Les Platons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Les Platons |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 136 m (446 ft) |
| Prominence | 136 m (446 ft) |
| Listing | Hardy |
| Geography | |
.svg)
 Les Platons
Location in Channel Islands
|
|
Les Platons is the highest point on the island of Jersey. It stands 136 metres (446 feet) tall. Jersey is a Crown dependency of the United Kingdom, which means it's a special territory linked to the UK but governs itself.
You can find Les Platons in the area called Vingtaine de la Ville-à-l'Évêque, which is part of the parish of Trinity.
What is Les Platons?
Les Platons is not just a high point; it's also an important site for technology. It is home to several radio transmitters. These send out radio signals across the island. There is also a radar station located there. Radar stations use radio waves to detect objects like planes or ships.
Early Broadcasts
In October 1955, Les Platons became a very important place for television. A special transmitter was set up there. This transmitter started sending out BBC Television (which later became BBC One) to the Channel Islands. It used an older system called 405 line service. This was on channel 4.
Before 1955, people in the Channel Islands could not get TV or radio signals directly. They had to rely on signals coming all the way from mainland England. Les Platons changed that. From 1955, it also started broadcasting BBC national radio stations.
Bringing More Channels
The BBC began sending out FM radio signals from Les Platons on October 16, 1961. These signals carried different BBC radio channels. These included the Home, Light, and Third Programmes. Later, these became what we know today as Radio 2, Radio 3, and Radio 4.
In September 1962, another important transmitter started working. This was the Fremont Point transmitting station, located about 2 km west of Les Platons. It brought Independent Television (ITV) to the Channel Islands for the first time. This new channel was called Channel Television. Over time, Fremont Point became the main place for TV broadcasts in the Channel Islands.
In 1976, Fremont Point began broadcasting a newer type of TV signal. This was 625 television, which also brought BBC2 and colour television to the Channel Islands for the first time.
Radio Only Now
Television broadcasts from Les Platons stopped in 1985. This happened when the older 405-line TV system was no longer used in the UK. Since 1985, Les Platons has been used only for radio transmissions.
