Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Just noticed this article about Radio Caroline being granted permission to increase its AM broadcast power...

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2021/08/ofc...-up-the-power/


Long live MW!

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

I seem to recall a failed attempt to receive it with any quality a while since, but it's loud and clear here in North Norfolk now: probably a better signal than I could get from RNI etc. when in almost the same place fifty-odd years ago.

Paul

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

I just tried and unsurprisingly just got a bit of noise. However, I did notice that Panjab Radio seem to have turned the wick up on their 558kHz Crystal Palace transmitter, which used to carry Spectrum Radio. CP is about 65 miles from me, so if I'm getting a half decent signal then it must be covering a very wide area.

Of course, Punjabi pop music isn't to everyone's taste, but at least it's something to listen to on MW.

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Thanks for posting this! I am listening now, There is a bit of background noise but the signal is good enough to listen to.
:thumbsup:
Rich

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Radio Caroline would welcome reception reports. I was in contact with them over the last couple of days and they asked me for one. They are keen to know how good their signal is on 648 and gauge how far away people are listening.

They confirmed to me that they remain committed to the band so if they get some enthusiasts reporting, that will only strengthen their resolve.

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

The justification makes interesting reading. Ofcom are allowing the power increase to combat the high levels of noise on the band :-)

David

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Hi good signal in Chatham kent also 68dBm in Netherlands MICK

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Yes, don't try and deal with the source (s) of the noise, just turn the wick up ! 😄

Aub

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

A good signal here in rural Wiltshire using my Bush VHF81 [which, it must be said, has a rather 'hot' front-end compared to the usual 4-valve-plus-rectifier MW radios of the 50s and 60s].

Part of me thinks that receiving Caroline or any of the other pop-pirates of the 'sixties __without__ background-interference would somehow destroy the whole subversive experience....

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

I can imagine a Pythonesque scetch where a big Ofcom wrecker truck tows the transmitter away 😄

Aub

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

I can receive it quite well here in Coningsby! Never heard it before. I was using the Sony ICF-2001D that I repaired the battery leakage damage on late last year, signal strength only 2 LED's away from the top of the meter, but there was a lot of noise over it, probably generated by some of my stuff in the workshop, the Freeview box and VCR had to be turned off as they were obliterating it. Sadly my Ekco AC86 couldn't get it, probably needs a bigger aerial!

Regards,
Lloyd

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Not bad here when there are no electric trains going past ;) Quite enjoyable in fact (Grundig portable)

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Well, yes: something was definitely missing when I first tuned to the station today, on the Panasonic RF-9000, and it wasn't bass, middle or treble. The resident Fidelity Comet is playing it now, probably the first exercise the set has had in ten years, and is much harder to resist.

Paul

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

I may have a go at receiving it on an MB60, this set happily picks up distant stations.
Is the transmitter still in Essex? I need to know this so as to point the ferrite south-east.

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

I understand so, and on a very famous and ironic site. Google 'Cobra Mist' and be prepared for a long read involving the waste of an incredible amount of US taxpayer's dollars. It all failed because of, wait for it, what was described as an interference problem. After that whoopsie it was used as a high power broadcast site, and even used by the post office to jam pirate broadcasters, including Caroline. Doubly ironic!

David

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

The transmitter is located at Orfordness which is in my own county of Suffolk, not Essex. Ironically the BBC World Service used to transmit from there on 648kHz.

Confusion arises because the Caroline ship Ross Revenge is anchored in The Blackwater Estuary which is in Essex. Even when broadcasts are made from the Ross Revenge the transmissions still emanate from Orfordness.

http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#648_am.html

http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#history_of_648.html

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Faint carrier in daylight

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Just checked this out and to my surprise I was able to get a very clear, albeit weak, signal from Caroline on 648, indoors ,on my restored Vidor 'My Lady Margaret' valve portable in East Herts 8-) I'll check it out later, outside, away from the house and all of the background interference that I get there.....Incidently, while initially searching, I found a similar signal from 'Smooth Radio', on 603, from Kent.......

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

Am I right in thinking I may have picked up a carrier, it sounds like a static noise when tuning close to 500 metres, either side is picking up nothing.
All this is currently being done on a Bush BP90 with a draped inductively coupled antenna, I will have to wait till dark to try the MB60, that set can receive RTE 252 clear.
Is there any nearby transmitters working on 648 in this area or anywhere else in the country?
Still determined to hear something.

Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
 

When they are doing their monthly ship broadcast, how is the signal getting to the mainland? Is it satellite?
I am aware of a land based station to reduce costs but I read somewhere that they are planning to go full time from the ship itself, is there an under-sea power cable? There better had be, it's gonna cost a fortune in diesel!