My AM Archive: October 2015

 AUTUMN 2015 brings these memories of Medium Wave radio broadcasts, heard in the Eden Valley, Cumbria, England.

The previous post in this thread, My AM Archive: August 2015, can be found here.

Housekeeping notes: Times in UTC (GMT), frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz). Transmission power in watts or kiloWatts (kW). Logs transcribed from the original notes.

Receiver used: Roberts R881.

October 2015 : Medium Wave

• [Tuesday] 20 October [2015]: 1817 UTC: 531 kHz: Jil FM [Algeria]  Music: Choral singing, speech by female. Music and speech interchanging. French language speech.
  Fair to poor reception.
  Music: The Beatles 'The Long And Winding Road' ['Signal at best level at this point']; Music: Dionne Warwick 'Walk On By'.
  Transmission site: F'Kirina [Algeria] 600 kW.
  Logged to 1840 UTC.

Logo for Kossuth Radio, Budapest, Hungary.

• 20 October: 1848 UTC: 540 kHz: Kossuth Radio [Hungary]  Speech from male and female, ident, continuation of speech. Strong signal from MR1 Kossuth Radio, broadcasting in the Hungarian language, from Hungary. Reception fading.
  Good to poor reception.
  Top of the hour idents.
  MR1 Kossuth Radio via Solt [Hungary] 2 MW (2 MegaWatts!).
  Logged to 1900 UTC.
• 20 October: 1914 UTC: 549 kHz: UR1 Pershiy kanal [Ukraine]  Speech, followed by music: Eiffel 65 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)'. Sports programme? Weaker signal. Male speech.
  Fair reception; 550 kW via Mykolaiv/Luch [Ukraine].
  Logged to 1923 UTC.
• 20 October: 1925 UTC: 549 kHz: Spirit Radio [Ireland]  Pop / rock song, link by female into Spirit Radio ID, segue into next song.
  Good to poor reception; English language via Carrickroe transmission site, Co Donegal. 11 / 25 kW.
  Music at 1934 UTC; Male speech at 1935 UTC. Contact details for Co Wicklow, Republic of Ireland. Programme: Evenings with Olga Kaye.
  Logged to 1945 UTC.
• 20 October: 1951 UTC: 549 kHz: Deutschlandfunk [Germany]  Long piano piece, applause, male speech in German language.
  Fair to poor reception via Thurnau [Germany] 100 kW.
  Programme: 'Jazz Live' Vijay Iyer.
  Logged to 20:02 UTC.
• 20 October: 2034 UTC: 576 kHz: RNE Radio 5 [Spain]  Barely audible, but clear, Spanish, male speech.
  Poor reception via Barcelona [Spain] 100 kW.
  Logged to 2041 UTC.
• 20 October: 2046 UTC: 585 kHz: BBC Radio Scotland  Sport: Interview with Alan Stubbs, speaking about the standard of refereeing in football; Discussion also included fourth officials and linesmen - Sudden interjection by music! Male host then apologises for interruption by music, returning to football discussion, following tonight's match which was Hibernian FC v Falkirk FC. Programme: 'SportSound'.
  Excellent to fair reception; 2 kW via Dumfries, Scotland.
  10pm [UK time] news headlines: Steelworks in Motherwell & Clyde to be mothballed. Sport & weather updates.
  Programme: 'Another Country' with Ricky Ross: Owen Bradley: The Nashville Sound. Country music show, playing Patsy Cline 'Walking After Midnight' followed by 'Night Train To Memphis'.
  Logged to 2100 UTC.

Google Maps image of the Dumfries transmission site.

• 20 October: 21:11 UTC: 603 kHz: BBC Radio 4  'The World Tonight' Report regarding China's [President] Xi Jinping's state visit to the UK, meeting the Royal Family.
  Excellent to good reception; 2 kW via Wrekenton (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne).
  Logged to 2121 UTC.
• 20 October: 2127 UTC: 603 kHz: France Info  Strong, clear speech from France Info! Male speech with regards to Bashar Assad, the leader of war-torn Syria. Speech from female, male, idents and 'stabs'.
  Excellent to fair reception; 300 kW via Tramoyes, Lyon, France.
  Preview of the new 'Star Wars' movie to be released! Football: Champions League football update.
  [Broadcast in French language]
  Logged to 2144 UTC.
• 20 October: 2157 UTC: 621 kHz: RTBF International [Belgium]  Very faint music, very faint speech, female reading frequencies in kiloHertz. Music. Off air at 2200 UTC.
  Fair reception; 300 kW via Wavre, Belgium.
  Logged to 2200 UTC.
• 20 October: 2207 UTC: 630 kHz: BBC Three Counties Radio  Music: Petula Clark 'Downtown'. Male speech, man on telephone. Female speech. Music: The Corrs 'What Can I Do' (Clear audio).
  Poor reception.
  Male speech, female speech, phone call. Music: 'My Boy Lollipop'. Male speech.
  Transmission site: Lewsey Farm, Luton. 200 kW.
  Logged to 2235 UTC.

Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower!

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Medium Wave, March - May 1996

SPRINGTIME 1996 is the next stop on the visit to my listening archives, with extensive logs from March, April and May that year. A gentle reminder of the housekeeping notes regarding abbreviations in the logs: Times in UTC (GMT), frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz). Transmission power in watts or kiloWatts (kW). Logs transcribed from the original notes.

March 1996: Medium Wave

• March 1996: New Talk Radio UK address: Talk Radio UK, PO Box 1089, LONDON W1A 1PP (Moz Dee).

April 1996: Medium Wave

• 8 April: 1823 UTC: 567 kHz: RTE Radio 1 (Ireland) 500 kW transmission. Patti Page performs 'Tennessee Waltz' on 'O'Brien on Song', hosted by Jack O'Brien.
• 8 April: 1857 UTC: 585 kHz: BBC Radio Scotland 2kW transmission from Dumfries. Music programme: 'Jump The Q'.
• 8 April: 1859 UTC: 603 kHz: BBC Radio 4 2kW transmission. Monday Play: 'Uganda'
• 8 April: 19 UTC: 612 kHz: RTE 2FM (Ireland) News: Paul Reynolds reports from the Apprentice Boys stand-off in Belfast, Beef crisis, vandalism at Co Galway fish farm. Weather. Dave Fanning plays Radiohead: 'Street Spirit'. 2FM via Athlone transmitter. Music from Nirvana 'In Bloom', 'Heart Shaped Box'.
• 8 April: 1931 UTC: 648 kHz: BBC World Service Interview with Ian Paisley regarding the Apprentice Boys march in Belfast.
• 8 April: 1934 UTC: 675 kHz: 675 Radio 10 Gold Amsterdam, Holland. Jos Van Heerden presents 'Super Gold' Beatles 'Strawberry Fields'. The Move 'Flowers In The Rain'.
• 8 April: 1955 UTC: 693 kHz: BBC Radio 5 Live Sport: Feathered Gale won the Irish Grand National, Workington Town got beat by Sheffield Eagles in Rugby Super League. Live football: Newcastle United 0, Blackburn Rovers 0.

• 8 April: 2032 UTC: 909 kHz: BBC Radio 5 Live Sport: Alan Green commentates on the football match Newcastle United v Blackburn Rovers, the score is 0-0. Faustino Asprilla has been substituted.
• 8 April: 2038 UTC: 963 kHz: YLE Radio Finland News from Sweden, report from Helsinki. Easter comment. Heavy interference.
• 8 April: 2043 UTC: 1053 kHz: Talk Radio UK Ronnie Barbour discusses family values. Tony from Luton discusses accents. Ad break: Ford Transit vans. News: Belfast, NYSE, slimming pills, skier killed in France. Football result: Newcastle United 1 - Blackburn Rovers 2. James Whale on the air. Callers: David in Glasgow, Deirdre in Belfast.

May 1996: Medium Wave

• 14 May: 1720 UTC: 567 kHz: RTE Radio 1 500 kW transmission from Tullamore, Ireland. 'Farm News' programme, weather forecast now on air.
• 14 May: 1730 UTC: 585 kHz (513 metres?) BBC Radio Scotland : 2kW transmission from Dumfries. 'Coastlines': Ecology report.
• 14 May: 1755 UTC: 666 kHz: BBC Radio York 'North Yorkshire Sport' with racing results. 500 watt transmission from Fulford. Traffic reports: Whitby A174, A684 via Leyburn. 'North Yorkshire Tonight': Report from a hospital union in Sheffield.

• 14 May: 1818 UTC: 675 kHz: Radio 10 Gold 120 kW transmission from Lopic, Holland. Music: Sandie Shaw, 'Puppet On A String'.
• 14 May: 1833 UTC: 756 kHz: BBC Radio Cumbria 1kW transmission from Carlisle. Music with Mark Paxton.
• 14 May: 1837 UTC: 774 kHz: BBC Radio Leeds 500 watt transmission via Farnley. 'Yorkshire Sport': Top table of Neil Back (rugby), Geoffrey Richmond (football) and Mike Edge (swimming coach) discuss tolerance of behaviour by sportsmen towards officials. Cricket report by Jonathan Agnew. 'Night Sport' looks towards Euro 96. Call 0113 244 3222 (Leeds).
• 14 May: 1911 UTC: 882 kHz: BBC Radio Wales. 100 kW transmission via Washford. Sport: Cardiff Arms Park hosts Neath v Pontypridd (Live Rugby). Sending off: Steve Lewis, red card, headbutt. Neath are Champions!
• 14 May: 1924 UTC: 909 kHz: BBC Radio Five 909 kHz = 330 metres. Live Rugby League: Wigan 20 - Halifax 0. Transmitter: Moorside Edge, 200 kW transmission. Rugby League result. Topical sport broadcast: 'Inside Edge' with Rob Bonner.
• 14 May: 1958 UTC: 1179 kHz: Radio Sweden Solvesborg transmitter, 600 kW transmission. English programme: 'Sixty Degrees North' with Sara Larsch, Swedish Youth Culture, Techno art.

• 14 May: 2011 UTC: 1197 - 1215 kHz: Virgin Radio Music : The Police - 'Every Breath You Take'. Ad break. Highlights of this morning's 'Russ And Jono's Breakfast Experience'.
• 14 May: 2017 UTC: 1386 kHz: Voice of Russia Transmitter site: Bolshakovo or Kaliningrad, 2500 kW transmission. Classical music.
• 14 May: 2023 UTC: 1440 kHz: Radio Netherlands Dutch language broadcast via RTL Marnach, LUX (Luxembourg). 1200 kW transmission.

Thank you for reading this post on Reporting From The Fox Tower.

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Discover Penrith

THIS post on RFTFT takes us up to the market town of Penrith, Cumbria. A town that has been going through a regeneration in recent years, which has included the building of the new Castle Park Retail site, on the A592, Ullswater Road, as well as the New Squares development, around the Southend Road area. I do like the metalwork which greets visitors to the New Squares, as seen above. A new website was launched in late 2013, on which visitors can learn more about the town, the website is Discover Penrith. There is lots more to Penrith than just the new retail areas; The Musgrave Monument in the Market Square, St Andrew's Church, the statue of the Black Angel in Castle Park (to commemorate the Boer War), the Band Stand in Corn Market, not forgetting Penrith Castle, as well as the sporting facilities in Castle Park. Regarding sports, Penrith Rugby Union is based at Winters Park, Carleton; Penrith AFC [Football Club] is based at Frenchfields Park. Learn more about sport in Penrith on the Eden FM Sport Facebook page. Eden FM is the Community Radio station based on Ullswater Road Business Park. Also based in Penrith is the Cumberland & Westmorland Herald (weekly newspaper) and Cumbrian Local (monthly community magazine). I do hope this posting regarding Penrith has been enjoyable. Do enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

Welcome to 2012!

MAY I begin this first post of 2012 by wishing you a Happy New Year and hope you enjoyed the festive period. I also now bring you the first 'Wallpaper of the week' for 2012 - This image was taken by me on 29th September 2011 on a bridleway which leaves the village of Dufton, Cumbria, to the east and joins the Pennine Way, leading to Peeping Hill and High Cup Nick. I liked the look of the old gate and the colours of the fields bring the picture to life. I hope you like it as much as I do. Happy New Year.

The Sabbath

AS it is Sunday, The Sabbath, I thought I would post a nice photograph of a Church for your enjoyment.

This is St Theobald's Church, Musgrave, Cumbria, England.