Absolute Radio gone from MW in some areas

[poppydog]

After reassembling my ekco yesterday evening I thought I had done something as I couldn't pick up absolute on mw, after a lot of bad tempered investigation I realised it wasn't anything I had done. Turning on another radio I found it had gone. A internet search found this-
https://www.a516digital.com/2018/04/...-approved.html.
They kept that quiet. I had very good reception on Absolute, not sure where the transmitter was, either Lanner or Redruth, I can see the Redruth mast from 1 of our bedroom windows, shame.
regards poppydog

[camtechman]

MW......the end is coming to a radio near you!

"You have been warned"

[Hybrid tellies]

Its very sad. Absolute have abandoned the southwest on AM by shutting down there transmitters at Reduth (Lanner), Plymouth and I think Torbay. To compound the situation they have also reduced the power by 3db's of all their high powered transmitters including Washford.
When I lived in Cornwall on the Lizard peninsular it was a challenge but during the day and using a decent portable radio we could pick up Radio 1 on 247m by nulling out either Plymouth or Redruth which were both on 247m. When we moved to Helston reception was better with a stronger signal from Redruth.

[PsychMan]

Its a shame, I remember being pleasantly surprised to get absolute when I last tested an AM radio. Looking at the map its bye bye absolute for me!

It would be nice if Ofcom would implement something like Part15 in the USA, then us enthusiasts could start to fill the gaps with small community stations. Given how dead the MW band is compared with much of the USA, it would seem to make more sense here

[dave walsh]

Presumably you mean privately operated community stations Psychman. Of course the BBC are supposed to have a hand in that in the UK but mainly on VHF. Radio Lancashire is pretty good on my home patch but the convenience of a MW station [especially when you've got MW sets to repair] is unlikely to remain much longer. I suspect Forum members may be the last people who need a red warning on this Camtechman and no one else would even know what we are talking about. It seems much more likely, to me, that community "broadcasting" will continue in various ways, including digital platforms but not on Medium Wave [unless it becomes the next retro craze after cassette tapes].

The focus for enthusiasts may have to be even more on "pantry" transmitters and other convertor devices to keep older sets warmed up. I suppose the precedent for this would be the Band III convertors screwed onto 405 line TV's in the 50's. I'm not sure about the MW comparator with the United States as the vast size of that country and other factors may well be keeping a MW service viable [unlike railways]. Just as Railways should be obviously viable [in theory] in the tiny UK. It became obvious to me that Absolute radio was popular [apparently] with Forum members when my [ironically] DAB Radio absolutely refused to pick up anything else until I got help from the Forum.

Not my sort of thing but I didn't realise there was a MW angle at the time. It's sad for keen listeners but economics again. I understand that even the young people don't listen to "their" station [Radio 1] very much these days. I like the way that the Beeb is nearly always behind the curve. Apparently the iconic Maida Vale Studios are going to be re-created in the Olympic Park to give us more music-Fab! It would cost a bit to operate a MW community station from those premises to say the least.

Dave

[Nuvistor]

The licence for the MW frequencies Absolute Radio use runs out in 2022, with no guarantee that they will be renewed.
Para 4.16b
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/asse...M-coverage.pdf

[Clydeuk]

I love Absolute Radio but the only way I can receive it in the car is on MW, and it's unlistenable. I suspect many people have the same problem.

At home on an old radio it's reasonable quality, but there are better options there such as DTV.

I'm not surprised at this news.

[SteveCG]

Whilst I don't listen to Absolute radio - I do listen to Smooth radio on its Gloucs/Chelt 774 kc/s transmission. I noticed a few weeks ago that it had become and remains weaker than before - so have they reduced power by 3 dB as well?

[electronicskip]

Originally Posted by SteveCG

Whilst I don't listen to Absolute radio - I do listen to Smooth radio on its Gloucs/Chelt 774 kc/s transmission. I noticed a few weeks ago that it had become and remains weaker than before - so have they reduced power by 3 dB as well?

I have smooth radio tuned to my car radio and in my workshop , ive not noticed if absolute has disappeared from round here though, I must check

[Kentode]

I heard this was going to happen, Absolute were announcing it in a programme ad.

I've just checked my signal (Moorside edge) and although it is now only 50% of its original power, l still have good reception.

What a shame!

[poppydog]

Seems to be back tonight although its fading a lot, perhaps im picking it up from somewhere else. Not a lot left to listen to now on MW, I do however listen to a couple of the French stations on LW. Im afraid I go weak at the knees when I hear the French female voice and the Irish and the Welsh...
regards poppydog

[Philips210]

Hi.

There's some info here https://absoluteradio.co.uk/listen/am-changes-2018.html regarding various transmitters which are either switched off or on reduced power. The Redruth transmitter for Absolute Radio is listed as switched off unfortunately. I am picking it up in Redruth though on about 250m which is the 1197kHz slot I believe, and as you say it's fading somewhat. I wonder if the signal is coming from Droitwich?

Regards
Symon.

[martin.m]

I sometimes listen to Internet radio by connecting the headphone output of my mobile phone to the "Gram" socket of my Ekco A144. The app is called "radioplayer" and gives access to every station broadcasting in the UK including Absolute. The sound quality is not quite as good as FM but is free from interference and background noise. You will need to make up a 3.5mm jack to Wander plug lead. An Internet tablet could be used instead of a Smartphone.

[michamoo]

They have switched of the Cambridge relay on 1197khz so i am now stuck with the weak and fading Brookmans park signal that is just not listenable after dark. So they have now lost me as a listener as have no desire to fit Dab to my excellent car radio in my Citroen.

[dave walsh]

I suppose that Martin's post at 13* is the sort of thing I was thinking about, right or wrong

"You can't turn back-you can't come back, sometimes you push too far
One day you'll open up your eyes and you'll see where we are".

Sugar Baby Bob Dylan

[Nuvistor]

Re post #14.
They accept they will lose listeners but they must feel that the loss is outweighed by the savings in cost.
Whether they are correct is another matter, time will tell.

[Radio Wrangler]

I've just learned of a transmitter site called "Rodbourne Sewage" as a result of this thread.

It seems such a shame to lose it.

David

[Dai Corner]

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

I've just learned of a transmitter site called "Rodbourne Sewage" as a result of this thread.

It seems such a shame to lose it.

David

It really is next to a sewage works and I'd guess the maintainance guys won't miss it!

It's on http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1557 but sadly they call it by the boring name of 'Swindon MF'.

The BBC stopped using the site recently so Absolute would have had to cover all the costs. This probably precipitated the decision.

[Radio Wrangler]

That sounds final. There's usually plenty of PMR, cellphone etc sharing any decent mast that isn't an MF radiator, but they'd not likely to fork out the full maintenance costs and they'd have provisions elsewhere.

Thanks, David.

[Hybrid tellies]

Originally Posted by Philips210

Hi.

There's some info here https://absoluteradio.co.uk/listen/am-changes-2018.html regarding various transmitters which are either switched off or on reduced power. The Redruth transmitter for Absolute Radio is listed as switched off unfortunately. I am picking it up in Redruth though on about 250m which is the 1197kHz slot I believe, and as you say it's fading somewhat. I wonder if the signal is coming from Droitwich?

Regards
Symon.

Droitwich like Washford is on 1215Khz. The nearest transmitter to you on 1197Khz is Bournemouth or Gloucester. .