Is analogue radio to cease in 2025?

[Hybrid tellies]

Here in the UK the BBC and commercial stations are looking for a closure of their AM networks in the next few years.
FM is a different matter with healthy listening figures hence no talk about closing FM down in this country until at least 2030 but in reality probably 2035 onwards.

[russell_w_b]

It’s coming (or going), likely.

https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/arti...a%20technology.

[Vintage Engr]

As forecast then, that will be the end of my LW off-air frequency standard.
I shall miss it as I have it on permanently in the workshop, with the audio output running in the background.

David.

[Cathovisor]

Originally Posted by russell_w_b

It’s coming (or going), likely.

https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/arti...a%20technology.

Ultimately, no different to the end of 405 line TV.

There is a solution: Radio museum's COHIRADIA project.

https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_cohiradia.cfm

[Station X]

Please start a new thread if you wish to discuss the COHIRADIA project.

[Rich Woods]

Just seen this.
https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/05/mor...ve-switch-off/
Looks like it’s probably 2nd quarter 2024 for the end of R4 LW. End of an era but I would be more sad if I actually listened to the BBC anymore.

[Rich Woods]

I wonder what the work around will be for the thousands of time switches that use a signal piggy backed on 198khz?

[agardiner]

Originally Posted by Rich Woods

I wonder what the work around will be for the thousands of time switches that use a signal piggy backed on 198khz?

Customers will probably be told they have to upgrade to a smart meter.

[Cathovisor]

Originally Posted by Rich Woods

I wonder what the work around will be for the thousands of time switches that use a signal piggy backed on 198khz?

Do what they do with the Allouis transmitter in France - remove the amplitude modulation and keep the phase mod.

Except there is much, much more going on with the phase mod on 162kHz.

[agardiner]

Yes, but this is more than the BBC saving money by discontinuing the LW service. The Droitwich transmitter has been on borrowed time for quite a while.

[Cathovisor]

Originally Posted by agardiner

Yes, but this is more than the BBC saving money by discontinuing the LW service. The Droitwich transmitter has been on borrowed time for quite a while.

Forgive me, but... says who?

[agardiner]

There have been various news articles over the last 10 years or so, including by the BBC. The last remaining valves for the transmitter were bought up by the operator, and once these have failed that will be it. Obviously this still leaves a bit of 'how long is a piece of string' question over when they will actually fail.

[Cathovisor]

Originally Posted by agardiner

There have been various news articles over the last 10 years or so, including by the BBC. The last remaining valves for the transmitter were bought up by the operator, and once these have failed that will be it. Obviously this still leaves a bit of 'how long is a piece of string' question over when they will actually fail.

We have these things called solid state transmitters. Nautel make them up to 2MW. If the BBC wanted to keep LW (and indeed, MW) going it could negotiate with whoever owns the transmitter at the moment to upgrade the senders.

If you believed the BBC's propaganda, Television Centre was 'unsuitable' for making High Definition television; at the time that statement was made, five of the eight studios were already HD.

One inescapable fact about Droitwich LW is that it almost covers the entire UK: around here there are "Escape Route" signs in case the East Coast ever experiences a repeat of the 1953 inundation. How well would an area the size of East Anglia and greater get evacuation notices from smaller local devices that themselves could be inundated and cease functioning?

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by agardiner

The last remaining valves for the transmitter were bought up by the operator, and once these have failed that will be it. Obviously this still leaves a bit of 'how long is a piece of string' question over when they will actually fail.

When the FRF valves fail - Droitwich has had solid-state modulators for a long time now - they can be refurbished. We used a company called Econco to do ours. The lifespan of a refurbished valve isn't as long as a new one but it buys time.

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Cathovisor

One inescapable fact about Droitwich LW is that it almost covers the entire UK:

England and wales, maybe. Scotland has Westerglen at Falkirk and Burghead near Elgin broadcasting BBC R4 on 198kHz. I've heard BBC R4 very clearly east of Bergen in Norway, and suspect this was from Burghead.

They'll be for the chop as well.

[kalee20]

It's sad news - I do almost all my BBC Radio 4 listening on LW, it's just so easy...

[Nuvistor]

Anyone know the cost to the BBC for the Droitwich transmission. They claim to have to make savings and moving resources to online were they believe their future audience will be. Whether that is correct time will tell but I think the bottom line of the close down is moving expenditure from one area to another.

There is too much interference for me to listen comfortably to R4 LW, it’s the same thing on MW, not that it matters , BBC radio has little interest for me since programmes I listened to regularly were removed from the schedules a few years ago.

Still if you use the R4 on LW it’s a bitter blow.

[agardiner]

Originally Posted by Cathovisor

One inescapable fact about Droitwich LW is that it almost covers the entire UK: around here there are "Escape Route" signs in case the East Coast ever experiences a repeat of the 1953 inundation. How well would an area the size of East Anglia and greater get evacuation notices from smaller local devices that themselves could be inundated and cease functioning?

You don't have to convince me. I strongly believe there remains a place for AM (probably MW as more people have a MW radio somewhere in their home) as an emergency broadcast system for the UK. Given world events and climate change, I think our obsession with going digital in this country is ill founded and somewhat naive.

[Nuvistor]

Has for emergencies, we need to know what percentage of the population have an AM/FM portable radio with good battiest availabile. The car radio and house could be under water in a flood has occurred in 1953.
If there are few working AM radios around a transmitter would be of little use.

I am not advocating the shutdown but trying to ask questions that seem to have few facts.

[MurphyNut]

Originally Posted by Nuvistor

There is too much interference for me to listen comfortably to R4 LW, it’s the same thing on MW, not that it matters , BBC radio has little interest for me since programmes I listened to regularly were removed from the schedules a few years ago.

Still if you use the R4 on LW it’s a bitter blow.

I still frequently listen R4 on LW, I still get remarkably good reception my way, (Hertfordshire) and it's a great pleasure hearing it coming out of radios I've lovingly restored. Of course this is of no consequence to the BBC when they can save a bit of money by shutting it down on LW. It will indeed be a bitter blow!
It's a pity it cant be preserved as a historical move, surly in the grand scheme of things it's a tiny percentage of the BBC budget to maintain it. Huge sums are invested in historical architecture and the arts but our important broadcasting heritage that's still living is being sadly put into the bin!