BBC Radio 4 long wave reception problems etc. - Page 15 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Hybrid tellies · 12th Aug 2017, 2:26 pm

I also got an email back from David Allett yesterday to say their engineers have cleared the fault at Droitwich. I emailed him back thanking him for his and Arqiva's prompt action.
None of us know how long the AM radio networks will last before they are switched off. So now if I listen to stations like BBC R4, R5L or Absolute I make sure I listen on AM before this choice is no longer available to us.

MurphyNut · 13th Aug 2017, 7:17 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hybrid tellies

None of us know how long the AM radio networks will last before they are switched off. So now if I listen to stations like BBC R4, R5L or Absolute I make sure I listen on AM before this choice is no longer available to us.

So far there's been no hint of the BBC abandoning MW and LW so I'm hoping we still have many more years to enjoy quality transmissions on our old radios.

PaulR · 13th Aug 2017, 9:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MurphyNut

So far there's been no hint of the BBC abandoning MW and LW so I'm hoping we still have many more years to enjoy quality transmissions on our old radios.

Radio Lancashire made quite a thing of its MW frequencies after the floods of a couple of Christmases ago so maybe there is hope.

PJL · 13th Aug 2017, 10:09 am

Is the LW transmission only listened to by members of the forum? Hope they don't send us the bill!

Station X · 13th Aug 2017, 11:54 am

Them and cricket fans!

emeritus · 13th Aug 2017, 12:31 pm

And ex-pats in Northern Europe.

electrogram · 17th Aug 2017, 11:43 pm

?! Sounds pretty awful to me, is this as good as it's ever going to be ?

MurphyNut · 18th Aug 2017, 7:54 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by electrogram

?! Sounds pretty awful to me, is this as good as it's ever going to be ?

Interesting, I've been listening to Radio 4 this morning and though it isn't as bad as it was last week it still doesn't sound as good at it has been in the past.
I sent a second email to David Allatt about a week ago politely asking for more details on whats going on but I haven't received a reply yet.

PaulR · 18th Aug 2017, 8:45 am

I noticed it again on Wednesday evening, but it didn't seem as bad so I wondered whether it was my imagination. It does seem to be deteriorating now.

Hybrid tellies · 18th Aug 2017, 8:53 am

I have also noticed the sibilance problem on 198 is back again. Although not as severe as last week the faults seems to be getting worse again. As several of us have noticed shall I send email to Dave at Arqiva again?

Aub · 18th Aug 2017, 3:08 pm

Just listening to the cricket. Definitely bad again.

MurphyNut · 18th Aug 2017, 3:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hybrid tellies

As several of us have noticed shall I send email to Dave at Arqiva again?

I would, more of us noticing this problem and bringing it to attention has got to be the right way to go, trusting that David Allett is taking this and us seriously.

paulsherwin · 18th Aug 2017, 3:23 pm

It's being used for Test Match Special at the moment, so hopefully that will raise the number of complaints, and motivate the BBC to GET IT SORTED OUT. Sadly, I fear that many listeners will just assume it sounds like that.

I was listening to RTE 252 in the bath this morning - very nice sound without any intrusive processing. The Beeb should be ashamed of themselves, as despite all the layers of contractors and subcontractors, the buck ultimately stops with them.

crusher19860138 · 18th Aug 2017, 3:27 pm

It sounds like my radio is slightly off tune when listening.

steve.seven · 18th Aug 2017, 10:31 pm

Poor sound quality has returned again tonight. Have tried several different radio's, both valve and solid state, all sound slightly off tune with distortion and sibilance, so bad that needed to use F.M. to listen to R4.

high_vacuum_house · 18th Aug 2017, 11:16 pm

Sounds horrible at the moment on one of my DAC90's here in Rugby. Sounds a bit like narrow audio bandwidth with plenty of sibilance and not much LF response.

Christopher Capener

Kevin Hoyland · 19th Aug 2017, 10:47 am

Hello.
Radio 4 as been so bad this week I have had to turn it off on my car radio 5 days out of 5 going to Sheffield and back. RTE 252 as been good for some time now.
Kevin

Hybrid tellies · 19th Aug 2017, 2:51 pm

I emailed David Allett last night and he has replied saying he is on to it.

eddie_ce · 19th Aug 2017, 6:23 pm

Do we know what keeps causing this problem?

A cynic might think that someone is looking for a reason to say the TX is no longer reliable and should be permanently taken out of service. I think closing down MW and especially LW stations is very short-sighted. Are we to rely on the Interweb and the mobile phone networks should, heaven forbid we have to cope with a national emergency?

Biggles · 19th Aug 2017, 7:37 pm

Even the emergency services have relied heavily on mobile phone networks for voice and data for some years now. I used to bring this up regularly at meetings when I was involved with independent radio comms networks about the problems which may be brought about under national emergency/terrorism/sabotage conditions but it all fell on deaf ears. I suppose Airwave was a sort of reprieve. It will only get worse I presume, so the longwave broadcasting emergency thing may not have much clout before long. Everything has to be digital you see nowadays, digital is good, digital can't go wrong. Except the current problems on R4 are more than likely caused by a digital part of the system...
Alan.

12th Aug 2017, 2:26 pm	#281
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,965	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance I also got an email back from David Allett yesterday to say their engineers have cleared the fault at Droitwich. I emailed him back thanking him for his and Arqiva's prompt action. None of us know how long the AM radio networks will last before they are switched off. So now if I listen to stations like BBC R4, R5L or Absolute I make sure I listen on AM before this choice is no longer available to us. __________________ Simon BVWS member

13th Aug 2017, 10:09 am	#284
PJL Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seaford, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 5,997	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance Is the LW transmission only listened to by members of the forum? Hope they don't send us the bill!

13th Aug 2017, 11:54 am	#285
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,288	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance Them and cricket fans! __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

13th Aug 2017, 12:31 pm	#286
emeritus Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 5,339	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance And ex-pats in Northern Europe.

17th Aug 2017, 11:43 pm	#287
electrogram Heptode Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Hereford, UK. Posts: 719	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance ?! Sounds pretty awful to me, is this as good as it's ever going to be ?

18th Aug 2017, 8:45 am	#289
PaulR Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Southport Lancashire, UK. Posts: 3,233	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance I noticed it again on Wednesday evening, but it didn't seem as bad so I wondered whether it was my imagination. It does seem to be deteriorating now. __________________ Paul

18th Aug 2017, 8:53 am	#290
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,965	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance I have also noticed the sibilance problem on 198 is back again. Although not as severe as last week the faults seems to be getting worse again. As several of us have noticed shall I send email to Dave at Arqiva again? __________________ Simon BVWS member

18th Aug 2017, 3:08 pm	#291
Aub Nonode Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Nuneaton, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 2,039	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance Just listening to the cricket. Definitely bad again. __________________ Life's a long song, but the tune ends too soon for us all.

18th Aug 2017, 3:23 pm	#293
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,943	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance It's being used for Test Match Special at the moment, so hopefully that will raise the number of complaints, and motivate the BBC to GET IT SORTED OUT. Sadly, I fear that many listeners will just assume it sounds like that. I was listening to RTE 252 in the bath this morning - very nice sound without any intrusive processing. The Beeb should be ashamed of themselves, as despite all the layers of contractors and subcontractors, the buck ultimately stops with them.

18th Aug 2017, 3:27 pm	#294
crusher19860138 Hexode Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Stourbridge, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 434	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance It sounds like my radio is slightly off tune when listening.

18th Aug 2017, 10:31 pm	#295
steve.seven Pentode Join Date: May 2006 Location: Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 211	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance Poor sound quality has returned again tonight. Have tried several different radio's, both valve and solid state, all sound slightly off tune with distortion and sibilance, so bad that needed to use F.M. to listen to R4.

18th Aug 2017, 11:16 pm	#296
high_vacuum_house Octode Join Date: May 2003 Location: Belper Derbyshire Posts: 1,935	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance Sounds horrible at the moment on one of my DAC90's here in Rugby. Sounds a bit like narrow audio bandwidth with plenty of sibilance and not much LF response. Christopher Capener __________________ Interests in the collection and restoration of Tefifon players and 405 line television

19th Aug 2017, 10:47 am	#297
Kevin Hoyland Heptode Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 559	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance Hello. Radio 4 as been so bad this week I have had to turn it off on my car radio 5 days out of 5 going to Sheffield and back. RTE 252 as been good for some time now. Kevin

19th Aug 2017, 2:51 pm	#298
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,965	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance I emailed David Allett last night and he has replied saying he is on to it. __________________ Simon BVWS member

19th Aug 2017, 6:23 pm	#299
eddie_ce Hexode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: nr. Hannover, Germany Posts: 372	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance Do we know what keeps causing this problem? A cynic might think that someone is looking for a reason to say the TX is no longer reliable and should be permanently taken out of service. I think closing down MW and especially LW stations is very short-sighted. Are we to rely on the Interweb and the mobile phone networks should, heaven forbid we have to cope with a national emergency? __________________ Eddie BVWS Member. Friend of the BVWTM

19th Aug 2017, 7:37 pm	#300
Biggles Rest in Peace Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hexham, Northumberland, UK. Posts: 2,234	Re: Radio 4 198 sibilance Even the emergency services have relied heavily on mobile phone networks for voice and data for some years now. I used to bring this up regularly at meetings when I was involved with independent radio comms networks about the problems which may be brought about under national emergency/terrorism/sabotage conditions but it all fell on deaf ears. I suppose Airwave was a sort of reprieve. It will only get worse I presume, so the longwave broadcasting emergency thing may not have much clout before long. Everything has to be digital you see nowadays, digital is good, digital can't go wrong. Except the current problems on R4 are more than likely caused by a digital part of the system... Alan. Last edited by Biggles; 19th Aug 2017 at 7:45 pm.