# R4 long wave reception in Europe



## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

I'm getting quite excited. Finally getting to sort out radio reception in the van (a perennial problem for the information of newcomers). If it works as well as I hope I will post what I did. If it doesn’t you’ll hear no more  

In the meantime how far down France can expats listen to the Archers?

Dick


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Not very far IMO, we always used to listen to R4 LW as we drove down via Nantes to Bordeaux and then home, but sadly reception is no longer useable even as far south as Nantes.....

It is possible at Rennes, although crackly and full of interference and then comes and goes as the road changes from up to down, it can be detected at the top of the hills but not at all in the valleys as the dual carriageway dips....

Very disappointing, I suspect the BBC has reduced the power output over the last few years but have never seen that said, many, many years ago R4 LW was OK even down to Lyon, but not now...... 

Dave


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

> In the meantime how far down France can expats listen to the Archers?
> 
> Dick


Not very far I'm afraid (well not on my radio anyway).  
In fact I usually use the little battery portable as reception is often stronger. If anyone has any bright ideas for improving R4 LW reception I'd be keen to hear them...................


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## baldeagle7470 (Sep 21, 2010)

Well I listened to it recently in my car here in the Charente however there was a constant bird tweeting sound in the background but clear enough to listen to.


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## midgeteler (Jul 19, 2009)

Why would you want to listen to that left wing garbage for Dick


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

R4 LW? Useless in summer. All you get is cricket! And more cricket.

It really isn't cricket!!!

I remember in the mid-50's being able to receive 200kHz BBC Home Service in the desert near Baghdad.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Don't worry Pippin they are still broadcasting the same programmes as "an opportunity to hear again"....... :lol: aka repeats..... :lol:

Dave


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

An awful lot of stuff happens without any publicity.

The usual "in order to give you a better service" we are in fact reducing it in order to save money.

Take for instance the National Physical Laboratory time signals that were broadcast by the GPO on 60kHz long wave from Rugby.

It was put out to tender and the GPO/BT lost it on the basis of cost and the competitor GUARANTEEING a better or equal service.

What happened? 

The hands (or digits) on radio-controlled clocks went round and round as the signal was lost in huge swathes of the country.

Rugby is roughly in the centre of the UK (with apologies to Scotland) but had massive masts and excellent radiation that covered the whole UK.

The new station is at Anthon on the Solway Firth - hardly the epicentre.

Quote:"The formal inauguration of the relocated facility took place on 1 April 2007, and the signal from Rugby was permanently switched off. The change in location and consequent change in signal strength can make some equipment designed to use the MSF signal fail to continue doing so. This is found more in domestic equipment not designed for optimum sensitivity and positioned haphazardly; only the few people aware of the Rugby switchoff will have made the connection between failure of MSF devices and the switchoff" Unquote

The BBC no longer controls its own transmitting facilities so I suspect some cost-cutting has been made on the quiet.

Just my cynical mind.


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Bbc iplayer via wifi. Preferably free wifi


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

I think, if I wanted to.

Listen to it Via the tinternet on the move.

But not tried.

trek, I hope you have not forgot my Mercedes post?

Trev.


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Can owners of the dome sat dishes use them on the move, ?
I assume R4 can be picked up on TV sat receivers

To answer Teemyob, yes I am closely following your problems with mb, & your glowplug it was partly because of your wows getting them changed in the first place that made me abandon any plans on getting my 3 faulty ones changed. Fortunately the sprinter has the engine pre warm facility so I have no problems starting it even in ski resorts when temps down in the -20's


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

pippin said:


> R4 LW? Useless in summer. All you get is cricket! And more cricket.
> 
> It really isn't cricket!!!
> 
> I remember in the mid-50's being able to receive 200kHz BBC Home Service in the desert near Baghdad.


are you sure pippin? Home Service wasn't on 1500/200, it was the Light programme/Radio 2. At least that is what I recall. I remember the fuss from fishermen about the swap, and that must have been in the 1960's because they tuned in to the shipping forecast and wanted the music, not the news/spoken word.

I think Light Programme/R2 launched on 200kHz in the immediate post war and carried on until 1978, which is when R4 took over


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

teemyob said:


> I think, if I wanted to.
> 
> Listen to it Via the tinternet on the move.
> 
> ...


Did that Trev. Streaming on the phone bluetoothed to the cab radio on a German sim. Wondered into France near Strasburg and used what I had though was an adequate monthly credit allowance in an hour through roaming charges.   

Dick


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

thieawin - I bow to your superior knowledge.

How the **#* can I remember exactly what programmes were being broadcast 60 years ago?

They were from the BBC and it was direct from UK on 1500m!

Seriously, I do remember receiving 200kHz at amazing distances when I was at sea in the 60's/70's.

The reason R4 dies as you go south is the interference from an Algerian station on the same frequency.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I am still mourning the loss of BBC World service in Europe, which I through taxes fund(it is paid for by the FCO) for lots of other countries to listen to.

Geoff


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## pomme1 (May 19, 2005)

Geoff,

As part of the last licence fee settlement, the BBC took over responsibility for the World Service from the government. It's, therefore, now, the licence fee that funds it rather than general taxation. 

Roger


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

pomme1 said:


> Geoff,
> 
> As part of the last licence fee settlement, the BBC took over responsibility for the World Service from the government. It's, therefore, now, the licence fee that funds it rather than general taxation.
> 
> Roger


Roger

OK, so I am not paying for it this year, but I have been every year since they switched it off and I could not receive it in Europe.

Geoff


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