A few people have suggested that a single transmitter could be used on 247, as well as 330 and 434 Freddie, but the clearance never allowed for that, and the BBC never requested it, though I would be amazed if they didn't consider it. The system was set up as two chains of regional stations, to give one national and one regional channel per area. They stuck resolutely to that for over 30 years later adding the Third chain el and then lots of fill in transmitters using the RCA 1kW units in various towns where the signal strength of both the national and their regional was weak. Putting one giant transmitter on wavelengths such as 247 would still have holes in it that need fill-ins.

I saw calculations a few years ago that showed that a unit of 600 kW on 1215 (247) from one site at Moorside Edge (West Yorkshire) would still need some fill ins along the South coast , West Country, even into Wales. In Scotland it would make very little difference. Swapping its 909 transmitter to 693, and using the 400 kW it can radiate, might just replace the others on 693 , though I doubt that is even being considered by the Beeb now for Radio 5. But it would be a way to save a lot of juice and try and encourage its listeners to switch to DAB.

The BBC have certainly considered pulling all their AM services and they would do the same with the FMs in England too, if they thought they could survive it. The public howls of objections would surely be typo much though 0 it would lave so many areas with no radio at all. DAB doesn't reach much more than. 50% of the country, geographically. For that reason alone I think such a closedown is still ten years away yet.