Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Junk Box Nick · 1st Sep 2014, 3:08 pm

It seems the season for anniversaries. Atlantic 252 commenced 25 years ago today. Initially it only broadcast in the daytime as it was a joint effort between RTE and RTL and listeners were urged to tune to Luxembourg at night. Broadcasting from beyond the territory but aimed at a British audience managed to be continuous from Captain Plugge's pre-war stations until 2001! (Or 2002 if you count the sports station that came afterwards.)

RTE on 252 is a good signal with me and is a regular spot on the dial of my vintage sets.

bobbyball · 1st Sep 2014, 3:25 pm

It was a great station years ago, playing thumping tunes and with the catchy "I listen to the best music on Atlantic 252", it was my daily companion for some time. Nowadays it seems to be a rather dreary "talk" format station, though still useful for LW receiver performance assessment.

hannahs radios · 1st Sep 2014, 7:20 pm

I remember Atlantic 252 what a brilliant station I was sad when it closed down. Where have all the decent long and medium wave stations gone? They were a bit like Laser 558 all consigned to history now.

Hybrid tellies · 1st Sep 2014, 10:14 pm

I remember seeing all the posters advertising Atlantic 252 around Bristol. I did enjoy listening to this station on my old GEC G817 portable radio, reception was very good during the day but suffered co channel interference from Algeria at night. They did play good music and was a refreshing change from R1 and GWR.

'LIVEWIRE?' · 2nd Sep 2014, 9:59 am

According to a note I entered in the 1979 edition of WRTH, Atlantic 252 were due to start broadcasting in September 1989, then actually on 254kHz, before the LW frequencies were moved down 2kHz (anyone remember when that happened?) As others have said, they provided a great alternative to both R1 and the Commercial UK stations of the time, which, in this area meant mainly BRMB & Mercia Sound. Reception of Atlantic 252 used to be very good here, yet nowadays RTE R1 on the same freq. is not so well received. Maybe RTE have altered the aerial system to give better coverage in Ireland?? Incidentally, IIRC, some of Laser 558's DJs/presenters worked on '252 for a while.

Hybrid tellies · 2nd Sep 2014, 7:15 pm

When Atlantic 252 started they were using a power of 500Kws during the day reduced to 100kws at night. This transmitter was replaced a few years ago by RTE by a new transmitter which only has a maximum output of 300kws.

Junk Box Nick · 3rd Sep 2014, 9:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyball

It was a great station years ago, playing thumping tunes and with the catchy "I listen to the best music on Atlantic 252", it was my daily companion for some time. Nowadays it seems to be a rather dreary "talk" format station, though still useful for LW receiver performance assessment.

I remember ads on the rear of buses in the West Midlands with a slogan "listen to long waves of music on 252" or something similar.

After Atlantic 252 finished a sports station 'TeamTalk' used the 252 outlet. I remember there being commentaries on matches in the 2002 Football World Cup. These were described as being 'off tube'. I'm sure the admin address the station gave out was in Leeds. TeamTalk was short lived - a matter of months - and sometime aftwards RTE started relaying the RTE 1 programmes traditionally transmitted on 567kHz via 252. RTE 1 also had a low power MW outlet for the Cork area. Eventually the long established Medium Wave transmitters were closed in 2008 leaving RTE 1 on 252. The long wave outlet is likely to provide better and more consistent coverage than 567 but part of the justification for using 252 seems to be that Irish ex-pats in the UK can hear it reasonably well too.

G6Tanuki · 3rd Sep 2014, 9:06 pm

In the mid-1980s I was much more a Laser-558 listener if only because my AR88D didn't do long-wave.

I can still remember the ads: the "Lotto 6-49 - tax-free in Canada" was one of their favourites. They also were promoting a Canadian "World-Expo" thing.

Junk Box Nick · 3rd Sep 2014, 10:00 pm

In the mid 80s I remember RTE on 567 was sandwiched between Laser 558 and Caroline on 576! All stations came in well here. I used to listen to Laser and Caroline on my car radio whilst driving around the midlands. I travelled to Scotland frequently in the 1990s and listened to Atlantic 252 all the way up. My problem with using a communications receiver then (and now) is that my RA117 doesn't go below 1MHz so a lot of what I consider more interesting stations are out of reach though I do now have an FRG-7 which at least gives me full medium wave. However I usually listen to RTE 1 on my vintage portables or my 25 year old Sony pocket portable.

The RTE signal on 252 is excellent here and the quality far better than Radio 4 just down the road. Someone mentioned that it is now 300kW instead of 500kW in the Atlantic days - that's a lot of kilowatts but, of course, less than 3dB difference.

1st Sep 2014, 3:08 pm	#1
Junk Box Nick Octode Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,571	Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today It seems the season for anniversaries. Atlantic 252 commenced 25 years ago today. Initially it only broadcast in the daytime as it was a joint effort between RTE and RTL and listeners were urged to tune to Luxembourg at night. Broadcasting from beyond the territory but aimed at a British audience managed to be continuous from Captain Plugge's pre-war stations until 2001! (Or 2002 if you count the sports station that came afterwards.) RTE on 252 is a good signal with me and is a regular spot on the dial of my vintage sets.

1st Sep 2014, 3:25 pm	#2
bobbyball Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester Posts: 1,217	Re: Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today It was a great station years ago, playing thumping tunes and with the catchy "I listen to the best music on Atlantic 252", it was my daily companion for some time. Nowadays it seems to be a rather dreary "talk" format station, though still useful for LW receiver performance assessment. __________________ Robert

1st Sep 2014, 7:20 pm	#3
hannahs radios Hexode Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Weymouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 422	Re: Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today I remember Atlantic 252 what a brilliant station I was sad when it closed down. Where have all the decent long and medium wave stations gone? They were a bit like Laser 558 all consigned to history now.

1st Sep 2014, 10:14 pm	#4
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,967	Re: Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today I remember seeing all the posters advertising Atlantic 252 around Bristol. I did enjoy listening to this station on my old GEC G817 portable radio, reception was very good during the day but suffered co channel interference from Algeria at night. They did play good music and was a refreshing change from R1 and GWR. __________________ Simon BVWS member

2nd Sep 2014, 9:59 am	#5
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today According to a note I entered in the 1979 edition of WRTH, Atlantic 252 were due to start broadcasting in September 1989, then actually on 254kHz, before the LW frequencies were moved down 2kHz (anyone remember when that happened?) As others have said, they provided a great alternative to both R1 and the Commercial UK stations of the time, which, in this area meant mainly BRMB & Mercia Sound. Reception of Atlantic 252 used to be very good here, yet nowadays RTE R1 on the same freq. is not so well received. Maybe RTE have altered the aerial system to give better coverage in Ireland?? Incidentally, IIRC, some of Laser 558's DJs/presenters worked on '252 for a while.

2nd Sep 2014, 7:15 pm	#6
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,967	Re: Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today When Atlantic 252 started they were using a power of 500Kws during the day reduced to 100kws at night. This transmitter was replaced a few years ago by RTE by a new transmitter which only has a maximum output of 300kws. __________________ Simon BVWS member

3rd Sep 2014, 9:06 pm	#8
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 14,007	Re: Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today In the mid-1980s I was much more a Laser-558 listener if only because my AR88D didn't do long-wave. I can still remember the ads: the "Lotto 6-49 - tax-free in Canada" was one of their favourites. They also were promoting a Canadian "World-Expo" thing.

3rd Sep 2014, 10:00 pm	#9
Junk Box Nick Octode Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,571	Re: Atlantic 252 - 25 years ago today In the mid 80s I remember RTE on 567 was sandwiched between Laser 558 and Caroline on 576! All stations came in well here. I used to listen to Laser and Caroline on my car radio whilst driving around the midlands. I travelled to Scotland frequently in the 1990s and listened to Atlantic 252 all the way up. My problem with using a communications receiver then (and now) is that my RA117 doesn't go below 1MHz so a lot of what I consider more interesting stations are out of reach though I do now have an FRG-7 which at least gives me full medium wave. However I usually listen to RTE 1 on my vintage portables or my 25 year old Sony pocket portable. The RTE signal on 252 is excellent here and the quality far better than Radio 4 just down the road. Someone mentioned that it is now 300kW instead of 500kW in the Atlantic days - that's a lot of kilowatts but, of course, less than 3dB difference.