BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

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outis
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BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by outis » Mon Apr 15, 2024 5:45 pm

"Effective 15th April, Radio 4 will no longer be available on medium wave. " https://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/help-gu ... to-radio-4
On 720khz only and an automatic message now

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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by Albert H » Mon Apr 15, 2024 10:58 pm

That's sad. Iceland on 207 kHz went a month or two ago (I used to like their overnight non-stop music mixes), and RTE 252 went yesterday.
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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by outis » Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:18 am

Albert H wrote: Mon Apr 15, 2024 10:58 pm That's sad. Iceland on 207 kHz went a month or two ago (I used to like their overnight non-stop music mixes), and RTE 252 went yesterday.
Were 207 and 252 still on air until recently?
On LW I can get (in Surrey) only Radio4 and a station in French (Algiers?)

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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by jvok » Tue Apr 16, 2024 1:24 pm

198LW is still on air til march next year. Its only the MW fill ins that have gone off air

207 and 252 both went in march last year

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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by Albert H » Tue Apr 16, 2024 2:30 pm

207 kHz went off much more recently. One of our guys went over there recently to advise on the re-use of the antenna system masts for other frequencies (possibly MW and certainly SW).
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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by radionortheast » Tue Apr 16, 2024 6:33 pm

I wonder myself why it too so long, I can kind of understand why long wave kept going, radio 1 moved from medium wave 30 years, I remember listening on a crystal set, making a 2 transistor am radio that worked well, amazing radio waves could power a radio 8-)

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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by Albert H » Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:31 pm

It was said that the 198 kHz Radio 4 was used to confirm to "our" nuclear submarines that London was still there! Apparently they would surface daily and check that they could hear it.
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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by outis » Wed Apr 17, 2024 11:48 am

Albert H wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:31 pm It was said that the 198 kHz Radio 4 was used to confirm to "our" nuclear submarines that London was still there! Apparently they would surface daily and check that they could hear it.
198 is still on - for how long? Who can tell?
But running a 500kw transmitter is too costly

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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by radionortheast » Wed Apr 17, 2024 6:29 pm

outis wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2024 11:48 am
Albert H wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:31 pm It was said that the 198 kHz Radio 4 was used to confirm to "our" nuclear submarines that London was still there! Apparently they would surface daily and check that they could hear it.
198 is still on - for how long? Who can tell?
But running a 500kw transmitter is too costly
teleswitch due to close on the 30th of June 2025, think thats the reason its kept going for so long, suppose they don't want their heating going off, they might blame 198 on having a cold bath :lol:
https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/the- ... explained/

it does seem like the end of the world all these close down announcements, greatest hits then absolute, submariness use vlf, it gose under water
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_low_frequency

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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by Albert H » Wed Apr 17, 2024 10:52 pm

The penetration into seawater of VLF is very limited, and getting any useful coverage at those frequencies requires insanely high power and truly gigantic aerials!
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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by Persona Non Grata » Mon Apr 22, 2024 10:17 pm

Albert H wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:31 pm It was said that the 198 kHz Radio 4 was used to confirm to "our" nuclear submarines that London was still there! Apparently they would surface daily and check that they could hear it.
I've always been sceptical about such claims seeing as how any countries with the motivation and capability to destroy the UK could easily make fake BBC broadcasts.

It wouldn't even be a new trick. Fake broadcasts (impersonating enemy stations) were made by all sides as far back as WW2.

There's also the whodunnit problem. During the last century the assumption was the only country with the desire and wherewithall to destroy the UK was the USSR/Russia. Whether this is still the case today (and for how long it will remain the case) is highly questionable.

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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by Albert H » Wed Apr 24, 2024 12:35 am

It would be difficult to fake the "additional" data contained on the 198 kHz carrier. It's very secret!
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Re: BBC Radio 4 on MW - RIP

Post by Time2Shine » Sun Sep 29, 2024 9:38 am

Albert H wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2024 10:52 pm The penetration into seawater of VLF is very limited, and getting any useful coverage at those frequencies requires insanely high power and truly gigantic aerials!
The Wikipedia article refers to the signal getting down to a few tens of meters and VLF being used for submarine communication. This article on Anthorn echoes that
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthorn_Radio_Station

I'm surprised by the relatively low powers apparently being used at Anthorn whereas the VLF site in the states is apparently pumping out 1.4 MW

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