DS
I know a bit (understatement) about Beckley and several other of the DSO sites and there is no room on site for a temp mast (either the industry '150m emergency spare' or the 200m ex-Wenvoe temp). Unless the fire damaged the top of the structure there is little need for one. I can only assume the RFS main antenna is totally cooked. The only photo I saw of the fire looked like the flames were around the power dividers - there is a clue in the name here.......
On of the biggest issues at Oxford is the VHF services which effectively prevent a wrap around reserve antenna below the main antenna and was the reason it was placed lower down the mast - this was a compromise agreed with the broadcasters - in reality it was a concession as Oxford was a 'problem child' which has now grown into a particularly troublesome adolesent!
I'd guess the good people at Arqiva are having a look at re-using the trusty RFS Wenvoe temp antenna (or at least the spine) as well as re-running the whole switching plan to see what needs to happen to make sure Crystal Palace hits its DSO date in time for the Olympics in 2012.
The Oxford antenna was a heli-lift on so without going back to start all DSO work from scratch it will have to be a helilift off - assuming the fire damage isn't too structural. Could be an 'interesting' day......
I'll watch progress with interest......
PS The temp masts at Wenvoe and Sutton Coldfield did not require planning permission - they were 'temporary enabling works'....... The permanent mast extensions at both sites did need permission. At Peterborough the planning issues for the deployment of the emergency temp mast did not delay anything.......
Oxford Transmitter Mast Fire
Oxford obviously isn't having much luck, I seem to recall that there was a problem here when they brought the reserve on-line in Feb 2010.I know a bit (understatement) about Beckley and several other of the DSO sites and there is no room on site for a temp mast (either the industry '150m emergency spare' or the 200m ex-Wenvoe temp). Unless the fire damaged the top of the structure there is little need for one. I can only assume the RFS main antenna is totally cooked. The only photo I saw of the fire looked like the flames were around the power dividers - there is a clue in the name here.......
On of the biggest issues at Oxford is the VHF services which effectively prevent a wrap around reserve antenna below the main antenna and was the reason it was placed lower down the mast - this was a compromise agreed with the broadcasters - in reality it was a concession as Oxford was a 'problem child' which has now grown into a particularly troublesome adolesent!
I'd guess the good people at Arqiva are having a look at re-using the trusty RFS Wenvoe temp antenna (or at least the spine) as well as re-running the whole switching plan to see what needs to happen to make sure Crystal Palace hits its DSO date in time for the Olympics in 2012.
The Oxford antenna was a heli-lift on so without going back to start all DSO work from scratch it will have to be a helilift off - assuming the fire damage isn't too structural. Could be an 'interesting' day......
I'll watch progress with interest......
PS The temp masts at Wenvoe and Sutton Coldfield did not require planning permission - they were 'temporary enabling works'....... The permanent mast extensions at both sites did need permission. At Peterborough the planning issues for the deployment of the emergency temp mast did not delay anything.......