National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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Blaenplwyf Mast
[Trans]Mission accomplished! Four men return to earth smiling after successfully attaching a satellite dish to the Blaenplwyf mast.
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Overview
Not an everyday job nor a job everybody would want: fixing a satellite dish to a transmitter mast almost 500ft tall and built on land over 500ft above sea level. Local postman, Vince Morgan, was interested in the construction of this mast, which has become a Ceredigion landmark, and either handed his camera to men engaged in the work or was allowed up to the dizzy heights himself. Either way, a vertiginous record of the dish being successfully attached was achieved!
Originally built by the BBC, the Blaenplwyf station entered provisional service (radio only) in October 1956 and was ready for television transmission by the time of its official opening in April 1957. The mast seen here was replaced in the 1990s as the original construction could not support the aerial system needed to upgrade transmission.
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