History
Ryde was a small-scale installation on the roof of the telephone exchange. A temporary link from the Portsdown Repeater Station was in operation from around 1969 to the mid-1970s and the link from Thornhill seems to have been available by 1973. The purpose was most likely to increase capacity and provide an alternative to the cables across the Solent.
Photos show a dish facing approximately east but it is unclear how this might have linked within the BT network. We understand the main connectivity to the Isle of Wight is now via fibre however an SHF link has been retained between Thornhill and Rowridge.
