My FM Archive: April 2018

 LOGS of FM broadcasts, heard springtime 2018, is what I hope you will enjoy on this post.

A previous post of FM logs, dated September 2011, can be found here.

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

Receiver used: Sangean ATS-405 (making its debut!).

April 2018 : FM

• [Thursday] 12 April [2018]: 1903 UTC: 88.1 MHz: BBC Radio 2  News, Jo Whiley, music: Kings Of Leon 'Sex On Fire'.
  250 kW via Sandale, Cumbria. Excellent reception.
  Logged to 1906 UTC.
  Also: 1918 UTC: 90.0 MHz: Music: Donna Summer 'I Feel Love' Jo Whiley, promo for 'Blood On The Tracks' with Colin Murray. Music.
  Fair to poor reception. 10 kW via Morecambe Bay [Lancs].
  Logged to 1923 UTC.
• 12 April: 1925 UTC: 90.3 MHz: BBC Radio 3  Piano and orchestra - Very nice.
  Strong reception (Very little bit of noise). 250 kW via Sandale, Cumbria.
  Applause. Steven Osbourne, Scottish Symphony Orchestra, City Hall, Glasgow.
  Beethoven's Piano Symphony.
  Logged to 1930 UTC.
  
  [Cup of tea time]
  
  Also: 1949 UTC: 92.2 MHz: The Piano concert from the City Halls, Glasgow, continues.
  Good to fair reception.
  'Radio 3 In Concert' with Jamie McDougall.
  10 kW via Morecambe Bay [Lancashire].
  Logged to 1955 UTC.
• 12 April: 1958 UTC: 92.5 MHz: BBC Radio 4  'In Business' with Ms Balderstone. Promo for a new series: 'Chinese Characters'.
  20 UTC news: Chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Child sex abuse in Rochdale. Sir Cliff Richard sues the BBC. Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland. UAE Princess runs away to India.
  'Inside Science' is now on the air. Agriculture.
  Excellent reception. 250 kW via Sandale, Cumbria.
  Logged to 2005 UTC.
  Also: 2020 UTC: 94.4 MHz: 'Inside Science' on Radio 4 continues - with a visit to a particle physics laboratory - Rutherford-Appleton Lab.
  Strong to good reception. 10 kW via Morecambe Bay [Lancs].
  Logged to 2024 UTC.

Historic BBC Radio Scotland logo.

• 12 April: 2027 UTC: 94.7 MHz: BBC Radio Scotland  'The Quay Sessions' with Sam Fender. Presenter: Roddy Hart. Live music from Sam Fender (and his band).
  Good reception (Little bit of noise). 250 kW via Sandale, Cumbria, primarily for South west Scotland (with opt-outs from Dumfries, Scotland).
  Logged to 2034 UTC.
• 12 April: 2041 UTC: 95.6 MHz: BBC Radio Cumbria  Georgey Spanswick with a male author, who has written a book about winds, including the Helm Wind, which blows on the Eden - Pennine fellside in Cumbria. 'Where The Wild Winds Are' is the name of the book.
  Good to fair reception. 15 kW via Sandale, Cumbria.
  The author is Nick Hunt. Music: Culture Club 'Karma Chameleon'.
  Logged to 2048 UTC.
  Also: 2053 UTC: 96.1 MHz: Georgey Spanswick. Music: Barry White 'Let The Music Play'.
  Good to fair reception. 3.2 kW via Morecambe Bay.
  Logged to 2056 UTC.
• 12 April: 2058 UTC: 96.4 MHz: CFM  Ad break: McDonald's. PerTemps (recruitment). The Wedding Store, 1 Victoria Viaduct, Carlisle. Bowel screening. Composite doors: Trinity Earth. NatWest. S P Training. CFM Dating.
  21 UTC news: British Government to respond to Syrian chemical attack. Novichock used in Salisbury attack.  CFM ID and song crash into news bulletin (Rochdale, Carpetright) Princess Anne visits Duke of Edinburgh in hospital. News bulletin by Barry Weir. Song which crashed the news continues.
  Good to fair reception. 3 kW via Caldbeck.
  'Mellow CFM' Music: Prince 'The Most Beautiful Girl In The World'.
  Logged to 2106 UTC.
• 12 April: 2119 UTC: 96.9 MHz: Heart (North Lancashire)  Music: Beyonce. Female host, speaking of dating disasters. Ad break: Mix of local & national ads, including Mike Hughes Fitted Interiors (Barrow), kart racing, Admiral insurance, MoneySupermarket. Lionel Richie in concert, Brunton Park, Carlisle. Morecambe hotel. Music: Westlife.
  Heart North Lancashire was formerly The Bay.
  Good reception. 3.2 kW via Morecambe Bay.
  Logged to 2127 UTC.
• 12 April: 2134 UTC: 97.2 MHz: Manx Radio  (Isle of Man)  Music: Ella Henderson 'Ghost', male host, Manx Radio covering Commonwealth Games, weather, waters forecast from Ronaldsway. Ads: Jack's Bar & Steakhouse. Pets medical treatment. Walk the Millennium Way on the Isle of Man. Manx Radio + Manx Telecom live from Australia at 8am for the Commonwealth Games. Music.
  Good to fair reception. 11.3 kW via Carnane, Isle of Man.
  Manx Radio ID, male host, 'Roots' song. Chubby Checker 'The Twist'.
  Logged to 2145 UTC.

Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower - Enjoy listening to your radio!

My FM Archive: September 2011

 KNOWLEDGE of the Medium (AM) and Short Wave broadcasts have been plentiful on this blog, so let's take a little break and bring some memories of broadcasts heard on the FM band.

A previous post of FM logs, dating back to November 1997, can be found here.

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

Receiver used: Roberts R881.

September 2011 : FM

• [Sunday] 4 September [2011]: 1019 UTC: 88.1 MHz: BBC Radio 2 via Sandale, Cumbria.
  250 kW [kiloWatts]. Full power.
• 4 September: 1024 UTC: 89.0 MHz: Music from Manx Radio, broadcasting 2 kW on this frequency, via Snaefell, Isle of Man.
  Male speech and music.
  Logged to 1033 UTC.
• 4 September: 1041 UTC: 90.0 MHz: BBC Radio 2 via Morecambe Bay, Lancashire.
  10 kW. Full power. Movie review.
  Logged to 1048 UTC.
• 4 September: 1051 UTC: 90.3 MHz: BBC Radio 3 via Sandale, Cumbria.
  250 kW. Full power.
  Also: 1100 UTC: 92.2 MHz via Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. 10 kW. Good reception.
  'Sunday Morning' ID 'Private Passions' Pottery.
  Logged to 1106 UTC.
• 4 September: 1108 UTC: 92.5 MHz: BBC Radio 4 via Sandale, Cumbria.
  250 kW. Full power.
  Also: 1125 UTC: 94.4 MHz via Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. 10 kW. Good reception.
  'Just A Minute'.
  Logged to 1131 UTC.
• 4 September: 1133 UTC: 94.7 MHz: BBC Radio Scotland via Sandale, Cumbria, for South West Scotland, 250 kW. Full power.
  Weather forecast.

Sandale transmitter.

• 4 September: 1144 UTC: 95.6 MHz: BBC Radio Cumbria via Sandale [pictured above] 15 kW. Full power.
  Music: George Macrae 'Rock Your Baby'. Promo for BBC Radio Cumbria weekends. ID for John Mann. Music: 'Mary's Prayer', a 1987 song by Danny Wilson.
  Also: 1150 UTC: 96.1 MHz via Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, 3.2 kW.
  Good reception. The John Mann Show. Music: Bill Wyman.
  Logged to 1155 UTC.
• 4 September: 1157 UTC: 96.4 MHz: Music from SWV 'Right Here' on CFM 'The Golden Sunday' ID, male host. Ad break.
  Good reception via Caldbeck, Cumbria. 3 kW.
  

Break at 1203 UTC.

• 4 September: 1257 UTC: 96.9 MHz: 'Solid Gold Sunday' on The Bay  ID. Music: ABBA 'Super Trouper', ID, John Lennon 'Just Like Starting Over'. ID: 'Kendal, Lancaster, Barrow - The Bay'.
  News at 1300 UTC: Alistair Darling criticises Gordon Brown over his handling of the economy. Libya latest. Rebecca Leighton plans to sue police. Police may make pubs and clubs pay for policing. Mo Farah wins gold medal.
  'The Phantom of the Bay' contest. 'Best of the 80s' Music from Bananarama. Music from Tina Turner 'What's Love Got To Do With It'.
  This is The Bay via Morecambe Bay, 3.2 kW (Studio in Lancaster).
  Music: Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney 'The Girl Is Mine'.
  Good reception. Darren Milby is the host.
  Logged to 1315 UTC.
• 4 September: 1320 UTC: 97.2 MHz: Ad break: Butchers in Douglas. Britannia International branches in Douglas and Port Erin. Presenter: Bob Harrison on Manx Radio ID.
  This is Manx Radio broadcasting 10 kW via Carnane, Isle of Man. Good reception.
  Music: Katie Melua 'A Happy Place'. Cher Lloyd. Toyah Wilcox will be playing live on the Isle of Man soon. Interview with Toyah Wilcox.
  Logged to 1330 UTC.
• 4 September: 1355 UTC: 97.7 MHz: BBC Radio 1  Music: The Verve 'Bittersweet Symphony'.
  Transmission site: Sandale, Cumbria. 250 kW. Full power.
  Dev is the host, 'Resident DJ' feature.
  Also: 1406 UTC: 99.6 MHz via Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, 10 kW. Strong reception.
  Music: The Noisettes. BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards in October.
  Logged to 1412 UTC.
• 4 September: 1416 UTC: 99.9 MHz: Classic FM via Sandale, Cumbria. 250 kW. Full power.
  Also: 1426 UTC: 101.8 MHz via Morecambe Bay, Lancs, 6.4 kW. Good reception.
  Violin Concerto.
  Logged to 1430 UTC.

Morecambe Bay transmitter.

• 4 September: 1435 UTC: 102.2 MHz: CFM  ID: 'This is CFM'. Music: JLS. ID, Music: Stereophonics.
  CFM for West Cumbria via Workington, 815 watts. Poor reception.
  Logged to 1442 UTC.
  Also: 1447 UTC: 102.5 MHz: Music: Adele 'Rolling In The Deep', ID for CFM, rap music.
  Fair reception of CFM via Penrith relay, 100 watts.
  Music: Katy Perry 'California Girls'.
  Logged to 1452 UTC.
• 4 September: 1501 UTC: 104.1 MHz: Anne Hopper on BBC Radio Cumbria via Whitehaven, 1 kW. Poor reception.
  Logged to 1506 UTC.
• 4 September: 1508 UTC: 104.5 MHz: BBC Radio Lancashire  Strong reception, music: Glee 'Sway'. Presenter: Gerald Jackson. Contact details: Telephone number, text number, email.
  Pete in Rochdale requests 'Sowing The Seeds of Love' by Tears For Fears.
  Strong reception via Lancaster, 2 kW.
  Dave in Blackpool texts Big Country, Chris Rea.
  Marie Meagan travel news: M6 clear, M55 good, Blackburn lights. Preston-Wigan: bus replace trains. Blackburn reverse one-way system.
  Live Lancashire football. Featured single: Avril Lavigne.
  Logged to 1520 UTC.

Notes:
The Morecambe Bay transmitter.  I must admit, prior to this post, I had not researched the location of the said transmission site. I had pictured it in my mind as a mast on the shores of the Bay, with the sun shining brightly overhead. The Google map above shows a slightly different location to that I had pictured in my mind; A location that is actually within the Askam-Ireleth parish of South Cumbria, to the east of Askam-in-Furness, to the west of Ulverston. Here is a Google maps link to the location within South Cumbria; The location marked by the red pin.

You really do learn something new everyday.

Goodbye, old friends.  You won't find CFM or The Bay on your radio anymore. Bauer Media absorbed CFM into their Greatest Hits brand, whilst Global Media absorbed The Bay into their Heart network.
Similarly, some of the presenters named above have moved on to pastures new.
John Mann, listed above on air for BBC Radio Cumbria, is now on air Monday evenings on Regency Radio.

Darren Milby, listed above on air for The Bay, now broadcasts for BBC Radio Lancashire and Gaydio.

I shall assume Bob Harrison (Manx Radio) and Anne Hopper (BBC Radio Cumbria) have [been?] retired, whilst Gerald Jackson (BBC Radio Lancashire) is now on air Sunday afternoons on Rossendale Radio.

The lost frequencies.  A very small cluster of frequencies did not make the cut in this post - As I did not know who the broadcasters were at the time. I noted I heard an interview with Pixie Lott on a chart show, which was audible at 1605 UTC, on the frequencies of 105.4 MHz (Possibly NW England - Winter Hill), 105.3 MHz (possibly NE England - Burnhope) and 105.6 MHz (Possibly Fenham, 50 watts, NE England).

Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower - Enjoy listening to your radio!

My FM Archive: November 1997

A sunny Sunday afternoon and another visit to my radio archive - What more could you ask for? This post brings you logs of the FM band twenty years ago: November 1997.

Housekeeping notes: Times in UTC (GMT), frequencies in MegaHertz (MHz). Logs transcribed from the original notes.

November 1997: FM

• 8 November [1997]: 2126 UTC: 88.1 MHz: BBC Radio 2 David Jacobs, Michael Crawford 'When I Fall In Love'.
• 8 November: 2130 UTC: 90.3 MHz: BBC Radio 3 Susan Tomes ? Classical music.
• 8 November: 2134 UTC: 92.5 MHz: BBC Radio 4 Professor Steve Jones with reference to the arts and science. 'The Hydro' followed by 'Classics with Kay' Profile of Gracie Fields.

• 8 November: 2147 UTC: 94.7 MHz: BBC Radio Scotland Main transmitter site: Sandale, with Dumfries transmitter opt-outs. Music.
• 8 November: 2150 UTC: 95.2 MHz via Kendal, 95.6 MHz via Sandale: BBC Radio Cumbria Bob Preedy's 'Hot Country'. (Country music broadcast).
• 8 November: 2156 UTC: 96.4 MHz: CFM Carlisle. Music.
• 8 November: 2158 UTC: 96.9 MHz: The Bay Lancaster. Music: 'I'm Not In Love' 10cc, 'Return To Sender' Elvis Presley. [22 UTC] Bay News: Louise Woodward trial, tenth anniversary of Enniskillen bombing. Anti-American protests in Baghdad. Basingstoke Chlorine Gas alert. Sport: Great Britain win rugby league contest, football: Hibs, Blackburn, Leeds United. Lottery roll-over. Weather: showers, 5°C 41°F. Music: The Police 'Message In A Bottle', Hot Chocolate 'You Win Again', Simply Red 'Something Got Me Started'.
• 8 November: 2224 UTC: 97.7 MHz: BBC Radio 1 'Westwood' Radio 1 Rap Show with Tim Westwood.
• 8 November: 2230 UTC: 99.9 MHz: Classic FM 'The Classic Quiz'.

Letterhead of the Classic FM Engineering Information release from the Radio Authority, 1992.

• 8 November: 2230 UTC: 100.4 MHz: Jazz FM Music: Leon Parker 'All My Life '84'. Write to Jazz FM, The World Trade Centre, Exchange Quay, MANCHESTER M5 3EQ Music: Joyce 'Banana '80'. Ad for Sellafield Visitors Centre. Jez Nelson is the host.
• 8 November: 2257 UTC: 100.7 MHz: Century FM 'phone-in with Stu Macfarlane. [23 UTC] News: Louise Woodward trial, Gerry Adams apologises for Enniskillen bombing. Queen at Remembrance Service. Spice Girls manager sacked. Weather.

November 1998: FM

• 16 November: 2328 UTC: 92.5 MHz: BBC Radio 4 'Aerial Views' Jennifer Cox visits Vatican Radio and talks to Sean Lovett of the English Service.

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