Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK

Anyone else noticed audio on #RadioCaroline 648 kHz MF is slightly quieter and has less bass than previously?

I've found this both in the car and using standalone receivers and its been like that both from the studio based broadcasts and this weekend from #RossRevenge - maybe they've changed the #soundprocessing, a piece of equipment has failed somewhere or the RF power has been turned down to save electricity?

#Radio #OffshoreRadio

Mar 8 at 3:34pmWeb
Show threadAlex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UKMar 8

its possible they deliberately increased treble at expense of bass for more range (or because of complaints audio sounded "muddy"), as on my 1990s Coomber schools receiver (100% analogue) I had to turn down treble or else I get hiss/noise from QRM (likely from VDSL/SOGEA line in here)

Some European Communications Ministries (including Ofcom UK and likely RDI NL as well) are allowing full 9 kHz audio bandwidth on AM (increased from 6,3 kHz) once more as compared to 1980s there are way fewer stations on MF (a lot of Northern European commercial stations and even PSBs have stopped using this band - its still used in Southern Europe which is why Caroline can't go to 25 kW or they would interfere with RTVE Spain (MF radio was valuable there during the major power cut)

Show threadAlex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UKMar 8
#RadioCaroline has lost programme audio altogether and is transmitting dead air now (more likely due to the ropey LTE connectivity across East Anglia - nowadays they use a 15cm LTE antenna hidden in the mast of the Ross Revenge (they aren't allowed to use the TX thats on there and I don't think it works anyway as PTT RCD NL ripped out a lot of the vital parts during the 1990 raid - I think RDI (Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur) literally only returned them last year...
Show threadAlex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UKMar 8
they are back on air now, that was a good few minutes with both AM and the stream silent (although curiously there was hiss on the stream, surely they aren't using an *analogue* link for this in this century?)
Show threadMike 🇬🇧 🇪🇺Mar 8
@vfrmedia
Caroline Flashback has been hit & miss all afternoon as well.
I'd guess it's something at HQ
Show threadAlex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UKMar 8

@MikeFromLFE although they are big by the standards of community radio stations they are likely still struggling with budgets and an ageing volunteer base.

At least its not like the late 80s where Ronan O'Rahilly encouraged Adje to link two transmitters to the same antenna by modulating them with 50 Hz from the 230/400V ships generator - this led to a flashover and a wideband electromagnetic pulse across Europe with the Cold War still active - I'm not surprised both DTI and the PTT Radio Controle Dienst busted them *hard* not long afterwards..