My AM Archive : December 2020

 DECEMBER 2020, a Covid-19 lockdown month, is where the following selection of Medium Wave radio broadcast logs originate from.  A previous post of Medium Wave logs, dated November 2020, can be found here.

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

Receiver used: Sangean ATS-405.

December 2020 : Medium Wave

• [Monday] 7 December [2020]: 1232 UTC: 774 kHz: BBC Radio Bradford  [New broadcast] Good to fair reception (500 watts via Farnley).
  Music: Katy Perry 'Cozy Christmas'. ID with Sanchez. Guest: Ms Skelton of Mind The Gap Theatre group. Sanchez talks about his background. Music: Bee Gees 'Stayin' Alive', ID, Sanchez Payne is the host. Weather with Lisa Gallagher. IDs. Interview: Caroline Brown is an artist (painter) who also runs vintage fairs with her husband, around the Bingley area. As an artist, Caroline supports the Artist support pledge. Update of current [Covid-19] restrictions: Face coverings must be worn in the Bradford area. Music: Paul Young 'Love of the Common People'.
  Logged to 1250 UTC.
  
  Break
  
  
• 7 December: 1504 UTC: 792 kHz: BBC Radio Foyle  Music and speech, male speech from the host Sean Coyle.
  Poor reception. 1 kW via Londonderry.
  Music by Gary Barlow. Speech: requests and calls into the show. Music: The Seekers 'The Carnival Is Over'.
  Logged to 1518 UTC.
• 7 December: 1521 UTC: 810 kHz: BBC Radio Scotland  Music: Christmas song, submitted to BBC Upload. The host is Janice Forsyth, the programme is The Afternoon Show. Music: Lady Gaga 'Bad Romance'.
  Strong to fair reception. 100 kW via Burghead / Westerglen.
  Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin to complete work by a fellow writer who passed away.
  Interview with Phil, from the band Lapwing, with the band's Christmas single.
  Logged to 1535 UTC.
  

  

  Radio Leeds United was on air on 1323 kHz Medium Wave
  (Information from October 1996)

  7 December: 1545 UTC: 828 kHz: Greatest Hits Radio  Music: Survivor 'Eye of the Tiger' Short speech or jingle, music 'Baby Please Come Home'. Male speech, music: Climie Fisher 'Love Changes Everything'. ID.
  Poor reception. Music: Pink Floyd 'Another Brick In The Wall'. Male speech, Christmas ad, McDonald's ad, Covid-19 ad. ID.
  120 watts via Morley, Leeds (formerly Radio Aire).
  1600 UTC news: Coronavirus vaccine.
  Logged to 1602 UTC.
• 7 December: 1604 UTC: 837 kHz: BBC Radio Cumbria  'Time Tunnel' Vicky Warham playing Coolio.
  Strong to good reception. 1 kW via Barrow-in-Furness.
  Logged to 1611 UTC.
• 7 December: 1619 UTC: 846 kHz: Radio North / Gospel 846  Music: Ricky Nelson 'Never Be Anyone Else But You' Ad break: Household furnishing, Lisnagarvey. Music: Accordion.
  1 kW via Redcastle, Co Donegal. Strong to fair reception.
  Music: Three Degrees 'When Will I See You Again' Ad for furniture store. Music.
  Logged to 1632 UTC.
  
  Break: Evening meal of Spaghetti Carbonara enjoyed.
  
  
• 7 December: 1843 UTC: 864 kHz: ERTU Holy Quran  Clear reception of male Arabic Prayer.
  Transmission site: Santah, Egypt. Fair reception.
  Logged to 1853 UTC.
• 7 December: 1856 UTC: 873 kHz: BBC Radio Ulster  Female speaking of training for Tokyo Olympics, male speech. ID for Sportsround.
  1900 UTC news bulletin: Lead story features Londonderry - Covid vaccine. 9 deaths today.
  1 kW via Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh. Fair to poor reception.
  BBC Radio Ulster is now broadcasting 'Blas' in the Irish language.
  Logged to 1910 UTC.
  [Contact details: BBC Radio Ulster, Broadcasting House, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast BT2 8HQ / BT2 2HQ]
• 7 December: 1910 UTC: 873 kHz: BBC Radio Norfolk  Music from Anne-Marie, music from Des'ree 'You Gotta Be' ID for BBC Radio Norfolk. Female speech "Biggest and best artists" Female and male speech. Music: Robbie Williams 'Can't Stop Christmas'.
  Fair to poor reception. 300 watts via West Lynn, North Norfolk.
  ID, music: Lazy Boy 'Hope You Know'. Female host: Angie George. ID, music: Dua Lipa 'Hallucinate'.
  Logged to 1928 UTC.

Transmitted BBC Radio Wales on 882 kHz until 9-Jun-2021. Mast demolished 22-Aug-2025.

• 7 December: 1930 UTC: 882 kHz: BBC Radio Wales  Music: Boy George 'Rainbow In The Dark (Remix)' Janice Long (presenter) on BBC Radio Wales.
  Strong to good reception. Up to 100 kW (Washford).
  Music: The Damned 'Eloise'. Promo: Inspired by Victor Harra, James Dean Bradfield's new album will feature on the show, Friday, 6:30pm.
  Logged to 1940 UTC.
  [Contact details: BBC Radio Wales, Broadcasting House, Llandaff, Cardiff CF5 2YQ]
• 7 December: 1950 UTC: 891 kHz: Radio Algerienne Chaine 1  Music, female speech.
  Transmission site: Ouled Fayet, Algeria. Fair to poor reception.
  Female conversation, music. Male speech, music, time signal 'pips' for 20 UTC. Top of the hour intro, music, male speech.
  Logged to 2000 UTC.
• 7 December: 2002 UTC: 900 kHz: RAI Radio 1  Male speech at football: Fiorentina v Genoa, current score 0-0.
  Strong to good reception via Milan, Italy.
  Logged to 2015 UTC.

Notes: Contact info:

    BBC Radio Bradford  [email address]

    BBC Radio Norfolk  The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich NR2 1BH

My AM Archive : Hallowe'en 2018

 QUIETLY picking up where one left off, and proceeding with logs of Medium Wave (AM) broadcasts, heard October 2018.

A previous post of Medium Wave logs, dated August 2018, can be found here.

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

Receiver used: Roberts R881.

October 2018 : Medium Wave

• [Wednesday] 31 October [2018]: 1620 UTC: 810 kHz: BBC Radio Scotland  Focus on education, female host with a male correspondent on how to get the best out of students and teachers; Female correspondent on funds being held to assist with education, urging educational establishments and students to apply for the funding.
  Male correspondent: Sport: Rugby, Scottish football. 'SportSound' is on air at 6:30pm this evening. Rafa Nadal withdraws from Paris tennis. Gethin Jenkins withdraws due to injury.
  Traffic: Falkirk, Edinburgh, Renfrewshire.
  Drivetime news headlines at 1630 : Death of Saudi journalist.
  Strong to good reception; 100 kW via Burghead / Westerglen.
  News: Glasgow has been selected by Channel 4 as a new creative hub. Jaguar Land Rover report losses.
  Weather: Rain in Glasgow.
  Logged to 1635 UTC.
• 31 October: 1652 UTC: 837 kHz: BBC Radio Cumbria  Music: Roy Orbison 'I Drove All Night'.
  Paul Braithwaite on BBC Radio Cumbria, listener texts, listener reaction to a Trisha Yearwood song played earlier on the show.
  BBC Travel at 1657 UTC: A595 closure. Workington / Whitehaven roadworks, Carlisle A6 roadworks. A66 Bridgefoot, A590.
  'Newshour' Adam Powell. 1700 UTC news: Sellafield costs rising. Saudi killing. Machete attack in Cumbria. Channel 4 chooses Leeds as new HQ. University of Cumbria is studying Snow Leopards.
  Sport: Cricket: England v Sri Lanka. Manchester United Football Club.
  Weather.
  Strong to fair reception; 1 kW via Barrow-in-Furness.
  'Newshour' Top story: Sellafield costs rising.
  Logged to 1707 UTC.

1711 UTC: Meal break.

• 31 October: 1820 UTC: 846 kHz: Radio North / Gospel 846  Male speech, American accent, speaks of HBO TV series 'Band Of Brothers', using as an example of the US troops serving in the Middle East; how the US troops detained Saddam Hussein in Iraq and how God lead the troops to find Saddam.
  Contact details for Texas, USA.
  Male speaks of judging the Iraq war.
  Radio North / Gospel 846 transmitting 1 kw via Redcastle, Co Donegal. Strong to fair reception.
  Reading from the Scriptures: "Jesus was made a little lower than the Angels".
  The 'Born To Win' show, Dallas, Texas. Telephone number, online contacts.
  Music: Elvis Presley 'Marie's The Name (Latest Flame)'.
  Logged to 1829 UTC.
• 31 October: 1842 UTC: 855 kHz: Radio Nacional de Espana  Female-led speech in the Spanish language, ID jingle at 1844 UTC - Echo - Split transmitters? [Logbook shows Murcia transmitter] Fast-paced speech from both male and females continues.
  Strong to good reception; 300 kW via Murcia.
  Logged to 1852 UTC.

From the archive: Radio Utopia QSL. Utopia broadcast on 1607 - 1640 kHz, 1996.

Note: 31 October: 1859 UTC: 864 kHz: Male, singing, Arabic? Signal increase in strength at 1900 UTC, good to fair reception. British DX Club for 864 kHz shows TWR [Trans World Radio], Gavar, Armenia for Middle East & Caucasus // ERTU Qur'an programme, Santah, Egypt.
Logged to 1907 UTC.

• 31 October: 1910 UTC: 873 kHz: BBC Radio Ulster  Music: Female vocals, guitar, very much in the style of Katie Melua.
  BBC Radio Ulster, 1 kW via Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.
  Live [music] performance! Irish + English speech.
  Strong to fair reception.
  Interview.
  Logged to 1920 UTC.

Cup of tea time!

• 31 October: 1940 UTC: 882 kHz: BBC Radio Wales  Music: Chic 'Everybody Dance (Clap Your Hands)'. Promo for international rugby this Saturday: Wales v Scotland in the Autumn Internationals. Music: The Supremes 'Where Did Our Love Go'. Janice Long on BBC Radio Wales.
  Strong to good reception; Up to 100 kW via Washford, Somerset.
  Janice Long talks of "dashing off to get some sweets from the kitchen!" Song by a vocalist mulling over a last day on earth. Now playing: Annie Lennox 'Love Song For A Vampire'. New music.
  Logged to 1953 UTC.

Note: 31 October: 1956 UTC: 891 kHz: Overspill from Janice Long on BBC Radio Wales, playing The Who 'I Can't Explain'.

• 31 October: 2002 UTC: 900 kHz: Rai Radio 1  Italian football, full commentary, stadium atmosphere.
  Strong to fair reception; 600 kW via Milan, Italy.
  Logged to 2012 UTC.
• 31 October: 2015 UTC: 909 kHz: BBC Radio Five Live  Football: Chelsea 2 - Derby County 2 at Stamford Bridge. Thirteen minutes left in the first half. Scores in Scottish football.
  Goal for Arsenal v Blackpool (League Cup football). Co-commentary by Andy Townsend. West Ham v Tottenham Hotspur. Scott Carson in goal for Derby. Both Chelsea goals were own goals by Derby County - One was Richard Keogh.
  Strong to good reception; Up to 200 kW via Moorside Edge, West Yorkshire.
  Goal: Chelsea 3 (Cesc Fabregas) - Derby County 2. Middlesbrough 0 - Crystal Palace 0. Substitution for Middlesbrough. Latest scores. Half time: Chelsea 3 - Derby County 2.
  Logged to 2030 UTC.

From the archive: Talk Radio UK launched 14 February 1995.

Notes: 31 October: 2035 UTC: 918 kHz: Overspill from BBC Radio Five Live on 909 kHz.
2037 UTC: 927 kHz: Quiet.

• 31 October: 2040 UTC: 936 kHz: Dales Radio  Remix of 'Fast Car' (originally by Tracy Chapman). 'Spotlight on The Dales': Volunteer for The Folly at Settle. 'Settle - Leyburn - Grassington' ID. Music: Madonna 'Like A Prayer'.
  150 watts via Brunt Acres Road, Hawes, North Yorkshire. Strong to fair reception.
  Music from the 'Mamma Mia' soundtrack. Music: Randy Crawford (The Crusaders) 'Street Life'.
  Logged to 2050 UTC.
  [Notes: Dales Radio postal addresses: Colvend, Hebden Road, Grassington BD23 5LB - or - Smithy Farm, Hopperton, Knaresborough HG5 8NX]
• 31 October: 2058 UTC: 945 kHz: Smooth Radio  Ad for 'The Claims Guys' (PPI), Cancer Research UK, window fitters in Sussex, Costa Coffee. ID for Smooth Radio. Music: Berlin 'Take My Breath Away'.
  Smooth Radio - Sussex, 700 watts via Bexhill (Eastbourne). Strong to fair reception.
  Logged to 2108 UTC.
• 31 October: 2102 UTC: 945 kHz: Gold  End of a news broadcast from the Sky News centre, ID for Gold. Music: Elvis Presley 'Way Down'.
  Gold (East Midlands), 200 watts via Quarndon (Derby). Fair to poor reception.
  Logged to 2108 UTC.

"Nice music playing on 945 kHz, from the dominant Smooth Radio.  Closing this DX at 2120 UTC, on 945 kHz.

Goodnight!"

My AM Archive: Spring 2010

 WELCOME to memories of Medium Wave broadcasts dated March and May 2010, as part of the My AM Archive thread.

The previous post in this thread, My AM Archive: January 2010, 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.

March 2010 : Medium Wave

• [Wednesday] 3 March [2010]: 1850 UTC: 756 kHz: BBC Radio Cumbria  1 kW via Carlisle, Good to fair reception.  Music from Paolo Nutini 'Ten Out Of Ten', Belinda Artingstoll, music: Simply Red 'Stars', traffic news, 1900 UTC news: Martin Lewes: Michael Foot dies, Lake District National Park Authority rejects application for business park, Carlisle Renaissance review, John Venebles sent back to prison.
  Logged to 1910 UTC.

Belinda Artingstoll promotional photocard, BBC Radio Cumbria.

• 3 March: 1920 UTC: 756 kHz: Deutschlandfunk  Excellent to good reception, 100 - 200 kW, multiple transmitter sites via Germany.
  Male and female voices, German speakers, discuss Israel, Gaza, Middle East, India, including contributions from an English speaking male with an American accent. Deutschlandfunk ID at 1928 UTC. Male speech, female speech.
  Logged to 1935 UTC.
• 3 March: 1956 UTC: 765 kHz: BBC Essex  Female host speaking to male who talks of how he proposed to his wife, they now have a child; Also speaks of how he saw the Queen and Lord Mayor of London, when working as a delivery driver. Traffic & travel news, signal fade.
  Contact details [at the time]: BBC Essex Reception: 01245 616000; News desk: 616047; BBC general enquiries line: 03700 100222.  BBC Essex text: 07786 201035.  BBC Essex on air line: 01245 495050.
  Excellent to good reception [at best].  500 watts via Chelmsford, Essex.
  Logged to 20 UTC.
• 3 March: 2112 UTC: 765 kHz: Option Musique  Sottens, Switzerland. Good [to fair] reception. 600 kW via Sottens, Switzerland [SUI].  Music: 'The Year of the Cat'. French music, male vocalist, guitar, piano, orchestration. Female host, speech. Music: French, male vocals, guitar, piano. ID for Option Musique, female speech, French & English vocals in song, band. Female host. Contribution by male, French language.
  Logged to 2120 UTC.
• 3 March: 2133 UTC: 774 kHz: RNE 1  Good to fair reception, multiple transmitter sites, Spain, 20 - 100 kW.  Spanish males, football commentary.
  Logged to 2145 UTC.
• 3 March: 2158 UTC: 783 kHz: MDR-Info  Leipzig, Germany. Good reception, 100 kW via Leipzig, Germany. Male with ID for 'Nachtrichten' (News at 22 UTC), male with news broadcast: Finance Minister, President... Male with reports after news broadcast. Female reporter.
  Logged to 2210 UTC.
• 3 March: 2216 UTC: 792 kHz: France Info  Limoges, France, 300 kW. Excellent to good reception.  Male, French language, football report. ID, male host with business news: Pfizer, Dow Jones, Paris 'Le Monde'. Music, ID, ad break.
  Logged to 2230 UTC.

Option Musique (Switzerland) QSL Verification Card, 3 March 2010.

May 2010 : Medium Wave

• [Friday] 14 May [2010]: 1912 UTC: 810 kHz: BBC Radio Scotland  Rugby commentary from the home of the Ospreys on BBC Radio Scotland. Poor reception, 100 kW (presumably) Westerglen, Scotland. Male commentator with summariser. Ospreys (Wales) v Glasgow.
  Logged to 1921 UTC.
• 14 May: 1959 UTC: 837 kHz: France Info  Nancy, France, 200 kW. Poor reception. Male host speaking French, with contribution from female and male on telephone.
  Logged to 2010 UTC.
• 14 May: 2018 UTC: 846 kHz: [Presumed] Radio North / Gospel 846  Republic of Ireland, 100 kW. Poor reception. Music, speech from male, music: Buddy Holly 'Heartbeat'.
  Logged to 2033 UTC.
• 14 May: 2100 UTC: 855 kHz: RNE 1  Murcia  E  (Spain)  300 kW. Fair to poor reception. Fast-moving speech in Spanish with male host, female host and reports. La Liga sport report.
  Logged to 2111 UTC.

Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower!

📻

May 2010 Medium Wave DX and a view of Appleby

I spent the evening of Friday 14 May 2010 listening to the Medium Wave band. The meagre results are as follows:

• 810 kHz : BBC Radio Scotland via Westerglen, Scotland. Sport: Rugby Union. Ospreys v Glasgow.
• 837 kHz : France Info via Nancy, France. Discussion between two males and a female.
• 846 kHz : Radio North / Gospel 846 via either Caradonagh, Co Donegal or Galway, Republic of Ireland. Male host with music: Buddy Holly 'Heartbeat'.
• 855 kHz : Radio Nacional de Espana [RNE] 1 via Cotillas Tower, Murcia, Spain. Fast moving speech between male and female hosts with news and sport reports.

A nice spread of broadcasts from across Europe. Next, Wallpaper of the Week brings you a popular feature of Appleby in Westmorland railway station:

KEEPING in with the railway theme, may I tip my hat to those working overnight at Crosby Garrett on the Settle - Carlisle line. I believe it is Story Rail who are working there; I can see their lights on the line from my home in Brough!