Absolute Radio to end AM transmissions on 23/01/23

[Nuvistor]

Interesting snippet from PW Jan 1961 re poor MW reception. It seems then it was foreign stations causing interference. The BBC were on an uphill battle to get VHF/FM into more homes, anyone in the trade then will remember the push back from customers from paying extra for an FM set.
Perhaps interference for SMPS etc have killed off what foreign stations 60 years ago couldn’t, at least the foreign stations very often had decent programmes.

https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Pra...PW-1961-01.pdf

[Rich Woods]

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

As if it isn't ironic enough that they are broadcasting from the very site the postmaster general used to try to jam the pirates

David

Very true

[Ian - G4JQT]

A report came my way entitled "Radio in the 80s" where - amongst other things - it was suggested the minimum MW/LW service area field strength should be increased from 1mV/m to 10mV/m to overcome rising noise levels.

Needless to say nothing came of it as such an increase would be completely impractical...

[Jon_G4MDC]

20dB up on 100kW would get expensive!

I suppose they planned closer spacing between stations but even so...

[paulsherwin]

I suspect it was more a question of redefining the service areas of transmitters.

[Restoration73]

The whole idea of clear channels was destroyed when BBC Local Radio went on AM in
response to the coming of ILR on AM and FM. Great for DXers though.

Interesting in the US that FCC Part 15 always permitted hobby broadcasting on AM with
max power 100mW and 50 foot antenna.

[colourking]

Originally Posted by Nuvistor

Interesting snippet from PW Jan 1961 re poor MW reception. It seems then it was foreign stations causing interference. The BBC were on an uphill battle to get VHF/FM into more homes, anyone in the trade then will remember the push back from customers from paying extra for an FM set.
Perhaps interference for SMPS etc have killed off what foreign stations 60 years ago couldn’t, at least the foreign stations very often had decent programmes.

https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Pra...PW-1961-01.pdf

Back then, the public were increasingly watching TV (instead of radio listening) during the hours of serious foreign interference on MW. So whilst TV facilitated the transmission of FM radio (using the same transmission sites) its growth would also have to an extent delayed takeup of FM!

[FERNSEH]

Here in the Gateshead and Newcastle area four stations remain on the Medium waveband.
Greatest Hits, TalkSport, BBC Radio 5 and BBC Radio 4.

DFWB.

[Sideband]

Originally Posted by FERNSEH

Here in the Gateshead and Newcastle area four stations remain on the Medium waveband.
Greatest Hits, TalkSport, BBC Radio 5 and BBC Radio 4.

DFWB.

Same here in London apart from a couple community Asian stations and I think London Greek Radio is still around in North London....(or was that a pirate)? I don't think Greatest Hits is AM around here. Oh yes I forgot Radio Caroline on 648 so we still have a few kicking around.

[hamid_1]

London Greek Radio started as a pirate station serving the Greek-speaking community in Wood Green, north London. It gained a community radio licence long ago and is now legal. AFAIK It's only ever been on FM.

There are a couple of South Asian community AM radio stations in London : Panjab Radio (558), Sunrise Radio (963,972) plus LBC News (I think?) and Gold 1548.

Greatest Hits Radio broadcasts on FM in London, therefore it is not allowed to broadcast on AM in the same area. A rule was introduced in the 1990 Broadcasting Act banning 'simulcasting' the same content on FM and AM in the same area. To comply with the rule, broadcasters would have to provide different content on their AM and FM frequencies or surrender one of their frequencies to a competitor.

This actually led to the creation of Absolute Radio (nee Virgin Radio) and Gold. Capital Radio switched their AM frequency to a golden-oldies service instead of surrendering it. The BBC replaced Radio 2 AM with Radio 5, and was forced to give up their Radio 1 and Radio 3 AM frequencies which became Talksport and Absolute. This is also the reason why Gold remains on air on AM in London. Some years back, most of the Gold AM stations around the country were switched to Smooth Radio, but since Smooth also broadcasts on FM in London, that change was not possible. For many years, Absolute Radio did broadcast on FM in London as well as nationally on AM. I guess either the no-simulcast rule didn't apply in that case or they had some London-specific content on FM.

Anyway, I don't think Ofcom will do anything drastic following the closure of Absolute Radio AM. No doubt, Bauer, the station's owner will argue that it was no longer viable to keep the AM network going and Ofcom will consider that Bauer had not acted unreasonably by closing it. The worst thing was that very little notice was given to affected listeners.

[paulsherwin]

Very little notice was given to Ofcom either. I suspect that's really what they're upset about - they were presented with a fait accompli and told to like it or lump it.

[agardiner]

Interesting reading hamid_1, thanks. I didn't know about the 1990 act that banned simulcasting. Interesting that this resulted in the spin off stations including Absolute radio, some of which have come to thrive in their own right.

[Sideband]

Originally Posted by agardiner

Interesting reading hamid_1, thanks. I didn't know about the 1990 act that banned simulcasting. Interesting that this resulted in the spin off stations including Absolute radio, some of which have come to thrive in their own right.

Yes thanks for that explanation....cleared up a lot of 'I wonder why.....'!!

[Ian - G4JQT]

I just asked AI ChatGPT this: "when will the droitwich 198 khz transmitter close?"

The reply - with corrected capitalisation: "The Droitwich 198 kHz transmitter will close at the end of 2022."

Now I wonder where it got that from?

[Station X]

Like Absolute Radio this thread is now closed down.

[Station X]

Forum member Nuvistor has drawn my attention to the following comment from OFCOM:-

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your...ation%20notice