History

BBC television coverage reached the Aberdeen area in December 1954, intially on a temporary basis from Redmoss, an existing medium wave site just south of the city. The service transferred to Core Hill (known by the BBC as "Meldrum") in October 1955. In BBC Engineering Pawley records: "While the temporary station was in use, the programme from Kirk o'Shotts was received at a Post Office station at Craigowl and transmitted to Bruxie Hill and thence to a temporary Post Office Terminal at Redmoss. With the opening of Meldrum, the programme was routed by SHF link from the intermediate station at Bruxie Hill to Granite Hill and thence to Meldrum. Further improvements in this link were made later."

Post Office Radio Report 2556 describes the "Direct Pick Up" arrangement at Craigowl and discloses some detail of the microwave link, although this is described both as "2000 Mc/s" and "4000 Mc/s". The Engineer in Chief's Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 1955 confirms a 4GHz link was used, but "Outside-broacast-type 4000 Mc/s radio-relay equipment has been used temporarily at the terminal stations. It will be replaced by permanent equipment when the link is extended to the final BBC site at Old Meldrum..." The Annual Report also advises the use of timber buildings at Craigowl and Bruxie Hill.

In meeting the BBC's final requirements, two new stations were established: Granite Hill, to the north west of central Aberdeen, and Core Hill where the Post Office built a separate site adjacent to the BBC transmitter. All sites were subsequently absorbed into permanent links running between Kirk o'Shotts - Aberdeen and continuing as Granite Hill - Rosemarkie