• 198 kHz future

    From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 2 11:38:00 2024
    I wonder what will happen to the 198 kHz frequency when the BBC ceases broadcasting Radio 4 long wave.

    I know that 648 kHz was allocated to Radio Caroline. Do they pay for
    the frequency as such (which apparently no-one else wanted), or just
    the licence? Does cost depend on transmitted power?

    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to Scott on Tue Jul 2 13:29:45 2024
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    I wonder what will happen to the 198 kHz frequency when the BBC ceases broadcasting Radio 4 long wave.

    I know that 648 kHz was allocated to Radio Caroline. Do they pay for
    the frequency as such (which apparently no-one else wanted), or just
    the licence? Does cost depend on transmitted power?

    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?

    From memory Caroline was a licence to run a specialist radio station
    for Suffolk. Clearly they had been lobbying Ofcom to create the licence,
    so it's a bit 'tail wagged the dog'. The power they use is limited by
    the electricity they can afford, in fact I think their Tx has solar
    panels attached to mitigate the cost.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to Scott on Tue Jul 2 13:41:01 2024
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high. If just local community stations then what
    is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not seem
    to great deal of variety.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Woody@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 2 16:21:35 2024
    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.  If just local community stations then what
    is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not seem
    to great deal of variety.




    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Woody@21:1/5 to Scott on Tue Jul 2 16:50:24 2024
    On Tue 02/07/2024 16:31, Scott wrote:
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 16:21:35 +0100, Woody <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.  If just local community stations then what >>> is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not seem
    to great deal of variety.


    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    I heard that rumour too. Would this require three transmitters or
    would the one at Droitwich be adequate? Could they move to Antorn
    where the time transmitter is?

    The three transmitters are frequency and phase locked but certainly all
    three would be needed.
    I doubt any of them would be moved to Anthorn as the three existing sites/systems are owned by Arqiva but Anthorn is owned by Babcock
    International - not helped of course by the fact that Anthorn coverage
    is nothing like as good as Droitwich!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 2 16:31:20 2024
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 16:21:35 +0100, Woody <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.� If just local community stations then what
    is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not seem
    to great deal of variety.


    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    I heard that rumour too. Would this require three transmitters or
    would the one at Droitwich be adequate? Could they move to Antorn
    where the time transmitter is?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 2 18:06:36 2024
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 16:50:24 +0100, Woody <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On Tue 02/07/2024 16:31, Scott wrote:
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 16:21:35 +0100, Woody <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how >>>>> big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.� If just local community stations then what >>>> is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not seem >>>> to great deal of variety.


    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    I heard that rumour too. Would this require three transmitters or
    would the one at Droitwich be adequate? Could they move to Antorn
    where the time transmitter is?

    The three transmitters are frequency and phase locked but certainly all
    three would be needed.
    I doubt any of them would be moved to Anthorn as the three existing >sites/systems are owned by Arqiva but Anthorn is owned by Babcock >International - not helped of course by the fact that Anthorn coverage
    is nothing like as good as Droitwich!

    Yes, Anthorn. My mistake.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 2 18:07:25 2024
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 17:15:24 +0100, Andy Burns <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    Scott wrote:

    Woody wrote:

    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    I heard that rumour too. Would this require three transmitters or
    would the one at Droitwich be adequate? Could they move to Antorn
    where the time transmitter is

    I think the piggy-back data service (for Economy7 meters etc) got a
    reprieve, but only until next March?

    Does that mean R4 LW remaining until then (as a simulcast of FM)?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to Scott on Tue Jul 2 17:15:24 2024
    Scott wrote:

    Woody wrote:

    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    I heard that rumour too. Would this require three transmitters or
    would the one at Droitwich be adequate? Could they move to Antorn
    where the time transmitter is

    I think the piggy-back data service (for Economy7 meters etc) got a
    reprieve, but only until next March?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From NY@21:1/5 to Woody on Tue Jul 2 19:36:34 2024
    On 02/07/2024 16:21, Woody wrote:
    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    If 198 *was* kept going long-term for clocks etc, but without audio
    modulation and just data modulation, how would that help anyone? I
    thought the problem with LW was the availability of the main power valve
    since production had ceased. And that problem would presumably exist
    even with a pure unmodulated carrier as well as with data or AM modulation.

    Or have I totally misunderstood things - it might well be that ;-)

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to Scott on Tue Jul 2 19:28:10 2024
    Scott wrote:

    Andy Burns wrote:

    I think the piggy-back data service (for Economy7 meters etc) got a
    reprieve, but only until next March?

    Does that mean R4 LW remaining until then (as a simulcast of FM)?

    Probably, but I don't suppose there's any need for the audio service to continue, haven't they already separated-out the god/cricket/parliament/shipping stuff?

    Couldn't find this earlier ... see current status.

    <https://www.energynetworks.org/industry/engineering-and-technical-programmes/radio-teleswitch>

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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Tue Jul 2 19:42:06 2024
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 19:36:34 +0100, NY <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 02/07/2024 16:21, Woody wrote:
    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    If 198 *was* kept going long-term for clocks etc, but without audio >modulation and just data modulation, how would that help anyone? I
    thought the problem with LW was the availability of the main power valve >since production had ceased. And that problem would presumably exist
    even with a pure unmodulated carrier as well as with data or AM modulation.

    Or have I totally misunderstood things - it might well be that ;-)

    Would the power not be greatly reduced to extend the life of the valve
    (or does it make no difference)?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Woody@21:1/5 to Scott on Tue Jul 2 19:42:45 2024
    On Tue 02/07/2024 18:07, Scott wrote:
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 17:15:24 +0100, Andy Burns <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    Scott wrote:

    Woody wrote:

    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    I heard that rumour too. Would this require three transmitters or
    would the one at Droitwich be adequate? Could they move to Antorn
    where the time transmitter is

    I think the piggy-back data service (for Economy7 meters etc) got a
    reprieve, but only until next March?

    Does that mean R4 LW remaining until then (as a simulcast of FM)?

    Unlikely. More likely to go carrier only - uses a lot less electrickery
    as well!
    The French turned the mod off Allouis years ago but it still transmits
    carrier as (even more) people (like 300000 many of which are Govt
    entities) in France still use it as a reference.
    Wikipedia makes a good read about it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From John Williamson@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 2 20:07:46 2024
    On 02/07/2024 19:36, NY wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 16:21, Woody wrote:
    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    If 198 *was* kept going long-term for clocks etc, but without audio modulation and just data modulation, how would that help anyone? I
    thought the problem with LW was the availability of the main power valve since production had ceased. And that problem would presumably exist
    even with a pure unmodulated carrier as well as with data or AM modulation.

    Or have I totally misunderstood things - it might well be that ;-)

    The valve is an excuse. Modular solid state transmitters are available
    which would so the job.

    The current phase modulated data transmissions could continue reliably
    using less power if there were no amplitude modulation.

    --
    Tciao for Now!

    John.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 2 19:47:17 2024
    NY wrote:

    If 198 *was* kept going long-term for clocks etc, but without audio modulation and just data modulation, how would that help anyone? I
    thought the problem with LW was the availability of the main power valve since production had ceased. And that problem would presumably exist
    even with a pure unmodulated carrier as well as with data or AM modulation.

    wikilies claims the data service alone could work with reduced power and bandwidth (50kW and 1kHz)

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to Scott on Tue Jul 2 22:11:45 2024
    On 02/07/2024 16:31, Scott wrote:
    I heard that rumour too. Would this require three transmitters or
    would the one at Droitwich be adequate? Could they move to Antorn
    where the time transmitter is?



    I suppose they could just power the transmitter (at reduced power) for a
    period during the night.

    Aren't we all supposed to have 'Smart' meters by then?

    It might be cheaper to let everyone get 'cheap' rate all night on a good
    old fashioned time switch (like my meter uses).

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 2 22:14:11 2024
    On 02/07/2024 19:36, NY wrote:

    If 198 *was* kept going long-term for clocks etc, but without audio modulation and just data modulation, how would that help anyone? I
    thought the problem with LW was the availability of the main power valve since production had ceased. And that problem would presumably exist
    even with a pure unmodulated carrier as well as with data or AM modulation.



    I thought it has been said there was no problem with availability of the valves?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to Scott on Wed Jul 3 00:58:58 2024
    In message <[email protected]> at Tue, 2 Jul
    2024 19:42:06, Scott <[email protected]> writes
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 19:36:34 +0100, NY <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 02/07/2024 16:21, Woody wrote:
    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    (It's mainly electricity load switching; I don't think many use the LW
    signal as a reference. Most "radio controlled" clocks use MSF or the
    German transmissions. [Is the 198 kHz frequency itself still kept to
    amazing accuracy? I know it was when it was 200 kHz, and that that was maintained when they went to 198, but I don't think there are many
    sources that still use that.])

    If 198 *was* kept going long-term for clocks etc, but without audio >>modulation and just data modulation, how would that help anyone? I

    Lower power. Just the removal of the (audio) modulation would reduce the
    power requirement somewhat, and it's also been suggested that the
    data-only systems would work with significantly lower power too.

    thought the problem with LW was the availability of the main power valve >>since production had ceased. And that problem would presumably exist
    even with a pure unmodulated carrier as well as with data or AM modulation.

    Well, I suppose lower power would put less stress on such a valve - but
    as others have said, that's a red herring anyway: modular even MW and SW transmitters have been available for decades - it (LW)'s not exactly
    rocket science. (OK, there'd have to be _some_ engineering work to
    implement such a change, but it's well within the capabilities of a
    competent engineer, and even Arqiva have some of those.)
    []
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    People wear anoraks because it's cold outside and it rains, not to annoy the editors of style magazines. - Ben Elton, Radio Times 18-24 April 1998

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Wed Jul 3 00:49:49 2024
    In message <v61qeh$1psvt$[email protected]> at Tue, 2 Jul 2024 22:11:45,
    JMB99 <[email protected]> writes
    On 02/07/2024 16:31, Scott wrote:
    I heard that rumour too. Would this require three transmitters or
    would the one at Droitwich be adequate? Could they move to Antorn
    where the time transmitter is?



    I suppose they could just power the transmitter (at reduced power) for
    a period during the night.

    Aren't we all supposed to have 'Smart' meters by then?

    Plenty of cases where we can't:

    1. They rely on _some_ sort of mobile signal being available. Still
    plenty (OK, a small and - they'd have us believe - diminishing
    proportion, but that's still a lot in absolute numbers) of premises
    where there isn't one.
    2. Other technical reasons, such as needing access to the electricity
    meter (for the power for the link; the gas meter talks to the
    electricity meter with a 10-year [?] battery, but to do the mobile link,
    it needs more power than such a battery can hold). Not all premises have
    such access. And probably other reasons.

    It might be cheaper to let everyone get 'cheap' rate all night on a
    good old fashioned time switch (like my meter uses).

    I don't think they're fitting any new ones of that type - and, they want
    more control, such as to move around the switching times.




    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    People wear anoraks because it's cold outside and it rains, not to annoy the editors of style magazines. - Ben Elton, Radio Times 18-24 April 1998

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to J. P. Gilliver on Wed Jul 3 07:46:10 2024
    On 03/07/2024 00:49, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    Plenty of cases where we can't:

    1. They rely on _some_ sort of mobile signal being available. Still
    plenty (OK, a small and - they'd have us believe - diminishing
    proportion, but that's still a lot in absolute numbers) of premises
    where there isn't one.
    2. Other technical reasons, such as needing access to the electricity
    meter (for the power for the link; the gas meter talks to the
    electricity meter with a 10-year [?] battery, but to do the mobile link,
    it needs more power than such a battery can hold). Not all premises have
    such access. And probably other reasons.
    I don't think they're fitting any new ones of that type - and, they want
    more control, such as to move around the switching times.


    We had remote reading meters at work many years ago, they had a little
    plug in card for the connection to mobile networks.

    There are some areas with no mobile signal but it would be cheaper for
    the electricity companies to give those people a basic time switch with
    perhaps a longer period of off-peak rate and lose the ability to
    remotely switch people off.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From charles@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Wed Jul 3 07:30:03 2024
    In article <v62s3i$22trk$[email protected]>, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 03/07/2024 00:49, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    Plenty of cases where we can't:

    1. They rely on _some_ sort of mobile signal being available. Still
    plenty (OK, a small and - they'd have us believe - diminishing
    proportion, but that's still a lot in absolute numbers) of premises
    where there isn't one. 2. Other technical reasons, such as needing
    access to the electricity meter (for the power for the link; the gas
    meter talks to the electricity meter with a 10-year [?] battery, but
    to do the mobile link, it needs more power than such a battery can
    hold). Not all premises have such access. And probably other reasons.
    I don't think they're fitting any new ones of that type - and, they
    want more control, such as to move around the switching times.


    We had remote reading meters at work many years ago, they had a little
    plug in card for the connection to mobile networks.

    There are some areas with no mobile signal but it would be cheaper for
    the electricity companies to give those people a basic time switch with perhaps a longer period of off-peak rate and lose the ability to
    remotely switch people off.

    the trouble with basic timeswitches (my daughter had one) is that they do
    not keep time after a power cut.

    --
    from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4t�
    "I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jul 3 09:41:43 2024
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 00:58:58 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver" <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    In message <[email protected]> at Tue, 2 Jul
    2024 19:42:06, Scott <[email protected]> writes
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 19:36:34 +0100, NY <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 02/07/2024 16:21, Woody wrote:
    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    (It's mainly electricity load switching; I don't think many use the LW
    signal as a reference. Most "radio controlled" clocks use MSF or the
    German transmissions. [Is the 198 kHz frequency itself still kept to
    amazing accuracy? I know it was when it was 200 kHz, and that that was >maintained when they went to 198, but I don't think there are many
    sources that still use that.])

    If 198 *was* kept going long-term for clocks etc, but without audio >>>modulation and just data modulation, how would that help anyone? I

    Lower power. Just the removal of the (audio) modulation would reduce the >power requirement somewhat, and it's also been suggested that the
    data-only systems would work with significantly lower power too.

    thought the problem with LW was the availability of the main power valve >>>since production had ceased. And that problem would presumably exist
    even with a pure unmodulated carrier as well as with data or AM modulation.

    Well, I suppose lower power would put less stress on such a valve - but
    as others have said, that's a red herring anyway: modular even MW and SW >transmitters have been available for decades - it (LW)'s not exactly
    rocket science. (OK, there'd have to be _some_ engineering work to
    implement such a change, but it's well within the capabilities of a
    competent engineer, and even Arqiva have some of those.)
    []
    Is the industry going to pay for a new transmitter after the BBC has
    concluded the cost is unjustified?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Woody@21:1/5 to charles on Wed Jul 3 09:51:16 2024
    On Wed 03/07/2024 08:30, charles wrote:
    In article <v62s3i$22trk$[email protected]>, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 03/07/2024 00:49, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    Plenty of cases where we can't:

    1. They rely on _some_ sort of mobile signal being available. Still
    plenty (OK, a small and - they'd have us believe - diminishing
    proportion, but that's still a lot in absolute numbers) of premises
    where there isn't one. 2. Other technical reasons, such as needing
    access to the electricity meter (for the power for the link; the gas
    meter talks to the electricity meter with a 10-year [?] battery, but
    to do the mobile link, it needs more power than such a battery can
    hold). Not all premises have such access. And probably other reasons.
    I don't think they're fitting any new ones of that type - and, they
    want more control, such as to move around the switching times.


    We had remote reading meters at work many years ago, they had a little
    plug in card for the connection to mobile networks.

    There are some areas with no mobile signal but it would be cheaper for
    the electricity companies to give those people a basic time switch with
    perhaps a longer period of off-peak rate and lose the ability to
    remotely switch people off.

    the trouble with basic timeswitches (my daughter had one) is that they do
    not keep time after a power cut.


    Then they should use the 'standard' time source of today - GPS satellite
    time. Lots of things use GPS and it costs a smidgeon of what a
    mechanical timeswitch would cost - plus always correct!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Max Demian@21:1/5 to J. P. Gilliver on Wed Jul 3 11:20:27 2024
    On 03/07/2024 00:49, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    In message <v61qeh$1psvt$[email protected]> at Tue, 2 Jul 2024 22:11:45,
    JMB99 <[email protected]> writes

    It might be cheaper to let everyone get 'cheap' rate all night on a
    good old fashioned time switch (like my meter uses).

    I don't think they're fitting any new ones of that type - and, they want
    more control, such as to move around the switching times.

    They want to "nudge" people into changing when they start to cook dinner.

    --
    Max Demian

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Max Demian@21:1/5 to charles on Wed Jul 3 11:23:36 2024
    On 03/07/2024 08:30, charles wrote:
    In article <v62s3i$22trk$[email protected]>, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    We had remote reading meters at work many years ago, they had a little
    plug in card for the connection to mobile networks.

    There are some areas with no mobile signal but it would be cheaper for
    the electricity companies to give those people a basic time switch with
    perhaps a longer period of off-peak rate and lose the ability to
    remotely switch people off.

    the trouble with basic timeswitches (my daughter had one) is that they do
    not keep time after a power cut.

    Practical timeswitches for the purpose have a "spring reserve" mechanism
    to keep going. Or a quartz clock with a rechargeable battery, like my
    gas boiler.

    --
    Max Demian

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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to charles on Wed Jul 3 13:55:49 2024
    On 03/07/2024 08:30, charles wrote:
    the trouble with basic timeswitches (my daughter had one) is that they do
    not keep time after a power cut.


    They usually have clockwork backup with the mechanical ones, I presume
    the electronic ones have battery backup.

    We do not get many mains failures here but never noticed a bit change in
    the switching times for night time rate after one.

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  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to Woody on Wed Jul 3 15:08:08 2024
    On 02/07/2024 16:21, Woody wrote:
    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.  If just local community stations then
    what is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not
    seem to great deal of variety.




    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    The electricity industry (and not the BBC) are 100% paying the running
    and maintenance costs of 198 at Droitwich, Westerglen, and Burghead.

    As far as the BBC R4 transmission is concerned, it no longer deviates
    from the FM version with opt outs etc, and the dozen or so MW filer
    sites all closed down in April.

    The LW transmission is also now subject to a different Ofcom licence,
    than R4 FM and DAB.

    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on
    198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why
    not) for the time being.

    The only users for the timing etc data are the energy companies, to
    continue controlling the 900,000 or so domestic RTS Economy 7 (etc)
    switches. They are woefully behind with upgrading them to Smart Meter
    based solutions.

    At the moment the new 'end date' for 198 is June 30th 2025.

    It'll be 100% down to the energy companies (with presumably advice from
    Arqiva on maintenance issues etc) whether that date is extended (yet
    again)

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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to Max Demian on Wed Jul 3 15:04:24 2024
    In message <[email protected]> at Wed, 3
    Jul 2024 11:20:27, Max Demian <[email protected]> writes
    On 03/07/2024 00:49, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    In message <v61qeh$1psvt$[email protected]> at Tue, 2 Jul 2024
    22:11:45, JMB99 <[email protected]> writes

    It might be cheaper to let everyone get 'cheap' rate all night on a
    good old fashioned time switch (like my meter uses).

    I don't think they're fitting any new ones of that type - and, they
    want more control, such as to move around the switching times.

    They want to "nudge" people into changing when they start to cook dinner.

    I remember hearing/reading that that was one of the reasons given for
    the UK/France interconnect - that (at that time) Britain tended to have
    its main evening meal about six, whereas the continent had theirs at
    seven or later. And also that in practice, apart from for test purposes,
    the interconnect has always run in one direction, France having so many
    nuclear stations (not to mention a tidal barrage). [Maybe things might
    change with Britain's plethora of wind farms, but I think we're having
    problems installing the cables to move the energy around from where the
    wind farms are to where the demand is, let alone to the interconnect termination points.]
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    After all is said and done, usually more is said.

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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to Mark Carver on Wed Jul 3 15:38:37 2024
    On 03/07/2024 15:08, Mark Carver wrote:
    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on
    198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why
    not) for the time being.


    Surely they are running at high power than would be necessary for pure
    data service? Are the energy companies accepting that they are paying
    for a higher power service than they need?

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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jul 3 15:31:54 2024
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:04:24 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver" <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    In message <[email protected]> at Wed, 3
    Jul 2024 11:20:27, Max Demian <[email protected]> writes
    On 03/07/2024 00:49, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    In message <v61qeh$1psvt$[email protected]> at Tue, 2 Jul 2024
    22:11:45, JMB99 <[email protected]> writes

    It might be cheaper to let everyone get 'cheap' rate all night on a >>>>good old fashioned time switch (like my meter uses).

    I don't think they're fitting any new ones of that type - and, they
    want more control, such as to move around the switching times.

    They want to "nudge" people into changing when they start to cook dinner.

    I remember hearing/reading that that was one of the reasons given for
    the UK/France interconnect - that (at that time) Britain tended to have
    its main evening meal about six, whereas the continent had theirs at
    seven or later.

    6 pm UK time *is* 7 pm in France.

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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Wed Jul 3 15:48:00 2024
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:38:37 +0100, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 03/07/2024 15:08, Mark Carver wrote:
    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on
    198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why
    not) for the time being.

    Surely they are running at high power than would be necessary for pure
    data service? Are the energy companies accepting that they are paying
    for a higher power service than they need?

    Is there any commitment to 'host' the BBC? Could the energy companies
    lease the capacity to Gold?

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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to Scott on Wed Jul 3 15:45:14 2024
    In message <[email protected]> at Wed, 3 Jul
    2024 15:31:54, Scott <[email protected]> writes
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:04:24 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver" <[email protected]>
    wrote:
    []
    I remember hearing/reading that that was one of the reasons given for
    the UK/France interconnect - that (at that time) Britain tended to have
    its main evening meal about six, whereas the continent had theirs at
    seven or later.

    6 pm UK time *is* 7 pm in France.

    Oops, hadn't thought of that! Or forgot the details. (Maybe it was 5 for
    the British meal.) But the point about the interconnect always running
    as an import remains.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    Who were your favourite TV stars or shows when you were a child? Sadly they've all been arrested ... Ian Hislop, in Radio Times 28 September-4 October 2013

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  • From Woody@21:1/5 to J. P. Gilliver on Wed Jul 3 16:04:39 2024
    On Wed 03/07/2024 15:45, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    In message <[email protected]> at Wed, 3 Jul
    2024 15:31:54, Scott <[email protected]> writes
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:04:24 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver" <[email protected]>
    wrote:
    []
    I remember hearing/reading that that was one of the reasons given for
    the UK/France interconnect - that (at that time) Britain tended to have
    its main evening meal about six, whereas the continent had theirs at
    seven or later.

    6 pm UK time *is* 7 pm in France.

    Oops, hadn't thought of that! Or forgot the details. (Maybe it was 5 for
    the British meal.) But the point about the interconnect always running
    as an import remains.

    ....and the interconnect is dc as well!

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  • From John Williamson@21:1/5 to Woody on Wed Jul 3 16:38:14 2024
    On 03/07/2024 16:04, Woody wrote:
    On Wed 03/07/2024 15:45, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    Oops, hadn't thought of that! Or forgot the details. (Maybe it was 5
    for the British meal.) But the point about the interconnect always
    running as an import remains.

    ....and the interconnect is dc as well!

    That is the only way to allow the grids at both ends to easily maintain
    the correct frequencies. (Both are nominally 50 Hz, but that can vary
    according to load,and if the link were AC, a lot of power would be
    wasted correcting the differing phases.)

    It also makes the whole system more efficient, the only losses are
    resistive, there are no reactive losses, and the inefficiencies in the inverters and rectifiers are much smaller than the reactive losses would be.

    For long distance power transmission, DC is much better than AC, whose
    only advantage is the ease of altering the voltages.

    --
    Tciao for Now!

    John.

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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to Woody on Wed Jul 3 18:54:25 2024
    In message <v63pa7$27ufj$[email protected]> at Wed, 3 Jul 2024 16:04:39,
    Woody <[email protected]> writes
    On Wed 03/07/2024 15:45, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    In message <[email protected]> at Wed, 3 Jul
    2024 15:31:54, Scott <[email protected]> writes
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:04:24 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver" <[email protected]>
    wrote:
    []
    I remember hearing/reading that that was one of the reasons given for
    the UK/France interconnect - that (at that time) Britain tended to have >>>> its main evening meal about six, whereas the continent had theirs at
    seven or later.

    6 pm UK time *is* 7 pm in France.
    Oops, hadn't thought of that! Or forgot the details. (Maybe it was 5
    for the British meal.) But the point about the interconnect always
    running as an import remains.

    ....and the interconnect is dc as well!

    And I remember reading somewhere that the first converter, near
    Hawkinge, used mercury arc rectifiers, and was rather spectacular to see
    (if you got into the underground facility, it wasn't publicly visible).
    Don't know if true or not.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    I've never really "got" sport or physical exercise. The only muscle I've ever enjoyed exercising is the one between my ears. - Beryl Hales, Radio Times
    24-30 March 2012

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  • From Liz Tuddenham@21:1/5 to J. P. Gilliver on Wed Jul 3 20:13:42 2024
    J. P. Gilliver <[email protected]> wrote:

    [...]
    And I remember reading somewhere that the first converter, near
    Hawkinge, used mercury arc rectifiers, and was rather spectacular to see
    (if you got into the underground facility, it wasn't publicly visible).
    Don't know if true or not.

    It is certainly true that smaller glass mercury arc power rectifiers are spectacular. A six-legged glass 'octopus' in a metal cage, containing a
    pool of bubbling mercury with weird blue-green light dancing and
    flickering around it. They must have inspired a lot of science-fiction writers.

    For big power installations, metal tank mercury arc rectifiers were
    preferred; sadly, they looked far more mundance and passive.


    --
    ~ Liz Tuddenham ~
    (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
    www.poppyrecords.co.uk

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  • From Roderick Stewart@21:1/5 to Liz Tuddenham on Thu Jul 4 08:59:33 2024
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 20:13:42 +0100, [email protected]d
    (Liz Tuddenham) wrote:

    J. P. Gilliver <[email protected]> wrote:

    [...]
    And I remember reading somewhere that the first converter, near
    Hawkinge, used mercury arc rectifiers, and was rather spectacular to see
    (if you got into the underground facility, it wasn't publicly visible).
    Don't know if true or not.

    It is certainly true that smaller glass mercury arc power rectifiers are >spectacular. A six-legged glass 'octopus' in a metal cage, containing a
    pool of bubbling mercury with weird blue-green light dancing and
    flickering around it. They must have inspired a lot of science-fiction >writers.

    For big power installations, metal tank mercury arc rectifiers were >preferred; sadly, they looked far more mundance and passive.

    Here's one of several videos by someone who has resurrected an old
    glass mercury arc rectifier.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVKiIkuKko

    In one of the videos, he has it wired up to a control box which is
    labelled "Scary Blue Thing". If you've ever seen a mercury arc
    rectifier up close you'll probably agree this is a good description.

    Rod.

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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to J. P. Gilliver on Thu Jul 4 10:58:36 2024
    J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    I didn't actually learn anything from that video

    The person in the white van who gave him the rectifier (aka
    photonicinduction) has made more detailed videos about them, e.g.

    <https://youtu.be/2pDcv6g1FE0>

    These folks do seem to think Monty Python's Gumby Man is a good
    presentation style ...

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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to Roderick Stewart on Thu Jul 4 10:32:58 2024
    In message <[email protected]> at Thu, 4 Jul
    2024 08:59:33, Roderick Stewart <[email protected]> writes
    []
    Here's one of several videos by someone who has resurrected an old
    glass mercury arc rectifier.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVKiIkuKko

    In one of the videos, he has it wired up to a control box which is
    labelled "Scary Blue Thing". If you've ever seen a mercury arc
    rectifier up close you'll probably agree this is a good description.

    Rod.

    Getting YouTube volume level correct - or even adequate - obviously _is_
    rocket science, based on the number of them where you can hardly hear
    them (even music clips [mostly from TV shows]).

    And I didn't actually _learn_ anything from that video - not how it
    rectified, or even what the connections were; just that it puts out a
    blue light, and contains mercury, and has a big bulb at the top of indeterminate purpose.

    Not criticising _you_, Rod - maybe this was the best of the "several"!
    There are lots of excellent videos on YouTube - and lots of terrible
    ones. I fear this is (IMO, of course) closer to the latter. (Normally,
    such as when looking at my home page for ones to watch, I'd have skipped
    one over 15 minutes long on such a subject.)
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    31.69 nHz = once a year. (Julian Thomas)

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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to Andy Burns on Thu Jul 4 11:03:14 2024
    Andy Burns wrote:

    aka photonicinduction

    that's his moniker, not the rectifier's

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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to Andy Burns on Thu Jul 4 14:09:13 2024
    In message <[email protected]> at Thu, 4 Jul 2024
    10:58:36, Andy Burns <[email protected]> writes
    J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    I didn't actually learn anything from that video

    The person in the white van who gave him the rectifier (aka >photonicinduction) has made more detailed videos about them, e.g.

    <https://youtu.be/2pDcv6g1FE0>

    That was a bit louder, and did seem to be _trying_ to explain it. Though
    I still don't understand why the arc only conducts in one direction! Let
    alone what the pilots are for. (I understand about the starter just
    kicking up a few atoms to get it started.)

    These folks do seem to think Monty Python's Gumby Man is a good
    presentation style ...

    (-:
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    The first banjo solo I played was actually just a series of mistakes. In fact it was all the mistakes I knew at the time. - Tim Dowling, RT2015/6/20-26

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  • From Liz Tuddenham@21:1/5 to J. P. Gilliver on Thu Jul 4 15:20:39 2024
    J. P. Gilliver <[email protected]> wrote:

    In message <[email protected]> at Thu, 4 Jul 2024
    10:58:36, Andy Burns <[email protected]> writes
    J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    I didn't actually learn anything from that video

    The person in the white van who gave him the rectifier (aka >photonicinduction) has made more detailed videos about them, e.g.

    <https://youtu.be/2pDcv6g1FE0>

    That was a bit louder, and did seem to be _trying_ to explain it. Though
    I still don't understand why the arc only conducts in one direction! Let alone what the pilots are for. (I understand about the starter just
    kicking up a few atoms to get it started.)

    These folks do seem to think Monty Python's Gumby Man is a good >presentation style ...

    Get hold of some electrical engineering textbooks from the 1950s, -- all
    will be explained. They were still on the curriculum in the 1960s when
    I studied for HND Elec. Eng.


    --
    ~ Liz Tuddenham ~
    (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
    www.poppyrecords.co.uk

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  • From Roderick Stewart@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jul 4 18:12:47 2024
    On Thu, 4 Jul 2024 10:32:58 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver" <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    Here's one of several videos by someone who has resurrected an old
    glass mercury arc rectifier.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVKiIkuKko

    In one of the videos, he has it wired up to a control box which is
    labelled "Scary Blue Thing". If you've ever seen a mercury arc
    rectifier up close you'll probably agree this is a good description.

    Rod.

    Getting YouTube volume level correct - or even adequate - obviously _is_ >rocket science, based on the number of them where you can hardly hear
    them (even music clips [mostly from TV shows]).

    And I didn't actually _learn_ anything from that video - not how it >rectified, or even what the connections were; just that it puts out a
    blue light, and contains mercury, and has a big bulb at the top of >indeterminate purpose.

    Not everything on Youtube is meant to be a teaching video. Many of
    them are just one individual's personal experience of something, in
    this case obtaining an old mercury arc rectifier and rigging it up to
    see what it could do.

    Youtube isn't "broadcasting" in the traditional sense and shouldn't be
    judged in the same way. If you're not accustomed to it, don't expect "presentation" or "production values" every time. A great deal of it
    is junk, but some videos enable you to see things you'd never get the
    chance to see in real life.

    There are a few channels that do attempt to present useful
    information. Check out "Explaining Computers" or "Adamant IT" just to
    pick a couple of examples at random. Unlike traditional broadcast TV
    you have to make your own judgements instead of expecting producers, scriptwriters and editors and all the other expensive people the
    broadcasters employ to have effectively made your judgements for you.

    Rod.

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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to Roderick Stewart on Thu Jul 4 22:07:12 2024
    In message <[email protected]> at Thu, 4 Jul
    2024 18:12:47, Roderick Stewart <[email protected]> writes
    On Thu, 4 Jul 2024 10:32:58 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver" <[email protected]>
    wrote:
    []
    And I didn't actually _learn_ anything from that video - not how it >>rectified, or even what the connections were; just that it puts out a
    blue light, and contains mercury, and has a big bulb at the top of >>indeterminate purpose.

    Not everything on Youtube is meant to be a teaching video. Many of
    them are just one individual's personal experience of something, in

    No, but sometimes there's an implication that it will.

    this case obtaining an old mercury arc rectifier and rigging it up to
    see what it could do.

    But they obviously knew _how_ to "rig it up". Which I didn't (and
    don't).

    Youtube isn't "broadcasting" in the traditional sense and shouldn't be
    judged in the same way. If you're not accustomed to it, don't expect >"presentation" or "production values" every time. A great deal of it
    is junk, but some videos enable you to see things you'd never get the
    chance to see in real life.

    Indeed. Ditto clips on TwitterX.

    There are a few channels that do attempt to present useful
    information. Check out "Explaining Computers" or "Adamant IT" just to
    pick a couple of examples at random. Unlike traditional broadcast TV
    you have to make your own judgements instead of expecting producers, >scriptwriters and editors and all the other expensive people the
    broadcasters employ to have effectively made your judgements for you.

    TechMoan, for example, I usually find both informative and interesting.
    There's a US one - something like Connections? - similar.

    Rod.
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    Every time I think I know where it's at, they move it.

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  • From Theo@21:1/5 to J. P. Gilliver on Fri Jul 5 01:24:17 2024
    J. P. Gilliver <[email protected]> wrote:
    In message <[email protected]> at Thu, 4 Jul
    2024 08:59:33, Roderick Stewart <[email protected]> writes
    []
    Here's one of several videos by someone who has resurrected an old
    glass mercury arc rectifier.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVKiIkuKko

    In one of the videos, he has it wired up to a control box which is
    labelled "Scary Blue Thing". If you've ever seen a mercury arc
    rectifier up close you'll probably agree this is a good description.

    Rod.

    Getting YouTube volume level correct - or even adequate - obviously _is_ rocket science, based on the number of them where you can hardly hear
    them (even music clips [mostly from TV shows]).

    Just today I noticed there's a new toggle in the Youtube video settings labelled 'Stable Volume'. If I turn that on it does seem to improve the
    audio on that video.

    Theo

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  • From J. P. Gilliver@21:1/5 to Theo on Fri Jul 5 08:37:58 2024
    In message <bCF*[email protected]> at Fri, 5 Jul 2024
    01:24:17, Theo <[email protected]> writes
    J. P. Gilliver <[email protected]> wrote:
    In message <[email protected]> at Thu, 4 Jul
    2024 08:59:33, Roderick Stewart <[email protected]> writes
    []
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVKiIkuKko
    []
    Getting YouTube volume level correct - or even adequate - obviously _is_
    rocket science, based on the number of them where you can hardly hear
    them (even music clips [mostly from TV shows]).

    Just today I noticed there's a new toggle in the Youtube video settings >labelled 'Stable Volume'. If I turn that on it does seem to improve the >audio on that video.

    Theo

    Where is that? When I click on the cogwheel (e. g. while playing the
    above video), I only see controls for "Subtitles/CC (1)", "Playback
    speed", and "Quality" (the last of which only offers resolution
    options).
    --
    J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

    Veni, Vidi, Vera (I came, I saw, we'll meet again) - Mik from S+AS Limited ([email protected]), 1998

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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to J. P. Gilliver on Fri Jul 5 09:02:25 2024
    J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    Theo writes:

    Just today I noticed there's a new toggle in the Youtube video settings
    labelled 'Stable Volume'.  If I turn that on it does seem to improve the
    audio on that video.

    Where is that?

    I only remember seeing that in the Android app ...

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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to Andy Burns on Fri Jul 5 09:05:22 2024
    Andy Burns wrote:

    J. P. Gilliver wrote:

    Theo writes:

    Just today I noticed there's a new toggle in the Youtube video settings
    labelled 'Stable Volume'.  If I turn that on it does seem to improve the >>> audio on that video.

    Where is that?

    I only remember seeing that in the Android app ...

    Oh no, it's there in firefox (whether or not I'm signed in to a google account).

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  • From Roderick Stewart@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jul 5 09:45:21 2024
    On Thu, 4 Jul 2024 22:07:12 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver" <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    There are a few channels that do attempt to present useful
    information. Check out "Explaining Computers" or "Adamant IT" just to
    pick a couple of examples at random. Unlike traditional broadcast TV
    you have to make your own judgements instead of expecting producers, >>scriptwriters and editors and all the other expensive people the >>broadcasters employ to have effectively made your judgements for you.

    TechMoan, for example, I usually find both informative and interesting. >There's a US one - something like Connections? - similar.

    Yes, Technology Connections and Techmoan are both good, and you might
    also like Our Own Devices. I have hundreds in my list, and I can't
    resist another chance to give a mention to my all-time favourite, EngelsCoachShop.

    Rod.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to Scott on Fri Jul 5 10:18:25 2024
    On 03/07/2024 15:48, Scott wrote:
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:38:37 +0100, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 03/07/2024 15:08, Mark Carver wrote:
    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on
    198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why >>> not) for the time being.

    Surely they are running at high power than would be necessary for pure
    data service? Are the energy companies accepting that they are paying
    for a higher power service than they need?

    Is there any commitment to 'host' the BBC? Could the energy companies
    lease the capacity to Gold?

    The BBC still hold the broadcast audio licence. Any thoughts about
    Global Radio taking over the service is batshit crazy

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jul 5 11:16:39 2024
    On Fri, 5 Jul 2024 10:18:25 +0100, Mark Carver <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On 03/07/2024 15:48, Scott wrote:
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:38:37 +0100, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 03/07/2024 15:08, Mark Carver wrote:
    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on >>>> 198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why >>>> not) for the time being.

    Surely they are running at high power than would be necessary for pure
    data service? Are the energy companies accepting that they are paying
    for a higher power service than they need?

    Is there any commitment to 'host' the BBC? Could the energy companies
    lease the capacity to Gold?

    The BBC still hold the broadcast audio licence. Any thoughts about
    Global Radio taking over the service is batshit crazy

    When you said earlier that R4 LW is subject to a different Ofcom
    licence, would you care to elaborate on what the difference is?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to Scott on Fri Jul 5 13:24:22 2024
    On 05/07/2024 11:16, Scott wrote:
    On Fri, 5 Jul 2024 10:18:25 +0100, Mark Carver <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On 03/07/2024 15:48, Scott wrote:
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:38:37 +0100, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 03/07/2024 15:08, Mark Carver wrote:
    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on >>>>> 198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why >>>>> not) for the time being.

    Surely they are running at high power than would be necessary for pure >>>> data service? Are the energy companies accepting that they are paying >>>> for a higher power service than they need?

    Is there any commitment to 'host' the BBC? Could the energy companies
    lease the capacity to Gold?

    The BBC still hold the broadcast audio licence. Any thoughts about
    Global Radio taking over the service is batshit crazy

    When you said earlier that R4 LW is subject to a different Ofcom
    licence, would you care to elaborate on what the difference is?

    Look on Ofcom Tech parameters.

    The three LW transmitters are now lodged under Licence Ref BBC100279,
    the FM service licence (as were the now defunct MW transmitters) was
    BBC000004

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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jul 5 16:13:13 2024
    On Fri, 5 Jul 2024 13:24:22 +0100, Mark Carver <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On 05/07/2024 11:16, Scott wrote:
    On Fri, 5 Jul 2024 10:18:25 +0100, Mark Carver <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On 03/07/2024 15:48, Scott wrote:
    On Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:38:37 +0100, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 03/07/2024 15:08, Mark Carver wrote:
    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on >>>>>> 198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why >>>>>> not) for the time being.

    Surely they are running at high power than would be necessary for pure >>>>> data service? Are the energy companies accepting that they are paying >>>>> for a higher power service than they need?

    Is there any commitment to 'host' the BBC? Could the energy companies >>>> lease the capacity to Gold?

    The BBC still hold the broadcast audio licence. Any thoughts about
    Global Radio taking over the service is batshit crazy

    When you said earlier that R4 LW is subject to a different Ofcom
    licence, would you care to elaborate on what the difference is?

    Look on Ofcom Tech parameters.

    The three LW transmitters are now lodged under Licence Ref BBC100279,
    the FM service licence (as were the now defunct MW transmitters) was >BBC000004

    I didn't realise Droitwich power output had been so drastically
    reduced from 500 kW to 499.999,995 kW. Brings a whole new meaning to
    Economy 7.

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  • From NY@21:1/5 to Mark Carver on Fri Jul 5 16:55:23 2024
    On 05/07/2024 13:24, Mark Carver wrote:
    On 05/07/2024 11:16, Scott wrote:
    When you said earlier that R4 LW is subject to a different Ofcom
    licence, would you care to elaborate on what the difference is?

    Look on Ofcom Tech parameters.

    The three LW transmitters are now lodged under Licence Ref BBC100279,
    the FM service licence (as were the now defunct MW transmitters) was BBC000004

    What does that mean in practical terms. I think when Scott asked you to elaborate he meant in technical terms, not the change of a reference
    number on Ofcom's site.

    A URL to the relevant page would be useful, to save us trying to work
    out what to search for on Ofcom's website, since a search on the main ofcom.org.uk for one of those licence references doesn't find anything.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jul 5 16:20:43 2024
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 16:21:35 +0100, Woody <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.� If just local community stations then what
    is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not seem
    to great deal of variety.

    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    Another thought - if the site is owned by Arqiva, why would Arqiva
    want to take on a transmission contract rather than sell the site for
    housing? Is that why the BBC needs to continue R4, to ensure that the
    Arqiva remains locked into the contract?

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  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jul 5 17:14:13 2024
    On 05/07/2024 16:55, NY wrote:
    On 05/07/2024 13:24, Mark Carver wrote:
    On 05/07/2024 11:16, Scott wrote:
    When you said earlier that R4 LW is subject to a different Ofcom
    licence, would you care to elaborate on what the difference is?

    Look on Ofcom Tech parameters.

    The three LW transmitters are now lodged under Licence Ref BBC100279,
    the FM service licence (as were the now defunct MW transmitters) was
    BBC000004

    What does that mean in practical terms. I think when Scott asked you to elaborate he meant in technical terms, not the change of a reference
    number on Ofcom's site.

    Well, I don't think anything technical has changed. I can find no trace
    of the licence details that the LW transmitters are now operating under,
    but I suspect it's either to allow the BBC to 'piggyback' their audio on
    the carriers, and/or to allow the BBC to cease the transmission at any
    point with zero notice. Remember Bauer were fined £75k (I think?) for
    closing 1215 kHz last year


    A URL to the relevant page would be useful, to save us trying to work
    out what to search for on Ofcom's website, since a search on the main ofcom.org.uk for one of those licence references doesn't find anything.

    If you stuff the term 'Ofcom Tech Parameters' into Google, you end up
    with this

    https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/coverage-and-transmitters/radio-tech-parameters/

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  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to Scott on Fri Jul 5 17:18:36 2024
    On 05/07/2024 16:20, Scott wrote:
    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 16:21:35 +0100, Woody <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.  If just local community stations then what >>> is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not seem
    to great deal of variety.

    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    Another thought - if the site is owned by Arqiva, why would Arqiva
    want to take on a transmission contract rather than sell the site for housing? Is that why the BBC needs to continue R4, to ensure that the
    Arqiva remains locked into the contract?

    Droitwich is still being used for Radio 5, and TalkSport, so it can't be cleared. The Beeb have said R5L AM will close in 2027. I can't see 198
    lasting beyond that event.

    In any case Arqiva now have quite a portfolio of AM radio sites that are
    now dead (some for quite a few years) but still have the masts and
    building standing. And big sites (in terms of land) too, so they seem to
    be in no rush....

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  • From Rink@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jul 9 22:05:00 2024
    Op 3-7-2024 om 16:04 schreef J. P. Gilliver:
    at Wed, 3 Jul 2024 11:20:27, Max Demian <[email protected]> writes
    On 03/07/2024 00:49, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
    at Tue, 2 Jul 2024 22:11:45,  JMB99 <[email protected]> writes

    It might be cheaper to let everyone get 'cheap' rate all night on a
    good old fashioned time switch (like my meter uses).

    I don't think they're fitting any new ones of that type - and, they
    want  more control, such as to move around the switching times.

    They want to "nudge" people into changing when they start to cook dinner.

    I remember hearing/reading that that was one of the reasons given for
    the UK/France interconnect - that (at that time) Britain tended to have
    its main evening meal about six, whereas the continent had theirs at
    seven or later. And also that in practice, apart from for test purposes,
    the interconnect has always run in one direction, France having so many nuclear stations (not to mention a tidal barrage). [Maybe things might
    change with Britain's plethora of wind farms, but I think we're having problems installing the cables to move the energy around from where the
    wind farms are to where the demand is, let alone to the interconnect termination points.]


    Diner time in The Netherlands is also about six.
    (which is five UK time, by the way)

    The "continent" is not eating at the same time.
    If you go further south, they eat later and later.

    Rink

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  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Sun Jul 21 11:15:03 2024
    On 02.07.2024 um 11:38 Uhr Scott wrote:

    I wonder what will happen to the 198 kHz frequency when the BBC ceases broadcasting Radio 4 long wave.

    I know that 648 kHz was allocated to Radio Caroline. Do they pay for
    the frequency as such (which apparently no-one else wanted), or just
    the licence? Does cost depend on transmitted power?

    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?

    I assume a big one. Some stations in Italy applied for a LW
    license, did test transmissions but stopped them and are still active on
    MW.

    https://mediumwave.info/2021/05/01/italy-14/
    45.15788258787659, 11.702482334981992

    If the Droitwich, Burghead and Westernglen masts still exist, rent
    them. :-)

    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

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  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Sun Jul 21 11:12:17 2024
    On 02.07.2024 um 13:29 Uhr Mark Carver wrote:

    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    I wonder what will happen to the 198 kHz frequency when the BBC
    ceases broadcasting Radio 4 long wave.

    I know that 648 kHz was allocated to Radio Caroline. Do they pay for
    the frequency as such (which apparently no-one else wanted), or just
    the licence? Does cost depend on transmitted power?

    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?

    From memory Caroline was a licence to run a specialist radio station
    for Suffolk. Clearly they had been lobbying Ofcom to create the
    licence, so it's a bit 'tail wagged the dog'. The power they use is
    limited by the electricity they can afford, in fact I think their Tx
    has solar panels attached to mitigate the cost.

    IIRC they wanted to increase that further than 4kW, but Ofcom rejected
    that due to strange reasons (covering area etc.), even when operated at
    500 kW in the past for the BBC World Service.

    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Sun Jul 21 11:21:51 2024
    On 02.07.2024 um 19:36 Uhr NY wrote:

    If 198 *was* kept going long-term for clocks etc, but without audio modulation and just data modulation, how would that help anyone? I
    thought the problem with LW was the availability of the main power
    valve since production had ceased. And that problem would presumably
    exist even with a pure unmodulated carrier as well as with data or AM modulation.

    Many LW transmitters (some semiconductor-based) were switched off in the
    last 10 years. They could have asked to buy them.

    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From charles@21:1/5 to Marco Moock on Sun Jul 21 10:45:03 2024
    In article <v7ijdi$123p$[email protected]>,
    Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 02.07.2024 um 13:29 Uhr Mark Carver wrote:

    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    I wonder what will happen to the 198 kHz frequency when the BBC
    ceases broadcasting Radio 4 long wave.

    I know that 648 kHz was allocated to Radio Caroline. Do they pay for
    the frequency as such (which apparently no-one else wanted), or just
    the licence? Does cost depend on transmitted power?

    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?

    From memory Caroline was a licence to run a specialist radio station
    for Suffolk. Clearly they had been lobbying Ofcom to create the
    licence, so it's a bit 'tail wagged the dog'. The power they use is
    limited by the electricity they can afford, in fact I think their Tx
    has solar panels attached to mitigate the cost.

    IIRC they wanted to increase that further than 4kW, but Ofcom rejected
    that due to strange reasons (covering area etc.), even when operated at
    500 kW in the past for the BBC World Service.

    That service used a highly directional transmitting array aimed at about
    100�. There was some back radiation - I measured it some 40 years ago and
    can't remember too much about it, but it was approximately east of a line between The Wash & the Isle of Wight that you got a reasonable signal.

    --
    from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4t�
    "I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to charles on Mon Jul 22 19:41:46 2024
    On 21/07/2024 11:45, charles wrote:
    In article <v7ijdi$123p$[email protected]>,
    Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 02.07.2024 um 13:29 Uhr Mark Carver wrote:

    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    I wonder what will happen to the 198 kHz frequency when the BBC
    ceases broadcasting Radio 4 long wave.

    I know that 648 kHz was allocated to Radio Caroline. Do they pay for
    the frequency as such (which apparently no-one else wanted), or just
    the licence? Does cost depend on transmitted power?

    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?

    From memory Caroline was a licence to run a specialist radio station
    for Suffolk. Clearly they had been lobbying Ofcom to create the
    licence, so it's a bit 'tail wagged the dog'. The power they use is
    limited by the electricity they can afford, in fact I think their Tx
    has solar panels attached to mitigate the cost.

    IIRC they wanted to increase that further than 4kW, but Ofcom rejected
    that due to strange reasons (covering area etc.), even when operated at
    500 kW in the past for the BBC World Service.

    That service used a highly directional transmitting array aimed at about 100°. There was some back radiation - I measured it some 40 years ago and can't remember too much about it, but it was approximately east of a line between The Wash & the Isle of Wight that you got a reasonable signal.


    7th picture down here

    http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1654&pageid=2214

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Theo@21:1/5 to Marco Moock on Tue Jul 23 17:53:34 2024
    Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 02.07.2024 um 13:29 Uhr Mark Carver wrote:

    From memory Caroline was a licence to run a specialist radio station
    for Suffolk. Clearly they had been lobbying Ofcom to create the
    licence, so it's a bit 'tail wagged the dog'. The power they use is
    limited by the electricity they can afford, in fact I think their Tx
    has solar panels attached to mitigate the cost.

    IIRC they wanted to increase that further than 4kW, but Ofcom rejected
    that due to strange reasons (covering area etc.), even when operated at
    500 kW in the past for the BBC World Service.

    I think they have a licence as a community radio station, which means
    minimal licence fees. I think they're somewhat broad in their definition of 'community' (not just geographic), but perhaps the Nationals would object
    that Caroline are paying a whole lot less licence fees for a similar
    coverage area if Caroline were allowed to increase their power.

    Theo

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  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jul 25 09:06:20 2024
    On 22.07.2024 um 19:41 Uhr Mark Carver wrote:

    7th picture down here

    http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1654&pageid=2214

    According to the information I got from mediumwave.info, the use the non-directional standby mast for 648 now.

    Plans existed to use one of towers of the array, but IIRC this isn't in
    use currently.

    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Smolley@21:1/5 to charles on Thu Jul 25 16:40:58 2024
    On Sun, 21 Jul 2024 10:45:03 +0000, charles wrote:

    In article <v7ijdi$123p$[email protected]>,
    Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 02.07.2024 um 13:29 Uhr Mark Carver wrote:

    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    I wonder what will happen to the 198 kHz frequency when the BBC
    ceases broadcasting Radio 4 long wave.

    I know that 648 kHz was allocated to Radio Caroline. Do they pay
    for the frequency as such (which apparently no-one else wanted), or
    just the licence? Does cost depend on transmitted power?

    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium,
    how big an antenna would we need?

    From memory Caroline was a licence to run a specialist radio station
    for Suffolk. Clearly they had been lobbying Ofcom to create the
    licence, so it's a bit 'tail wagged the dog'. The power they use is
    limited by the electricity they can afford, in fact I think their Tx
    has solar panels attached to mitigate the cost.

    IIRC they wanted to increase that further than 4kW, but Ofcom rejected
    that due to strange reasons (covering area etc.), even when operated at
    500 kW in the past for the BBC World Service.

    That service used a highly directional transmitting array aimed at about 100°. There was some back radiation - I measured it some 40 years ago
    and can't remember too much about it, but it was approximately east of a
    line between The Wash & the Isle of Wight that you got a reasonable
    signal.

    Do they still communicate with submarines on long wave..?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to Andy Burns on Thu Jul 25 19:01:59 2024
    On 25/07/2024 18:18, Andy Burns wrote:
    Did they ever? thought they used VLF/ELF?

    The suggestion was if a sub found itself incommunicado they should
    listen on 198kHz to decide whether blighty had been nuked or not, and
    then read THE envelope



    Have a read at this book, there was a transmitting and receiving site in Scotland for communicating with the US Navy boomers (now closed).

    Bubbleheads, SEALs and Wizards
    America’s Scottish Bastion in the Cold War
    David Mackay
    https://www.whittlespublishing.com/Bubbleheads_SEALs_and_Wizards


    The Americans also use an aircraft to communicate with them.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to Smolley on Thu Jul 25 18:18:44 2024
    Smolley wrote:

    Do they still communicate with submarines on long wave..?

    Did they ever? thought they used VLF/ELF?

    The suggestion was if a sub found itself incommunicado they should
    listen on 198kHz to decide whether blighty had been nuked or not, and
    then read THE envelope

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From charles@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Thu Jul 25 20:08:06 2024
    In article <v7u3un$2cugp$[email protected]>,
    JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 25/07/2024 18:18, Andy Burns wrote:
    Did they ever? thought they used VLF/ELF?

    The suggestion was if a sub found itself incommunicado they should
    listen on 198kHz to decide whether blighty had been nuked or not, and
    then read THE envelope



    Have a read at this book, there was a transmitting and receiving site in Scotland for communicating with the US Navy boomers (now closed).

    Bubbleheads, SEALs and Wizards
    America�s Scottish Bastion in the Cold War
    David Mackay
    https://www.whittlespublishing.com/Bubbleheads_SEALs_and_Wizards


    my brother-in-law's father-in-law designed the one in Aberdeenshire.

    The Americans also use an aircraft to communicate with them.

    --
    from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4t�
    "I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From John Williamson@21:1/5 to Andy Burns on Thu Jul 25 21:50:22 2024
    On 25/07/2024 18:18, Andy Burns wrote:
    Smolley wrote:

    Do they still communicate with submarines on long wave..?

    Did they ever? thought they used VLF/ELF?

    The suggestion was if a sub found itself incommunicado they should
    listen on 198kHz to decide whether blighty had been nuked or not, and
    then read THE envelope

    Allegedly, the programme they had to check for was "Today". Presumably
    if it was audible, there were some innocent sounding code phrases to use
    to say "It's okay, the transmitter blew a fuse" or "read your orders".

    --
    Tciao for Now!

    John.

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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to John Williamson on Thu Jul 25 22:36:39 2024
    On 25/07/2024 21:50, John Williamson wrote:
    Allegedly, the programme they had to check for was "Today". Presumably
    if it was audible, there were some innocent sounding code phrases to use
    to say "It's okay, the transmitter blew a fuse" or "read your orders".



    Where does it say that?

    I always understood in case of a failure to make contact with any RN,
    MOD, USN, NATO communications site then they would look for any other
    ways of getting confirmation of what had happened. Radio 4 Long Wave
    was just one way.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to charles on Thu Jul 25 22:24:08 2024
    On 25/07/2024 21:08, charles wrote:
    my brother-in-law's father-in-law designed the one in Aberdeenshire.


    Edzell, also in the book.

    I think it was an intercept and DF site.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Rink@21:1/5 to All on Sat Aug 10 16:58:44 2024
    Op 22-7-2024 om 20:41 schreef Mark Carver:
    On 21/07/2024 11:45, charles wrote:
    Marco Moock <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 02.07.2024 um 13:29 Uhr Mark Carver wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    I wonder what will happen to the 198 kHz frequency when the BBC
    ceases broadcasting Radio 4 long wave.

    I know that 648 kHz was allocated to Radio Caroline. Do they pay for >>>>> the frequency as such (which apparently no-one else wanted), or just >>>>> the licence? Does cost depend on transmitted power?

    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how >>>>> big an antenna would we need?

      From memory Caroline was a licence to run a specialist radio station >>>> for Suffolk. Clearly they had been lobbying Ofcom to create the
    licence, so it's a bit 'tail wagged the dog'. The power they use is
    limited by the electricity they can afford, in fact I think their Tx
    has solar panels attached to mitigate the cost.

    IIRC they wanted to increase that further than 4kW, but Ofcom rejected
    that due to strange reasons (covering area etc.), even when operated at
    500 kW in the past for the BBC World Service.

    That service used a highly directional transmitting array aimed at about
    100°. There was some back radiation - I measured it some 40 years ago and >> can't remember too much about it, but it was approximately east of a line
    between The Wash & the Isle of Wight that you got a reasonable signal.


    7th picture down here

    http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1654&pageid=2214


    Thank you for this webpage.
    Nice to see the coverage predictions of the 648 and 1296.

    648 and 1296 were the most strongest signals on my MW-radio
    when I was living in Leiden and Leiderdorp (15 km NE of The Hague).
    After those two came 675 Lopik (Dutch Radio 3).
    And much weaker were the Flevoland 747 + 1008.

    648 is a few months used by NPO Radio 1 when the tower of Smilde was
    collapsed.
    It's good that Orfordness was still existing.
    In The Netherlands all mediumwave masts were gone
    shortly after the transmitters were switched off.

    Under the 9th picture I read "RNN on 1296 kHz".
    Is RNN the Dutch commercial station Radio Nationaal?

    Because RNN here means Radio Noordzee Nationaal,
    which is another programme / organisation
    and they had a FM network and never were on AM.

    Rink

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Sun Aug 11 21:51:03 2024
    On 10.08.2024 um 16:58 Uhr Rink wrote:

    In The Netherlands all mediumwave masts were gone
    shortly after the transmitters were switched off.

    What about Hulsberg? https://web.archive.org/web/20100902152325/http://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=1&kHz=9999

    Still exists on Google streetview.
    Or Lelystad/Trintelhaven?


    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Rink@21:1/5 to All on Mon Aug 12 18:07:48 2024
    Op 11-8-2024 om 21:51 schreef Marco Moock:
    On 10.08.2024 um 16:58 Uhr Rink wrote:

    In The Netherlands all mediumwave masts were gone
    shortly after the transmitters were switched off.
    What about Hulsberg? https://web.archive.org/web/20100902152325/http://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=1&kHz=9999

    Still exists on Google streetview.
    Or Lelystad/Trintelhaven?


    -- kind regards Marco


    The mast in Hulsberg (Emmabergweg) was not a
    mediumwave-only-mast, but is also used for FM,
    analog TV (not anymore), digital TV (DVB-T2),
    and I also see telephony antenna's (4G, 5G I think).
    You're right, the Hulsberg mast still exists.
    But will not be used again for mediumwave.

    And again you're right about Trintelhaven.
    That mast still exists, but also may not be used
    for high power mediumwave, because of
    problems at boats as they enter the harbour.

    The RDI (new name for Agentschap Telecom)
    will not allow high power mediumwave anymore.
    Only one "high power" transmitter still is in use,
    max. 1 or 2 kW, but in fact they are transmitting low power.
    1566 kHz 63 Watt in The Hague, VAHON Radio.
    I think they have no good antenna and mast.

    Rink

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Thu Aug 15 14:28:32 2024
    On 12.08.2024 um 18:07 Uhr Rink wrote:

    The RDI (new name for Agentschap Telecom)
    will not allow high power mediumwave anymore.

    Why?

    Only one "high power" transmitter still is in use,
    max. 1 or 2 kW, but in fact they are transmitting low power.
    1566 kHz 63 Watt in The Hague, VAHON Radio.
    I think they have no good antenna and mast.

    In the past it was at 52° 3'24.81"N 4°24'32.90"E, maybe a T-Antenna on
    2 poles?

    Old Google Earth pictures show the masts, new ones don't.
    According to mwlist, they moved. https://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=1&kHz=1566

    The new location doesn't have current streetview pictures, so I can't
    see the antenna there. Although, I assume it is a very small one in
    the garden/on the roof like for the other LPAMs.

    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Rink@21:1/5 to All on Tue Sep 10 23:02:14 2024
    Op 15-8-2024 om 14:28 schreef Marco Moock:
    On 12.08.2024 um 18:07 Uhr Rink wrote:

    The RDI (new name for Agentschap Telecom)
    will not allow high power mediumwave anymore.

    Why?

    Only one "high power" transmitter still is in use,
    max. 1 or 2 kW, but in fact they are transmitting low power.
    1566 kHz 63 Watt in The Hague, VAHON Radio.
    I think they have no good antenna and mast.

    In the past it was at 52° 3'24.81"N 4°24'32.90"E, maybe a T-Antenna on
    2 poles?

    Old Google Earth pictures show the masts, new ones don't.
    According to mwlist, they moved. https://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=1&kHz=1566

    The new location doesn't have current streetview pictures, so I can't
    see the antenna there. Although, I assume it is a very small one in
    the garden/on the roof like for the other LPAMs.


    Old MW-masts are gone now.
    The first was in Stompwijk (Leidschendam),
    but a few neighbors did not like the view (NIMBY).
    The second one was in Nootdorp next to motorway A12.
    The story goes that there were internal discussions
    and they did not pay the land owner. He removed the mast.
    That's a pity, because with this antenna they had also a good signal.

    Their new adress is Waldorpstraat, Den Haag.
    But I do not know the number and there are a lot of numbers.
    It's in the middle of the city near railway station Hollands Spoor (HS).
    I tried to find an antenna with Google Maps, but did not succeeded....

    Rink

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Wed Sep 11 20:13:02 2024
    On 10.09.2024 um 23:02 Uhr Rink wrote:

    Old MW-masts are gone now.
    The first was in Stompwijk (Leidschendam),
    but a few neighbors did not like the view (NIMBY).
    The second one was in Nootdorp next to motorway A12.
    The story goes that there were internal discussions
    and they did not pay the land owner. He removed the mast.
    That's a pity, because with this antenna they had also a good signal.

    Interesting. Do you know what happened to the transmitter there?

    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From tony sayer@21:1/5 to All on Wed Sep 18 14:40:54 2024
    In article <[email protected]>, Mark Carver
    <[email protected]> scribeth thus
    On 02/07/2024 16:21, Woody wrote:
    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how
    big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.� If just local community stations then
    what is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not
    seem to great deal of variety.




    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    The electricity industry (and not the BBC) are 100% paying the running
    and maintenance costs of 198 at Droitwich, Westerglen, and Burghead.

    As far as the BBC R4 transmission is concerned, it no longer deviates
    from the FM version with opt outs etc, and the dozen or so MW filer
    sites all closed down in April.

    The LW transmission is also now subject to a different Ofcom licence,
    than R4 FM and DAB.

    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on
    198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why
    not) for the time being.

    The only users for the timing etc data are the energy companies, to
    continue controlling the 900,000 or so domestic RTS Economy 7 (etc)
    switches. They are woefully behind with upgrading them to Smart Meter
    based solutions.

    At the moment the new 'end date' for 198 is June 30th 2025.

    It'll be 100% down to the energy companies (with presumably advice from >Arqiva on maintenance issues etc) whether that date is extended (yet
    again)

    Does all beg a question as to what long term uses the existing LW and MW frequencies will be used for DRM if receivers became more commonplace perhaps?..

    Might be useful in counties where to roll out DAB will be expensive..


    --
    Tony Sayer


    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

    Give him a keyboard, and he will reveal himself.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Wed Sep 18 15:06:04 2024
    On Wed, 18 Sep 2024 14:40:54 +0100, tony sayer <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    In article <[email protected]>, Mark Carver
    <[email protected]> scribeth thus
    On 02/07/2024 16:21, Woody wrote:
    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium, how >>>>> big an antenna would we need?

    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio can
    receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.� If just local community stations then
    what is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not
    seem to great deal of variety.

    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many
    clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    The electricity industry (and not the BBC) are 100% paying the running
    and maintenance costs of 198 at Droitwich, Westerglen, and Burghead.

    As far as the BBC R4 transmission is concerned, it no longer deviates
    from the FM version with opt outs etc, and the dozen or so MW filer
    sites all closed down in April.

    The LW transmission is also now subject to a different Ofcom licence,
    than R4 FM and DAB.

    Basically, the electricity companies, and not the BBC call the shots on >>198. The BBC are simply modulating the transmitters with R4 (because why >>not) for the time being.

    The only users for the timing etc data are the energy companies, to >>continue controlling the 900,000 or so domestic RTS Economy 7 (etc) >>switches. They are woefully behind with upgrading them to Smart Meter
    based solutions.

    At the moment the new 'end date' for 198 is June 30th 2025.

    It'll be 100% down to the energy companies (with presumably advice from >>Arqiva on maintenance issues etc) whether that date is extended (yet
    again)

    Does all beg a question as to what long term uses the existing LW and MW >frequencies will be used for DRM if receivers became more commonplace >perhaps?..

    Might be useful in counties where to roll out DAB will be expensive..

    Worcestershire :-)

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to tony sayer on Wed Sep 18 16:18:31 2024
    On 18/09/2024 14:40, tony sayer wrote:
    Does all beg a question as to what long term uses the existing LW and MW frequencies will be used for DRM if receivers became more commonplace perhaps?..

    Might be useful in counties where to roll out DAB will be expensive..


    Are DRM receivers becoming more commonplace?

    I have never seen one and never heard of anyone using one.

    Wouldn't the money be better spent completing DAB coverage?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Sat Sep 28 16:12:48 2024
    On Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:06:04 +0100, Scott
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    [snip]

    I read somewhere that most teleswitch devices are in the Highlands of
    Scotland. If true, would it be technically possible to run Burghead
    (only) or does it need to be synchronised with Droitwich?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sat Sep 28 17:15:12 2024
    On Sat, 28 Sep 2024 16:03:57 -0000 (UTC), Tweed
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    Scott <[email protected]> wrote:
    On Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:06:04 +0100, Scott
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    [snip]

    I read somewhere that most teleswitch devices are in the Highlands of
    Scotland. If true, would it be technically possible to run Burghead
    (only) or does it need to be synchronised with Droitwich?

    Can�t see why it needs Droitwich. However, how did teleswitches work in the >mush zone between the two LW transmitters?

    Could the switching take place at different times even though the
    frequency is synchronised?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From NY@21:1/5 to All on Sat Sep 28 17:55:50 2024
    On 28/09/2024 17:37, JMB99 wrote:
    My meter needs calibration and will stop working - they have always
    regularly calibrated meters and never before claimed they will stop
    working if calibration is missed.

    I've never had one of my meters calibrated. The digital ones which are
    outside could in theory be calibrated without my knowledge, but the one
    in my first house (1987-2001) was a mechanical spinning disc one which
    was indoors and so could only be read (or calibrated) while I was present.

    How do they calibrate them? Apply a known-resistance load and check that
    the meter registers the correct amount over a known time? Taking into
    account mains voltage at that time. How long would the measurement
    period need to be to detect a slight systematic error that would only be noticed over a long period of time. What is the acceptable percentage
    amount of error for a meter?

    Do smart meters report cumulative reading every monitoring period (eg
    every 24 hours) or do they report usage since the last monitoring
    period? I ask because there is a discrepancy between my own cumulative
    readings at the same time every day and the midnight-to-midnight
    readings that the Octopus app/website reports. That's averaging over a
    period of a month, to avoid differences between the automatic midnight-to-midnight and my 10:00-10:00 readings.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From charles@21:1/5 to All on Sat Sep 28 16:30:02 2024
    In article <vd99dd$1ancc$[email protected]>, Tweed <[email protected]> wrote:
    Scott <[email protected]> wrote:
    On Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:06:04 +0100, Scott
    <[email protected]> wrote: [snip]

    I read somewhere that most teleswitch devices are in the Highlands of Scotland. If true, would it be technically possible to run Burghead
    (only) or does it need to be synchronised with Droitwich?


    Can�t see why it needs Droitwich. However, how did teleswitches work in
    the mush zone between the two LW transmitters?

    There were 3 long wave transmitters and two mush zones

    --
    from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4t�
    "I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to Scott on Sat Sep 28 17:31:38 2024
    On 28/09/2024 16:12, Scott wrote:
    I read somewhere that most teleswitch devices are in the Highlands of Scotland. If true, would it be technically possible to run Burghead
    (only) or does it need to be synchronised with Droitwich?


    It seems unlikely because Radio 4 Long Wave coverage is very poor in the Highlands, virtually unusable.

    We were supplied with a frequency standard that locked to Long Wave - we
    sent it back as useless.

    Later I think we had a MSF receiver as a back-up for the RDS but it was
    very difficult to get it to work and often the alarm was muted.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to Scott on Sat Sep 28 17:37:29 2024
    On 28/09/2024 16:12, Scott wrote:
    I read somewhere that most teleswitch devices are in the Highlands of Scotland. If true, would it be technically possible to run Burghead
    (only) or does it need to be synchronised with Droitwich?



    I keep getting letters from OVO asking me to ring for an appointment to
    change my meter to a "Smart" Meter.

    Of course when I ring up they cannot do it yet.

    But they have gone through a series of claims.

    There is a meter with my name on it, waiting to be installed.
    Everyone in my area had changed to a "Smart" Meter.
    Then more recently
    My meter will stop working in June 2025 (it uses a good fashioned time
    switch).
    My meter needs calibration and will stop working - they have always
    regularly calibrated meters and never before claimed they will stop
    working if calibration is missed.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to All on Sat Sep 28 21:10:07 2024
    On 28/09/2024 17:55, NY wrote:
    I've never had one of my meters calibrated. The digital ones which are outside could in theory be calibrated without my knowledge, but the one
    in my first house (1987-2001) was a mechanical spinning disc one which
    was indoors and so could only be read (or calibrated) while I was present.




    They used to change the meter and presumably the one removed was sent
    away for calibration. It only happened every ten years or so.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to Liz Tuddenham on Sat Sep 28 21:11:49 2024
    On 28/09/2024 20:42, Liz Tuddenham wrote:
    THey are just salesmen telling whatever lies they are paid to tell.
    What's worse is that the companies have no qualms about putting their
    lies into print because they have convinced the politicians (of all
    parties) that their nonsense is true.



    They tell people that fitting a "Smart" meter reduces your bill!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Liz Tuddenham@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sat Sep 28 20:42:17 2024
    JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 28/09/2024 16:12, Scott wrote:
    I read somewhere that most teleswitch devices are in the Highlands of Scotland. If true, would it be technically possible to run Burghead
    (only) or does it need to be synchronised with Droitwich?



    I keep getting letters from OVO asking me to ring for an appointment to change my meter to a "Smart" Meter.

    Of course when I ring up they cannot do it yet.

    But they have gone through a series of claims.

    There is a meter with my name on it, waiting to be installed.
    Everyone in my area had changed to a "Smart" Meter.
    Then more recently
    My meter will stop working in June 2025 (it uses a good fashioned time switch).
    My meter needs calibration and will stop working - they have always
    regularly calibrated meters and never before claimed they will stop
    working if calibration is missed.

    THey are just salesmen telling whatever lies they are paid to tell.
    What's worse is that the companies have no qualms about putting their
    lies into print because they have convinced the politicians (of all
    parties) that their nonsense is true.


    --
    ~ Liz Tuddenham ~
    (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
    www.poppyrecords.co.uk

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From charles@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sat Sep 28 21:08:03 2024
    In article <vd9nu5$1cr64$[email protected]>,
    JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 28/09/2024 20:42, Liz Tuddenham wrote:
    THey are just salesmen telling whatever lies they are paid to tell.
    What's worse is that the companies have no qualms about putting their
    lies into print because they have convinced the politicians (of all parties) that their nonsense is true.



    They tell people that fitting a "Smart" meter reduces your bill!

    It could do. With a smart meter, I can charge my EV in the small hours of
    the night. I estimate that that has saved me about �1000 in the year.

    --
    from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4t�
    "I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to charles on Sun Sep 29 07:41:54 2024
    On 28/09/2024 22:08, charles wrote:
    It could do. With a smart meter, I can charge my EV in the small hours of the night. I estimate that that has saved me about £1000 in the year.



    Which could be done with a simple time switch?

    Just over 3% of cars are battery ones and many will not be able to
    charge at home so affects perhaps 1% to 2% of cars?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to charles on Sun Sep 29 07:38:24 2024
    On 28/09/2024 22:08, charles wrote:
    when I was student (a great many years ago), I spent some time with SESEB.
    I had a day in the meter test room. Tests were done very carefully and,
    yes, the calibration lasted 10 years.


    That is what I thought, usually you just got a letter to say that they
    would be changing the meter on a particular date and with an external
    meter they just changed it with needing you to be there.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From charles@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sun Sep 29 08:00:02 2024
    In article <vdasri$1lgoh$[email protected]>,
    JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 28/09/2024 22:08, charles wrote:
    It could do. With a smart meter, I can charge my EV in the small hours of the night. I estimate that that has saved me about �1000 in the year.



    Which could be done with a simple time switch?

    How does a time switch know what load I am drawing?

    Just over 3% of cars are battery ones and many will not be able to
    charge at home so affects perhaps 1% to 2% of cars?

    --
    from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4t�
    "I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Liz Tuddenham@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sun Sep 29 08:34:19 2024
    JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 28/09/2024 22:08, charles wrote:
    It could do. With a smart meter, I can charge my EV in the small hours of the night. I estimate that that has saved me about £1000 in the year.



    Which could be done with a simple time switch?

    Just over 3% of cars are battery ones and many will not be able to
    charge at home so affects perhaps 1% to 2% of cars?

    ...and an even fewer percentage of homes.

    The original driving force behind 'smart' electricity meters was the
    ability to disconnect the customer by remote control. This is fine if
    you have agreed to a load-shedding scheme but it can also be used to
    threaten any customer who has the temerity to dispute their bill.

    I believe it has now quietly been made illegal, but there must still be thousands of meters out there that are still equipped to do it.


    --
    ~ Liz Tuddenham ~
    (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
    www.poppyrecords.co.uk

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Roderick Stewart@21:1/5 to All on Sun Sep 29 09:57:34 2024
    On Sat, 28 Sep 24 21:08:03 UTC, charles <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    They tell people that fitting a "Smart" meter reduces your bill!

    It could do. With a smart meter, I can charge my EV in the small hours of >the night. I estimate that that has saved me about �1000 in the year.

    That must be about 5% of what it cost you to buy the EV.

    Rod.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sun Sep 29 10:02:58 2024
    On Sat, 28 Sep 2024 21:10:07 +0100, JMB99 <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 28/09/2024 17:55, NY wrote:
    I've never had one of my meters calibrated. The digital ones which are
    outside could in theory be calibrated without my knowledge, but the one
    in my first house (1987-2001) was a mechanical spinning disc one which
    was indoors and so could only be read (or calibrated) while I was present.

    They used to change the meter and presumably the one removed was sent
    away for calibration. It only happened every ten years or so.

    I thought it was 20 years for a domestic installation, but I could
    easily be wrong.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to Liz Tuddenham on Sun Sep 29 10:52:05 2024
    On 29/09/2024 08:34, Liz Tuddenham wrote:
    I believe it has now quietly been made illegal, but there must still be thousands of meters out there that are still equipped to do it.



    I can just imagine Obersturmbannführer Starmer switching of all the
    mythical 'Far Right' one night.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From charles@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sun Sep 29 09:30:02 2024
    In article <[email protected]>, Roderick Stewart <[email protected]> wrote:
    On Sat, 28 Sep 24 21:08:03 UTC, charles <[email protected]> wrote:

    They tell people that fitting a "Smart" meter reduces your bill!

    It could do. With a smart meter, I can charge my EV in the small hours
    of the night. I estimate that that has saved me about �1000 in the year.

    That must be about 5% of what it cost you to buy the EV.

    Yes

    --
    from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4t�
    "I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From tony sayer@21:1/5 to All on Sun Sep 29 14:01:55 2024
    In article <[email protected]>, charles <[email protected]> scribeth thus
    In article <[email protected]>, Roderick Stewart ><[email protected]> wrote:
    On Sat, 28 Sep 24 21:08:03 UTC, charles <[email protected]> wrote:

    They tell people that fitting a "Smart" meter reduces your bill!

    It could do. With a smart meter, I can charge my EV in the small hours
    of the night. I estimate that that has saved me about �1000 in the year.

    That must be about 5% of what it cost you to buy the EV.

    Yes


    Does your doc prescribe you anything for range anxiety;?...


    --
    Tony Sayer


    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

    Give him a keyboard, and he will reveal himself.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From charles@21:1/5 to All on Sun Sep 29 13:45:02 2024
    In article <OaQQI7AD$[email protected]>, tony sayer <[email protected]> wrote:
    In article <[email protected]>, charles <[email protected]> scribeth thus
    In article <[email protected]>, Roderick
    Stewart <[email protected]> wrote:
    On Sat, 28 Sep 24 21:08:03 UTC, charles <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    They tell people that fitting a "Smart" meter reduces your bill!

    It could do. With a smart meter, I can charge my EV in the small
    hours of the night. I estimate that that has saved me about �1000 in
    the year.

    That must be about 5% of what it cost you to buy the EV.

    Yes


    Does your doc prescribe you anything for range anxiety;?...

    no need. I plan my route and look for suitable chargers before I set off; assuming it's 250+ mile journey.

    --
    from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4t�
    "I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From tony sayer@21:1/5 to All on Sun Sep 29 14:06:18 2024
    In article <vcer07$3tud$[email protected]>, JMB99 <[email protected]>
    scribeth thus
    On 18/09/2024 14:40, tony sayer wrote:
    Does all beg a question as to what long term uses the existing LW and MW
    frequencies will be used for DRM if receivers became more commonplace
    perhaps?..

    Might be useful in counties where to roll out DAB will be expensive..


    Are DRM receivers becoming more commonplace?

    I have never seen one and never heard of anyone using one.

    Wouldn't the money be better spent completing DAB coverage?




    It was more of a comment re larger countries than the UK where rolling
    out DAB would be very expensive because of the area to be covered which
    may well be sparsely populated and have limited power availability etc..

    And what might we do with the that what Ofcom would say is
    useful/valulable "spectrum resource" in the UK now no longer needed for
    AM Broadcast?...
    --
    Tony Sayer


    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

    Give him a keyboard, and he will reveal himself.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Chris J Dixon@21:1/5 to Tweed on Sun Sep 29 16:18:50 2024
    Tweed wrote:


    The rationale is to introduce
    incentive based pricing. Octopus Energy are the leaders in this.
    Electricity is the most expensive around late afternoon/early evening. This >is when domestic and industrial demand overlap. At other times there can be
    a surplus of generation, eg off peak windy days. Octopus offer incentives
    to cut consumption a times of very high demand (a form of voluntary load >shedding) and sometimes offer periods of completely free electricity.

    The latter has been quite welcome when the EV is at home and
    receptive.

    Chris
    --
    Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
    [email protected] @ChrisJDixon1

    Plant amazing Acers.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JMB99@21:1/5 to tony sayer on Sun Sep 29 19:24:27 2024
    On 29/09/2024 14:01, tony sayer wrote:
    Does your doc prescribe you anything for range anxiety;?...


    I have been up in Sutherland twice in the last few weeks, would not to
    have been in a battery car with its limited range and slow refuelling rate.

    I just took a few minutes to fill up and have over 400 miles range.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to tony sayer on Mon Sep 30 11:29:42 2024
    tony sayer wrote:

    Does your doc prescribe you anything for range anxiety;?...

    There was a piece in the news about an electric aeroplane being used by
    a flight school, the instructor said he didn't get "range anxiety" he
    got "range excitement" ...

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott@21:1/5 to All on Mon Sep 30 12:15:22 2024
    On Mon, 30 Sep 2024 11:29:42 +0100, Andy Burns <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    tony sayer wrote:

    Does your doc prescribe you anything for range anxiety;?...

    There was a piece in the news about an electric aeroplane being used by
    a flight school, the instructor said he didn't get "range anxiety" he
    got "range excitement" ...

    Probably safer than coming to a standstill on one of these smart
    motorways :-)

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Thu Oct 3 20:06:01 2024
    On Sat, 28 Sep 2024 16:12:48 +0100, Scott
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    On Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:06:04 +0100, Scott
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    [snip]

    I read somewhere that most teleswitch devices are in the Highlands of >Scotland. If true, would it be technically possible to run Burghead
    (only) or does it need to be synchronised with Droitwich?

    Found this, which may be of interest: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2402zzwg1o

    Someone commented that LW reception was not good in the Highlands, but
    maybe what is not good enough for Jo Whiley is good enough for RTS?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Fri Oct 4 22:31:49 2024
    On 29.09.2024 um 14:06 Uhr tony sayer wrote:

    It was more of a comment re larger countries than the UK where rolling
    out DAB would be very expensive because of the area to be covered
    which may well be sparsely populated and have limited power
    availability etc..

    In most cases, nobody cares about those areas. I remember seeing a
    youtube documentation about rural areas in Russia where people
    complained that the Russian LW/MW/SW services were switched off.
    This applies to other countries too.

    Mongolia still has LW and MW, but the soviet equipment is becoming
    older and older and some of them don't work that good anymore (I dunno
    why they don't take spare parts from facilities that were
    decommissioned, but I assume most of the stuff is already scrapped).
    IIRC I read they don't plan to discontinue LW, but I assume the amount
    of listeners will shrink more and more. Most cars don't have LW AM and
    DRM should be much more hard to find.


    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Fri Oct 4 22:25:08 2024
    On 18.09.2024 um 14:40 Uhr tony sayer wrote:

    Does all beg a question as to what long term uses the existing LW and
    MW frequencies will be used for DRM if receivers became more
    commonplace perhaps?..

    Why should that happen?
    People nowadays have smartphones and listen to music/news etc. via the internet. In many countries the AM facilities are already demolished.
    Rather unlikely that DRM broadcasts now start in those countries.


    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Marco Moock@21:1/5 to All on Sat Oct 5 16:10:18 2024
    On 05.07.2024 um 16:20 Uhr Scott wrote:

    On Tue, 2 Jul 2024 16:21:35 +0100, Woody <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    On Tue 02/07/2024 13:41, JMB99 wrote:
    On 02/07/2024 11:38, Scott wrote:
    Will 198 kHz be advertised in the first instance for a national
    commercial station? If there are no takers, will it be offered to
    community stations? If I am thinking about forming a consortium,
    how big an antenna would we need?


    I can't see there being much serious interest for a system with a
    limited number of listeners - I don't even know if my car radio
    can receive Long Wave.

    If they want to continue the supposed 'national' coverage then the
    running costs will be high.  If just local community stations then
    what is the advantage over VHF FM or DAB?

    I never listen to commercial radio but from I read, there does not
    seem to great deal of variety.

    I thought they were keeping the carrier running as there are so many >clocks and other things that use 198kHz as a reference source?

    Another thought - if the site is owned by Arqiva, why would Arqiva
    want to take on a transmission contract rather than sell the site for housing? Is that why the BBC needs to continue R4, to ensure that the
    Arqiva remains locked into the contract?

    Why should the BBC/Talksport care about what Ariqua does to the site?

    --
    kind regards
    Marco

    Send spam to [email protected]

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Rink@21:1/5 to All on Mon Oct 7 19:55:57 2024
    Op 11-9-2024 om 20:13 schreef Marco Moock:
    On 10.09.2024 um 23:02 Uhr Rink wrote:

    Old MW-masts are gone now.
    The first was in Stompwijk (Leidschendam),
    but a few neighbors did not like the view (NIMBY).
    The second one was in Nootdorp next to motorway A12.
    The story goes that there were internal discussions
    and they did not pay the land owner. He removed the mast.
    That's a pity, because with this antenna they had also a good signal.

    Interesting. Do you know what happened to the transmitter there?


    Sorry, I do not know....

    Rink

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Scott@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Tue Dec 17 18:55:19 2024
    On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 16:58:44 +0200, Rink
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    [snip]

    Thank you for this webpage.
    Nice to see the coverage predictions of the 648 and 1296.

    648 and 1296 were the most strongest signals on my MW-radio
    when I was living in Leiden and Leiderdorp (15 km NE of The Hague).
    After those two came 675 Lopik (Dutch Radio 3).
    And much weaker were the Flevoland 747 + 1008.

    648 is a few months used by NPO Radio 1 when the tower of Smilde was >collapsed.
    It's good that Orfordness was still existing.
    In The Netherlands all mediumwave masts were gone
    shortly after the transmitters were switched off.

    Under the 9th picture I read "RNN on 1296 kHz".
    Is RNN the Dutch commercial station Radio Nationaal?

    Because RNN here means Radio Noordzee Nationaal,
    which is another programme / organisation
    and they had a FM network and never were on AM.

    Sorry, but another uninformed question out of curiosity. Why would
    they use 1296 kHz, which is exactly double 648 kHz? I thought a radio
    signal produced harmonics as multiples so each transmission would
    interfere with the other.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to Scott on Wed Dec 18 09:28:31 2024
    On 17/12/2024 18:55, Scott wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 16:58:44 +0200, Rink
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    [snip]

    Thank you for this webpage.
    Nice to see the coverage predictions of the 648 and 1296.

    648 and 1296 were the most strongest signals on my MW-radio
    when I was living in Leiden and Leiderdorp (15 km NE of The Hague).
    After those two came 675 Lopik (Dutch Radio 3).
    And much weaker were the Flevoland 747 + 1008.

    648 is a few months used by NPO Radio 1 when the tower of Smilde was
    collapsed.
    It's good that Orfordness was still existing.
    In The Netherlands all mediumwave masts were gone
    shortly after the transmitters were switched off.

    Under the 9th picture I read "RNN on 1296 kHz".
    Is RNN the Dutch commercial station Radio Nationaal?

    Because RNN here means Radio Noordzee Nationaal,
    which is another programme / organisation
    and they had a FM network and never were on AM.

    Sorry, but another uninformed question out of curiosity. Why would
    they use 1296 kHz, which is exactly double 648 kHz? I thought a radio
    signal produced harmonics as multiples so each transmission would
    interfere with the other.

    I'd never noticed that relationship !

    It shouldn't cause a problem however, it's local oscillator
    relationships that were more of an issue.

    Notably 908/909 kHz being double 455 kHz, which would produce a whistle
    on some sets.

    Also, in the US, they only use 'odd' FM Band allocations, 88.1, 88.3,
    88.5 etc, because then any image resulting from the 10.7 MHz IF, lands
    the problem onto an 'even' allocation

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From NY@21:1/5 to Mark Carver on Wed Dec 18 10:20:52 2024
    On 18/12/2024 09:28, Mark Carver wrote:
    Also, in the US, they only use 'odd' FM Band allocations, 88.1, 88.3,
    88.5 etc, because then any image resulting from the 10.7 MHz IF, lands
    the problem onto an 'even' allocation


    Is there any significance in the values of the IFs that are used by
    radios and TVs? Are they only standardised so they can use standard
    filters tuned to, for example, 10.7 MHz, rather than each manufacturer
    choosing its own IF and they having to design a filter that is tuned to
    that IF.

    The other advantage of everyone using the same IF is that everyone's
    "splatter" is at the same sideband frequencies and the allocation of transmitter frequencies can be designed to avoid those sidebands.

    But how was 10.7 MHz originally chosen as the VHF radio standard IF? Was
    it in some way "better" than 10.5, 10.6, 10.8 etc?

    Or is the allocation of IFs something that has been lost in the mists of
    time?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Mark Carver@21:1/5 to Liz Tuddenham on Wed Dec 18 10:45:45 2024
    On 18/12/2024 10:35, Liz Tuddenham wrote:
    Mark Carver <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 17/12/2024 18:55, Scott wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 16:58:44 +0200, Rink
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    [snip]

    Thank you for this webpage.
    Nice to see the coverage predictions of the 648 and 1296.

    648 and 1296 were the most strongest signals on my MW-radio
    when I was living in Leiden and Leiderdorp (15 km NE of The Hague).
    After those two came 675 Lopik (Dutch Radio 3).
    And much weaker were the Flevoland 747 + 1008.

    648 is a few months used by NPO Radio 1 when the tower of Smilde was
    collapsed.
    It's good that Orfordness was still existing.
    In The Netherlands all mediumwave masts were gone
    shortly after the transmitters were switched off.

    Under the 9th picture I read "RNN on 1296 kHz".
    Is RNN the Dutch commercial station Radio Nationaal?

    Because RNN here means Radio Noordzee Nationaal,
    which is another programme / organisation
    and they had a FM network and never were on AM.

    Sorry, but another uninformed question out of curiosity. Why would
    they use 1296 kHz, which is exactly double 648 kHz? I thought a radio
    signal produced harmonics as multiples so each transmission would
    interfere with the other.

    You only get significant multiples if there is distortion in the
    transmitter R.F. amplifiers. This is held to a very low level, then
    there is the filtering effect of the tuned circuits following the final amplifier. If harmonics are still above the permitted level, a further filter can be fitted in the aerial feeder.

    There should be no problem with a receiver responding to multiples or sub-multiples of the carrier to which it is tuned, unless there is
    something very badly wrong with the receiver.


    I'd never noticed that relationship !

    It shouldn't cause a problem however, it's local oscillator
    relationships that were more of an issue.

    Notably 908/909 kHz being double 455 kHz, which would produce a whistle
    on some sets.

    I don't understand that - unless you mean the transmitter has a doubler
    stage to generate 908 Kc/s from 454Kc/s and the 454 Kc/s is leaking
    through to the output stage?

    Well, it certainly used to happen. I remember my grandmother's Hacker
    doing it in the 70s

    The cause is open to debate

    https://groups.google.com/g/uk.radio.amateur/c/r3O8Ts1bk2I?pli=1

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Liz Tuddenham@21:1/5 to Mark Carver on Wed Dec 18 10:35:24 2024
    Mark Carver <[email protected]> wrote:

    On 17/12/2024 18:55, Scott wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Aug 2024 16:58:44 +0200, Rink
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    [snip]

    Thank you for this webpage.
    Nice to see the coverage predictions of the 648 and 1296.

    648 and 1296 were the most strongest signals on my MW-radio
    when I was living in Leiden and Leiderdorp (15 km NE of The Hague).
    After those two came 675 Lopik (Dutch Radio 3).
    And much weaker were the Flevoland 747 + 1008.

    648 is a few months used by NPO Radio 1 when the tower of Smilde was
    collapsed.
    It's good that Orfordness was still existing.
    In The Netherlands all mediumwave masts were gone
    shortly after the transmitters were switched off.

    Under the 9th picture I read "RNN on 1296 kHz".
    Is RNN the Dutch commercial station Radio Nationaal?

    Because RNN here means Radio Noordzee Nationaal,
    which is another programme / organisation
    and they had a FM network and never were on AM.

    Sorry, but another uninformed question out of curiosity. Why would
    they use 1296 kHz, which is exactly double 648 kHz? I thought a radio signal produced harmonics as multiples so each transmission would
    interfere with the other.

    You only get significant multiples if there is distortion in the
    transmitter R.F. amplifiers. This is held to a very low level, then
    there is the filtering effect of the tuned circuits following the final amplifier. If harmonics are still above the permitted level, a further
    filter can be fitted in the aerial feeder.

    There should be no problem with a receiver responding to multiples or sub-multiples of the carrier to which it is tuned, unless there is
    something very badly wrong with the receiver.


    I'd never noticed that relationship !

    It shouldn't cause a problem however, it's local oscillator
    relationships that were more of an issue.

    Notably 908/909 kHz being double 455 kHz, which would produce a whistle
    on some sets.

    I don't understand that - unless you mean the transmitter has a doubler
    stage to generate 908 Kc/s from 454Kc/s and the 454 Kc/s is leaking
    through to the output stage?

    I know our local 100 Mc/s VHF transmitter puts out signals around 50
    Mc/s but they are well below the main output level.


    --
    ~ Liz Tuddenham ~
    (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
    www.poppyrecords.co.uk

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Roderick Stewart@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Wed Dec 18 13:20:38 2024
    On Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:20:52 +0000, NY <[email protected]> wrote:

    But how was 10.7 MHz originally chosen as the VHF radio standard IF? Was
    it in some way "better" than 10.5, 10.6, 10.8 etc?

    Just general agreement about what seemed to work best I think. There
    weren't any regulations about it as far as I know. One manufacturer
    top my knowledge - Leak - did use a different IF in their tuners, and
    maybe others did too. The Leak Troughline tuner used 12.5MHz.

    Rod.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Liz Tuddenham@21:1/5 to Roderick Stewart on Wed Dec 18 14:52:10 2024
    Roderick Stewart <[email protected]> wrote:

    On Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:20:52 +0000, NY <[email protected]> wrote:

    But how was 10.7 MHz originally chosen as the VHF radio standard IF? Was
    it in some way "better" than 10.5, 10.6, 10.8 etc?

    Just general agreement about what seemed to work best I think. There
    weren't any regulations about it as far as I know. One manufacturer
    top my knowledge - Leak - did use a different IF in their tuners, and
    maybe others did too. The Leak Troughline tuner used 12.5MHz.

    Choosing a suitable I.F. was quite a difficult procedure which involved
    the use of charts to show the second, third and higher harmonics of the
    local oscillator and where they awept across the tuning range, to check
    on possible interactions. Strong stations at the image frequency had to
    be taken into consideration and so did the possibility of direct IF
    pickup breaking through the aerial circuits. (Good sets had an IF
    rejector in the aerial circuit to minimise this.)

    As it was sometimes impossible to achieve good results with any single
    IF, double-conversion was sometimes used - but that brought up even more interaction possibilities. Another approach was a switchable IF that
    altered with the band-change switch, so that each band could have the
    most appropriate IF. The prize example of this was the Eddystone
    S700/IR54 which was almost a one-off (actually 3 were made) and was used
    on the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth liners.

    --
    ~ Liz Tuddenham ~
    (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
    www.poppyrecords.co.uk

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From tony sayer@21:1/5 to All on Fri Dec 20 13:19:14 2024

    I'd never noticed that relationship !

    It shouldn't cause a problem however, it's local oscillator
    relationships that were more of an issue.

    Notably 908/909 kHz being double 455 kHz, which would produce a whistle
    on some sets.

    I don't understand that - unless you mean the transmitter has a doubler
    stage to generate 908 Kc/s from 454Kc/s and the 454 Kc/s is leaking
    through to the output stage?



    I know our local 100 Mc/s VHF transmitter puts out signals around 50
    Mc/s but they are well below the main output level.



    Can you say what one that is very odd to have that happen!..
    --
    Tony Sayer


    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

    Give him a keyboard, and he will reveal himself.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From tony sayer@21:1/5 to All on Fri Dec 20 13:17:13 2024
    In article <1r4rnbu.vamnrl1pq9022N%[email protected]d>,
    Liz Tuddenham <[email protected]d> scribeth thus
    Roderick Stewart <[email protected]> wrote:

    On Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:20:52 +0000, NY <[email protected]> wrote:

    But how was 10.7 MHz originally chosen as the VHF radio standard IF? Was
    it in some way "better" than 10.5, 10.6, 10.8 etc?

    Just general agreement about what seemed to work best I think. There
    weren't any regulations about it as far as I know. One manufacturer
    top my knowledge - Leak - did use a different IF in their tuners, and
    maybe others did too. The Leak Troughline tuner used 12.5MHz.

    Choosing a suitable I.F. was quite a difficult procedure which involved
    the use of charts to show the second, third and higher harmonics of the
    local oscillator and where they awept across the tuning range, to check
    on possible interactions. Strong stations at the image frequency had to
    be taken into consideration and so did the possibility of direct IF
    pickup breaking through the aerial circuits. (Good sets had an IF
    rejector in the aerial circuit to minimise this.)

    As it was sometimes impossible to achieve good results with any single
    IF, double-conversion was sometimes used - but that brought up even more >interaction possibilities. Another approach was a switchable IF that
    altered with the band-change switch, so that each band could have the
    most appropriate IF. The prize example of this was the Eddystone
    S700/IR54 which was almost a one-off (actually 3 were made) and was used
    on the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth liners.


    Eddystone are still around bought a directional coupler form them the
    other year!.

    The early QUAD AM Tuners had switchable bandwidth IIRC

    And just because it a was AM didn't mean the sound had to suffer once
    had a tuner that could receive Channel 1 405 lines from Crystal place
    that was very good indeed for its time!..

    --
    Tony Sayer


    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

    Give him a keyboard, and he will reveal himself.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Liz Tuddenham@21:1/5 to tony sayer on Fri Dec 20 16:08:09 2024
    tony sayer <[email protected]> wrote:


    I'd never noticed that relationship !

    It shouldn't cause a problem however, it's local oscillator
    relationships that were more of an issue.

    Notably 908/909 kHz being double 455 kHz, which would produce a whistle
    on some sets.

    I don't understand that - unless you mean the transmitter has a doubler >stage to generate 908 Kc/s from 454Kc/s and the 454 Kc/s is leaking
    through to the output stage?



    I know our local 100 Mc/s VHF transmitter puts out signals around 50
    Mc/s but they are well below the main output level.



    Can you say what one that is very odd to have that happen!..

    Bathampton Down repeater.


    --
    ~ Liz Tuddenham ~
    (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
    www.poppyrecords.co.uk

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From tony sayer@21:1/5 to All on Sat Dec 21 16:28:16 2024
    In article <1r4vgqd.zsdbmc1ufjbhoN%[email protected]d>,
    Liz Tuddenham <[email protected]d> scribeth thus
    tony sayer <[email protected]> wrote:


    I'd never noticed that relationship !

    It shouldn't cause a problem however, it's local oscillator
    relationships that were more of an issue.

    Notably 908/909 kHz being double 455 kHz, which would produce a whistle >> >> on some sets.

    I don't understand that - unless you mean the transmitter has a doubler
    stage to generate 908 Kc/s from 454Kc/s and the 454 Kc/s is leaking
    through to the output stage?



    I know our local 100 Mc/s VHF transmitter puts out signals around 50
    Mc/s but they are well below the main output level.



    Can you say what one that is very odd to have that happen!..

    Bathampton Down repeater.




    Do you mean this one?..

    http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=622
    --
    Tony Sayer


    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

    Give him a keyboard, and he will reveal himself.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Liz Tuddenham@21:1/5 to tony sayer on Sat Dec 21 18:51:09 2024
    tony sayer <[email protected]> wrote:

    In article <1r4vgqd.zsdbmc1ufjbhoN%[email protected]d>,
    Liz Tuddenham <[email protected]d> scribeth thus
    tony sayer <[email protected]> wrote:


    I'd never noticed that relationship !

    It shouldn't cause a problem however, it's local oscillator
    relationships that were more of an issue.

    Notably 908/909 kHz being double 455 kHz, which would produce a whistle >> >> on some sets.

    I don't understand that - unless you mean the transmitter has a doubler >> >stage to generate 908 Kc/s from 454Kc/s and the 454 Kc/s is leaking
    through to the output stage?



    I know our local 100 Mc/s VHF transmitter puts out signals around 50
    Mc/s but they are well below the main output level.



    Can you say what one that is very odd to have that happen!..

    Bathampton Down repeater.




    Do you mean this one?..

    http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=622

    That's probably what I would see out of my back bedroom window in
    daylight.


    --
    ~ Liz Tuddenham ~
    (Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
    www.poppyrecords.co.uk

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)