Kilvey Hill

Kilvey Hill is a hill to the east of Swansea city centre. Kilvey Hill is 193m/633ft high and is classed as a Sub Marilyn. [http://www.mountaindays.net/mountains/peak.php?defn=0&area=19&peak=2287] The top of Kilvey Hill enjoys panoramic views of Swansea city centre, Swansea Docks, Swansea Bay, the Lower Swansea Valley and Bon-y-maen.

There are a number of residential areas dotted around the base of the hill. At the top of the hill is a transmission station. The central belt of the hill consists of woodland and open grassland which forms part of the Kilvey Community Woodland. The hill is used to host a number of mountain biking events.

Transmitters

At the hill's peak a large range of digital and analogue transmitters can be seen, although due to their sheer size these can also be seen from ground level. These transmitters provide services for analogue and digital terrestrial television and for analogue and digital radio services. It also features mobile phone masts from all five major UK networks including O2, Orange, 3, Vodafone and T-Mobile. The hill's transmitters cater for the entire network of digital terrestrial and digital radio subscribers in the city and county of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and possibly even further. The transmission station is owned and operated by National Grid Wireless.

Freeview digital terrestrial TV is already available from this transmitter. Digital Switchover take place on 12 August 2009 and will be complete on Tuesday 30th March 2010. After the switchover process, analogue channels will no longer be available and the Freeview power will be increased from 383W ERP to 2000W ERP, a 7dB Power increase. [http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=161366&command=displayContent&sourceNode=161366&contentPK=21252376&folderPk=88499]

The only road access to the summit of the hill suitable for vehicles is via a steep concrete road which leads up to the summit from the village of Bon-y-maen.

Broadcast channels listed by frequency

*Analogue Radio (VHF FM)
** 89.5 MHz BBC Radio 2
** 91.7 MHz BBC Radio 3
** 93.9 MHz BBC Radio Wales
** 94.6 MHz BBC Radio 4
** 96.4 MHz The Wave
** 99.1 MHz BBC Radio 1
** 101.3 MHz Classic FM
** 102.1 MHz Swansea Bay Radio [cite web | url=http://www.uk.nationalgridwireless.com/pr_20061012.shtml | title=National Grid Wireless wins 102.1 Swansea Bay Radio contract | publisher=National Grid Wireless |year=2007| accessdate=2007-07-31 | language= English]
** 104.2 MHz BBC Radio Cymru
** 106.0 MHz Real Radio
** 107.3 MHz Nation Radio

* Digital Radio (DAB), see also (UTV-EMAP Swansea)
** Digital One
** Block 12A: 223.936MHz - BBC
** Block 12C: 227.36 MHz - MXR South Wales & Severn Estuary

*Analogue Television
** UHF 23 (490 MHz) - ITV1
** UHF 26 (514 MHz) - BBC Two Wales
** UHF 29 (538 MHz) - S4C
** UHF 33 (570 MHz) - BBC One Wales
** UHF 35 (586 MHz) - Five

*Digital Television
** UHF 21 (474 MHz) - Multiplex C
** UHF 22 (482 MHz) - ITV Multiplex
** UHF 28 (530 MHz) - Multiplex A
** UHF 25 (506 MHz) - BBC Multiplex
** UHF 31 (554 MHz) - Multiplex D
** UHF 32 (562 MHz) - Multiplex B

References

External links

* [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/reception_advice/digital_trans_guide/show_transmitter.asp-siteID=20.html Kilvey Hill transmitter info]
* [http://www.singletrackworld.com/article.php?sid=947 Single Track: Welsh Mountain Bike XC Series Round 1 -Kilvey Hill]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/kilvey-hill.php The Transmission Gallery: Kilvey Hill]
* [http://www.wohnort.demon.co.uk/DAB/uknat.html DAB Ensembles Worldwide: United Kingdom and the Isle of Man Kilvey Hill Community Woodland, Forestry Commission]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/nature/placestogo/reserves/pages/kilvey.shtml BBC South West Wales - Kilvey Community Woodland]