# Interference on Radio4 LW



## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

Does anyone have any info about interference on here?...I live in the Massif Central in France and, on returning from hols, 198 is impossible to listen to...

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago which stopped on its own...


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## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

R651400 said:


> Depends whether the interference stretches across the entire LW band or just unique to 198 khz..
> Massif Central with a decent receiver and aerial sounds as if there should be no problem 24/24.
> Here in Roussillon SE France throughout various times of the year including certain wx conditions I can receive LW BBC R4 comfortably with the car radio.
> When this is not possible the blanket interference sounds very much as if from the French overhead HT lines.


It's just on R4....It's centred exactly on 198; slightly off-tuning R4 eases the problem...Other stations on LW are unaffected...


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## Split (Jun 25, 2006)

expats said:


> Does anyone have any info about interference on here?...I live in the Massif Central in France and, on returning from hols, 198 is impossible to listen to...
> 
> I had a similar problem a couple of years ago which stopped on its own...


Have you tried online? I started years ago and my radio is tucked away in a drawer, now. 

The facility to listen to the programmes, up to a week, at any time of the day, is great and they can be downloaded onto an ipod for more than a week, or, for listening away from home.


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## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

Split said:


> Have you tried online? I started years ago and my radio is tucked away in a drawer, now.
> 
> The facility to listen to the programmes, up to a week, at any time of the day, is great and they can be downloaded onto an ipod for more than a week, or, for listening away from home.


I do listen on line, even using a proxy-server for cricket...However, outside is where a portable radio comes into its own....Normally I have absolutely no problems; perfect reception on 198...But now????


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

French jamming.

Fact.

(Probably from a plasma TV, actually....  )


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## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

I don't have a plasma TV and my nearest neighbour is over a mile away....It is there on mains and battery and also affects my car radio (the end of my drive is over 250m from my house).....


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## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

R651400 said:


> How about a RF sniffer from MFJ at $99.99 to locate the source of QRM?


As I said, a few weeks ago,the house is sold and, although it's annoying, I will be moving in a few weeks time...

The point of this thread was for info if there was a known' source of the problem...


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## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

It's stopped!


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

R651400 said:


> It doesn't sound like it unless you can locate the source and sometimes rf sniffing is the only way to do this.
> You do know that the French have a radio and television interference section somewhere in your Conseil General?


I don't think the French would be interested in a complaint about interference on a radio station which was broadcasting from another Country somehow.

I seem to recall that there is work being done at the TX site, think they're removing some of the old masts, don't know if this is the case and indeed whether that was the cause of the problems. Perhaps ask the BBC directly if it happens again.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

expats said:


> I don't have a plasma TV and my nearest neighbour is over a mile away....It is there on mains and battery and also affects my car radio (the end of my drive is over 250m from my house).....



Well, it is the DGSE, then...

(Jester)


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

expats said:


> It's stopped!


Sprung - they obviously read this forum...

(Thumb)


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

It is a great pity that LW was never used for bcst here in Oz...

Our regulators at the time believed the Yanks when they said that MF was the way to go...


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Yes, the hire car I had in Nice had LW...R4 was readable but noisy in the late afternoon.


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Troppo said:


> Yes, the hire car I had in Nice had LW...R4 was *readable but noisy in the late afternoon*.


Readable?? You mean you were able to tune into the "Radtext" service of R4??(Jester)


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## sparks69 (Dec 18, 2005)

There is an Icelandic domestic station broadcasting near the R4 frequency using the old LORAN aerial array on the west coast.
Bit of a shot in the dark..........


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

As this thread continues I was wondering if the cause could not be local - mobile 'phone for instance.


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## Bob Murdoch (Dec 11, 2004)

I live near Ghent, and although R4 was switched off during the day for a few weeks in the Summer, not during TMS I am pleased to say, the reception otherwise is excellent with only a bit of electric fence clicking occasionally. In fact I am listening to it right now with all the talking heads babbling on about the Indyref. (weep)
Cheers Bob


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Bob Murdoch said:


> I live near Ghent, and although R4 was switched off during the day for a few weeks in the Summer, not during TMS I am pleased to say, the reception otherwise is excellent with only a bit of electric fence clicking occasionally. In fact I am listening to it right now with all the talking heads babbling on about the Indyref. (weep)
> Cheers Bob



Hang on, did I read that correctly??

You're a Scot and you listen to Test Match Special??(EEK)

(Mind you, Neil Oliver DID once play cricket on the Goodwin Sands!)


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Coastie said:


> Hang on, did I read that correctly??
> 
> You're a Scot and you listen to Test Match Special??(EEK)
> 
> (Mind you, Neil Oliver DID once play cricket on the Goodwin Sands!)


Strange isn't it? The keenest Cricketers I know I know (knew) are Scots. One is a leading light in the Cronkbourne Cricket club here and the other a qualified umpire. Both ex-Denholm's. Not England's finest export as far as I'm concerned, even I cannot bore as comprehensively as can a game(!) of cricket.


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## LouisB (Dec 23, 2007)

R651400 said:


> How about a RF sniffer from MFJ at $99.99 to locate the source of QRM?


I used to have an old(ish) am radio - the type with the long wound ferrite rod internal antenna. It was very effective in peaking most am transmissions when the whole radio was turned on an old rotating cake plinth. With the use of a compass and allowing for local variations, it was quite accurate when the peaked reading was transcribed onto a map. I tried it later with another radio that had a narrower filter fitted ( short wave listening) with slightly more accurate results. Can't be bothered these days.

LouisB. (Scribe)


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

If this would allow me to select a point where I could avoid receiving a cricketing broadcast I'd put my shoulder to the wheel. 

(A little sparkie joke around a no-sense aerial is brewing).


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

LouisB said:


> I used to have an old(ish) am radio - the type with the long wound ferrite rod internal antenna. It was very effective in peaking most am transmissions when the whole radio was turned on an old rotating cake plinth. With the use of a compass and allowing for local variations, it was quite accurate when the peaked reading was transcribed onto a map. I tried it later with another radio that had a narrower filter fitted ( short wave listening) with slightly more accurate results. *Can't be bothered these days.
> 
> *LouisB. (Scribe)


Listen online, it's easier!(Thumb) (Or via Sky etc)


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

I well remember the days when BBC World Service would carry the ball-by-ball on 25011MHz. The best use that broadcasting band was ever put to.

At 7 years old, living in Herefordshire with no electricity or running water, I bought a 'crystal set' with birthday money. It would tune only the MW band and so I could only get the 'Home Service'. In those days The 'Third Programme'/'Network 3' only used low power transmitters and, with 30 feet of wire aerial, I couldn't pick it up.
However I soon found that if I removed the earth wire from it's terminal and connected it to the aerial terminal, in addition to the aerial, I could get the 'Light Programme'. Obviously this was the 1500M signal from Droitwich.
Thus began my lifelong adventure with radio in all it's facets.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

I've driven past Droitwich couple of times.

REAL radio...


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## Bob Murdoch (Dec 11, 2004)

I am also an Aussie. So really enjoyed the last ashes series. Also, as I spent many years in NZ, I enjoy Rugby. 
Also from my Aussie part, I watch every Rugby League game I can. Very exciting at the moment with the play offs.
I also watch Aussie Rules on Eurosport, again Grand Final looming.
I also played hockey when at the Watt Memorial.
However, can not be bothered with Soccer nowadays. Too much acting and rolling around on the ground after a tackle that should not affect a 12 year old.
Favourite spectator sport ............womens beach volleyball (just kidding) 
Cheers
Bob


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## steve Coombs (Sep 27, 2005)

As Somone mentioned 198Khz was switched off in the summer during the day for work on the masts etc at Droitwich, a temporary much smaller was used during this time so this may have affected reception in various areas


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Troppo said:


> I've driven past Droitwich couple of times.
> 
> REAL radio...



Me too and listened to R4 even though I was listening to my minidisc at the time!(EEK)[=P]


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

I looked at that SDR link and now I'm hooked !!! .. my little Eton HF radio is probably going to be relegated to dust collecting now ... :-(


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## Wismajorvik (Dec 29, 2011)

LouisB said:


> I used to have an old(ish) am radio - the type with the long wound ferrite rod internal antenna. It was very effective in peaking most am transmissions when the whole radio was turned on an old rotating cake plinth. With the use of a compass and allowing for local variations, it was quite accurate when the peaked reading was transcribed onto a map. I tried it later with another radio that had a narrower filter fitted ( short wave listening) with slightly more accurate results. Can't be bothered these days.
> 
> LouisB. (Scribe)


Now that reminds me of a vessel on which I performed a radio survey. The DF hadn't been calibrated since build and no checks had ever been carried out.The ship sailed between the Persian Gulf and Pakistan and the skipper showed me how he could turn his transistor radio in the wheelhouse to peak Radio Karachi and confirm direction. (The same vessel had provisions in only one of two lifeboats as 'that was adequate'....)


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

So, you passed it, naturally?

(Jester)


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