The future of AM

[Rillington]

AM has been seen as being dying on its feet for years yet BBC Radio 5 Live, Absolute Radio and TalkSPORT continue to broadcast on MW and Radio 4 continues to transmit on long wave.

What do people think the future is for MW and LW?

[heero_yuy]

People may not know but R4 on 198kHz (was 200kHz) and Rugby MSF on 60 kHz are both atomic clock controlled frequencies used by equipment for time standards.

[Dude111]

Wow there is actually something on .60Mhz??

I thought that was the freq for electric..... (Cant hear anything but a buzz on that freq)

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Dude111

Wow there is actually something on .60Mhz??

I thought that was the freq for electric..... (Cant hear anything but a buzz on that freq)

0.06MHz actually. I'm not sure if it got audible modulation on it.

Even lower frequencies are used for submarine communication

[tweetiepooh]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

People may not know but R4 on 198kHz (was 200kHz) and Rugby MSF on 60 kHz are both atomic clock controlled frequencies used by equipment for time standards.

And you used to be able to receive Radio 4 LW half way down France.

[Rillington]

and I'm sure you still can.

I believe that once the supply of equipment used to broadcast Radio 4 on long wave stops working, it will end up being permanently switched off because they can't get any replacements.

Plus the BBC is slowly abandoning MW as most BBC local stations have had their MW transmitters switched off in recent years.

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Rillington

.

I believe that once the supply of equipment used to broadcast Radio 4 on long wave stops working, it will end up being permanently switched off because they can't get any replacements.

Remember that Long Wave carries the shipping forecast because of the range that reach the remotest fishing grounds. I'm sure replacement equipment can be commissioned if needed.

[Rillington]

I believe that Radio 4 on long wave can be received at least half way across the Atlantic ocean, and probably as far north as Iceland, thereby covering all of the fishing grounds that UK fishing boats go to.

[tweetiepooh]

Well last time we did the France trip it didn't reach that far. Maybe the Atlantic transmitters are "different". Still not going to France or anywhere abroad for some time yet.

[heero_yuy]

Quote from Wiki:

The Droitwich transmitting station is a large broadcasting facility for long-wave and medium-wave transmissions, established in 1934 in the civil parish of Dodderhill, just outside the village of Wychbold, near Droitwich in Worcestershire, England (grid reference SO929663). The site is the location of the British Broadcasting Corporation's most powerful long-wave transmitter, which together with the two Scottish long-wave transmitters at Burghead and Westerglen forms a network broadcasting on the same frequency.

The Droitwich station is 500KW and as well as the AM R4 modulation also carries atomic time transmissions. This was the one I knew about but it seems there are several lower power fill in transmitters.

[Rillington]

How far out of the UK does Radio 5 Live reach? I presume it can be received well in Ireland and northern France?

Also, I wonder what percentage of 5 Live's audience listens on MW. I presume the proportion of listening on MW is continually falling. I guess that the occasional conversation takes place as to when would be the right time to think about switching off 5 Live in MW, like they are doing with BBC Local Radio.

That said, i would imagine that Absolute Radio, TalkSPORT and the other commercial stations would disappear from MW well before 5 Live does.

[Russ]

Ah AM. The very mention of it makes me what to dig out my old Cobra 148 CB radio.