JA
It was basically Radio 2's FM frequency, with Radio 1 getting a couple of hours a day.
LL
London Lite
Founding member
From what I recall, Radio 1's FM hours were something along the lines of weekday evenings until around midnight for the specialist output, Saturday afternoon and evening and Sunday from 5pm for the chart until midnight. They also had most of the day on bank holidays.
This was gradually reduced when R1's own FM network was introduced, leaving the Top 40 as the final show to go out on 88-91.
This was gradually reduced when R1's own FM network was introduced, leaving the Top 40 as the final show to go out on 88-91.
JA
Took several years for Radio 1's FM network to expand, I wonder if there were some people who lost Radio 1 when they closed on MW in 1994?
LL
I was one of them when living in Hastings as 98.8 from Wrotham was only usable on higher ground. 97.7 from Hastings was introduced in 1995.
Wrotham was just as useless for portable reception in south London when Crystal Palace 104.8 was switched off. 98.5 from Crystal Palace was switched on also in 1995.
London Lite
Founding member
Took several years for Radio 1's FM network to expand, I wonder if there were some people who lost Radio 1 when they closed on MW in 1994?
I was one of them when living in Hastings as 98.8 from Wrotham was only usable on higher ground. 97.7 from Hastings was introduced in 1995.
Wrotham was just as useless for portable reception in south London when Crystal Palace 104.8 was switched off. 98.5 from Crystal Palace was switched on also in 1995.
LL
This was gradually reduced when R1's own FM network was introduced, leaving the Top 40 as the final show to go out on 88-91.
Yes - presumably because initial R1 FM coverage wasn't as good as the existing shared frequency?
Nowhere near.
To quote Frequency Finder on the initial temporary network.
London Lite
Founding member
This was gradually reduced when R1's own FM network was introduced, leaving the Top 40 as the final show to go out on 88-91.
Yes - presumably because initial R1 FM coverage wasn't as good as the existing shared frequency?
Nowhere near.
To quote Frequency Finder on the initial temporary network.
Quote:
London area 104.8 (Crystal Palace, 50 kW)
Central Scotland 98.6 (Black Hill, 250 kW)
North West and Yorkshire 98.8 (Holme Moss, 60 kW)
Midlands 98.4 (Sutton Coldfield, 98.4)
South Wales and West England 98.7 (Wenvoe, 60 kW)
Oxfordshire and West Bucks 98.2 (Oxford, 5 kW)
East & Central Northern Ireland 96.0 (Black Mountain, 1kW)
Coverage for the temporary FM network was about 60% stereo, with another 10-20% of the population able to
receive a mono FM signal.
Central Scotland 98.6 (Black Hill, 250 kW)
North West and Yorkshire 98.8 (Holme Moss, 60 kW)
Midlands 98.4 (Sutton Coldfield, 98.4)
South Wales and West England 98.7 (Wenvoe, 60 kW)
Oxfordshire and West Bucks 98.2 (Oxford, 5 kW)
East & Central Northern Ireland 96.0 (Black Mountain, 1kW)
Coverage for the temporary FM network was about 60% stereo, with another 10-20% of the population able to
receive a mono FM signal.
MA
I was one of them when living in Hastings as 98.8 from Wrotham was only usable on higher ground. 97.7 from Hastings was introduced in 1995.
Wrotham was just as useless for portable reception in south London when Crystal Palace 104.8 was switched off.
Yes, and in Surrey, it led to the Guildford transmitter having Radio 1 97.7 added a lot earlier than the original roll out plan had it pencilled in for. The temporary 104.8 transmission from CP was rumoured to be 50kW (the London locals were, and still are 4kW), although all official BBC documentation has it at 4kW. It also helped
that nothing else in SE England used the frequency, so nice and clear. I could drive around Winchester with it on ! It certainly was more powerful than 4kW, but probably not as much as 50 kW
Took several years for Radio 1's FM network to expand, I wonder if there were some people who lost Radio 1 when they closed on MW in 1994?
I was one of them when living in Hastings as 98.8 from Wrotham was only usable on higher ground. 97.7 from Hastings was introduced in 1995.
Wrotham was just as useless for portable reception in south London when Crystal Palace 104.8 was switched off.
Yes, and in Surrey, it led to the Guildford transmitter having Radio 1 97.7 added a lot earlier than the original roll out plan had it pencilled in for. The temporary 104.8 transmission from CP was rumoured to be 50kW (the London locals were, and still are 4kW), although all official BBC documentation has it at 4kW. It also helped
that nothing else in SE England used the frequency, so nice and clear. I could drive around Winchester with it on ! It certainly was more powerful than 4kW, but probably not as much as 50 kW
MA
The only pre-existing transmitter that wasn't carrying Radio 1 FM when MW closed, was Chatton in Northumberland, the gap was only a few weeks. The Frequency Finder site says that Manningtree in Essex
wasn't ready, but my records indicated it had R1 from January 1994. However during the 90s the BBC added scores of new FM relays, to extend R1-4 (and local/regional BBC radio) to many blackspots.
Took several years for Radio 1's FM network to expand, I wonder if there were some people who lost Radio 1 when they closed on MW in 1994?
The only pre-existing transmitter that wasn't carrying Radio 1 FM when MW closed, was Chatton in Northumberland, the gap was only a few weeks. The Frequency Finder site says that Manningtree in Essex
wasn't ready, but my records indicated it had R1 from January 1994. However during the 90s the BBC added scores of new FM relays, to extend R1-4 (and local/regional BBC radio) to many blackspots.
MA
I was one of them when living in Hastings as 98.8 from Wrotham was only usable on higher ground. 97.7 from Hastings was introduced in 1995.
I have Hastings noted down as April 30th 1993 for all four BBC radio services ?
ILR Southern Sound was 5 Feb 1989, initially on 97.5, they have to move early 1993 to 102.0
to allow Radio 1 to launch on 97.7
I was one of them when living in Hastings as 98.8 from Wrotham was only usable on higher ground. 97.7 from Hastings was introduced in 1995.
I have Hastings noted down as April 30th 1993 for all four BBC radio services ?
ILR Southern Sound was 5 Feb 1989, initially on 97.5, they have to move early 1993 to 102.0
to allow Radio 1 to launch on 97.7
SW
Yes, although given they showed clips from, and made reference to, The Roxy, I thought they might have done something about that, given it was the most obvious competition to Pops ever, and pretty big news at the time.
Not really much in the stoey of 87 about the behind the scenes of the show itself, though I guess it was a quiet year for the show on that front- same producer, no new presenters, no new titles or any significant changes to the show's presentation.
Yes, although given they showed clips from, and made reference to, The Roxy, I thought they might have done something about that, given it was the most obvious competition to Pops ever, and pretty big news at the time.
JT
Yes, although given they showed clips from, and made reference to, The Roxy, I thought they might have done something about that, given it was the most obvious competition to Pops ever, and pretty big news at the time.
Agreed. Like you say it was big news at the time. Perhaps will be referenced in 88, having seen the challenger off etc.
Not really much in the stoey of 87 about the behind the scenes of the show itself, though I guess it was a quiet year for the show on that front- same producer, no new presenters, no new titles or any significant changes to the show's presentation.
Yes, although given they showed clips from, and made reference to, The Roxy, I thought they might have done something about that, given it was the most obvious competition to Pops ever, and pretty big news at the time.
Agreed. Like you say it was big news at the time. Perhaps will be referenced in 88, having seen the challenger off etc.
JA
I'm sure I read the reason they had Mike Smith and Gary Davies do 4 consecutive shows was because of The Roxy and its fixed presenting team at the time and they were trying to copy them. Having the same presenters do 4 consecutive shows was never mentioned either even though it was a very unusual occurance, even though Gary Davies was interviewed, though Mike Smith is a dirty word now, which might be why it wasn't mentioned.
I don't think it had ever happened before, and I don't think it happened again until Dortie & Franklin did the first 5 post-revamp episodes in 1991, then not again until Jamie Theakston did the first 4 episodes of 2000, then again in March 2001, and did 5 episodes in June/July 2000 (though he'd often do 2 or 3 consecutive episodes, Chris Cowey clearly liked him a lot).
I don't think it had ever happened before, and I don't think it happened again until Dortie & Franklin did the first 5 post-revamp episodes in 1991, then not again until Jamie Theakston did the first 4 episodes of 2000, then again in March 2001, and did 5 episodes in June/July 2000 (though he'd often do 2 or 3 consecutive episodes, Chris Cowey clearly liked him a lot).