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TRANSMISSION DETAILS - FREQUENCIES and WAVELENGTHS
On Air Date: 8th March 1976
Broadcasting to Reading and the Thames Valley
210 Meters / 1431 kHz Medium Wave (AM) and 97.0 VHF / FM Stereo
Medium Wave (AM) transmitter located at Manor Farm grid ref. VHF / FM transmitter located at Butts Centre (Broad Street Mall) grid ref. Stereo coverage extend
ed to greater Berkshire including Basingstoke, Andover, Newbury and beyond
from 1987 on a new frequency of 102.9 MHz VHF / FM from a new transmitter at Hannington. New VHF / FM transmitter at Hannington grid ref. SU527568 - Power 3.4 kW e.r.p.
18/10/1996 - New VHF / FM relay transmitter on 103.4 MHz at Henley grid ref. SU780822 - Power 0.1 kW e.r.p.
11/12/1996 - New Medium Wave / AM transmitter on 1485 kHz (202 Metres) at Wash Water grid ref. SU454625 - Power 1.0 kW e.m.r.p. Thames Valley Broadcasting
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Before the days of 2-Ten fm, there was Radio 210 Thames Valley, Launched on 8th March 1976 by Paul Hollingdale from converted Ambulance station in Calcot, Reading. First record played was "We've Only Just Begun" by The Carpenters. Radio 210 (two-one-oh) Thames Valley (Pre-1976, this radio station originated as Radio Kennet, taking it's title from the river that runs through the area) became the las...t of 19 Independent Local Radio Stations (ILR) in the first phase of commercial stations licensed by the Heath tory government. There wouldnt be any new stations authorised until the Tories regained power under Margeret Thatcher in 1980. Radio 210 launched now household names like Steve Wright & Mike Read ( who both presented the read & Wright show). Other originals where Tony Fox (deceased), David Addis, Steve Crozier, (Yer Man Croze), Mike Matthews, John Flower, Tony Holden and Steve Wood. Other names in the roll of honnar, Keith Bulter (deceased), Howard Pierce, Gavin McCoy, Mike Quinn, Graham Seaman, Graham Ledger (the Ledge), Charley Wolfe (ex-Laser 558), Jean Challis ( ex BBC Radio 2). Radio 210 was so named due to its medium wave frequency of 210 meters, (1431 Khz). The station also simulcast on 97 MHz, VHF (Now FM). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_210
Radio 210 was the smallest of the original ILR (independent local radio) station in the initial wave of stations and its weak medium wave (AM) signal struggled to make an impact in an area where Capital Radio from London blasted in loud and clear. After dark the signal was swamped by the mighty 208 Radio Luxembourg & an East German station from Dresden on 210 meters. The promotion team focused on promoting the VHF/FM signal due to this in days where AM was still king.
1987 brought a new transmitter at Hannington (North of Basingstoke) on 102.9 FM to serve a much larger area reaching well out of the target area. It was noted that transmissions could be hear as far as the Isle of Wight and well into Wiltshire & Dorset. Nicked named the Mighty Monster at the time, the expanded region was launched by David Hamilton (with the slogan “he's switched, have you?”) on the 1st January at mid-day from Owen-Owen department store in Basingstoke. Hamilton’s job - to host a breakfast show that didn't start till 8am - a consequence of Hamilton's refusal to arrive any earlier, due to the traffic. A big signing in 1980 was the whispering Bob Harris (of old grey whistle test fame), who joined the station because “he liked it”. In early 1993 Radio 210 split frequencies (as instructed by the then Government due to a radio act recently passed to end simulcasting) Upon splitting 210 provided two services - Radio 210 FM & Radio 210 Classic Gold (on AM). After asking for suggestions for a rename in the 90’s the FM station was renamed 2-Ten FM. Radio 210 Classic Gold then Classic gold 1431, and recently Gold after the merger of parent company GWR with Capital Group - forming Gcap. Output became networked apart from breakfast and drive time shows.
2-Ten FM became more and more networked during the last few yearswhile under Gcap ownership with now only Breakfast & Drivetime shows coming live from the Calcot studios with local news reports slotted into the shows. In 1997 a new relay was set up to cover area’s east of Reading, Henley on Thames & Maidenhead.
2008 bought the takeover by Gcap by Global Radio, and with this came the news that 2-Ten was to be rebranded as Heart along with 28 other stations in the biggest rebrand in commercial radio history transforming 2-Ten into a national network of 32 stations, spelling the end for the 210/2Ten name along with other familiar station names such as Gemini FM, Ocean FM & GWR FM. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/sep/16/globalradio.commercialradio
EARLY RADIO 210 JINGLES HERE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOIVtcoYzSs
