Long Wave reception

[Gemonimo]

Being an insomniac, at night I enjoy listening to the BBC World Service on 198longwave (even the cricket) but lately I've had problems hearing it.  It's not the reception, I can hear it in the background but I'm also receiving an over riding noise which makes hearing anything intelligible impossible.  Can anyone explain this and is it likely to last[:-))]

[Tim]

What receiver are you using?

Most radios have an internal aerial and it could be something simple such as the orientation of the receiver.

In addition, long wave is quite suseptable to interference from other electronic equipment. For example, I too often have Radio 4 on overnight, but the bulb in my bedside table is an energy one and puts out a lot of hash noise which ruins the reception mainly because it's so close to the radio. This is not too much of a problem because the light is switched off overnight.

But there could be something else in the house that is switched on and causing the trouble.

If you are using a portable radio try moving it around - perhaps even taking it around the house to see if you can find something causing the problem.

One final thing. I'm not sure of your location, but at night, particularly in the winter time, the signal strength can vary due to atmospheric conditions which also may not be helping at times.

Regards - Tim

 

P.S. I've just seen your location and you are pretty much at the limit of reception for the BBC Droitwich transmitter - some would say well out of the range but if reception has been good up to now, I would still suggest something nearer that may have changed.

[Gemonimo]

Thanks for your advice, Tim. This is really a recent problem and I haven't added any other electrical appliances.  Sometimes (rarely) the reception is as clear as a bell so perhaps it is the internal arial. 

[woolybanana]

Check the atmospheric pressure over time and see if it varies with that. Didn't it used to be variations in the height of the orosphere or somesuch which caused reception to vary, even at certain times every night?

[Quillan]

I read somewhere this week that Solar activity is rising to a peak shortly and found this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_propagation

Don't know much about Longwave Radio but it does seem tie in with what I read.

[Gemonimo]

Wooly I'll check the atmospheric pressure and see if it correlates. 

Quillan, I'm flattered that you thought I might actually understand the Wikipedia link.'

What really annoys me is that I thought the radio was on the blink and found the same model on Ebay for €15. It arrived today and I still can't get the cricket!

[woolybanana]

Is reception better via the BBC website?

[Gemonimo]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Is reception better via the BBC website?[/quote]

Yes it is but if I listen on line, my ordi doesn't have a 'doze' facility[:D]

[mint]

Yes, Gem, I often fall asleep listening.....[:)]

[Chancer]

I listen to it often on my internet radio, its one of the more stable stations and does not cut out as often as the others.

It is an absolute pleasure to hear the English language spoken so well, like putting on an old comfortable pair of slippers!

[Clarkkent]

This is an interesting topic.

My French home is in Lot et Garonne and I cannot reliably get long wave from the Wychbold transmitter.  I listen to  Radio 4 by satellite. The audio feed from my ancient Pace Sky box goes to the auxilliary input on my stereo amplifier, so I don't need to have the tv on.

I have long thought that the attraction of Dordogne for the English that it was just about the farthest south one could go and still hear The Archers ...

[Gemonimo]

Well last night with my 'new' radio plugged in, I listened to the World Service until after 'Outlook'. Perfect reception. This morning the radio alarm woke me with the most g*dawful noise allowing me to start the day with palpitations[:-))]

[Gardengirl]

I loved that about Dordogneshire and The Archers! Since we got our internet radio I occasionally listen to The Archers.

We loaned our computer to our next door neighbour when we were going to be out for the whole day, as he needed to do lots of emails; it saved him going to the internet cafe and spending lots of money. We also took our internet radio in, as our neighbour's wife occasionally mentioned that The Archers was one of the things she really missed. It was a Sunday, and she was thrilled at the idea of listening to the whole week's worth! When we got back late that evening, our neighbour announced that they'd decided to get internet in their apartment, and asked us for full details of what we had!

He'd often said he was thinking of getting the internet set up, but the power of a wife allied with The Archers brought it about!  [:D]

Poor Gem - one problem solved = another problem to sort out!  [:)]

[Quillan]

[quote user="Gemonimo"]

Wooly I'll check the atmospheric pressure and see if it correlates. 

Quillan, I'm flattered that you thought I might actually understand the Wikipedia link.'

What really annoys me is that I thought the radio was on the blink and found the same model on Ebay for €15. It arrived today and I still can't get the cricket!

[/quote]

It does not matter really it was mainly intended for those that prefer a link so something can be verified.

Basically the sun goes through cycles of activity. As the cycle reaches it's peak it can have an effect on telecommunications (radio signals) by making them more difficult to receive over long distances (and even short ones depending on the frequency used). We are now coming towards the climax or peak of a cycle. Also for Long wave reception atmospheric conditions can effect it like a lot of heavy, water holding, cloud cover like snow clouds that have recently been over the UK and Northern France (sort of suggested by Wooly). So the two factors combined and the fact you bought another radio that is 'suffering' the same could possibly indicate that it's these two factors that are effecting your reception. You might find that things may improve after a few weeks although next week more snow is predicted so I wouldn't hold my breath in the immediate future.

If you are having problems with your laptop (I think that's what you said) cutting out or turning off you just need to change the 'power save' options (or profiles) for when it's connected to the mains. You can do this either through the Control Panel or, if you have no programs shown on the screen by right clicking on a blank area of the screen and you may find them there as well. If you have Vista or Windows 7 then the setting can be found this way by right clicking on the blank screen, selecting Personalization - Screen Saver Settings and at the bottom of that screen click on Change Power Settings. There should be two 'Profiles', one for battery use and the other for mains use (it selects one or the other depending on if the computer is plugs in to the mains) the one you need to change is the one for mains. Just set it too always on.

Hope that helps.

[Stan Streason]

One of my great memories of last summer was floating in the pool at the bottom of the gargen listening to the test match courtesy of Sky Freesat and Sky Gnome.  Brilliant device - I could never understand why they stopped producing them.