BBC One on Friday morning

I think this is likely to be a transmitter re-broadcast test. I have seen one of these before early one morning in the mid 90s.

This tests the backup systems which kick in if the feed of 'Network' to a transmitter fails. In this case the transmitter switches from the network feed to an off-air receiver receiving the next nearest transmitter. This scheduled test I think is for a worse case scenario of NO transmitters getting network feeds.

I believe that a re-broadcast test relies on Crystal Palace being the only transmitter fed by network, the transmitters nearest Crystal Palace rebroadcast an off-air Crystal Palace signal, then the transmitters nearest these re-broadcasting transmitters rebroadcast their signals, and so on, until the pictures reach the North of Scotland, and have been received and retransmitted a LOT.

Test signals are broadcast from Crystal Palace, and measurements made at locations around the UK served by the various re-broadcasting transmitters, to see how impaired the received signal is, and whether the kit actually works.

I think this is only done for analogue services, I have no idea about the digital services.

As the test is for the analogue service, I would imagine a 4:3 analogue test pattern would be used - TCF or J - plus possibly other signals, such as Pulse and Bar.

I can capture the BBC1 Scotland (analogue) shutdown...

You can now choose if you have TV Card capibiites!!!

<----My answer.

I'll be monitoring the going on in analogue land and as the bar to the left of me says, I'll be able to capture it!

Not that much will be happening, I've seen things like this before, its great if you love the testcard though, like me!

I'll be interested to see what the signal is like from Sutton Coldfield, which is around 100 miles from Crystal Palace (as the crow flies.) I'll be interested to see what our people in Scotland will be receiving.

My guess is that the nations will go to N24 as normal at 1.15. They may mention the forthcoming break in transmission but my guess is that at 3am, it'll just fade into the (recorded) announcement from London over a menu. No nations 'shutdown' as such.

Cheers, Asa

Probably.

We'll most likely just get an announcement that BBC ONE is taking a 'short break.'

I seem to remember seeing a RealVideo clip from a time before when they did it. When they opted back you got the BBC One clock for about 45 seconds, followed by the N24 (flags, I think) sting.

Probably won't be anything earth-shattering... any chance somebody could record the output from N24 digital and, if possible, World, to see what they all do?

Why is it only the BBC that do these test transmissions. You never hear of ITV, Channel 4 or any other channel doing them.

But what do you think would happen if a MAJOR news story broke right in the middel of it. Would news24 return. But the chances of a major news story breaking at 3am is extremly unlikley.

Try telling that to the production teams who covered Princess Diana's death!

well, no - if you think about it there is the same chance.
Our nation may be sleeping - but other country's will be in the middle of the day. Australia would be at the peak of its day for example. America would be waking up etc.

I thought it was just BBC One or will all the BBC Channels have some sort of break?

I thought It was just news24 and BBC Choice. Because News24 runs over night on BBC1 it just went along with it. BBC2 aren't taking a test transmission break.