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Looking for a frequency

Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 10:21 am
by Unknown
Hello necks. I haven't put anything on in many years and thinking about returning to the dial. What frequency would be good for Kent, essex and London ?

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 2:23 pm
by reverend
The dial is pretty full these days what with the Community stations taking up frequencies and "Kent, Essex and London" is a wide area.

The best thing to do is to put up an antenna fairly high in the area you want to TX to and scan the dial to see what's free. Ideally you want to be at least 600 kHz away from any other station, especially local ones, but when the dial's congested that's sometimes not possible.

I did a similar thing in the Surrey/Hampshire borders and both 96.8 and 106.5 were looking feasible. We settled on 106.5 as 96.8 was near to the local station on 96.4 and was more likely to get complaints. Oddly, the new Community station in Farnborough was later assigned 106.5 so clearly we did our homework well.

A similar scan in deepest darkest Kent was far more difficult due to the number of French stations that could be heard. Of course it was unlikely that any interference would be caused *to* them but they put in a strong enough signal into Kent to cause interference *from* them. We ended up on 94.9 and oddly... the new Community station in Dover was assigned the same frequency.

It pays to do your homework.

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2025 10:07 pm
by Wk-end
106.5 would not be a good choice.

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2025 2:40 pm
by Unknown
Been having a scan on high ground.

88.6 looks ok but right next to vision.
89.4 can't hear anything.
90.8 ??? Is lightnin still using this ??
93.0 but heard bad things about this dial. Also getting bbc r3 quite strong
95.1 but getting a lot of clutter from either side.

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2025 3:46 pm
by famefm
Lightning is definitely still on 90.8

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2025 10:15 pm
by reverend
I thought House FM were quite clever when they moved to 100.3. That's the frequency of the 130kW transmitter of Classic FM from Rowridge on the Isle of Wight which puts in a big signal across the south coast and still puts in a reasonable signal into London. Whilst the incoming interference levels are therefore quite high and does limit coverage somewhat, there's no way you could cause interference *to* them, and with the FM capture ratio as long as you have a good enough signal you'll get out just fine.

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 9:04 am
by radionortheast
alright as long as you don’t mind overly compressed classical music I suppose and old grey news readers, radio 3’s probably better though as you don’t get adverts get low talking, 8-) it won’t be on in car frequency, I always worry something on in car frequency would likely get reported. Maybe something on a clear frequency just stands out more, don't know who is listening kind of thing, even something low power can travel, when you can't hear anything else either, it sticks out, I suppose if you can only see 2 miles thats how far it will go, you can maybe put it on a clear frequency, don't know it theres any logic to this. :tup

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 11:28 am
by Unknown
reverend wrote: Wed Sep 24, 2025 10:15 pm I thought House FM were quite clever when they moved to 100.3. That's the frequency of the 130kW transmitter of Classic FM from Rowridge on the Isle of Wight which puts in a big signal across the south coast and still puts in a reasonable signal into London. Whilst the incoming interference levels are therefore quite high and does limit coverage somewhat, there's no way you could cause interference *to* them, and with the FM capture ratio as long as you have a good enough signal you'll get out just fine.
KMFM are on 100.4

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 1:12 pm
by Unknown
Is station FM still going on 89.8 ? Can someone confirm. It's not on the London FM list.

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 2:05 pm
by reverend
Unknown wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 11:28 am
reverend wrote: Wed Sep 24, 2025 10:15 pm I thought House FM were quite clever when they moved to 100.3. That's the frequency of the 130kW transmitter of Classic FM from Rowridge on the Isle of Wight which puts in a big signal across the south coast and still puts in a reasonable signal into London. Whilst the incoming interference levels are therefore quite high and does limit coverage somewhat, there's no way you could cause interference *to* them, and with the FM capture ratio as long as you have a good enough signal you'll get out just fine.
KMFM are on 100.4
So it's not London you're looking at then but Kent? 100.4 is Medway way.

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 2:40 pm
by reverend
Having done a scan of the area (based around Gravesend as a random London/Kent/Essex type location), your best bets seem to be:

89.4/89.5 (assuming Citylock have been sadly de-funked)
98.2
101.2 which was used in the area formerly by Atomix - check the forums to see how well they got out
101.9 (worst interferer is 101.8 Classic FM from Dover but that's the other end of the county)

There's a lot of community stations to dodge in that area, that's for sure!

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 4:10 pm
by famefm
Unknown wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 1:12 pm Is station FM still going on 89.8 ? Can someone confirm. It's not on the London FM list.
I have not heard station on FM for at least a year and a half and are you from the original 97.1 unknown from the 2000s?

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 5:24 pm
by Unknown
reverend wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 2:05 pm
Unknown wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 11:28 am
reverend wrote: Wed Sep 24, 2025 10:15 pm I thought House FM were quite clever when they moved to 100.3. That's the frequency of the 130kW transmitter of Classic FM from Rowridge on the Isle of Wight which puts in a big signal across the south coast and still puts in a reasonable signal into London. Whilst the incoming interference levels are therefore quite high and does limit coverage somewhat, there's no way you could cause interference *to* them, and with the FM capture ratio as long as you have a good enough signal you'll get out just fine.
KMFM are on 100.4
So it's not London you're looking at then but Kent? 100.4 is Medway way.
No, the signal will cover all 3 counties and abit further. I can hear KMFM on high ground so it will cut into their signal. 98.2 might be a good shout.

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 8:56 pm
by Unknown
Getting BBC R2 strongish on 89.7 so maybe not a good idea using 89.8.

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 10:04 pm
by famefm
Yes it is south of Croydon somewhere and radio one is on 99.3 in the same area as the 89.7 radio 2 but select was on 99.3 and later digital soul for a long time

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 11:04 pm
by Unknown
Anyone opposed to 95.1 ?

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 6:54 am
by MR.K951
Just to let you know, 95.1fm is not available, so please "Don't think of jumping on there"

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 6:57 am
by MR.K951
I'm sure a few people in here, might let you know, its not a good idea, we are planning something soon, so keep your ears open 95.1 are returning

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 11:59 am
by famefm
The last station who was on 951 is on dab now

Re: Looking for a frequency

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2025 3:22 am
by MR.K951
Do your homework mate, 95.1 is not up for grabs.
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