I used to listen in Swindon from a hill facing Oxford on 97.6, signsl came in loud and clear.
Yes, curiously, Chilterns FM signal on 97.6 was loud and clear for miles outside it's intended area. I guess the location on the top od The Dunstable Downs helped.
I think those who got Chiltern in the 1980's were lucky. It is not widely known as a station but the shows were consistently good. I got a chance to tour the station in 1989 and got invited to the DJ's booth where we chatted when the record was playing. It was good to see the cart system in operation.
As today is Thursday 15th October, and Chiltern Radio was launched on this exact same day and date thirty four years ago back in 1981 it seems like a good time to refresh this topic to see if it generates any new interest and possible input from anyone associated with Chiltern Radio at the time or in the early years of the 80's, not to mention listeners to the station in the general Bucks, Beds and Herts area, and overlapping other areas.
Used to listen here in Suffolk on 96.9 - only good enough for mono but still some great shows worth making the effort to faff around with the wire antenna hanging out the back of my Pioneer tuner to get 'recordable' quality - ahem!!
I remember they used to have a rockerbilly show on Sunday evenings after the top 40. I was into psychobilly stuff at the time like the Meteors, so used to tune in a lot.
I used to pick it up on 97.6 on a portable, got clear reception by placing the radio in a specific position in the kitchen, elsewhere in the house and the bedroom I used to get interference from LBC. I won a Stevie Nicks VHS on one of the breakfast show competitions, seem to recall it was Tonly Gillham hosting at the time, or at least his name was on the 'with compliments' slip in the package when it came in the post. Still got the tape somewhere.
Thanks for the youtube links. However on listening to the jingles I can't say that they were the best thing about the station. While I preferred Chiltern to our ILR, Essex Radio programme wise, Essex did have superior jingles.
Comments
Yes, curiously, Chilterns FM signal on 97.6 was loud and clear for miles outside it's intended area. I guess the location on the top od The Dunstable Downs helped.
Got it fine in Basingstoke, until Radio 1 came to Guildford on 97.7
I believe the listening figures proved that.
No point harping on about the past, as it only provokes people who think what we have now is far better....
Worth a mention and seeing if any further information from the early days of the station might come forth.
This is also extremely interesting below;
Jingles, bringing back the name & crowdfunding - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfM1iG11-vg
First morning broadcast 15/10/81 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80Jo_3lASDQ
Thanks for the youtube links. However on listening to the jingles I can't say that they were the best thing about the station. While I preferred Chiltern to our ILR, Essex Radio programme wise, Essex did have superior jingles.