BBC world srervice.

[Guest JudgeMental]

I have a Roberts world radio and usually manage to find the BBC service eventually. But this holiday in Italy it was truly exasperating! -

I would eventually find it for example just before the 9 am news only to find at 9 am it changes frequency and I was back at square one!.

 

this was not an isolated event it happened all the time.

So no problem getting englsh language radio reliably from all corners of the world except the UK *-)

 

But Chinese propaganda and American evangelists is not what I was looking for in the mornings with my cup of tea.... :-D

 

so any hints and tips?

[BrianR]

Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/worldservice/psims/ScheduleSDT.cgi to find a link to the requencies they use (after selecting your region of Europe) and also to the programme schedules.

 

Like most things, the World Service is a shadow of it's former self, and even more anti American and anti British than the rest of the BBC.

 

Brian

[Guest JudgeMental]

thanks Brian,

 

followed your link entered Milan as nearest town to lake Gards and it came up with no frequency's!

 

like you said the BBC, a shadow of its former self - and these radios are not cheap.

[Guest caraprof]

Then you weren't looking properly I'm afraid. I found the search instructions very simple and having found Italy it then listed every major city, including Milan.

Whilst the World Service is scaled down from its glory days you can still get news and other programmes at the peak viewing times such as around breakfast and in the early evening (until about 8.00pm local time).

[malc d]

I've been thinking of getting a portable radio of some kind to use while touring ( mainly in France ) so I'm afraid I can't help you with your problem, but I would like to know which Roberts model you've got as you say you usually end up picking up world service.

I've carried a TV around sometimes but I don't really consider that worth the hassle as the programs don't improve even if you watch them in a nice warm climate !

Thanks

[Guest JudgeMental]

just looked again and this time went county then Milan. still no frequency's? so if you have found them maybe you could help enlighten me?

 

just found this:

 

Short Wave Changes

 

BBC World Service has changed its shortwave transmissions in some parts of the world, in line with listener trends in radio.

 

Increasing numbers of people around the world are choosing to listen to radio on a range of other platforms including FM, satellite and online, with fewer listening on shortwave.

 

Please note broadcasts in English to Eastern and Central Europe on shortwave have stopped.

 

English shortwave broadcasts to Southern Europe have been reduced to 12 hours a day and Arabic language shortwave broadcasts to the Middle East have been reduced to 14 hours.

 

In both cases the shortwave listening times of early morning and evening have been retained.

 

This will be a loss to some listeners but there are a number of alternative ways of hearing BBC programmes.

For more information on how these changes affect Europe and the Middle East, and information on alternative ways of listening, follow the relevant links below:

[Guest caraprof]

http://tinyurl.com/2j8fcu

My URL takes you straight to the Milan page but, if starting from scratch, click on the map at the top of the page (obviously over the region of the world that you want) click on S.E. Europe then Italy and then Milan.

Frequencies are listed for the limited times that the BBC broadcasts, mainly morning and early evening.

[Charlieme]

Somebody could well profit by either adapting a satelite dish system to radio only, (no TV) or producing a satelite/radio portable dish for us radio buffs.

 

I'll have to ask my electronics friend, I'll bet it can be done, the pictures are better on radio as too.

 

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

caraprof - 2007-08-19 8:59 PM

 

 

Yep thanks for that, scrolled down *-) and I got 9410 and 6195

 

perhaps its because of the mountains but I have never had so much trouble.

 

Malc d, I am not ignoring you its just the radio is not at hand. will PM you with model - but it is approx 4 years old....

 

I am sure there are better vaue models around now?

 

what about DAB? is this capable of picking up BBC whilst abroad - if yes any recommendations?

[Terrytraveller]

Hi Eddie,

 

Just popped over from the 'other side' 8-) where there is another thread on radio.

 

Have a look at http://tinyurl.com/2gaxsu , it looks like all the DAB radio sets sold in UK are going to be useless soon.

 

Regards Terry

[malc d]

It's o.k. JudgeM, don't worry if your radio is not to hand. I'm off on a trip shortly and your message just made me think it might be a good idea to get a radio before I went.

Although I don't keep it touch with the news much when I'm away it is handy to have that facility.

Once or twice previously the French have blockaded their ports, just before I was due to come back, without telling me !

[Guest JudgeMental]

Hi Terry!

 

wheres the other radio thread/forum?

 

followed your link - with one of these is it possible to listen to all the local London radio stations whilst in Europe? - if so the world service can take a jump into obscurity where it belongs :-D

 

because I have noticed that LBC (local london station) has a lot of callers from all over the country presumably listening on DAB or internet? - but whilst if driving you lose it just outside the M25.....

 

not keen on clock radio style - any other recommendations

[Terrytraveller]

Hi Eddie,

 

'Other side' = Chatterbox Forum thread, sorry if I confused you.

 

It seems over the next 12 months starting end of this August, there will be new DAB+ modules out for the Radio manufacturers to use in designing their radios its covered fully in link http://tinyurl.com/yyqdmp .

 

The radio manufacturers are not advertising the new improvements as they fear a drop in sales for the existing series of DAB radios.

 

I listen to the radio a great deal, and am holding off buying another DAB radio until the DAB+ models become available. One of the down sides of present portable DAB radios is the battery consumption, the new modules use less than a third of the power, apparently to do with having on chip memory (RAM), reducing the need for power hungry data transfers between external RAM and DAB module.

 

The present the typical personal DAB and DAB/FM radio using AA or AAA batteries only lasts for around 8 hours, whereas a FM only personal radio lasts around 30 to 40 hours.

 

I don't think there is any car radio I can recommend for listening to whilst driving. If I want to listen to the radio whilst driving other than in UK, I use an MP3 player with a built in transmitter, just tune in the car radio to it - and surprise - surprise, I always hear my favourite music and recorded radio programmes, like the Goon Show, Paul Temple, Down your Way and Mrs Dales Diary 8-) etc etc.....

 

Regards Terry

[Guest JudgeMental]

So, can I listen to UK local fm radio in Europe via DAB....

[Terrytraveller]

I'm afraid not Eddie, DAB transmissions are for local reception only, the area covered from one DAB transmitter is less than that of an FM broadcast.

 

Its even doubtful that you will be able to receive French/German DAB transmissions with a UK DAB radio in the near future when touring in those countries.

 

Your best bet for receiving UK radio is via satellite on a SKY box or any of the other free to air sat. receiver. I always take a cheapy little TV to use like a radio, the small TV uses only 80 mA (0.08 amp) and the LNB with sat rx uses just under 2amps, the lot uses under 3amps.

 

Regards Terry