BBC Advert for MW transmission

[PaulR]

I was listening to Radio Lancashire on my Roberts R200 this afternoon and heard an advertisement that started with recordings of Alvar Liddell et al announcing programmes. It then went on to talk about the old days of radio. I assumed it would be for DAB but it went on to suggest that people dig out their old AM battery radios and listen on MW. It even gave the frequencies for the north and south of the county.

I understand that the MW transmissions of R Lancashire and Cumbria were very valuable indeed during the recent severe flooding and power cuts and many people did get out their old sets creating a shortage of PP9s and PP3s in the shops. Maybe there is some life left in the old technology.

[paulsherwin]

There may be an element of internal politics about this. The BBC is under considerable financial pressure, including the local radio budget. BBC local stations that still provide MW transmissions are trying to defend these services.

This is the second time this fight has been fought. Many BBC stations lost their MW frequencies nearly 30 years ago, though the motivation then was largely ideological rather than financial. The ones that still use MW today had station managers who fought their ground back then.

[G6Tanuki]

I wonder what the relative listenership by mode has been in Cumbria/Lancashire and whether there has been any statistically significant change in this during the floods? If you're running on batteries, MW will last longer than DAB, and if you've got no power to recharge your laptop/phone/tablet/iThing then listening online becomes a problem too.

Wasn't the 30-odd-year-ago loss of BBC local radio MW frequencies (and some commercial LR frequencies too) motivated because they were otherwise just duplicating the same content on MW and VHF?

(I always thought it both strange and tragic for the BBC that in the 1970s and 1980s their most-popular national output - Radio1 - was MW-only for most of the day (John Peel's Radio1 show did at least get VHF between 22:00 and 00:00) whereas for the rest of the day Radio2 was simulcast on LW and FM.).

MW and LW are very useful, when I am out walking I usually listen to Radio 5 MW or Radio 4 LW, they are the only UK national stations you can get reliably on a portable radio that is moving. Different on the motorcycle however (or a car) where a reasonable antenna and radio will get DAB (I like the World Service), oh, for a portable DAB radio that works!

[paulsherwin]

The loss of MW frequencies in the 80s was indeed because the government of the day opposed simulcasting and wanted to use the frequencies for commercial stations. The eventual result was pretty random though. The stations that kept MW argued that they needed it to serve different audiences, such as ethnic minorities or sports fans, but I have a strong suspicion that the final decision depended on how stroppy the local management was and how many friends they had in high places.

[russell_w_b]

Remember that BBC Radio 4 is broadcast on MF from Carlisle (same prog. feed as LW - 'mush area' filler station). I didn't notice anything in the local press about increased MF listening, nor did anyone I know who was affected by the floods mention anything about relying on MF. The VHF FM services were unaffected.

Local radio BBC Radio Cumbria has no plans to go digital yet.

[paulsherwin]

BBC local stations need a local mux to launch on DAB. These have taken a long time to roll out in some areas and the process is still ongoing. The Oxford local mux only launched recently after a delay of several years.

[bikerhifinut]

To an extent I agree.
But typing this from a hotel room in Grasmere, the local news networks have been invaluable. And MW is sometimes the only means of receiving ANY form of radio in parts of the county. I believe this was the reason for preserving the MW transmission here. And as far as I know it still isn't transmitted on DAB.
Weirdly though my mother in law can get a good DAB signal in the Eden Valley (armathwaite) whereas the FM signal is very tenuous. hmmmmmmmm.

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by bikerhifinut

To an extent I agree.
But typing this from a hotel room in Grasmere, the local news networks have been invaluable.

Indeed... You have to be within sight of the Windermere VHF / UHF relay up behind Wreay Castle down that neck of the woods, I reckon, for a VHF sig. Or Kendal.

Originally Posted by bikerhifinut

...And MW is sometimes the only means of receiving ANY form of radio in parts of the county.

It certainly is between Shap and south of Tebay on the M6!

Originally Posted by bikerhifinut

Weirdly though my mother in law can get a good DAB signal in the Eden Valley (armathwaite) whereas the FM signal is very tenuous. hmmmmmmmm.

VHF is usually OK in the car when I'm at Armathwaite but it's down in the valley, and, admittedly, signal isn't brilliant. Wonder if your ma-in-law picks up her DAB from the Penrith relay?

[russell_w_b]

Oddly enough, 'Fresh' Radio, when it broadcast on MF from the Yorkshire dales, used to boom in up here (Penrith - Wigton - Carlisle triangle).

[SteveCG]

During a spell in the Lake District (a few miles South of Bowness) I discovered that whilst I could receive Morecambe Bay, Windermere and Kendal VHF/FM transmissions they were sufficiently close together in frequency that I had 'birdies' on Stereo (let alone multi-path !)

BTW: I use BBC H&W MW transmissions nearly every day.

[camtechman]

My local radio station, BBC 3 Counties Radio, broadcasts on 1 MW, 3 FM, & 1 DAB frequencies and at the height of the football season, especially during the play offs leading up to the cup final, they broadcast 5 different matches (1 on each frequency) if they involve local area teams !!!!!!

Grrr, so their general listener base can go without their usual Saturday schedule, so much for a general coverage.

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by PaulR

I understand that the MW transmissions of R Lancashire and Cumbria were very valuable indeed during the recent severe flooding and power cuts and many people did get out their old sets creating a shortage of PP9s and PP3s in the shops. Maybe there is some life left in the old technology.

Back in my day the MF transmitters - even the 1kW ones - were equipped with standby plant. Some - not all - of the TV / VHF radio relays merely had an external socket to which a transportable genny could be plugged up to, if needed.

But the 'cold war' still influenced the BBC back then, and as well as the regular MF sites, there were one or two 'irregular' MF transmitters (Blackpool and Brinklow Heath, for example) and some 'regular' transmitters, like Taunton MF were 'hardened'.

No doubt things have changed now.

[colourking]

Changing Satellite TV channels the other evening I stumbled across a BBC1-NI programme about 40 years of BBC Radio Ulster and its most avid listeners, at least 2 of the radios I then saw shown in the listeners' homes appeared (by dial position) to be tuned to their 1341kHz MW transmitter - these being radio-cassettes

I think this is the show:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...g9y/radio-days
(can't access it where I am now )

[D Cassidy]

Hello.
Driving from Inverness to Perth often the only receivable station is Radio Scotland on 810khz. The same is true on the A82 in certain areas. It's important to have some form of reception during winter as roads can become impassable quickly.
Mobile phone reception too can be poor, DAB is absolutely no use in these areas.

[timewave]

Radio Lancashire at Oxcliffe MF (250W) and Preston MF (1kW) both have generator sets.
Radio Lancashire VHF at Lancaster isn't normally supported by the on site generator (for DTV) but during the flooding and associated power outages it was supported by a towable generator.

John G4IJD

[Hybrid tellies]

i have heard that BBC R Bristol on 1548Khz and Smooth on 1260Khz from Mangotsfield will close in Febuary 2016. Unless of coarse we get a devastating storm that hits our region which may force them to change their mind.