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Old 30-12-2016, 20:40
hanssolo
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Errrrr....

EU R& directive and EMC Directive 2004/108/EC - in order to purchase this item, you must agree that:-

1. You intend to re-export the item to an address outside the European Union. Under no circumstances will this item be resold or put into service within the European Union.

or

2. The item will only be used within a completely RF screened and shielded metal enclosure or environment for testing, evaluation, experimental or laboratory purposes and any other use that does not radiate electro-magnetic waves into free space.
Sadly only low power FM is legal without a licence. AM transmitters need an LPAM licence which is normally only for places like Hospitals and Unis.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom...or-mp3-players
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Old 30-12-2016, 20:41
swb1964
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Of course the Cricket is broadcast on 5 Live Sports Extra. Why should the BBC pay £millions to maintain a service for a few thousand people who refuse to listen via another platform?
You could say that about any of the BBC specialist services.

Personally I would suspect more people listen to TMS on longwave than on DAB but I would be happy to stand corrected if anyone has any figures?
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Old 30-12-2016, 21:26
Beacon Hill
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Errrrr....

EU R& directive and EMC Directive 2004/108/EC - in order to purchase this item, you must agree that:-

1. You intend to re-export the item to an address outside the European Union. Under no circumstances will this item be resold or put into service within the European Union.

or

2. The item will only be used within a completely RF screened and shielded metal enclosure or environment for testing, evaluation, experimental or laboratory purposes and any other use that does not radiate electro-magnetic waves into free space.
Of course, you are quite correct to point out that its illegal to use a device such as this in the UK (although as far as I'm aware it's not illegal to own one), however if one was to set it up in such a way as to minimise the radiated signal by, say, detuning the wire antenna & coiling it up then the output would disappear into the noise floor within 10ft or so thus causing no harm whatsoever.

That's what I've heard anyway ........
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Old 31-12-2016, 12:23
Hot Hits
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This copied from Wohnort.org. Seems France is asking for expressions of interest to use 162KHz. See Below:-

" In France, the longwave transmissions of France Inter on 162 kHz are to end on December 31st 2016. The signal transmitted from Allouis has other uses. Like the 198 kHz transmissions from Droitwich, Allouis provides a standard-frequency reference signal, regulated by an atomic clock, and time signals are modulated onto the carrier to provide the TDF time service, generated by a caesium fountain atomic clock. These transmissions will continue beyond January 1st 2017. The media regulator in France has called for expressions of interest from broadcasters in continuing to use this frequency for radio broadcasting. Closing date is January 16th 2017. France Inter will continue to be broadcast after this date on FM and on DAB+ in Paris."
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Old 31-12-2016, 13:08
swb1964
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Religious broadcasters are about the only potential audience I can see.
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Old 31-12-2016, 14:36
martinwatkins
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France's attempts to re-allocate the France Inter MW frequencies a few years back (675 kHz Marseille amongst others) were short lived, with the operators handing back their licences. Ditto the four or five low power MW allocations for Paris, the stations lasted two or three years.

But who knows....?
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Old 31-12-2016, 14:39
Colin_London
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Religious broadcasters are about the only potential audience I can see.
Would have to have VERY deep pockets.

Basically they are desperate to find a broadcaster to prop up the time service. If they don't then they haven't got sufficient finance in place to keep it going. I'm sure the end users will make a noise for government support as they won't have planned for the end of what was an essentially free service piggy backing on France Inter.
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Old 31-12-2016, 15:05
martinwatkins
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If it's just the time service then if I was them I'd use the VLF facility near Le Blanc (not far from Chateauroux). It's a naval radio transmission facility, it's one of those not-so-well-kept-secrets (although it's fogged out on GoogleEarth). It's already got a lot of towers and masts, and a time signal could - I guess - be transmitted from there relatively easily, say with 75 kW power. Cheap easy solution.

As to government support - after five years of socialism France is basically bankrupt. If it wasn't they would have made every effort to keep one of the country's virility symbols going....
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Old 31-12-2016, 15:27
Colin_London
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If it's just the time service then if I was them I'd use the VLF facility near Le Blanc (not far from Chateauroux). It's a naval radio transmission facility, it's one of those not-so-well-kept-secrets (although it's fogged out on GoogleEarth). It's already got a lot of towers and masts, and a time signal could - I guess - be transmitted from there relatively easily, say with 75 kW power. Cheap easy solution.

As to government support - after five years of socialism France is basically bankrupt. If it wasn't they would have made every effort to keep one of the country's virility symbols going....
As I questioned in an earlier post, I am not sure the ITU would permit the use of 162kHz just for a time service. If they were to use another transmitter they would have to use the 40-80kHz band, and the thing they are trying to avoid here is having to go out and alter / replace all the existing clocks in the field.

If they moved to another frequency they may as well just use DCF77 as the time source as they would have to adjust / replace the clocks in question anyway.
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Old 31-12-2016, 15:28
martinwatkins
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Would the ITU give a monkey's? Would France give a monkey's if the ITU gave a monkey's?

You worry too much Colin!!!
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Old 31-12-2016, 15:34
swb1964
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Would have to have VERY deep pockets.

.
Sure. But the Roman Catholic Church isn't exactly short of a bob or three.
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Old 31-12-2016, 15:38
hanssolo
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France's attempts to re-allocate the France Inter MW frequencies a few years back (675 kHz Marseille amongst others) were short lived, with the operators handing back their licences. Ditto the four or five low power MW allocations for Paris, the stations lasted two or three years.

But who knows....?
Found the list in 2003
http://en.www.csa.fre05d.systranlink...eselectionnes#
In Paris the 999khz frequency of Superloustic was reassigned for a DRM test
http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.co.uk/2...hz-medium.html
I remember picking up the 8kw 999khz DRM test from Paris 2007 to 2012 in the UK (but not able to decode it)

It's possible Phare FM, linked to TWR and UK's UCB, may bid for 162, but now DAB+/RNT is rolling out, DAB+/internet will be more cost effective.
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Old 31-12-2016, 16:09
lundavra
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Sure. But the Roman Catholic Church isn't exactly short of a bob or three.
It tends to be the American evangelical churches that have all the money.
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Old 31-12-2016, 20:03
spanners
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Sure. But the Roman Catholic Church isn't exactly short of a bob or three.
Has the Roman Catholic Church ever had any radio broadcasting operations apart from Vatican Radio?

If they have they've certainly kept them quiet.
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Old 31-12-2016, 22:09
Nick_G
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Has the Roman Catholic Church ever had any radio broadcasting operations apart from Vatican Radio?

If they have they've certainly kept them quiet.
Yes Radio Maria, which broadcasts internationally:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Maria
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Old 31-12-2016, 22:30
Ex Pat
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Has the Roman Catholic Church ever had any radio broadcasting operations apart from Vatican Radio?

If they have they've certainly kept them quiet.
Any idea who was funding UCB/ICB in Ireland?
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Old 31-12-2016, 23:05
Colin_London
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Modulation cut off at midnight CET. Just carrier wave now.
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Old 31-12-2016, 23:14
commseng
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It was fairly abrupt. Last night a dj saved my life with a song and a countdown to 2017. Then silence. Goodbye 162kHz.
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Old 01-01-2017, 00:46
spanners
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Any idea who was funding UCB/ICB in Ireland?
No. But as the programming of UCB is protestant in content I hardly think that the Roman Catholic Church was funding it. As far as I'm aware there is only one "Catholic" radio station in Ireland - Radio Maria Ireland and that is part of the world wide Radio Maria family of stations which is not funded by the Catholic Church but is listener funded - as their website will tell you.
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Old 01-01-2017, 01:14
Phil_Webster
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Yes the two presenters were in mid-sentence and shhhhhh nothing other than the carrier.

Bye bye another bit of radio into the realms of history.

Plus ca change!
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Old 01-01-2017, 02:13
Colin_London
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Carrier needs to remain for the time signal. But this carrier is no longer Radio France as their broadcast licence was withdrawn as of 0001 CET.
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Old 01-01-2017, 07:02
Tony Richards
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Carrier needs to remain for the time signal. But this carrier is no longer Radio France as their broadcast licence was withdrawn as of 0001 CET.
Expensive way to maintain a time signal! However no more weird than our LW being maintained to provide cricket commentary!
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Old 01-01-2017, 07:47
commseng
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Someone has already uploaded it to Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lIkmKa12V0

I'm surprised that nobody has suggested 162kHz gets used for Radio Caroline.
That seems to be a usual DS forum thought!
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Old 01-01-2017, 08:58
swb1964
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Just to be clear, I think it is unlikely that anyone will take over 162, but the only outside possibilities would be a religious station or *maybe* an international broadcaster like Radio China. But I doubt the French government will want the latter.
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Old 01-01-2017, 09:59
martinwatkins
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The fact that the mod was cut at the exact moment of midnight is probably the first time in ages that France Inter has ever managed to respect the pips. I have a friend who works for France Inter and I tease him mercilessly about how in contrast Radio 4 accord due reverence to the pips - if he's with us I put Radio 4 on, arm him with a radio controlled clock, and tell him to watch and learn (the things one can do as a foreigner). He did ruefully once observe that he wished they could do it so well on Inter.....

I'd love to know who's paying for that carrier - I'll go and have a listen to unmodulated silence.....
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