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Old 12th Nov 2017, 3:36 pm   #141
stitch1
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

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I think I'm getting it all the up hear too, quite weak and fades a little but listenable on an old domestic radio ... playing my old mans a dustman now?
Grammar, spelling

Anyway .... very faint here in daylight hours, I can hear music but can't quite make out what it is.
Unfortunately I don't think I have anything with an RF amp to try, sounds like I need to look out for a VHF80 or 81.

I'll try again after dark

John
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 4:08 pm   #142
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Audible at 1500 hrs on the car radio near Stafford, marred by strong sideband splatter from BBC Radio Wales on 657kHz.

The directional/nulling capabilities of a set with a ferrite rod aerial are useful. I'd actually like to construct a MW loop antenna, but haven't got the room to store it!
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 4:59 pm   #143
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Having now tried several radios I have found I get best reception on a Robert R606-MB.
Listened for several hours Sunday afternoon. R5 S7 report, no QSB. (fading). Near Hounslow/ Twickenham, SW London.
Will see how it changes after dark.

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Old 12th Nov 2017, 5:40 pm   #144
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Fading a bit now it's getting dark. Otherwise still a good signal. They don't appear to be using as much compression as 'Gold'....much better bass response.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 6:06 pm   #145
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Recieving it this afternoon, but with a lot of fade, and another station fading in and out behind it (seems slightly worse after dark), think Radio Luxembourg in the '70's. Location: Bournemouth, Radio's tried Sony ICF7600AW battery transistor portable and Pye 1113 mains transistor table radio, both on internal antennas only.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 8:57 pm   #146
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

I listened last night on my bedside Kenwood R-1000 and long wire and the station was coming in at around S5 to 6 but was spoilt by a shrieking noise which was either heterodyning or some local garbage. I could only listen by tuning down to 645kHz but then got some break through from the adjacent talk station
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 9:57 pm   #147
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

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Reception reports by post to PO Box 12524, Maldon, Essex CM9 9EX
Thanks for that, Stuart. I've mailed them a reception report. I've also enclosed an SAE and asked for a QSL card, who knows?
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:04 pm   #148
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Does the Caroline Internet site give information on the exact content of the MW broadcasts, 'what's playing now'.
If you don't hear a station ident & you are fighting fading and other adjacent stations you need every scrap of information you can get.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:14 pm   #149
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Agreed it can be quite hard to be sure you're listening on the right frequency to begin with, especially if (like mine) your receivers have analogue dials, mostly marked in metres, and the calibration may not be spot-on. What I did was set my sig gen to give 648.0kHz as indicated by my DFM, and tuned the first receiver to zero beat against the sig gen. I was then confident that whatever I heard must be Radio Caroline. The 1960s - 1980s pop music was a dead giveaway when it faded up. Leaving the first receiver tuned in, I then tuned other sets to the same frequency.

In my listener report I have included the times and songs heard, more or less as per my post #124. If they're in any doubt, they will be able to check against their playlist.
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Last edited by Phil G4SPZ; 12th Nov 2017 at 10:15 pm. Reason: Reference to earlier post added
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:32 pm   #150
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

I tuned a little 17 year old Phillips digital radio to 648khz and tuned my other radios to around 460m until I found a match. There was continuous music, no announcements or adverts so I’m confident it’s Caroline.

John
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:49 pm   #151
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

I'm trying to use the pc to give me an idea what to listen for but which one should I be trying for on 468? I have Caroline Albums, Caroline Flashback and Caroline North!

Last edited by Boom; 12th Nov 2017 at 10:55 pm.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:49 pm   #152
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

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I've just tried my own VHF81, and it's pulling Radio Caroline in at excellent entertainment strength. I hadn't realised how well these sets perform on MW.
A very underrated set. They have an exceptional performance considering they are just domestic radio's. The use of a UF89 as an RF amp on AM makes a huge difference.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 10:52 pm   #153
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

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I'm trying to use the pc to give me an idea what to listen for but which one should I be trying for on 468? I have Caroline Albums, Caroline Flashback and Caroline North!
I don't think the MW stream is on the web yet. Probably when they have completed their tests.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 11:01 pm   #154
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuart R View Post
Reception reports by post to PO Box 12524, Maldon, Essex CM9 9EX
Thanks for that, Stuart. I've mailed them a reception report. I've also enclosed an SAE and asked for a QSL card, who knows?
I sent Caroline an email when Tom Petty died and got a lovely reply.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 11:02 pm   #155
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

The internet stream is often time-delayed with respect to the terrestrial broadcast by some stations, sometimes by a minute or two, which makes it doubly hard to know what you're supposed to be listening for!
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 11:11 pm   #156
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Thanks Phil, I have a DAC90A and an A22 with external aerial but can't hear anything in English no matter where I point the dial I wonder if Carolines aerials are NS polarised? It seems to be those 'Oop Norf' who are getting best results.
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Old 12th Nov 2017, 11:33 pm   #157
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Very poor here now, not sure I'm getting it at all, it was much clearer last night.
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Old 13th Nov 2017, 12:04 am   #158
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

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Very poor here now, not sure I'm getting it at all, it was much clearer last night.
I agree, it was booming in last night but is buried under other stations tonight. They may have turned the wick down to do some work or it may be just unfavourable conditions.
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Old 13th Nov 2017, 12:06 am   #159
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Unhappy Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Hi All,
just tried it on my best set (Clark & Smith model 8812). I can just here it through all the Interference and fading, Listened at 23-00 hrs today. Reminded me very much of trying to listen to the pirates in the old days.
Sadly not good enough to listen too for an extended period. Such a shame, was hoping to add a new station to my dwindling list of MW stations

Paul.

Last edited by kalee99; 13th Nov 2017 at 12:08 am. Reason: The site added text I did not type!
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Old 13th Nov 2017, 12:19 am   #160
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Default Re: Radio Caroline to return on Medium Wave.

Loud and clear here but then again I am lucky enough to live less than five miles from the transmitter. This is the first time in my life I have been able to receive a station on radios I have spent hours repairing with a clear signal that is playing music I like. A very special moment.
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