20th Aug 2021, 11:28 am | #61 | |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
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20th Aug 2021, 12:21 pm | #62 |
Octode
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
Hasn’t Caroline got fairly wide London coverage on London ‘SSDAB’ or does the map flatter to deceive? It’s on Birmingham SSDAB but the transmitter is on the east side and the signal only just reaches the city centre. I get a display on the Rx but no signal.
Enjoyed the on air snippet – just about enough for me. Was listening to Caroline last night and it’s definitely improved! (We’ve both got old...) Clearly from the North ship but interesting that there was no station identification, jingle or DJ identification during the 25 or so minutes. (I listen to one local commmunity station where a presenter feels it necessary to announce his name, name of the show, station name and frequency during every link!) I listened to the South ship. I think I get a better daytime signal now on 648 with 1kW than I did from the Mi Amigo on 1187 with 50kW. Tony Blackburn has been doing the same show for nearly sixty years. Good luck to him – few of us manage ten years doing the same job in the same manner! |
9th Nov 2021, 10:54 pm | #63 |
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Radio Caroline improved reception
Hi. Is it my imagination but has the daytime reception of Radio Caroline improved a bit more? Not sure if and when the upgrade in power is planned, but it is a bit better than it was before. Of course, the night time reception is still poor after a certain time. It will be great if this power increase is soon due! My Bush VHF61 radio can now receive 648 without having to turn up the volume to maximum as it was before. Anyone else experienced this slight improvement?
Cheers Mike |
10th Nov 2021, 10:34 am | #64 |
Tetrode
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
Congrats to you people lucky enough to still have MW or SW stations in your country.
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10th Nov 2021, 10:56 am | #65 | |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
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A bit off topic, but i'm curious to know what Medium Wave is used for in Finland, if there are no radio stations on there anymore? Thanks Aub
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10th Nov 2021, 11:15 am | #66 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
Is Caroline ever going to make use of the now redundant Radio Wales TX in Wrexham? 2kW will go a long way!
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10th Nov 2021, 11:30 am | #67 | |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
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If nothing else I think it could be a good candiate for DRM, since there's notihng there now. |
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10th Nov 2021, 12:21 pm | #68 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
Let's stay on topic please.
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10th Nov 2021, 12:22 pm | #69 | |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
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Though reception improved generally when the switch was made to the 1/4 wave vertical, I suspect the recent improvement in signal – at least in my location – is down to ground wave conductivity given recent wet weather. Latest Caroline Support Group newsletter indicates that the ‘new’ Tx (a second-hand item found in Germany) has had an overhaul that sounds rather like a restoration. Quote: It is a Harris DX25, sufficiently powerful for anything we may wish to do in future. I think I read somewhere that the lowest power this Tx will transmit is 10kW but of course modifications in restoration may have changed this. The Tx also has to operate for many months physically unattended. Peter Moore says: “It was a pleasant surprise when Ofcom agreed our request for more AM power. I feel we have friends there.” |
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10th Nov 2021, 12:28 pm | #70 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
It does seem a shame to leave the Wrexham transmitter unused, but remember that the mast may need expensive maintenance even if a much more economical transmitter was installed.
It's a very good location for a 'Caroline North' service though - it would cover the West Midlands, Merseyside and Manchester very well with only a modest transmitter. |
10th Nov 2021, 12:31 pm | #71 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
It would have to be bang in sync otherwise it would make for very annoying listening here!
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10th Nov 2021, 12:35 pm | #72 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
It's unlikely the Wrexham TX would be used again, it was installed in 1946, or there abouts, and probably needs a total overhaul by now.
One day I'll try receiving it with a decent setup, I might be able to receive it although it's unlikely.
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10th Nov 2021, 12:58 pm | #73 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
The Wrexham Tx did seem to give good coverage. Back in the day (about 20 years ago) I used to listen to Radio Wales a lot and 657’s 2kW wasn’t that far down compared to 882’s 100kW. It was easily listenable on the kitchen portable. Wrexham is about 60 miles and Washford about 120 miles distant with the latter having Severn Estuary sea path.
I think Caroline’s aim is just to put out a ‘respectable’ signal on 648. It is a bit the broadcasting equivalent of a heritage steam railway and other than us enthusiasts few will be listening seriously on AM. It might be get into London a bit better but the local QRM in such a crowded city will make it impractical for many, plus there is SSDAB there which doesn’t seem so small-scale from the coverage map. It is a shame the ‘Birmingham’ SSDAB coverage is so miniscule – it barely reaches the city centre – otherwise I would listen on DAB. My MW sets are tuned to 648 but I listen online a fair amount – especially at night when 648 is poor due to co-channel QRM. I do listen to the Caroline North transmissions on AM but this is for the sense of nostalgia more than anything. 1368 booms in during darkness. In the times before they turned 648 over to North for the duration of the weekend there was even the novelty of hearing of hearing two Carolines from two different transmitter locations on the band once more – something that hadn’t occurred since March 1968. |
11th Nov 2021, 12:48 pm | #74 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
Was R Caroline North originally on 199m? If so its a pity they could not re engineer the Wrexham transmitter to put out Radio Caroline on the now unused 1503.It would cover parts of NW England and the west Midlands during the day.
Here near Bristol I can sometimes get quite a decent signal from R Caroline on 648 the best times are an hour or so before and after dusk. Manx Radio, and when it carries Caroline, on 1368 puts a superb signal in to this area most evenings and often for an hour or so just after sunrise.
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11th Nov 2021, 1:01 pm | #75 | |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
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The transmitter at Wrexham is unlikely to date from the 40s - the BBC had a big modernisation programme in the 70s and replaced most of their really ancient transmitters then. It may still be 50 years old though, and obviously unsuitable for an operation like Caroline to use. I know nothing about the condition of the mast, but it may well need work. |
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12th Nov 2021, 5:13 pm | #76 |
Octode
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
Hi. I am very pleased with the progress that has been made with Radio Caroline's transmitter up to now. Hope that the increase that they promised will come in to being soon.
Looking forward to my Top 15 selection on Thursday 18th Nov. Cheers Mike |
26th Nov 2021, 11:22 am | #77 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
They seem to have made the change now and the signal here is solid, with just the occasional dip down towards the noise. A vast improvement, although it will be interesting to see how it fares as daytime conditions tighten their grip.
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26th Nov 2021, 2:21 pm | #78 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
Radio Caroline have contacted me to confirm that the power increase has now happened. The exact power is being kept secret at the moment, don't know why, perhaps in case of problems.
BUT - go listen. Many more people should now be able to receive. |
26th Nov 2021, 3:30 pm | #79 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
According to their web page, the TX is a DX25 from Harris. These can do 25 kW output, so if OFCOM is allowing them to use it at full chat no wonder it's such an improvement. It's gone from 'bad, even by Anorak standards' to 'armchair listening' on my shack radio, and even on my Sony portable it would count as 'good Anorak'.
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26th Nov 2021, 3:40 pm | #80 |
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Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase
Yes, much stronger here. I was never a big Caroline fan though I'm afraid.
Cheers Aub
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