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  • Radio Caroline

    From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Thu Dec 28 10:05:04 2023
    Living in Glasgow, I can receive Radio Caroline 648 kHz very weakly in
    the open. This seems surprising as I believe it operates at only 4 kW.

    648 kHz corresponds to 464 metres. Out of curiosity, and
    hypothetically speaking, if I were to install an aerial 232 m long,
    would I get great reception or would it just pick up a load more
    electrical interference? Would it need to be horizontal or vertical,
    or would this make no real difference?

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  • From Brian Gregory@21:1/5 to Scott on Thu Dec 28 14:38:42 2023
    On 28/12/2023 10:05, Scott wrote:
    Living in Glasgow, I can receive Radio Caroline 648 kHz very weakly in
    the open. This seems surprising as I believe it operates at only 4 kW.

    648 kHz corresponds to 464 metres. Out of curiosity, and
    hypothetically speaking, if I were to install an aerial 232 m long,
    would I get great reception or would it just pick up a load more
    electrical interference? Would it need to be horizontal or vertical,
    or would this make no real difference?

    These frequencies (MF) are normally vertically polarized and even when transmitted with a more mixed polarization travelling any distance by
    ground wave propagation seems to favour the vertical polarized part.

    A bigger better, perhaps resonant aerial doesn't usually make a huge
    difference with good modern receivers once you get much beyond the level
    of a built in ferrite rod in a desk top receiver. The aerial picks up
    noise that exceeds that added by the receiver and you don't end up with
    a better signal to noise ratio.

    The things that do make a difference are having the aerial away from
    local sources of noise and interference and having a direction aerial
    which is difficult to achieve on these frequencies, though phased arrays
    are possible but very large. Probably the most practical directional
    aerial is a Beverage. But a good one for 648kHz would still be very very
    large.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage_antenna

    --
    Brian Gregory (in England).

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  • From John Williamson@21:1/5 to Scott on Thu Dec 28 15:29:45 2023
    On 28/12/2023 10:05, Scott wrote:
    Living in Glasgow, I can receive Radio Caroline 648 kHz very weakly in
    the open. This seems surprising as I believe it operates at only 4 kW.

    648 kHz corresponds to 464 metres. Out of curiosity, and
    hypothetically speaking, if I were to install an aerial 232 m long,
    would I get great reception or would it just pick up a load more
    electrical interference? Would it need to be horizontal or vertical,
    or would this make no real difference?

    They may be interested in your report of reception. I'm not sure which
    stream they put on the transmitter, but they also have a couple of
    streams on the internet as well as some DAB output, so if you just want
    the music and chat, log on.

    As has been pointed out, though, you'll do as well with a correctly
    oriented ferrite rod as with a long wire. It may be an idea to move the
    rod to minimise local interference from the switch mode supplies which
    infest just about every home nowadays, rsther than try to maximise the
    signal. Ferrite suppressors on any wall wart supplies you can get at
    will also improve things.

    https://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#648_am.html

    --
    Tciao for Now!

    John.

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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sun Dec 31 05:16:53 2023
    In message <[email protected]> at
    Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:33:05, "[email protected]"
    <[email protected]> writes
    On Thursday 28 December 2023 at 10:05:08 UTC, Scott wrote:
    Living in Glasgow, I can receive Radio Caroline 648 kHz very weakly in
    the open. This seems surprising as I believe it operates at only 4 kW.

    648 kHz corresponds to 464 metres. Out of curiosity, and
    hypothetically speaking, if I were to install an aerial 232 m long,
    would I get great reception or would it just pick up a load more
    electrical interference? Would it need to be horizontal or vertical,
    or would this make no real difference?

    The best way is to make a tuned loop about a metre across. Google
    'tuned loop antenna'. Amazingly effective indoors or out. Make it so
    you can turn it to null out interference.

    Bill

    Used as far back as wartime, for DF purposes: vehicles with a turnable
    loop. I think used for finding spies. I remember encountering - I think
    must have been at work - a Rohde and Schwartz set, with a very
    heavily-made turnable loop on top of it.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain (Dolly Parton)

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  • From Rink@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jan 2 18:09:02 2024
    Op 28-12-2023 om 16:29 schreef John Williamson:
    On 28/12/2023 10:05, Scott wrote:
    Living in Glasgow, I can receive Radio Caroline 648 kHz very weakly in
    the open. This seems surprising as I believe it operates at only 4 kW.

    648 kHz corresponds to 464 metres.� Out of curiosity, and
    hypothetically speaking, if I were to install an aerial 232 m long,
    would I get great reception or would it just pick up a load more
    electrical interference? Would it need to be horizontal or vertical,
    or would this make no real difference?

    They may be interested in your report of reception. I'm not sure which
    stream they put on the transmitter, but they also have a couple of
    streams on the internet as well as some DAB output, so if you just want
    the music and chat, log on.

    Try one of the links on the left of this page: https://carolinestreams.weebly.com/



    As has been pointed out, though, you'll do as well with a correctly
    oriented ferrite rod as with a long wire. It may be an idea to move the
    rod to minimise local interference from the switch mode supplies which
    infest just about every home nowadays, rsther than try to maximise the signal. Ferrite suppressors on any wall wart supplies you can get at
    will also improve things.

    https://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#648_am.html



    Rink

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