Radio Caroline returns to MW 648Khz 1kW power.

Thank you Andrew, my daughter tends to have things planned for me, so see how things go. I have my computer etc with me so I can PM you. 

Yeah, see how it goes Frank, Christmas is always a busy time lol.

Caroline is still on although a bit of fading is starting now.

Coming through well here in Lincolnshire. As we are on (almost in!) the sea here, a lot of the AM signals come through well. Caroline and Laser used to power through from the ships and the dutch AM stations would be very listenable during the daytime. After the closure of Arrow Rock I was lost for a signal for my valve radios. I had to build a small signal generator coupled to an MP3 player just to give me something to play through them. I'd best fill out the reception report...

Coming in well this morning, as it has been all week day and night , (using an Eddystone 750, bandwidth at full wide and little N78 holding forth) but the modulation seems cleaner today. Though there was refreshingly good HF for AM, it seemed harsh, I'd ascribed it to a combination of transmission and reception limitation but it's easier on the ear as of today. I know what Rich (SB) means, when you're used to good FM quality, it's easy to be disappointed by some AM stations. (Currently playing Bonzo Dog's The Intro and The Outro, the subject of many a pub quiz....)

All being well, full broadcasting on MW starts this Friday 22nd December.

Amazing to think that 50 years ago I was listening to the first broadcast from RC on a Bush VHF80 and I'll be doing the same on Friday (but not the same VHF80 unfortunately)

I am near Haverhill, it was working well earlier this evening on the car radio so I presume I am in its service area.

In the house I have to place the radio away from various hash producing items, broadband router etc, but OK if I do that.

Unfortunately since the full service started reception has varied from non existent to brief moments before being lost in the noise. Completely unusable in other words.

Perhaps I was expecting too much but some good reception during the test transmissions were very hopeful. Presumably the transmitter is working at less than full power.

Anyone else noticed this.

Manx Radio comes in pretty well however.

Posted by: Focusdiode

Unfortunately since the full service started reception has varied from non existent to brief moments before being lost in the noise. Completely unusable in other words.

Perhaps I was expecting too much but some good reception during the test transmissions were very hopeful. Presumably the transmitter is working at less than full power.

Anyone else noticed this.

Manx Radio comes in pretty well however.

I've noticed the same ... I'm in Gloucestershire/Worcestershire.

Same here up in the sticks, came in loud and clear when they were first testing but now nothing, Malc.

Just popped out in the car and it's romping in here in Evesham now, although there's just been an announcement they're having technical difficulties

Posted by: PYE625

I can receive it pretty good here in Chatteris Cambs on the RGD radiogram (spot on BBC THIRD), fading a bit at this time of night, 11pm, but will listen again tomorrow daytime.

 

The aligment on your gram must be pretty good.  More or less spot on.  In 1966 I never dreamed I would be hearing Radio Caroline on 464metres in 2018.  We used to have a powerful 150Kw transmitter here in the Midlands at Daventry/Dodford which used to transmit the BBC Third progam on 464 metres.  I visited the TX hall there in connection with my work and it is now a storeroom and the mast has been demolished.  Radio Caroline transmits from the old BBC World Service site at Orfordness

Does anyone when remember when Radio Caroline (North) used to transmit a few minutes later than Radio Caroline (South) so if you liked a record they played on Radio Caroline (South) you could quickly retune to Radio Caroline (North) and listen to it again?  ? 

Don’t remember that, only really ever listened to the North station, I remember listening to them broadcasting while sailing from off the Essex coast to the IOM via the English Channel. I don’t remember the date though.

I think they had a recorded program in the evening.  The Jack Spector show from New York City which was played out on both ships and I remember the delay between Caroline South on 253 and Caroline North very close by on 257.  I also remember a religious program in the evening called 'the world tomorow broacast from both ships and other stations   They played a recording recently on an Internet radio station Called the Radio Ship of when Caroline sailed round our coast, broadcasting  as she went taking up position In Ramsey Bay becoming Caroline North.  Good days.

My youth was conducted to the ever present Caroline on 199. Living in south Manchester I had perfect reception from Caroline north.

I can clearly remember the last day of transmission. I walked around with my tranny radio as the final minutes ticked away and was left feeling bereft of hope as Caroline winked out of existence and was replaced by silence.

This reminds me how we (the listeners) were craving better than the 'Light program' when the pirates brought us daily entertainment the variety of which now is taken so much for granted.

So far I cannot find any signal and I think it's time to fix up my outside aerial which I lost when the tree it was fastened to went down in a storm some time last year.

Just streamed it on pc and the magic is still there. Happy Days.

Jonathan.

When the tests were being conducted before Christmas I could receive the station, not good enough for listing to but it was there, very rapid flutter. Since then nothing.

I like some of the 60’s music, but my tastes have changed a lot since Radio Caroline was transmitted from the ship. Many of those songs from that time have not traveled well in time for me. Still there is a wealth of other music available from classics, jazz, swing, big band, etc, music I would not have bothered with in my teens.

So perhaps even if Radio Caroline was available in Greater Manchester I probably would not be listening to it. So much variety available now.

Posted by: Nuvistor

When the tests were being conducted before Christmas I could receive the station, not good enough for listing to but it was there, very rapid flutter.

So perhaps even if Radio Caroline was available in Greater Manchester I probably would not be listening to it. So much variety available now.

 

I read on another forum that Caroline's carrier is 5Hz off channel, thus the "flutter" when signals from co-channel transmitters are received as well.

I've looked but can't find the source for this, which is a pity.

I'm surprised, in this modern fay and age, that anybody could operate a broadcast transmitter which is not precisely on channel. The availability of precision time/frequency standards should make it easy to achieve.

As to why some folk who received Caroline earlier cannot now do so, I have no idea what the cause might be but it is most probable that there have been changes to the aerial system at Orford Ness to direct the maximum signal strength to its target are of Suffolk and North Essex.

As for not being able to receive it in Greater Manchester - you can!  In fact, you can hear it anywhere - and no flutter!

If they were problems in the early days they seem to have been sorted out.

Weakish but constant signal in the car on my way to work. Very listenable.

Playing Bowie's "Ashes To Ashes" as I type.

I wouldn't expect any co-channel interference at Midday!

Of course, you don't say what time you go to work but don't forget that the days are getting longer now, so the situation will improve.

I must admit I haven't tried it recently but did notice the co-channel problem varied from day to bay, no doubt being influenced by other atmospheric changes. There are two co-channel sources but some considerable distance away and only 10kW each so it isn't like Radio Tirana wiping out the MW Light Programme in years gone by!

Of course they wouldn't be co channel interference during the day. Until now over the past few weeks there's been no signal at all with odd times of fading up as it started getting dark with co channel from I think is a Polish station .Completely unusable in other words.

I travelled from 1100 hrs arriving at work 1200 today (currently on my break).