Limeux transmitting station

The Limeux transmitting station (50°00′44″N 1°49′49″E / 50.01222°N 1.83028°E / 50.01222; 1.83028) (mast 1) and (50°00′44″N 1°50′01″E / 50.01222°N 1.83361°E / 50.01222; 1.83361) (mast 2) is a facility for FM radio and television and mobile phone transmissions located near Abbeville, Somme, France. It has a 203-metre (666 ft) tall guyed mast for FM radio and analogue and digital television services. It is the tallest built structure in the Somme.

Telecommunications transmission site near Abbeville, France
Map
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeTV Radio and mobile Phone transmitter
LocationLimeux, Picardie, France
Coordinates50°00′44″N 1°49′49″E / 50.012361°N 01.830278°E / 50.012361; 01.830278 50°00′44″N 1°50′01″E / 50.01222°N 1.83361°E / 50.01222; 1.83361
Completedmast 1: end 1960's / mast 2 : january 2016
Heightmast 1 : 203 m (666 ft) / mast 2 : 202 m (663 ft)
Design and construction
Main contractorTDF

The building of a second Mast

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As in most countries, TV Broadcast was a state monopoly in France. As a consequence, when the market opened to competitors, the historic operator TDF had the advantage of already having all the requested infrastructures. By Law, it was decided to permit access of the existing infrastructures to the competitors, paying a rent to the historic operator. The Operator Itas Tim found it more profitable to build its own mast and not paying the rent, thus a second mast was built at the end of 2015.[1] Itas tim switched over its own muxes to the new mast on February, 2nd 2016. But in the end TDF bought the operator Itas Tim at the end 2016.

Analogue services (Mast 1)

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FM radio
Radio name Frequency Power
France Musique 89.8 MHz 2,5 kW
France Inter 93.1 MHz 2,5 kW
France Culture 97.4 MHz 2,5 kW
France Bleu Picardie 100.6 MHz 5 kW

Digital switchover planned date on Abbeville-Limeux TV mast : February 1, 2011.

Analogue TV SECAM with NICAM Subcarrier
Channel Name UHF Channel Power Notes
TF1 63H 380 kW
France 2 57H 380 kW will be used for digital broadcasting when DSO completed
France 3 Picardie 60H 380 kW
Canal+ not transmitted N/A This Pay TV was received from Bouvigny TV mast (in analogue) (Switched off on 14/04/10). It is now only available using DTT on Limeux
France 5/Arte 45H 80 kW
M6 42H 80 kW

Digital services

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Frequencies from May, 14th 2019 Originally, all the multiplexes were transmitted from Mast 1. Itas tim's multiplexes were transferred to the new mast in early 2016. Extra compression made it possible to delete mux 5 and then to sell the frequencies over 700 MHz to mobile phone operators.

Télévision Numérique Terrestre the French version of Freeview (UK)
Multiplex Name UHF Channel Nominal power Operator Transmitting standard Mast
Multiplex R1 (GR1) 35H 80 kW ITAS TIM (TDF) DVB-T 1
Multiplex R2 (NTN) 25H 80 kW Towercast (NRJ Group) DVB-T 1
Multiplex R3 (CNH) 22H 80 kW Towercast (NRJ Group) DVB-T 1
Multiplex R4 (Multi4) 45H 80 kW ITAS TIM (TDF) DVB-T 1
Multiplex R5 (GR5 - TNT HD) N/A 80 kW from October 30, 2008 OneCast (formerly a TF1 Subsidiary) DVB-T
Multiplex R6 (SMR6) 39H 80 kW ITAS TIM (TDF) DVB-T 2
Multiplex R7 (MHD7) 28H 80 kW Towercast (NRJ Group) DVB-T 1

References

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