Medium Wave Transmitter Closures.

[AC/HL]

A good few years ago I visited Cape Canaveral whilst working over there. A bit hazy now, but there was a talk in station on MW (BC band?). A matter of finance of course, but they could have been introduced here too. Probably too late now.

[Cruisin Marine]

If Ofcom don't have any takers for licences for that band, then they don't have a case they can use in arguing to retain the channels. So they will go to any country's agency that has someone interested. They can't deny channels to someone who would use them, just to keep them empty for someone who won't use them.

That is precisely referring to the point I made, they gave away the frequency with little or no consultation or offering to any parties that may have wanted it, unless someone knows better?
I never heard a whisper until they gave it away, and I am sure most if not all were in the same boat.
It should have been put up to open tender before relinquishing the frequency. This country needs all the help it can get at the moment without the gov. giving things away without open consultation and offerings to the commercial sector.

[Restoration73]

When there was a disastrous mast fire in the Netherlands in 2011, NOS was transmitted
on the then UK's ex-WS 648kHz transmitter. This was before Radio Caroline of course.

[linescan87]

BBC Ulster on 1341kHz playing a close down and retune message. Another loss for medium wave.

[G6Tanuki]

I wonder what other stations will emerge from under Radio Ulster''s signal, to delight us DX-minded types?

There was an idea that the soon to be vacated MW channels could be used for legitimate local stations. I bet they would be the standard middle of the road music with a bit of chat between, just like the stations that have closed. Yawn...

[Radio Wrangler]

The Cape Canaveral talk in station Bill's mentioned is one of many local low power transmitters in the US giving tourist info to passing travellers.

The one I remember was in Olema, north of the Golden Gate on the coast by Point Reyes, explaining how Olema was the epicentre of the Big One, the Earthquake that devastated San Francisco about a hundred years ago. I didn't linger!

The MW frequencies could be used like this in the UK. No big masts or monster transmitters to be funded, but a bit of local support and maybe the tourist board to back them. I think they ran a couple of watts. A lot of frequency sharing can be done so few channels would be needed, maybe just one.

David

[Jon_G4MDC]

There was one at the South end of the M20 for the Channel Tunnel. Not sure if it's still on.

[Stuart R]

Currently listening to the last weekend of Radio Cambridgeshire on MW (1026kHz) on the kitchen Sobell 516, this is due for closure on Monday 10th May. I gather they have a nice Roberts radio in the studio's kitchen as an off-air monitor for this.

Whilst searching the dial for Cambridgeshire a few weeks ago I stumbled across Luton & Dunstable Hospital Radio on 1134 kHz, just 1 W from a mast in the car park it makes it the 12 miles to my home-made loop hanging in the apple tree. Interestingly, according to mb21 it moved from AM to FM in 2019, but is now back on AM.

The A1(M) Hatfield Tunnel had some temporary signs at each end a few years ago, promising safety information on 'Am and FM' radio, but with no frequencies listed I didn't think it contributed much to road safety by fiddling with the radio dials to find it!

SR

[Radio Wrangler]

They might be using a spark transmitter....

David

[Stuart R]

....and suddenly, mid way through a guest interview on their mid day music and chat show, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire MW cut to 'Squad Goals' on something calling itself 'BBC England'. You can catch up on the BBC Sounds App or on Medium Wave, it says.....

[Panrock]

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

I bet they would be the standard middle of the road music with a bit of chat between, just like the stations that have closed. Yawn...

I doubt you mean 'middle of the road' in the easy-listening music sense it once carried, but rather are referring to mainstream rock.

Now if we could have a sprouting of original middle of the road, ie. 'Light Programme' style stations on medium wave, that would be wonderful - to my ears at least.

But now I fear it's my repetitive comments on this subject that deserve a yawn...

Steve

Currently listening to the last weekend of Radio Cambridgeshire

The previous place I lived in (30 odd years ago) and where I went to college. I visited the mast there once, the audio was fed by the FM signal.

[Jolly 7]

Just heard a recorded message from BBC Radio Foyle on 792 kHz to say that they are no longer broadcasting on that frequency.

[Junk Box Nick]

Originally Posted by Panrock

Now if we could have a sprouting of original middle of the road, ie. 'Light Programme' style stations on medium wave, that would be wonderful - to my ears at least.

But now I fear it's my repetitive comments on this subject that deserve a yawn...

Steve

To my mind MW would have been ideal for local community stations and the like; however, with the amount of noise on the band it is a non-starter.

For Light Programme type content Serenade Radio www.serenade-radio.com is pretty good and play music you’ll struggle to hear anywhere else and certainly not on terrestrial radio. The broadcast some interesting specialist programmes and even editions of Sing Something Simple and vintage editions of Music While You Work.

[Hybrid tellies]

As there are so many closures coming up I compiled a list to keep up with it all.
I will not be able to listen to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire on 1026 as its drowned out by BBC Radio Jersey during the day and Downtown from Belfast. This list looks a lot tidier as a word document and which lost format when I copied and pasted it over.

AM Radio Closures 2021

06/05/202
1341Khz BBC R Ulster Lisnagarvney 100Kw
792Khz BBC R Ulster Londonderry 1kw
873Khz BBC R Ulster Enniskillen 1Kw

10/05/2021
1026Khz BBC R Cambridgeshire Cambridge 1kw

13/05/2021
738Khz BBC H&W Worcester 0.038Kw
1584 BBC H&W Woofferton 0.5Kw

17/05/2021
855Khz BBC R Lancashire Preston 1Kw

20/05/2021
729Khz BBC R Essex Manningtree 0.2Kw
765Khz BBC R Essex Chelmsford 0.5Kw

24/05/2021
1503Khz BBC R Stoke Sideway 1Kw

27/05/2021
1035Khz BBC R Sheffield Sheffield 1Kw

07/06/2021
774Khz BBC R Leeds Farnley 0.5Kw

TBC
801 BBC R Devon Barnstaple 2Kw
990 BBC R Devon Exeter 1Kw

07/06/2021
1413 BBC R Gloucestershire Stow on the Wold 0.5Kw

09/06/2021
657 BBC R Wales Wrexham 2Kw
882 BBC R Wales Penmon 10Kw

[Nuvistor]

The format is fine, easily readable which is what matters.
Many are very low power stations, I wonder how many listeners they have, the service area will probably be very small with all the noise on MW.

[Stuart R]

I missed the ending of BBC Cambridgeshire this morning as was out on an errand. It was there at 09:35 but by the time I returned at 10:07 the 'retune to FM, or listen on-line loop' was playing. Sounds nosier, as if it's now on reduced power.

A reminder that my radios will eventually become obsolete curiosities rather than usable pieces of home entertainment.

Chesterton Fen is the transmitter location, just by the new Cambridge North station.

Jolly 7, are you picking up Radio Foyle from your home? That's impressive!

Regards,

SR

[Jolly 7]

Hi Stuart

I did manage to hear Radio Foyle two nights ago from my location in the Southampton area. I haven't had much time for more DXing, but please feel to PM me for further details as to what else I have been able to hear of late and how.

Thanks.

[boxdoctor]

Personally, I can see no reason why the low-power A.M. systen now operating (apparently successfully) in The Netherlands could not be given a try here.
It would work, I am sure, but I suspect the British authorities have some hidden reason for getting all broadcasting off A.M.
At least it would be real local radio, and not just have a local opt-out as most of the stations being discussed have.
It could even still earn the revenue people a few quid! "No stations" earns nothing. Tony.