Radio Caroline North weekend 1368kHz - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

MotorBikeLes · 29th Oct 2018, 10:40 pm

30 years ago whilst living in Staffordshire I was unable to get over to the island for TT. Instead, I sat in my workshop listening on my NordMende Globetrotter 808. I had a long wire running along the drive, plus an earth, fed into a simple coil on a ferrite rod which I stood on top of the radio. A small trimmer cap allowed optimisation at 1368KHz. Some fading, but not only was I able to listen OK, but I also recorded them all onto tapes for a pal who was in hospital. I still have both the aerial adapter and the cassettes.
Les.
This was entirely during summertime and daylight hours of course.

HMV 1120 · 30th Oct 2018, 2:38 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Croozer

This sounds impossible, but driving round the edinburgh city bypass tonight i was able to pick up caroline on 648khz -reception intelligible but marred by interference. Standard issue ford focus radio. That must be ca. 300 miles on only 1 kw. Do you get sporadic E on MW?

Ps 1368khz is usually ok here subject to fading

Back in August I happened to sailing seven miles off Padstow at three in the morning. Excellent reception of 648 as if it was a high power local. Alas it faded shortly after the sun came up.

Junk Box Nick · 4th Nov 2018, 4:04 pm

I read elsewhere that 1368 is now omnidirectional. Looking at some photos on the mb21 site it appears that the aerial system consists of two verticals. I wonder, given that there is no longer a need for a null in the radiation pattern (and that AM has to be on borrowed time), whether this means that one mast will be removed with a subsequent saving on maintenance?

Scott37 · 10th Nov 2018, 5:29 pm

I received Radio Caroline (648 kHz) just south of Glasgow. It was a weak signal but with less evidence of fading than Radio Luxembourg used to have. As I entered Glasgow, first electrical interference got worse, then Caroline seemed to become swamped by a foreign language station. Like Croozer, I was astounded to receive a 1 kW signal so far away (given that Radio Scotland is by contrast 100 kW and is much closer).

29th Oct 2018, 10:40 pm	#21
MotorBikeLes Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kirk Michael, Isle of Man Posts: 2,350	Re: Radio Caroline North weekend 1368kHz 30 years ago whilst living in Staffordshire I was unable to get over to the island for TT. Instead, I sat in my workshop listening on my NordMende Globetrotter 808. I had a long wire running along the drive, plus an earth, fed into a simple coil on a ferrite rod which I stood on top of the radio. A small trimmer cap allowed optimisation at 1368KHz. Some fading, but not only was I able to listen OK, but I also recorded them all onto tapes for a pal who was in hospital. I still have both the aerial adapter and the cassettes. Les. This was entirely during summertime and daylight hours of course. Last edited by MotorBikeLes; 29th Oct 2018 at 10:41 pm. Reason: addendum

4th Nov 2018, 4:04 pm	#23
Junk Box Nick Octode Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,571	Re: Radio Caroline North weekend 1368kHz I read elsewhere that 1368 is now omnidirectional. Looking at some photos on the mb21 site it appears that the aerial system consists of two verticals. I wonder, given that there is no longer a need for a null in the radiation pattern (and that AM has to be on borrowed time), whether this means that one mast will be removed with a subsequent saving on maintenance?

10th Nov 2018, 5:29 pm	#24
Scott37 Tetrode Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 55	Re: Radio Caroline North weekend 1368kHz I received Radio Caroline (648 kHz) just south of Glasgow. It was a weak signal but with less evidence of fading than Radio Luxembourg used to have. As I entered Glasgow, first electrical interference got worse, then Caroline seemed to become swamped by a foreign language station. Like Croozer, I was astounded to receive a 1 kW signal so far away (given that Radio Scotland is by contrast 100 kW and is much closer).