BBC WS restarts SW services

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by greenstar

We need diversity in communications and a backup which isn't easily disrupted.

HF broadcasting certainly transcends political boundaries, and was 'of its time' in both WWII and the Cold War. But it's very expensive to run and maintain. Until 1990, there was a 'power-race' with UK HF transmitters upping their game from 100kW carrier power - 250, 300, 500kW...

Then Perestroika broke out and the BBC bean-counters raised their eyebrows at the eye-watering costs of maintaining an overseas broadcasting service on what is just one of several vehicles by which information is promulgated. Other contract work was available, and interestingly it was the religious broadcasters who seemed to have the money to maintain their transmissions. Reciprocal broadcasting also took place with other countries, but still to pay for, of course.

Even if a transmitting station has been 'mothballed', it is still to maintain from antenna to infrastructure; still has to be as safe as it would be when on-air. This is costly, as it's money in but nothing out to show for it: understandable - and it grieves me to say this - that they had to go.

Encompass Digital Media, from the very limited knowledge I have of them and talking to former colleagues and friends, recently retired, seem happy with Woofferton in its role as the UK's only HF transmitting station (overseas relay stations as well) and realistically one UK-based HF site - even though it doesn't now broadcast 24/7 - is all that we'll have. It's heartening to see the new transmissions, even though the reason for having them is dreadful.

I don't know if DRM will be on the agenda though.

[Aubade65]

Hope this post is within the forum rules - if not sorry and plead ignorance

The BBC DG has announced that the BBC will be restarting its Russian SW service because its web site has been blocked. This may prompt the restart of more general SW services so that many of those empty frequencies will soon be refilled.

Not sure how many of the target audience will be equipped for SW reception (or have a radio) but if the authorities start to jam it or confiscate any existing equipment the it might be making an impact

Although the circumstances that prompted this action are terrible, it might also make the powers that be realise that be that putting all of your broadcasting eggs into the online basket may not be a good idea

[Hybrid tellies]

I shall have a go at listening to both of these new frequencies over the weekend. I think both are coming from Woofferton so both signals will be the normal weak fluttery affair with a very unique fading pattern that you get within the skip zone.
I have heard reports that these signals are reaching their target area at very good levels.
There is a coverage map showing the rather large footprint.

[Junk Box Nick]

I am getting a just about copyable signal on 15735 with fast QSB into the hash using a Sony CFS-201L cassette boom box and its rod antenna. The current programme is News Hour.

I am about 40m east of Woofferton.

[ParcGwyn]

I am able to receive it in Mid Wales on a PRC 320 with 2.4m whip, signal is readable but week.

Dave
GW7ONS

[ms660]

Some noise as would be expected but listenable ok (15.735mHz):

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

Lawrence.

[davidw]

Here near the east coast of Suffolk its a strong (S9 +20dB if you believe the meter!) perfectly readable on my old Yaesu FT840 + 20m inverted L orientated roughly N-S.
Its also at listenable level /quality on a Sony ICF-7600D using its own whip.

[Valvepower]

Hi,

Hopefully just on topic…

Maybe Radio Caroline using the old BBC World Service medium wave aerial system at Orford Ness and upgrading to a more powerful transmitter wasn’t such an Irrational idea after all. As far as I know this reaches well into Europe, but not as far as the Ukraine

On the other side of the scale Europe’s most powerful MW station Antenna Hungária, Solt, Hungary, (which from memory has a short border with Ukraine) using a two Megawatt transmitter on 540 kHz. The new transmitter was commissioned in late 2017. This can be heard all over Europe as well as in parts of Africa, Russia, and Asia.

Press release on the Nautel site:

https://www.nautel.com/press-release...ted-by-nautel/

Terry

[William78]

I have just been listening to the news hour on my portable Panasonic RF 1105 DLBE on 15735 Khz. I had to be outside the house due to hash/noise. It was a good signal, easy to listen to using the radio's own telescopic aerial.

William

[CambridgeWorks]

From about 1430 to 1520 listenable with ease whilst doing some bench work. Started getting more qsb and fading as it approached 1600 closedown.
This was with my Ekco A22 and around 6M of outside aerial. Still heard a lot weaker with just 3ft of wire inside the shack.
Rob

[PaulM]

Do we know which senders they are using for this service to Ukraine?
According to Wikipedia, they have 10 senders as follows:

3 × Riz 250 kW (installed 2007-2008), 1 × Riz 500 kW (installed 2006), 4 × 300 kW Marconi B6124s (installed 1980) and 2 × 250 kW Marconi BD272s (installed 1963).

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wooffe...itting_station

I'd like to think that it's my old company's (Marconi) products still making a valuable contribution - especially the BD272s.

You can see them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UtX...0X784q&index=7

Paul M
BECG
www.becg.tv

[paulsherwin]

I suspect they are using the modern kit, and the older senders are mothballed.

[PaulM]

The more modern kit is likely committed to existing commercial customers?
I don't know, but this new service is above and beyond 'normal', so perhaps the older kit is back in action?

I hope so!

Paul M

[paulsherwin]

Somebody will certainly be paying a commercial rate for it anyway - altruism and international solidarity only goes so far. It's not clear if the BBC or the Foreign Office is picking up the tab, though I suspect the latter. Possibly our transatlantic friends are contributing too, given the close association of Woofferton with the VOA over many years.

[AdrianH]

Reasonable signals on 5875KHz, some fast fading but the radios seem to be keeping up with it at the moment.

RA17 on an indoor wire and the R210 with a wire in the loft.

Adrian

[dave walsh]

It's difficult to be "politics free" sideband [post 19] especially now but I've always taken the site restriction to be about not promoting some particular view or ideology, as happens on social media, rather than the general state of things and passing on information. For example the BBC is not taking sides just following it's primary duty to "inform" which is impressive for once I'm particularly interested in this one remaining SW Station being revived in the way that we try to bring equipment back to life. Others have frequently pointed out the need to retain LW Radio as [like morse code] it could "reach the parts others couldn't" in a national emergency [assuming there are any receivers left]. Hurricane Katrina really brought home to me the helplessness of the general population when digital media, eg cell phones, goes down or how easily it can be just turned off. In that sense our independent "vintage gear" might have great value if the worst came to the worst. I will take a listen to the designated frequencies asap from here on the south coast as conditions seem to be favourable.

Dave W

[Pfraser]

I tuned in to 5875kHz on Friday at around 2150 UTC on my Tecsun PL-380, indoors on its telescopic aerial. Weak and fluttery signal, with a little background SMPS-type QRM. Maximum strength of 49dBµ.

Stand by for switching...at less than a minute before 2200, the signal disappeared and did not return! A good sign that a more directional array was put into use.

[Junk Box Nick]

5875 was near end-stop with me (40 miles E of Wooferton) tonight on the FRG7 with a 60ft inverted L. At 10pm the transmission ceased abruptly mid-trail. The programme was the same as being broadcast on DAB.

Apparently the BBC have also registered 7370 0400-0600, 9745 0600-0700, 15730 0700-1900 with the ITU.

7370 & 15730: 300kW; 9745: 250kW

Given today's draconian restrictions imposed by the Russian authorities on broadcasters and reporters and blocking of BBC websites perhaps some broadcasts will be made in Russian.

[Pfraser]

Originally Posted by Junk Box Nick

5875 was near end-stop with me (40 miles E of Wooferton) tonight on the FRG7 with a 60ft inverted L. At 10pm the transmission ceased abruptly mid-trail. The programme was the same as being broadcast on DAB.

Apparently the BBC have also registered 7370 0400-0600, 9745 0600-0700, 15730 0700-1900 with the ITU.

7370 & 15730: 300kW; 9745: 250kW

Given today's draconian restrictions imposed by the Russian authorities on broadcasters and reporters and blocking of BBC websites perhaps some broadcasts will be made in Russian.

There's a note on Reddit that the BBC has registered 9770kHz for Russian language broadcasts.

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

It's not clear if the BBC or the Foreign Office is picking up the tab…

I understand (it was mentioned on here not so long since) that the BBC Overseas Services are once more being paid for, at least in part, by ‘Grant-in-Aid’. So maybe that?