Moorside Edge transmitting station, opened in 1931, was originally constructed to radiate the BBC's North Regional (from 17 May on 626 kHz) and National Programmes (from 12 July on 995 kHz).

It is – at 400 kW – one of the most powerful mediumwave radio transmitters in Britain. Formed of two 158-metre-high steel lattice towers, it is located just above Moorside Edge (). Other nearby transmitting stations are Holme Moss (11.56 km, bearing 168.17°) and Emley Moor (15.4 km, bearing 99.41°).

thumb|Moorside Edge MW radio transmitter

As with most mediumwave transmitters, a good "signal earth" is important and this is assured by the waterlogged nature of the ground on which it is built. The site's location on the Pennine Hills means that signals from Moorside Edge can be received at very long distances: as far north as Scotland, as far south as the Midlands, as far west as Dublin, and well beyond the country's eastern (North Sea) coast.

thumb|256px|One of the four [[Ruston (engine builder)|Ruston generating sets originally installed at Moorside Edge, now preserved at the Internal Fire Museum of Power]]

The station is now owned and operated by Arqiva and broadcasts the following services:

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!kW

!Service

|-

|909 kHz

|400

|BBC Radio 5 Live

|-

|1089 kHz

|400 (night) 200 (day)

|Talksport

|}

Formerly:

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Frequency

!kW

!Service

!Ceased

|-

|1215 kHz

|200

|Absolute Radio

|20 January 2023

|}

See also

  • List of masts
  • List of radio stations in the United Kingdom

References

  • The Transmission Gallery: Moorside Edge Transmitter photographs and information