FROM THE ARCHIVE OF: Dave Baldwin
The BBC’s alternative to Test Card F for many years – Test Card G.
Video content
[00:00:00] TEST CARD: a short recording of this electronically generated pattern, which on this occasion was not accompanied by music or tone.
This is believed to be BBC Scotland’s Test Card G generator.
This off-air recording is believed to have taken place in Yorkshire. Potentially due to switching on the BBC Two network distribution. But somewhat perplexing that BBC Scotland’s Test Card G would be going out in the Yorkshire region.
We’re fairly confident it’s not BBC Birmingham’s Test Card G, as that generator had a narrower font for the channel name. But could it be BBC Manchester’s, as contributor SteveB (see comments below) hints?
You can read more about that and about Test Card G in our test card history feature – link below.
RELATED ARTICLE: the history of the BBC trade test transmission (part 4/4).
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: BBC Two Test Card G. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
This was used when the network circuit was being used to distribute programme material to regional centres or nations, with the regional Comms Centres putting up the test card so the circuit could be used without the material being broadcast. The distribution went London/Birmingham/Manchester/Scotland so for this to have been recorded in Yorkshire it would have to have originated in either Birmingham or Manchester.
Thanks for commenting. So, we’re fairly surely it’s not Birmingham’s TCG, as that had a narrower font for the channel ident. If BBC Manchester had a TCG generator, it’s possible that we’re looking at their generator here.