Bluebell Hill transmitting station

The Bluebell Hill transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility on Blue Bell Hill, between Maidstone and Rochester in the English county of Kent.^[1][2]

Bluebell Hill transmitting station

Bluebell Hill transmitting station (Kent)
Tower height	52.5 metres (172 ft) (A) 55 metres (180 ft) (B) 46 metres (151 ft) (C) 43 metres (141 ft) (South)
Coordinates	51.324°N 0.52054°E / 51.324; 0.52054
Grid reference	TQ757613
Built	1974
BBC region	BBC South East
ITV region	ITV Meridian (East)
Local TV service	KMTV

The station stands on the crest of the North Downs and comprises five steel lattice towers, each 45 to 50 metres tall – their height being limited by the presence nearby of Rochester Airport. 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. When in analogue service, the broadcast power of 30 kW for a main transmitter was unique in the United Kingdom, the strength being limited by potential interference with transmitters in France and the Low Countries. Four of the towers are used for broadcast services, with the fifth used for general communications.

Between its opening in 1974 and 31 December 1981, the transmitter broadcast Thames Television on weekdays and London Weekend Television at weekends. From 1 January 1982 it carried signals from the new ITV franchise TVS (Television South), until superseded on 1 January 1993 by ITV Meridian (East) for ITV in the south east.

This transmitter has four relays: Chatham Town,^[3] Farleigh, Gillingham Testing Centre and Sittingbourne.

Bluebell Hill was originally an E group for analogue, then became a B group at digital switchover. After 700 MHz clearance in July 2018 it became a K group (excluding the temporary MUXES 7 and 8). Most E group and B group aerials, as well as widebands and K groups, will work satisfactorily with Bluebell Hill.^[1]

Northern parts of Kent – such as Dartford, Swanley, Westerham, Gravesend, and most of Sevenoaks – cannot get television signals from the Bluebell Hill transmitter but instead receive from the Crystal Palace transmitter.

Services available

Analogue radio

Frequency	kW	Service
103.1 MHz	2	Heart South

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. BBC2 was closed on 13 June 2012 and the remaining three services on 27 June. Channel 5 was never broadcast from this transmitter.

Frequency	UHF	kW	Service
623.25 MHz	40	30	BBC1 South East
647.25 MHz	43	30	Meridian
671.25 MHz	46	30	BBC2 South East
823.25 MHz	65	30	Channel 4