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Area covered: Co. Louth, Co. Down, Co. Armagh, South Co. Antrim
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Site: Clermont Carn, Co. Louth UHF Aerial Group C/D (Green) RTÉ One: 52; RTÉ Two 56; TV3 66; TG4 68 Polarisation: Vertical Nominal Max ERP Vision: 300 kW Site Height: 1674 ft A.S.L. Mast Height: 300 ft
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Multimap.com map of the Clermont Carn site - note that the access road runs parallel to the border for much of its route! Thanks to the ever-dilligent Mike Byron for the link...
Opened in 1981, Clermont Carn is sited in Co. Louth, less than 1 km from the border with Northern Ireland. Clermont Carn has a power of 300kW, which allows its signal to reach down as far south as North Dublin and as far North as Belfast. The transmitter uses UHF, with RTE One on channel 52, Net 2 on channel 56, TV3 is on channel 66 and TG4 on channel 68.
Clermont Carn has recently had a new aerial system installed (see picture above) and this has boosted coverage into Northern Ireland greatly.
The boosted signals now reach as far north as Ballymena and into most, though not all of Belfast. The scheme has cost RTE IR£500,000 but RTE now increase their coverage to 60-70% of Northern Ireland's population.
From my own observations, there is a reasonable RTE One and RTE Two signal from Clermont Carn in much of Belfast although a masthead amp is necessary. TV3 and TG4 don't fare as well however. This site's Bangor correspondent struggled in the past to get good Clermont Carn - but with the installation of the new aerial system at Clermont Carn those on the Gold Coast can now get watchable RTÉ.
RTÉ are conducting DAB tests from Three Rock and Clermont Carn for the first three months of 2006. At present six stations are being transmitted intermittently; RTÉ Radio 1, 2FM, Lyric FM, Raidio na Gaeltachta, Today FM and WRN Europe.
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