[A-DX] BBC local radio

[Herbert Meixner]

http://mediumwave.info/news.html

12/08-2017
U K
BBC to start switching off BBC local radio on MW.
The BBC is to switch off 13 BBC local radio transmitters in January 
2018. This follows trials of the switch-off in 2014.

Based on previous switch-off, I predict that 12 of the 13 transmitters 
affected will be:
774 kHz: BBC Radio Kent (Littlebourne 0.7 kW)
1161 kHz: BBC Sussex (Bexhill MF 1 kW)
1332 kHz: BBC Radio Wiltshire (Lacock 0.8 kW)
1368 kHz: BBC Surrey (Duxhurst 0.5 kW)
1368 kHz: BBC Radio Linclolnshire (Lincoln 2 kW)
1368 kHz: BBC Radio Wiltshire (Swindon MF 0.1 kW)
1458 kHz: BBC Radio Devon (Occombe Torbay MF 1.0 kW)
1485 kHz: BBC Sussex (Brighton 1 kW)
1485 kHz: BBC Radio Humberside (Hull MF 2 kW)
1557 kHz: BBC Radio Lancashire (Oxcliffe 0.25 kW)
1584 kHz: BBC Radio Nottingham (Clipstone 1.0 kW)
1602 kHz: BBC Radio Kent (Rusthall 0.25 kW)

However, not sure which transmitter BBC Essex will switch off. BBC Essex 
currently broadcast from 4 sites:
729 kHz: Maningtree (0.2 kW)
765 kHz: Bakers Wood (1.5 kiW)
765 kHz: Dartford Tunnel (0.003 kW)
1530 kHz: Rayleigh MF (0.15 kW)

Dartford Tunnel is dependent on Bakers Wood but until more info is 
known, we can't be sure as to which one of these will go. When I hear 
more I will post here. The BBC has not yet confirmed exactly which the 
other 12 will be, but given the sites listed above were in the original 
trial, it is highly likely that these 12 will be correct.

It is fitting to note that the BBC Radio Merseyside transmitter on 1485 
kHz at Wallasey (2kW) and those for BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester 
(Wooferton 1584 kHz - 0.5 kW) and Worcester MF 738 kHz - 0.435 kW) are 
not affected by this announcement. In the case of Radio Merseyside they 
had over 500 complaints about the loss of 1485 kHz when it happened a 
few years ago.

The BBC's announcement about January 2018 is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/entries/46b21269-723b-4cfd-b8f3-
fc735d09d0a3?isBumped=0&postFreq=0&isEmpty=0&isProfane=0&tooLong=
0&charCount=0&isAwaitingProcessPreMod=0&isSubmitted=1&filter=none&initial
_page_size=10&postId=127799725#comments

An article from the Guardian about the 2012 switch off is here:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/nov/09/bbc-criticised-closing-medium-wave-radio
More details will be provided when known.
James Robinson (12/8-2017)