You are quite right, the corrugated area near the top of the mast is a weather shelter so that technicians working on the mast can shelter if bad weather comes in when they are up the mast. Also it allows staff to take a break out of the wind (which is vicious!) instead of going back to ground level. Incidentally, access up the mast is usually provided by a metal "basket" hauled up by a wire on a ground winch. Some unfortunate person has to climb up the ladder initially taking a rope to haul up the wire so the winch can be rigged up for use during the maintenance project. Climbing vertically takes good fitness! Ice is a big problem here. In the 1980s there was a severe icing episode (on the old mast which was later replaced). The ice was so thick that the guy wires could be clearly seen from down in Holmfirth. Unfortunately a sudden thaw in the weather caused tons of ice to slough off the guys which smashed into the building below. However, luckily it only damaged the standby generator plant and services kept going fed from the mains supply. Since then the building roof has been strengthened to give some protection from ice. You may notice some "knobbly" things on the guy wires. These are "helical strakes" made from plastic to stop an effect called vortex shedding which caused the guys to "gallop" or vibrate under certain steady wind conditions. It was quite frightening to see the guys whipping around and the associated movement of the mast under these conditions! Someone asked about "monitoring" - well at one time Holme Moss was a manned site that supervised the operation of all the BBC transmitters in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and part of Lancashire. Antennas were aimed at the various transmitters, which were unmanned, so that staff could listen to (or watch for TV) what was being broadcast. This supplemented the automatic monitoring equipment which reported faults, usually over telephone lines back to Holme Moss. Thanks for documenting your trip to HM - bought back happy memories from last century! Pretty much everything you talked about was accurate, by the way!

A Navy Captain called my office one day and asked for any failed and weird antennas we had to install on his building. His idea was that the decoy antennas would keep the Soviets guessing at what all those antennas were about amongst the real ones.

As a long time broadcast technician in the states I found this very interesting and similar to our antenna arrangements on master towers.

This is the kind of content I find fascinating, I would love to see the transmitters and link equipment inside the bunkers. Great work Lewis I appreciate the time and effort that you put in to create these wonderful video's 👍

This reminds me of my time in Spain. I serviced some local radio stations who managed to get a rack space at a side where radio Nacional España had its transmitters. it was a site up a mountain top near Benidorm. You needed to remove any jewelry before entering the building. And the hairs on your arms went straight up when you did enter. One transmitter was 250kw I was told. It had several transmitters at that site. The tower was not that high, but it was packed with antennas in every direction. It also had its own generator as one transmitter was the emergency transmitter for Spain. The diesel fuel tank was made in a hole of the mountain and very large. Yes I do love this type of content. Keep this up. Great video.

I haven't seen your videos before, but as someone who works in the field of RF it's awesome to have videos like this to spread some light over things that aren't commonly understood in a way which is simple and makes sense. Thanks!

I'm a simple man; I see a Ringway antenna video, I click.

Brilliant work Lewis. I was born in Lincoln and became very used to the Belmont site when travelling to the coast, strangely enough - I now live on the Norfolk Coast at Hunstanton and on a clear night I can see the lights of Belmont just across The Wash on the Lincolnshire Wolds and where I live, unless you use Sky - the Freeview signals come from Belmont. Interesting to see the Airwave stuff on the site. Back in the days when you could listen to the police signals on VHF and UHF (not that I did of course!) I tracked down most if not all of their repeater sites in Lincolnshire. Ahhh those days were fun.

You're feeding my inner broadcasting geek. Nice video, Lewis! More like this please.

It is amazing how many different services are broadcast from a site. I have seen the antennas on the former World Trade Center in Manhattan, going to the observatory roof there before 9/11 in October 1981. Also been to the antenna site at West Peak near Meriden, Connecticut, for some of the FM Hartford CT area stations, at over 1000 feet above sea level, and finally the antenna site for Montreal Quebec, on Mont Royal site, above the city in 2008. Ray W2CH.

Brilliant breakdown of services and aerials, Lewis. Much appreciated!

Thanks Lewis. Brought back loads of memories of my time on student placement at Alan Dick & Co in the late 80's. Working on those high power broadcast combining units, feeders and antenna arrays was something else.

Great video! Old antennas may simply be left on the tower because it's often too much effort and potentially cost to remove them, especially depending on where they are and whether any services have to be disrupted to get at them - e.g. you won't just turn off a major TV station so some riggers can climb past a DAB or digital TV antenna array to remove an antenna thats no longer being used (and this is more complicated now that antennas are transmitting multiplexes of multiple stations all at once...) Additionally, the company that once may have operated them may have gone bust, and the tower owner probably isn't going to make the effort/expense to remove the antennas either. That's all if it hasn't simply been forgotten about during upgrades, migrations, company mergers, etc.

Videos like this are how I fall down internet rabbit holes. I ended up on the Alan Dick website trying to find out how much it would cost to buy a TV broadcast antenna.

A friend (a former GPO/BT tech based at Telco Tower London) says that the Mini Tower at Heaton Park was part of the Backbone and Secondary for broadcast. Perhaps you might look into this. Great content, you can of course assume more content like this, would be most welcome.

Hi Lewis, I did something similar when I worked in a hi fi shop in Liverpool town centre called Hardman radio, not for tv but for broadcast VHF radio. I put a 4 element Yagi on the roof and a 3 element Yagi in the back of the shop with a wide band Labgear preamp in between the 2 antennas, this worked really well as the shop was about 60 foot long, so the FM reception was brilliant it also really helped to sell transistor radios as the customers where amazed just how good the cheap radios worked in the middle of the town centre. See you soon Dave. 😀

More please, Lewis. You are the tower structure to my crossed dipole antenna.

To see Holme Moss defying the elements on a bleak day is a wonderful sight to behold. Loved this and your pirate radio videos. More please. I love broadcast related stuff like this. 😁

Great episode! Yes, please more of this type of content! I’m in the U.S. , but I really enjoy your channel, and this episode is definitely one I found very interesting! Thanks for the great work you do and the extremely interesting content!!

I find this kind of content - giving us new eyes for the things around us - very satisfying to watch. Subscribed.

This was an interesting video of this transmitter site. Brilliant work. I am an Armature Radio operator in the U. S. Always nice to see other transmitting equipment in different parts of the world.

Absolutely love this type of content. Keep up the great work :)

Even though I’m “across the pond” in the USA, I’m very interested in any video you post. Doesn’t matter the subject. I especially like any commercial equipment along with Amateur Radio as I’m a ham too. (N6FRW). Thanks for all your videos.

Most interesting video of late Lewis

Awesome video Lewis! Definitely like to see more antenna arrays. Really enjoyed looking at this amazing structure. Interesting to see the damage inflicted by a wayward ice chunk on that microwave antenna.

Another quality video Lewis and explanation of different antennas,look forward to more of these videos thank you.

I very much enjoyed this video. Please do more. I went to a local mast @ West Hoathley which carried all sorts of strange antennas including TETRA , took some pictures and the police were called! Have you ever tried explaining yourself to a brain dead non technical police woman who thinks Facebook has its own aerials? I have!

Great video - went up there yesterday (fantastic weather but icy!) and really appreciate the rundown of the equipment and purposes.

My ex-wife's uncle overheard me asking about the "what are those Golf ball looking globes at RAF Boulmer" He worked for Serco security on the base and got me in to look at the A/C as a visitor.A HUGE American soldier let us in and we descended to a Bunker that was in near darkness. Had a strange smell but he said because it has It's own air from above ground. We looked In a room that was dated, looked like the set of War Games the movie. Led ticker was showing a message but I wont say on here. I was told It was last used during the cold war but the messages on the screen was IRA related. Facinating experience, never forget it.

That's one very busy mast! So much good content in this video. I can't imagine how long it took to compile it. Well done, sir! Haskell - W5HLM New Braunfels, Texas

I remember jumping off Winter Hill attached to a hang glider in the late 80s. It was mostly foggy on and off.

Amazing rog! This is why you are my goto when I see an antenna and want to know what it is!

Very informative yet again Lewis. Definitely one of my favourite channels.

You follow my line of thinking. Very enjoyable and very informative, 2nd viewing now to catch the detail. PS love all of your output. Thank you

Whomever it was that designed and constructed the anchoring did a damn fine job of it, and whomever performs the structural maintenance also "means business", as evidenced by the thoroughness of the application of the gunship grey paint, and the fact that absolutely no rust is visible, nor are any other signs of corrosion evident. At those heights/'altitudes', actually, one often sees streaks of rust, or other signs of corrosion, and that tower is pristine! Cheers!, and thanks for the upload!

Love the geeky side of anything electrical, keep 'em coming!

Always a great video. I love this type of content.

Nicely done aa usual! You must put a lot of time into research and I'm sure your fans here are as grateful as me.

Fascinating - I work in telecoms so recognise some of the cellular and microwave links, I also had a stint doing student radio at uni so dabbled with a short range microwave link and the associated FM transmitter, but all of this gear is on another level - I'd hate to have to climb that mast though :D

Brilliant video Lewis, very interesting and informative. I had the opportunity to go up the Mendip Mast (Pen Hill, Somerset) near me many years ago and was fascinated by all the equipment, would love to visit more of these installations.

Has been something I've seen as long as I can remember living in South Manchester Really interesting Lewis thanks for sharing and plese keep the intesting content coming 👍

SIMPLY OUTSTANDING I love them and only know the basics so get a grasp of some the other shapes we sup there is super. Great footage.

Love your channel! Thank you for your very informative videos!

Great Video Lewis. Thanks. I can confirm the necessity of the shelter having been stuck near the top of a tower crane during a sudden thunderstorm. Hanging on for dear life in freezing rain and high winds is not fun.

NOT long winded at ALL! Very interesting and great detail! Thank you.

Plenty going on up on thoughs masts. Such a variety indeed. Towards the end I was getting the feeling of vertigo! Thanks for the info Lewis 🙂👍

Great video Lewis! When you are in Holmfirth they say if you can’t see the mast then you know it’s raining. If you can see it you know it will start raining soon 😂

Yes, more content like this please. It’s fascinating

Fantastic level of detail. Certainly a lot on one mast. Yes, absolutely, more of this type of stuff please. 73 M7TUD

Very interesting and informative... more videos like this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for being instructive.

That's a lot of antennas to maintain. Imagine the disruption if that tower came down unexpectedly.

Fascinating! Great work.

I'd love to see a video on the RBS structure and maybe incorporate the RBS test! Love your work making broadcast technology accessible and understandable.

Most of the info went over my head but I still found it really interesting, thanks Lewis! Hmm, the corrugated section, perhaps some secret military surveillance antennas? 😊

Really nice video on what all these antennas do. Really, I thought it was like a two minute video when in fact it was 10 minutes, very informative very interesting thank you.

Great video! I love this kind of content and would love to see more!

Interesting stuff, as always. Keep them coming!

Thanks, Lewis this is most interesting. I never visited the mast but I remember when it opened as a TV transmitter. It was a bit thing those days as this was the third TV station in England and a special program went to air. Where I lived as I do now we picked up TV from the Hints transmitter near Sutton Coldfield. would love you to cover this. Thanks, Robert...

Love your informative videos, and think its wonderful thst you can discuss what the equipmemt does rather thsn just show random pictures , while talkimg about this numbers station or thst oddity

I really loved this video. I've often wondered how the TV broadcast and radio broadcast done in the UK. I use to live there at RAF Bentwaters in the early 1990's.

I had no idea I was interested in antennas until I watched this video! Thanks mate 😉

Great information video and great comments. Thanks

I really enjoyed your presentation. Keep up the good work Thanks

Yes sir I’m in America and I think this is very informative so go for it

Very interesting - yes please do make more! The thing at the top of the mast, I think is a radar reflector, for aircraft.

Thanks, great video, would like to see more of this kind.

VERY precise explanations!! Wow! I thought you said, "falling guys (supporting cables)". Your British accent meant "ice". 😊

Loved it! More please!

That tower is a monument to a lot of very smart people!

Thank you that was very interesting. Yes I certainly would like to see more videos like this.

The "Falling Ice" sign made me laugh. I visited NYC in 2016 and experienced 26" snowfall. A walk near any of the high rises bore risk and I saw 2 foot icicles crash to the pavement in front of me. Avoiding them became just another NYC skill.

Excellent explanation! Thank you.

Excellent content thanks for sharing your thoughts 👍I am a aerial rigger so I understand everything you went through.

Really informative video and reaches out to more people as we all see these site and wonder what’s what.

Fascinating thanks for making the video 👍

Great video, as are the pirate radio ones. Extra good viewing lately. Cheers Lewis.

Excellent informative video! Thanks!

Videos like this are awesome, not long winded at all! For those of us not in the UK, maybe a video explaining how all the networks work together? You were using another name for a network I have no idea what it was, sounded like a company name. Does everywhere get BBC 1,2,3, etc but only Wales get the BBC Wales station? Those kinds of things.

Really interesting video. Had no idea there were so many different services on one tower. Have you made any videos about how all of the services are managed at one site ? Or is that impossible due to security etc. ? Great episode 👍

Great video! Really enjoyed it. Would love to see more of it; also in different countries (like the Turkey episode). 73

Excellent video Lewis 😀 . It reminds me of when I used watch BBC and IBA Engineering broadcasts to the trade in the 1980s when off school . Always fascinating stuff - thanks.

Thank you, Lewis. Very interesting. M3TDZ

Very interesting video - thanks for posting. I did find all the defocus transitions a bit distracting but it was fascinating content all the same. Thanks!

Love this type of video!

Very interesting Lewis as always. More of the same please. Love it

Great video, I love this stuff

Really enjoyed that Lewis. Its the sort of thing I've been doing for many years. Military sites are a curiosity to me mainly. But any antenna and I want to have a look.

Fascinating. I wish you could do this in my country

I have some photos you might like I took from one of the Arqiva auctions where I brought quite a few of the TXs recently used as part of the switch over project, and we had to remove them from the racks ourselves. So lots of RF kit. I now have a spare room full of TXs from Emley Moor and not exactly sure why I grabbed them but seemed too good an opportunity to let them pass 🤣.

Yes to more content like this

Thanks for the video!

Great job on this video, I am learning about number stations.

This was fascinating!

Please do more like this!

Hello from the Stockport area. Great video, fascinating!

Am sure we used to drive to one, near Sheffield passed snakes pass , I was young back then the driver dave said they was TV but its beyond me

Like others have said. Thank you for making these videos, I can now bore my passengers as I drive past these antennas. I would love to see whats inside the cabins around the base of these aerials, hopfully someone might be able to get you inside.

Well Done 👍

i loved this maannn!!!