In February 1932, radio broadcasting strength tests took place at Wychbold and Whittington, Worcestershire.

[1] By March 1932, it was decided to put the 5XX LW transmitter at Droitwich, at 120kW, and to boost the Midland Regional to 70 kW there.

In November 1933 the expected power was increased to 150kW, as that was the maximum allowed under the Lucerne Plan, which took effect on 15 January 1934.

[9][10] The first item was the 1923 The Merrymakers overture, by Eric Coates, played by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Aylmer Buesst.

The northerly mast is actually the transmitting antenna whilst the southern mast is a passive reflector causing the rf signal to form a cardioid pattern tending in a NE direction so as not to interfere with the similar set up in Bristol.

BBC Radio 5 Live is broadcast on 693 kHz medium wave (MW), providing coverage for most of the English Midlands and Wales at a signal strength (150 kW) which is one of the strongest for that station, equal to Brookmans Park and second only to Moorside Edge.

During World War II coded messages, which were read during normal programmed broadcasts, were sent to the French Resistance using the transmitter.

[15] The same year, The Guardian reported that the transmitter relies upon a pair of glass valves, of which there are fewer than 10 left in the world, and the BBC did not believe it was safe enough to manufacture more, because "slightly faulty" replacements could cause catastrophic failure.