Dear colleagues,
With the recent shutdown of several AM transmitters in the UK, the decline of MW and LW broadcasting is accelerating. Notably, the legendary Droitwich LW transmitter on 198 kHz is expected to go silent in June (see e.g. posting on Jan 13th). The British AM broadcasting landscape is fading fast and may disappear entirely before long.
As previously discussed, the COHIRADIA project is dedicated to digitally preserving entire AM bands (MW, LW, also SW). This allows future generations to tune through and experience AM radio as it once was—on actual analogue receivers—even after the last transmitters have fallen silent. For more details, check out our YouTube video.
Right now, we urgently need radio enthusiasts with high-quality SDRs to help us capture broadband AM recordings in or near the UK before the British spectrum falls silent. If you’re able to assist—or know someone who can—please reach out to me hermann.scharfetter@tugraz.at
To avoid confusion: We require full wideband recordings in IQ file format (1,500 kHz for MW, ~120 kHz for LW), not audio recordings of individual stations. Ideally, these recordings should be made in a location with low QRM using a high-quality SDR with at least 12-bit resolution.
Time is critical—transmitters are shutting down rapidly, and long-distance AM reception will deteriorate in summer. Additionally, I would especially appreciate recordings made on days when Radio Caroline is transmitting from the Ross Revenge. The next scheduled broadcast dates are:
📅 March 8–9, April 18–20, May 10–11
Looking forward to your emails!
Best regards & 73, Herman Scharfetter (2025-03-02)