sound-and-vision portable mixing-console*, in order to put their studio “in-
circuit” with the Caldbeck transmitter’s “Network 1”* feed, the newscaster concerned
would then check sound-balance and vision-parameters, using a “pre-fade” sound and
vision facility, in order to assess and correct, if necessary the signal (usually)
originating from NBH. They would then “fade-out”, or “cut” from the Network 1 input,
routed via NBH and would then run the “News Northwest Cumbria” opening-title and
signature tune – from video-disc – for news-bulletins scheduled within the networked
BBC “Breakfast Time” programme during the morning, before the “1 O’Clock News”
and prior to the “9 O’ Clock News” programmes…
*This can be seen to the left of the white telephone, and behind a
microphone, in photo 13 ‒ shown previously

...On completion of a given News Northwest CUMBRIA opt-out i.e. after the
closing title, and signature tune, were played-out from video-disc*, the newscaster
would usually “cut” to the Network 1 input into their studio and then operate the
aforementioned opt-out switch, this time the other way, so as to then take the TV
studio at issue out of the Network 1 feed-circuit going to the Caldbeck UHF
transmitter and dependent relays, as they were known then, and returning the main
transmitter at issue, to its Network 1 sound and vision-circuit feed (indirectly) from
Television Centre . The Caldbeck transmitter’s dependent relays simply relayed, on
different UHF channels, the transmission received from Caldbeck.
There was also technical-provision to allow this presenter-operated TV studio to
opt-out of the “Network 2”† signal from the already-mentioned Caldbeck
transmitter coverage-area for the BBC2 transmission. Again, the CTA at NBH in
Manchester would normally have been contacted first in order to arm the Radio
Cumbria-based Carlisle TV Studio’s associated opt-out switch.…
*This was of a physically large Phillips LASER video-disc standard ‒ larger than a DVD Blue-Ray disc
but smaller in size than an audio Vinyl Disc LP ‒ and many years prior to the creation of the ‘blue-ray
standard.
†Network 2 is used to describe the BBC2 signal, (initially) originating from
Television Centre in London, before being radiated by the UHF transmitter
network that’s used by BBC TV.

…The studio could also be used by other BBC regions and its network news
programme producers, based in London, when TV newscasters felt the need
to interview a contributor from Carlisle, either as a live-insert, or, as a
recorded one. With the co-operation of the relevant BT plc “Network
Switching Centres” (NSCs), this TV studio was also used, from time-to-
time, by other broadcasters e.g. ITN and the ITV regional companies etc.
The TV studio was installed within Radio Cumbria’s original premises
following the introduction of a “Bi-Media Working Policy” for all regional
news programming that was introduced by senior BBC personnel, based in
London, during the late-1980’s. This involved ordering the sharing, by radio
and TV reporter/journalist staff, of relevant facilities within BBC regional
broadcasting centres and local radio studio complexes after the introduction
of the “BASYS” computerized newsroom system and the building of one-
camera TV studios within BBC local radio locations together with associated
ENG Betacam® SP editing-facilities for the use of ENG* crews…
*ENG is an abbreviation for “Electronic News Gathering”

…One camera remotely-operated TV studios were based at most of the BBC
local radio stations within a given region. However, other than Radio
Cumbria’s one-camera studio, most other BBC TV studios based within
local radio studio buildings didn’t have a main UHF TV transmitter opt-out
facility. This was usually because of a given main-TV transmitter’s coverage
area not lying within a boundary where it would be logical to have a one-
camera studio opt-out TV news-service, in addition to the main regional opt-
out from the BBC1 TV network. Additionally, some BBC TV regions only
had one main UHF transmitter and associated depended relays, so there was
no way in which the regional news output could be split into two opt-out
areas i.e. “sub-regions” – unless there was technical provision to opt-out
from an appropriate relay transmitter and assuming the relay at issue served
a recognised culturally different area within a given BBC region…

…Photo 16 shows the former Caldbeck high-power
UHF Band IV steel-lattice broadcasting mast,
photographed in August 1988, shortly after a major
aerial overhaul. The Caldbeck mast, together with
its dependent relays, served the population of
Cumbria with UHF PAL terrestrial television. The
UHF transmission aerial-system was located within
the white glass-reinforced-plastic (GRP) cylinder
positioned at the top of the mast. In the late 1980’s
it radiated:

BBC1 (North West)………..on channel 30
BBC2 (North West)………..on channel 34
ITV (Border Television)…on channel 28 Photo 16
Channel 4…………………..on channel 32

…Radio Cumbria’s News North West CUMBRIA opt-out TV
news-service was, therefore, carried on channel 30.
Additionally, there was technical-provision for the station’s
TV studio to opt-out on channel 34 from this mast, which
usually carried BBC2 (North West) via NBH in Manchester*.
The mast was dismantle in the late 2000s, after a taller and
stronger mast of the same type was built in the vicinity of it.
The new aerial support structure radiates Digital Terrestrial
Television (DTT) on different UHF channel numbers to that
of the former analogue ones†…
*New Broadcasting House (NBH) could be switched out of the vision and sound-circuit feed to the
Caldbeck transmitter by BT plc’s relevant NSCs. The transmitter site concerned could then be fed
with the sound and vision signals directly from Television Centre in London, if necessary, e.g.
because of a technical fault at NBH etc. NBH would, however, have lost its opt-out capability for
the Caldbeck site and dependent relays, e.g. for the Northwest Tonight news-magazine.

†The Caldbeck transmitter area had its analogue UHF PAL TV service switched-off in 2008

End of the
“Late 1980’s “Bi-Media News Working Policy” within Radio Cumbria…”
feature

…Photo 18 shows a typical 1980’s BBC Local Radio Studio Sound-Mixing Desk (“Desk”) in service in one of
station’s “on-air” studios within their New Broadcasting House Studio complex. The two red-coloured audio-
level fader controls were used to fade the overall studio’s audio level output in or out during programme
transmission. The white-coloured faders were used to fade-in or out, individual audio sources e.g. microphones,
(vinyl-disc) grams, tape-reproducers, CD-Players and incoming contribution sound-circuits from other studio
locations, either within NBH, or from other parts of the country/the world. This studio could also be used for
“Off-Air” purposes e.g. for radio-production recording/editing purposes – subject to the Desk’s output being
switched away from the Central Apparatus (CA) room’s output. The CA room’s output was usually via the use of
BT plc sound-circuits – known as “land-lines” or “music-circuits”– to GMR’s medium-wave and two VHF-FM
transmitters. It could also, simultaneously, provide outputs to other communications routes e.g. the BBC North-
West local radio network and/or national radio “contribution-circuits”...

…Photo 17 shows the presentation author
(seated) at one of GMR’s presenter-operated
sound-mixing consoles within one of its
studios in December 1990. A labelled
photograph, showing the essential features of
the Presenter-op’ sound’ console, attached to
the large-floor-area “Community Studio”*, is
shown next…
*This was used for multi-contributor discussions, live-folk,
pop and choir on-air, and recorded-programme
broadcasts, when necessary.

Photo 17

Sound mixing-console dynamics control areas, i.e. Three studio “cue” lights. Green-coloured on the left-
tone-controls. Pre-fade switches and “pot” audio- hand-side, meaning the studio’s “off-air”, a yellow-
level controls are also seen here . The pots are coloured centre light, meaning “prepare for
used for setting the maximum audio level that can transmission” and a red-coloured light on the right-
hand-side, meaning “on-air” i.e. transmission, or, The studio’s clock;
be output from the log-linear fader ‒ when fully-
simply that the presenter’s microphone fader-
opened ‒ to which the fader is assigned to. control is “open”; the cue-light system
this displaying GMT
A stack of yellow buttons for the or BST ,depending on
selection of any one of a number of could be configured either way
relevant season.
incoming audio-feeds carried via the
BT plc audio-circuit distribution system
(usually using leased-lines) e.g. Three Sonifex®
originating from the BBC’s national
¼ -inch tape cartridge-
radio network studios, based then, at
machines (“cart-
Broadcasting House in London, NBH
machines”) for originating
itself, and other regional broadcasting
centres that also constituted “network recorded jingles, presenter
production centres”, or, in order to name-shouts and in-house
relay a “programme-share” from programme-promotions
another BBC North West local radio ect. Each cart-machine-
studio centre* player could be triggered
by the full-opening of the
A BT plc-approved telephony-PBX relevant fader-control
“switchboard”, with line-hunting, assigned to the cart-
for queuing callers to a given on-air machine’ at issue. The top
(or recorded) programme. This cart-machine is seen with a
design possessed illuminated red- cartridge already loaded.
coloured LED indicators; these
indicating which lines callers were
waiting on
Photo 18 Presenter’s microphone (Beyer Dynamic M201
A built-in loudspeaker/
“talkback” microphone+ These white-coloured log-linear fader-controls with foam pop-filter) installed on an
controls for presenter’s were for the various audio-source inputs, e.g. the adjustable boom.
communication to a distant- presenter’s microphone, in-studio contributor(s) L-R, R-L and L+R PPMs ‒ transmission audio
contributor’s studio technical- microphone(s), the three Sonifex®“cart-machines”, level metering
assistant and/or radio-car OB two vinyle-grams, two CD-players and sound- These two red-coloured log-linear-
location staff etc. circuit inputs from the BT plc audio-circuit fader controls were the master left and
contribution network etc. right audio level controls for this
*“BBC Local Radio North West” stereo mixing-console’s output to the
central-apparatus room of GMR.

…Photo 20 shows the audio-circuit “patch-panel”
within GMR’s “Community Studio” at NBH. The
purpose of this apparatus was to allow manual routing
of outgoing audio-sources e.g microphones and
contribution sound-circuits (via the central-apparatus
room) from within and outside NBH, to the
Community Studio’s Sound-Mixing Desk (featured
previously). This patch-panel also provided incoming
sound sources e.g. for contributor(s) headphones
while they were seated in the community studio area
under consideration. Near to the bottom of photo. 20’s
image, you’ll also see two small PPMs*† built into
rack-mounted ‘level limiting-circuit enclosures. These
sound-level meters could be assigned to incoming or
outgoing studio audio-sources…
Photo 20
*For stereo audio-level monitoring.

†Peak-Programme-Meters of this small size are permisseable in the context of the BBC-developed PPM audio-
level metering standard ‒ developed to measure transmitted programme audio-levels.

Photo 19
…Shown in Photo 19 was New Broadcasting House’s bi-media newsroom that was
shared between the Northwest Tonight regional news magazine staff and those of BBC
GMR’s. The newsroom was refurbished in the summer of 1987 together with the
installation of the state-of-the-art BASYS® newsroom computer-system. This was in
time for the official implementation of the BBC’s “bi-media” news-working policy
from the autumn of 1987*...
*see this presentation’s Radio Cumbria section

BBC GMR’s transmitter locations and technical details were as
follows:

Holme Moss: on 95.1 MHz, mixed polarization and an erp* of 5.6 kW

Saddleworth: on 104.6 MHz, vertically polarized and an erp of 100 Watts

The station had a medium-wave site that radiated an amplitude-modulated
signal on 1458 KHz.

*erp is an abbreviation for “effective radiated power”

Photo 21

…Radio Lancashire started life as a station known as “BBC Radio Blackburn”. In
addition to its main Blackburn studio centre, it had NCA studios in Darwen and
Preston; the Preston studio-base also accommodating one of the remotely operated
one-camera NCA studios whose type was featured in the Radio Cumbria write-up of
this presentation. The Preston NCA TV studio was usually used for remotely
interviewing people for live or recorded insertion into BBC North West’s flagship
regional news and current affairs programme, “Northwest Tonight” but, like the
Radio Cumbria TV studio, could be used by other BBC regions, ITN and ITV
regional newscasters. This arrangement would be dependent on the relevant BT plc’s
Network Switching Centres swinging into action…by a TTO pressing a few keys!
Shown in Photo 21 is a Radio Lancashire British Leyland Meastro reporters vehicle
with a reporter crouched next to it and interviewing a child with a UHER Report and
UHER-issue microphone...

BBC Radio Lancashire’s transmitter locations and technical details were
as follows:

Hameldon Hill: 95.5 MHz, mixed-polarization and radiating 1.6 kW erp
Lancaster: 104.5 MHz, mixed-polarization and radiating 2 kW erp
Winter Hill: 103.9 MHz, mixed-polarization and radiating 2 kW erp

Oxcliffe: 1557 KHz, vertically-polarized and radiating 250 Watts emrp*
Preston: 855 KHz, vertically-polarized and radiating 1 kW emrp

*emrp is an abbreviation for “effective monopole radiated power”

Figure 8, a November 1985 Radio Merseyside
“18th Birthday Magazine” article by their then
Engineer-In-Charge, Bill Holt

fig. 8

…Photo 22 shows two vinyl-disc “grams” – also known as “record-decks”– within one of the station’s presenter-
operated on-air studios. Photo 23 shows, once again, a typical “presenter-operated” sound-mixing desk in the same
studio. Furthest from the grams is an early design of DTMF telephone and associated telephone-PBX* (“switch-board”);
this being used to queue prospective telephone-contributors to current-affairs programmes with a phone-in feature and
also for quiz features within live light-entertainment productions. The in-studio telephone-PBX* facilities were also
used for recorded radio programme productions whilst the studio at issue was in an “off-air” mode. In order to interface
an analogue two-wire telephone subscriber-line (usually 051 709 9333), the ‘desk at issue needed to have within it, a
“hybrid-transformer” and associated electronics in order to present the correct impedance-match and, therefore,
electrical voltage-levels to the appropriate audio-fader control circuit(s) within the ‘desk. It also ensured that BT plc’s
telephone-exchange equipment was electrically safe from transmission-line signal-reflections and over-current damage
etc...

Photo 22

Photo 23
*“PBX” is an abbreviation for “Private Branch Exchange”.

Photo 24
…Photo 24 shows an image of part of the multi-contributor on-air studio within their former 55,
Paradise Street studio-complex. It was multi-contributor on the grounds that there was a round-
shaped table setup on the studio’s floor-space, with an AKG™ switchable polar-response pattern
microphone mounted in the centre of it, in order to allow for the pick-up of sound from two, or
more contributors. For two people contributing, the microphone was switched to a “figure-of-
eight”, i.e. “bi-directional”, polar-response-pattern. For more people contributing, the
microphone’s directional response was switched to “omnidirectional”. The use of this studio
involved the use of at least one “Technical Assistant”– who could have been a member, or
members, of the station’s off-duty presentation staff; a typical BBC local radio
presenter being trained in technical-assistance in the context of local radio-
technical operations…

…Photo 25 shows a close-up image of the previously featured presenter-operated ‘desk. The
presenter’s microphone is in view and attached to a jointed-microphone-boom so that its
position can be adjusted in order to allow its use with presentation staff of differing seated
heights. The microphone pictured is a Bayer Dynamic™ M201 with a black foam pop-filter
attached. This microphone was widely used in BBC local radio settings. The purpose of the
pop-filter was to prevent “plosive” rumbling or booming sounds being heard on-the-air when
a presenter spoke a word beginning with the letter “P” or breathed-out quickly, if in close
proximity to the microphone...

…The Three Peak-Programme-Meters
(PPMs) show the audio-level leaving
the ‘desk on a 7-point scale. The left-
hand-side PPM displayed a level
reading for the L ‒ R difference
stereo-channel whilst the PPM on the
right-hand-side displayed a reading for
the R ‒ L difference ‘channel…

Photo 25

…The middle-PPM showed the L+R (the SUM-Signal) reading; this being necessary in order to
assess the monophonic audio-level. This facility was needed because a large number of listeners
used radio-sets with only one loudspeaker. See Photo 26, below.

This form of level-metering was developed by BBC R+D engineering-staff many decades ago as
the typical VU-metering standard was not of the necessary electrical characteristics required to
monitor the relevant transients in modulation-level in order that appropriate action by the
presenter/technical assistant could be taken so as not to over-modulate the transmitters —
transmitters react differently to a given level of audio-signal transient in comparison to, say, audio
magnetic-tape recorders, which usually used the VU-metering standard…

Photo 26

…Shown opposite, in Photo 27, was Radio Merseyside’s
converted British Leyland Montego Estate vehicle. Known
as a “Radio-Car”, this vehicle was in use from late-1985
until 1988. The pneumatic telescopic-tower supported a
UHF monopole RF-radiator and four associated ground-
plane elements. This aerial-system was used to radiate a
DTI-approved* UHF-FM† “broadcast-quality” Outside
Broadcast (OB) transmission channel which could be
received by an aerial on the roof of the station’s premised
at 55, Paradise Street. There was also technical provision
to receive this transmission at some other locations in
Merseyside, e.g. the receiving equipment co-sited with the
Storeton TV transmitter relay tower situated on the Wirral,
where a receiving aerial was bolted onto the lattice tower
concerned; the received signal then being processed and
transmitted down a fixed-line BT plc 15 KHz-bandwidth
(approx.) sound-circuit, to the Paradise Street premises. A Photo 27
“talk-back” facility was provided by a PMR‡ system using
a PTT “fist” microphone and associated monopole aerial§.
This PMR system was on a DTI-approved VHF
allocation…
* DTI was an abbreviation for “Department for Trade & Industry”, and its RF and microwave-wireless regulatory
section was the forerunner of the “Radiocommunications Agency” (RA). The RA was then superseded by OFCOM.
† Below the UHF Band IV TV broadcasting spectrum, in carrier-frequency value.
‡ This PMR system used two monopole aerials situated on the car’s roof, one of them situated just above its
windscreen whilst the other was located on the rear area of the car’s roof.
§ PMR is an abbreviation for “Private Mobile Radio”.

…A graphical representation of the spectrum of a VHF Band II Frequency-Modulated Stereo broadcast transmission
channel, is shown in fig. 9 below:

fig. 9
…In the graphical representation, shown above, the frequency (displayed in KHz) is on
the x-axis whilst the signal-level is represented on the y-axis. The maximum bandwidth
that a VHF Band II channel can occupy is 200 KHz. The “Rated System Deviation”, i.e.
the maximum frequency deviation permitted, is 150KHz for ‘Band II transmission
systems. However, this ‘deviation value wouldn’t usually be realized as the
presenters/technical assistants would usually allow sufficient “headroom”, in terms of
restricting the modulating-signal-amplitude so as not to over-modulate* their FM
transmitters i.e. not allowing the transmitters to attempt to exceed ±75KHz frequency-
deviation. With this FM-stereo transmission standard, the degree of frequency deviation
of the carrier-wave is proportional to the modulating signal’s amplitude (loudness)…

…Usually, the modulating signal is in the form of speech and music. The “Pilot-Tone”
is necessary in order that a stereo audio-signal can be demodulated by stereo receivers
and tuners. It’s positioned above the sum-signal (L+R), but below the (L-R) difference
signal, and is at a frequency of 19KHz within the channel-spectrum standard, fig. 10…

Pilot tone’s 19 KHz position
in the VHF Band II channel
at issue RDS sub-carrier on 57KHz
within the channel concerned

fig. 10

*a number of signal-level “limiter” circuits were located at various points within the analogue transmission-chain
to the medium-wave transmitter-site. However, it still wasn’t adviseable to send not too high an amplitude of
signal into a BT plc sound-circuit as this would have lead to a “pumping-and-breathing” effect, i.e. a form of
distortion, on the listeners radio-sets. For the FM transmitter PCM digital leased-line circuit , there were only
limiting-circuits within the studio-complex i.e. in the analogue domain.

… At 57KHz (within a channel’s 200KHz max. bandwidth) lies the 2 Kbit/second
Radio Data System subcarrier that’s used by the broadcasters to convey some form of
the radio stations contracted name. For Radio Merseyside, this is “BBC MRSY”. The
user of a suitably equipped FM-stereo tuner or receiver can also display “RadioText”;
this being a linearly-scrolled text system displaying the on-air radio programme’s
details, e.g. the programme and presenter’s-name etc. With suitably equipped receivers
and tuners there’s usually an LCD or florescent alphanumeric display. Although the
full RadioText system hadn’t been developed in the late 80’s, the “character-set” used
by a typical RDS VHF-FM radio receiver in the epoch under discussion, is shown in
fig. 11 below and is identical to that being used now. A list of the PTY (“Programme
Type”) text-display names that were (and still are) displayed, when pressing the PTY
button of such tuners and receivers, is shown in fig. 12, also displayed below…

fig. 11
fig. 12

…Photo 28 shows Radio
Merseyside’s 95.8 MHz VHF
Band II FM stereo transmitter
site tower at Allerton Park
(within Calderstones Park) in
Liverpool. This Site was also
shared with Radio City’s (ILR)
FM Stereo ‘site. The far-
image, Photo 29, is of Radio
Merseyside’s 1485 KHz MF
(202m MW) mast, located in
Wallasey, Wirral...
Photo 28

Photo 29

…Photo 30 shows the Storeton Television Relay
Tower. This was opened in the late 1970’s to relay the
UHF television transmissions from its parent
transmitter, located at Winter Hill in Lancashire. The
tower received Winter Hill’s UHF signals using a log-
periodic aerial, bolted to the side of the tower. At the
same time it also provided an aerial support structure
for area constabulary VHF radio-system aerials (now
obsolete). These can be seen in the photograph as four
folded dipoles in a spatial-diversity arrangement near
the top of the tower and located on its right-hand side
as the photo is seen.
In the late ‘70’s, a UHF-allocated wireless receiving
“insertion-point” was installed for BBC radio car use
i.e. the ‘point would send received signals down a Post
Office Telecommunications leased-line to Radio
Merseyside’s studios or, indeed, any other BBC radio
studio.
In the 2000’s, the Storeton tower, located off Mount
Road in Higher Bebbington, became the site for one of
Radio Merseyside’s VHF Band III DAB radio
transmitters, in addition to an insertion point.
From the early 1990’s, and as the years went by, more
and more aerials were added to the tower; evidence of
the burgeoning information age... Photo 30

…The BT plc Liverpool District advertisement,
which appeared within the “Radio Merseyside 20th
Birthday Issue Magazine”, fig. 13, published in
the autumn of 1987. BT plc, or as their corporate
identity described them in the 1980’s, “British
Telecom”, was (and still is) a major provider of
various grades of telephony and broadcast sound
and vision-circuits to Radio Merseyside, other BBC
local radio stations, the BBC radio and television
services regionally and nationally, Independent
Local Radio (ILR) and Independent Television
(ITV). The hand-drawn visual images in this advert
represented some of BT plc’s activities of the day.
The suited man, wearing the “hard-hat” (head-
protection), depicts a Telecommunications
Technical Officer (TTO) in a supervisory role, and
holding a telephone receiver that’s connected to
portable line-testing and diagnostic equipment, in
order to communicate with one of the company’s
Field Technicians in the process of installing a new
leased-line point-to-point sound-circuit, for fig. 13
instance…

fig. 14
…If, for any reason, Radio Merseyside listeners couldn’t receive the station’s VHF-FM or medium-
wave transmissions e.g. because they were, for some reason, out of range of its wireless-transmissions,
a listener could dial the number “202” on their BT plc fixed-line PSTN connection when within the
“051”* STD area or, if outside the 051 STD area, they could dial 051 246 8075. The PSTN lines,
originally used for the “Sound of Merseyside” service, were shutdown many years ago and, so far,
their associated numbers remain unallocated to any new PSTN-subscriber-line, fig. 14...
*The Liverpool area 051 STD-code changed to “0151” in April 1995, in order to increase the number of possible
subscriber-line numbers that could be handled within the BT plc Liverpool district. A “1” was added, after the
trunk-call indicator ,“0”, in all BT districts.

3. New Broadcasting House:
Television News Facilities
…Edited video-recorded highlights were sometimes inserted into the 12:55 PM and/or
9:25 PM regional news bulletins originating from Studio “P” – positioned just off the
ground-floor newsroom – within NBH. Shown in photo 22. is the presenter’s eye
version of Studio P whilst in photo 23. is just more than what the viewer would have
seen on their TV-sets at home i.e. the studio background and its surrounding wall (out-
of-camera view to the viewer). A TV broadcaster could also use Studio “P” to interview
a contributor e.g. for insertion into “Newsnight”, again, with BT plc NSC assistance.
This programme originated from Television Centre in London. Photos 31 and 32 below.
Northwest Tonight, transmitted on weekdays at 6:35 PM, originated from Studio “B”
(known to staff as “B Vision”). Studio “A” was generally used for recorded network
TV productions e.g. “A Question of Sport”.

Photo 32

Photo 31

Opt-out script, also
Newcaster’s/contributor’s
known as “opt-out Another ENG-
cartridge-tape Yet another ENG-cartridge-tape TV camera with Autocue
instructions”, Current network
preview monitor preview monitor facility
appeared here vision-signal (NET 1
or NET 2) from
Presenter’s
Television Centre
camera view
…and another
ENG-cartridge-
An audio patch-panel
tape preview
monitor
An indication
device that
indicated what
network, either A chair for a
NET 1 or NET 2, “Regional Technical
was being passed Operator” to sit at
through the ‘desk whilst supervising a
contributor
Telephone intercom for
contacting the CTA on the
3rd floor of NBH or NSC Audio-level “pots”
One of the newscaster’s
(or contributor’s)
microphones (with
black pop-filter); the
other was a tie-clip mic.
Photo 33

Stop-watch device Buttons that could be Opt-out switch and “Talk-back microphone” e.g. to
assigned for remotely associated switches for a distant Outside Broadcast
operating ENG- opting-out of (OB)-site
Vision-signal cartridge players Television Centre’s
mixing panel Audio-fader control for one of output
the newscaster’s microphones

…A one-year wonder…a one-camera setup in the bi-
media newsroom...
…For one year the five-minute
approx. news bulletins originated
within the bi-media newsroom with
the back-drop being part of the
functioning newsroom and, at the
back where the windows where,
vertical-blinds with the words
“Northwest Update” running along
the top and bottom borders of the
aforementioned blinds; see photo 35
featured next.
In Photo 34 you can see the one- Photo 34
camera facility with TV-camera and
associated Autocue, TV monitor,
light-diffusers which diffused light
onto the newscaster, clock with red
“cue-light” and audio patch-panel
beneath the TV-monitor…

New Broadcasting House: Television News Facilities…continued

Photo 35 Photo 36

…In Photo 35 note the vertical-blinds at the back of the room displaying the words
“Northwest Update”. This was the view seen behind the newscaster/contributor
when the TV-camera, featured in Photo 34, was on-air; the newscaster etc. would
sit at the desk with the computer-terminal and telephone seen in the foreground of
the image. Photo 36 shows a more general view of NBH’s bi-media newsroom as it
looked in December 1990…

4. BBC North West’s
Main Transmitter Site
at
Winter Hill
in the
county of Lancashire

Photo 38
…Photos 37 and 38 pictured the
Winter Hill UHF Band V Television
and VHF Band II Radio Terrestrial
Transmitter Site Mast, as it looked in
October 1988. One of BBC Radio
Lancashire’s VHF-FM transmitter
sites is, to this day, located at Winter
Hill. Its VHF Band II frequency is
103.9 MHz and it’s a mixed-
polarization transmission, officially
radiated at 2 kW, Max. ERP*...
Photo 37
*“Effective Radiated Power” (ERP) is the vector-sum of the RF transmitter power-output and the
additional power-output due to the RF power-gain caused by the directionality of the aerial system
under consideration; the greater the directionality of the transmitter’s aerial, the greater the
transmitter’s effective-radiated power in a stated direction.

…The Winter Hill UHF Band V TV transmitter
coverage area is shown in fig. 15 . The coverage
area defined here, differs from the news and
current affairs editorial boundaries, which are a
little different for political reasons; c.f. the
editorial boundaries, featured near the beginning
of this presentation. Because of the nature of UHF
Band V wireless-propagation (predominantly
“space-wave”), and the effect on it, caused by
hills, large buildings and other structures and
trees, the transmitter-network planners had to
implement a relay-transmitter building-
programme (in co-operation with the IBA*), in
order to “fill-in” areas of the North West which
suffered from poor TV-reception of Winter Hill’s
‘Band V transmissions. These relays received the
off-air ‘Band V transmission, signal-processed it,
and then re-radiated it on other UHF Band V and
IV channels so as to avoid any mutual-
interference problems with their parent main-
station and any other nearby, or distant relay
transmitters… fig. 15
*Independent Broadcasting Authority

…The rear-side of the Winter Hill main-
transmitter UHF Band V [engineering] coverage-
map is shown in figure 16, opposite. It display’s
a list of all the associated dependent relay
transmitters that officially took an off-air signal-
feed from their parent high-power transmitter
site which was linked to NBH, via a BT plc
leased-line connection, to a microwave-link
which was installed on an aerial-support-gantry
atop the Piccadilly Plaza building in central
Manchester. There were other routes that the
signals leaving NBH could have taken e.g. a BT
plc leased-line connection to Winter Hill,
directly. This leased-line route was the original
sound and vision-circuit path that was used for
TV services routed through, or originating from
NBH, when this broadcasting centre opened in
the year 1975. The leased-line route to Winter-
Hill was via BT plc’s Manchester NSC, as was
the case for (nearly) all incoming and outgoing
leased-line sound and vision-circuits passing fig. 16
through NBH’s CTA…

5. National Radio Facilities:
…New Broadcasting House (NBH) posessed extensive facilities for the
live and recorded transmission of BBC national radio programmes. In
addition to producer and presenter-operated studios for BBC Radios 1,
2, 3, 4, and 5, there was also the existence of “Studio 7”. Studio 7 was
predominantly used for the recording of live-classical performances,
such as the “Lunch-Time Concerts”, which members-of-the-public
could come and watch.

Shortly before NBH was originating a live national radio programme
on one of the then five BBC radio networks, BT plc’s relevant NSCs
would swing into action and route the relevant audio-circuit down to
Broadcasting House in London where it would be input into a relevant
national radio network’s “continuity-desk” for switching/fade-up…

6. The Transition from BBC North West Into BBC North:

…In late 1990, BBC North West and BBC North East were merged under the banner
of “BBC North”. The BBC North region initially just covered the Yorkshire and
Humberside areas.

From late 1990, BBC North’s HQ was to be New Broadcasting House located in
Manchester and so would oversee BBC administration in Leeds and Newcastle.

As a result of this merger, the ten BBC local radio stations were to carry the same
programmes from about 7:00 PM in the evening, Monday to Sunday. This shared
programming system was to be known as the “BBC North Night Network” and was
officially a cost-cutting exercise.

The BT plc audio distribution-circuits were already in place although some of them
could only convey monophonic signals, so, depending on where you were listening
to a networked programme, you may only have been hearing the programme in
“mono”. This was the case when I tuned into Martin Kelner’s programme on a
Friday and Saturday evening from 10:00 PM via Radio Merseyside’s VHF
transmitter, known as Allerton Park; Martin Kelner and his played jingles and music
could only be heard as monophonic signals!

Next, I’ve shown the local radio identities for the ten BBC local stations at issue…

7. The BBC North Night Network Stations:

fig. 17

Night Network Stations Identities: Close-up

8. Synopsis:
…BBC North started life as BBC North West, with its own chain of four local
radio stations which, from the late eighties had a shared programming system
for evening programmes.

BBC North West produced the regional news magazine, “Northwest Tonight”,
from New Broadcasting House (NBH) and short TV-news bulletins and also a
selection of BBC Radios 1, 2, 3,4 and 5 programming from their network
radio studios at NBH; the programmes in question being routed down to
Broadcasting House in London for national distribution.

In late 1990, BBC North West was merged with BBC North and BBC North
East and was to be known as “BBC North” with its headquarters at NBH in
Manchester. BBC North West’s four local radio stations then became part of
the “BBC North Night Network” comprising ten local radio stations with
programmes being shared Monday to Sunday from selected stations on the
network. BT plc interconnected each of the local radio stations at issue with
monophonic and stereophonic audio distribution and contribution circuits…

9. References:
1. Visit to Radio Merseyside’s 18th Birthday Open-Day at their
former studios located at 55, Paradise Street, Liverpool, L1 3BP,
November 1985.

2. Visit to Radio Merseyside’s 20th Birthday Open-Day at their
55,Paradise Street…studios, November 1987.

3. Informal visit to BBC Radio Cumbria’s former premises at
Hilltop Hieghts in Carlisle, August 1988.

4. One day BBC GMR “Presenters Course” at their former New
Broadcasting House premises in December 1990

References continued…
5. Salford College of Technology student visit to New Broadcasting
House, October 1991

6. Royal Television Society visit to New Broadcasting House’s
new Central Technical Area, November 1994.

7. BT plc two-week “Work Experience” Placement in the
Liverpool District, April 1995

10. About The Author:
Joseph P. Campbell is 40 years old. He’s qualified with
an HNC in Engineering (marine navigational systems). His
engineering field involves the use of telecommunications and
communication-systems in general, as does broadcasting.
Joseph is also qualified with a BSc in Electronics Engineering
& Communications from Belford University.

Joseph has visited BBC North West premises on a number of
occasions, mainly for the purposes of college student and Royal
Television Society visits. He completed two Unpaid Training
Attachments with BBC Midlands & East. One of these
‘attachments was in the Central Technical Area of their Pebble
Mill premises, now demolished, whilst the other was at BBC
Radio WM also formerly based at Pebble Mill.

He is a qualified Radio Amateur, holding the OFCOM Call- Joseph P. Campbell
Sign G7OKR, and is also a member of the Radio Society of
Great Britain (RSGB). He resides in the ITU 27, CQ zone 14 Email: g7okr@hotmail.co.uk
area and he’s also a student-member of the Institution of
Engineering & Technology (IET).

End of Presentation on BBC North West’s
Studio and Transmission Facilities
From Twenty-Odd Years Ago

© 2012 Joseph P. Campbell

BBC NW Tech Facilities 20 odd yrs Ago [g]

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