Radio Caroline transmitter problems.
Service Message: 648AM – we are continuing to have problems with our 648 service and are currently running on approx. half power. Thank you for bearing with us.
https://radiocaroline.co.uk/home.html
Mike Terry to mwcircle iog (2023-08-28)
Why RNZ’s AM broadcast in Auckland is off air.
RNZ and a range of other stations’ AM broadcasts went off air on Friday, and the unusual daytime disruption is likely to last a week.
A mast in the West Auckland suburb of Henderson will be shut off during work on guy wires between 9.10am and 4.50pm each day.
Guy wires are cables used to stabilise tall structures. The mast in Henderson was first installed in the 1930s, and has been in continuous use since then.
Mark Bullen, RNZ chief technology and operations officer, said the maintenance was “critical”.”The mast is responsible for RNZ National’s AM transmission for the Auckland region (AM 756) as well as a range of AM broadcasters in Auckland – 531PI, Parliament / Southern Star, Radio Apna, Radio Ake, NZME Gold AM, SENZ.
“RNZ regularly maintains its masts and sites and typically schedules overnight outages where possible to reduce overall disruption. However, due to the intricate process and the nature of the work required this week, it must be done during daylight hours for safety reasons.
The work began on Wednesday, and was expected to take “up to seven days'”.”We acknowledge the disruption this has on our clients and their audience, but we can assure it’s urgent and are working swiftly to secure normal programming resumes for broadcasters,” Bullen said.
“A more detailed and technical explanation has been provided to the broadcasters affected.”
While not carrying the same audio fidelity as FM signals, AM can travel much further.
The site in Henderson was chosen “because the location was widely considered appropriate for radio transmission due to the extent of open, flat land surrounding” according to a document on the Auckland Council website.
It began operations in 1934, the same year the first purpose-built public radio building on Shortland Street, which was later home to TVNZ.
Michael Forbes to “I Love AM Radio” FB group (2023-08-13)
A CRTC decisions affecting the Canadian radio landscape for July 2023.
SK YORKTON 940 CJGX Reduce night power from 10,000 to 690 watts. Daytime power will remain 50,000 watts.
Information is compiled in association with Andy Reid’s Canadianradiodirectory.com
Canadian Radio News FB group (2023-08-01)
(Translated from Spanish)
As reported by Victoria Sepciu from RRI…
“Dear friends, due to budget cuts, the Board of Directors of Radio Romania has decided to temporarily stop using two of the five Radiocom shortwave transmitters that broadcast Radio Romania International programs from August 1, 2023 .
As of August 1st, our programs can be received through each of the transmitters located in Țigănești, Săftica (both near Bucharest) and Galbeni (east). If Radio Romania’s budget is increased, we will broadcast again on 5 transmitters.
RRI programs in Romanian, English, French, German, Spanish , Russian, Arabic, Chinese and Hebrew will be affected . All of them can be received from August 1, 2023 in one frequency instead of two. We will announce in the broadcasts, on the website and on Facebook the frequencies in which the programs can be received, as well as the specific frequency changes operated by Radiocom, based on the monitoring of the reception and on the messages we receive from you about the quality of the broadcast.
Due to budget cuts, it has also been decided to halve the power at night on the medium wave transmitters that broadcast the internal programs of Radio Romania Actualități and some regional stations.
We invite you to follow Radio Romania International programs on www.rri.ro (including on demand), on SoundCloud, on Android and iOS apps, via TuneIn and via satellite.
You will find more details on the website. You can also follow our content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Spotify.”
Jorge Garzon to iberiaDX iog (2023-07-31)
Radio Caroline has been having transmitter problems this week, with breaks off air and bad quality signal and splatter.
Knob Twiddler on Digital Spy posted yesterday at 16:38:
“Oh dear, technical problems with 648 kHz , it’s just gone off the air at 4.20 pm.
The transmitter has been causing interference all up the East coast from Ipswich to Southend on Sea and beyond.”
I have noticed the signal weaker here in Bournemouth (where it’s not strong anyway).
I expect Alan Beech the Chief Engineer, when available, will be attending to it.
Meantime it now seems they are using the old lower power spare transmitter.
Mike Terry to mwcircle iog (2023-07-29)
Audible at my QTH opposite the North Sea in southern Denmark (12:50 UTC).
Ydun Ritz (2023-07-29)
(CRTC) Reduction in night power approved for CJGX 940 Yorkton.
Harvard Media got the go ahead today to decrease the night power at CJGX 940 in Yorkton, Saskatchewan from 10,000 to 690 watts. Day power will remain 50,000 watts. The applicant states that the towers that were being used for nighttime operation had reached their useful lifespan and have been removed due to safety concerns. It is not desirable to rebuild the nighttime towers due to the considerable cost. The daytime tower remains intact and will continue to operate at 50 kW daytime and proposed to operate at 0.69 kW nighttime with a non-directional antenna system.
CRTC DECISION: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2023/2023-209.htm
Canadian Radio News FB group (2023-07-17)
At 1505 UTC today I observed that the 209 kHz frequency went from a steady carrier to nothing at all. I stand to be corrected on this, but to me it would suggest that only one transmitter on this frequency is currently active, likely Dalanzadgad in the south. Multiple transmitters going off the air at precisely the same moment seems unlikely in my opinion.
The remaining transmitters all appear to have serious technical issues. It would seem to me that any one or more of the following explanations would apply here:
That’s my two cents on the matter. It would be interesting to hear from anyone who might have additional insight. Any and all attempts to obtain official information from the broadcaster have been unsuccessful so far. Until then, all we can do is speculate and make educated guesses,
Regards, Conor Burns (2023-07-06)
Thursday 1st June: 648AM – We’ve been having ongoing problems for a few days with our internet connection on our AM transmitter site causing breaks in our audio. At times our system will revert to our 4G mobile broadband connection. We have raised the issue with our internet provider who are investigating.
Radio Caroline website (2023-06-01)
World Music Radio.
Power on 927 kHz increased from 150 to 225 Watts today.
5930 is currently 150 Watts, 15700 kHz is 300 Watts (Sa-Su only), and 25800 kHz is 60 Watts.
World Music Radio FB group (2023-05-16)
(CRTC) Reduction in night power proposed for CJGX 940 Yorkton.
Harvard Media has applied to decrease the night power at CJGX 940 in Yorkton, Saskatchewan from 10,000 to 690 watts. Day power will remain 50,000 watts. The applicant states that the towers that were being used for nighttime operation had reached their useful lifespan and have been removed due to safety concerns. It is not desirable to rebuild the nighttime towers due to the considerable cost. The daytime tower remains intact and will continue to operate at 50 kW daytime and proposed to operate at 0.69 kW nighttime with a non-directional antenna system.
Canadian Radio News FB group (2023-05-12)