Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
emergency broadcasts:

"EBC service would provide intermittent news bulletins on Radio 4's FM and
long-wave frequencies and a 'music service', with news updates on the FM
spectrum used by Radio 2."

It looks like DAB is out so a battery or wind up radio covering FM and
long wave would fit the bill.

Does that make sense?

--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
There is absolutely no substitute for a genuine lack of preparation

"Jeff Gaines" <jgaines_newsid@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:xn0noahqt8hnnyv008@news.individual.net...
>
> Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
> emergency broadcasts:
>
> "EBC service would provide intermittent news bulletins on Radio 4's FM and
> long-wave frequencies and a 'music service', with news updates on the FM
> spectrum used by Radio 2."
>
> It looks like DAB is out so a battery or wind up radio covering FM and
> long wave would fit the bill.

I foresee a lot of people going out to their cars to listen to the emergency
bulletins on their car radios. I have (somewhere) an old radio/cassette
record that takes 4xD-size batteries (though I always used it on mains), but
otherwise all my radios are mains powered.

My old mobile phone had an FM receiver built into it, but the new one seems
not to have that feature - at least it does in the US spec but not in the UK
spec model. Progress?

On 19/10/2022 09:34, Jeff Gaines wrote:
>
> Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
> emergency broadcasts:
>
> "EBC service would provide intermittent news bulletins on Radio 4's FM
> and long-wave frequencies and a 'music service', with news updates on
> the FM spectrum used by Radio 2."
>
> It looks like DAB is out so a battery or wind up radio covering FM and
> long wave would fit the bill.
>
> Does that make sense?
>
Here's the source of the rumours

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/18/bbc-prepares-secret-scripts-for-possible-use-in-winter-blackouts

Well I guess it pays to be prepared, but has anyone made sure the
distribution systems would be spared from a blackout.
Its what amuses me about mobile phones. They all have an emergency alert
noise and it is supposed to be triggered from Government or local
administrative centre, but if the power does go off first, surely the phones
wont work as the cell towers will be silent.
Brian

--

--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Mark Carver" <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:jr9s7aFp7pbU1@mid.individual.net...
> On 19/10/2022 09:34, Jeff Gaines wrote:
>>
>> Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
>> emergency broadcasts:
>>
>> "EBC service would provide intermittent news bulletins on Radio 4's FM
>> and long-wave frequencies and a 'music service', with news updates on the
>> FM spectrum used by Radio 2."
>>
>> It looks like DAB is out so a battery or wind up radio covering FM and
>> long wave would fit the bill.
>>
>> Does that make sense?
>>
> Here's the source of the rumours
>
> https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/18/bbc-prepares-secret-scripts-for-possible-use-in-winter-blackouts

On 19/10/2022 09:53, Mark Carver wrote:
> Here's the source of the rumours
>
> https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/18/bbc-prepares-secret-scripts-for-possible-use-in-winter-blackouts

It seems to be in all the media, (mostly before the Grauniad).

Makes sense, I have more faith in the broadcast networks than Internet.

I can imagine that in the event of severe power cuts quite a few are
going to find the Internet is not as resilient as they think.

On 19/10/2022 10:09, Brian Gaff wrote:
> Its what amuses me about mobile phones. They all have an emergency alert
> noise

I think this only applies to recent ones. Although being fashion items,
most people will have recent ones.

I may find out soon, for my 10 year old phone, as the launch of the
service is imminent and it was said there would be a welcome alert at
launch, although I can no longer find the exact day (Autumn and October
are quoted), an can't find details of the welcome alert (maybe they
decided it would be more confusing than helpful).

On 19/10/2022 10:09, Brian Gaff wrote:
> but if the power does go off first, surely the phones
> wont work as the cell towers will be silent.

They'll normally have enough battery backup to get the emergency alert
out, but not to survive an extended power failure.

Jeff Gaines wrote:

> Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for emergency
> broadcasts:

You'll be too busy sticking your head between your legs and kissing your arse
goodbye ...

On Wed, 19 Oct 2022 09:53:00 +0100, Mark Carver
<mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>On 19/10/2022 09:34, Jeff Gaines wrote:
>>
>> Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
>> emergency broadcasts:
>>
>> "EBC service would provide intermittent news bulletins on Radio 4's FM
>> and long-wave frequencies and a 'music service', with news updates on
>> the FM spectrum used by Radio 2."
>>
>> It looks like DAB is out so a battery or wind up radio covering FM and
>> long wave would fit the bill.
>>
>> Does that make sense?
>>
>Here's the source of the rumours
>
>https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/18/bbc-prepares-secret-scripts-for-possible-use-in-winter-blackouts

Couple of comments:
1. How can they say, 'Northern Ireland would be unaffected because
its electricity grid is shared with the Republic of Ireland'? Surely
RoI is at risk of energy shortages in the same way as other European
countries?
2. Does this suggest that Droitwich LW will be retained on stand-by
for future emergencies?

On 19/10/2022 in message <jra6adFqmm1U1@mid.individual.net> Andy Burns
wrote:

>Jeff Gaines wrote:
>
>>Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
>>emergency broadcasts:
>
>You'll be too busy sticking your head between your legs and kissing your
>arse goodbye ...

I think it's more to do with power cuts than nuclear attack :-)

--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along without it.

On Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:56:50 +0100, MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:

>On 19/10/2022 09:53, Mark Carver wrote:
>> Here's the source of the rumours
>>
>> https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/18/bbc-prepares-secret-scripts-for-possible-use-in-winter-blackouts
>
>
>
>It seems to be in all the media, (mostly before the Grauniad).
>
>Makes sense, I have more faith in the broadcast networks than Internet.
>
>I can imagine that in the event of severe power cuts quite a few are
>going to find the Internet is not as resilient as they think.

Having faith in the functioning of the technology is one thing, but
having faith in the content of what it would tell us is quite another.
The internet can bring us information from many sources, but the BBC
is only one. Without the internet we would go back to the dark ages of
only being told what those in power wanted us to know.

Rod.

Jeff Gaines <jgaines_newsid@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
> emergency broadcasts:
>
> "EBC service would provide intermittent news bulletins on Radio 4's FM and
> long-wave frequencies and a 'music service', with news updates on the FM
> spectrum used by Radio 2."
>
> It looks like DAB is out so a battery or wind up radio covering FM and
> long wave would fit the bill.
>
> Does that make sense?

Get a battery-powered radio that covers MW, SW, and FM. MW will get you
foreign broadcasts after dark, and SW pretty much 24/7. A receiver that
does SSB will at least on SW also enable you to listen to Radio Amateurs as
well.

This should enable the listener to form a wider view of events than those
the BBC are willing to tell you about.

I don’t have one of these, but a Retekess V115 receiver will do most of the
above, but not SSB, for £23 on Amazon and is USB rechargeable. Bung in a
card and record what you’re listening to.

There are no end of web sites giving MW and SW broadcast schedules.

--
Spike

On 19/10/2022 12:50, Scott wrote:
> Couple of comments:
> 1. How can they say, 'Northern Ireland would be unaffected because
> its electricity grid is shared with the Republic of Ireland'? Surely
> RoI is at risk of energy shortages in the same way as other European
> countries?
> 2. Does this suggest that Droitwich LW will be retained on stand-by
> for future emergencies?

What would the point be?

Very few people listen to Long Wave, start putting out emergency
announcements and the few crickets nuts (who do listen) will start moaning.

I don't think my car radio has Long Wave but never checked, most of my
radios in the house do not have it and it useless around here despite
the supposedly "national" coveragee.

I suppose Rent-a-Mob will start protesting is the Southern Irish start
digging up peat to keep their old power stations going! Do they have
any peat or coal powered ones left?

I was reading a few days ago of some countries bringing forward Long
Wave close down.

On Wed, 19 Oct 2022 14:24:15 +0100, MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:

>On 19/10/2022 12:50, Scott wrote:
>> Couple of comments:
>> 1. How can they say, 'Northern Ireland would be unaffected because
>> its electricity grid is shared with the Republic of Ireland'? Surely
>> RoI is at risk of energy shortages in the same way as other European
>> countries?
>> 2. Does this suggest that Droitwich LW will be retained on stand-by
>> for future emergencies?
>
>
>
>What would the point be?
>
>Very few people listen to Long Wave, start putting out emergency
>announcements and the few crickets nuts (who do listen) will start moaning.

I post this in the context that the initial report says emergency
broadcasts *will* be carried on long wave.
>
>I don't think my car radio has Long Wave but never checked, most of my
>radios in the house do not have it and it useless around here despite
>the supposedly "national" coveragee.
>
>I suppose Rent-a-Mob will start protesting is the Southern Irish start
>digging up peat to keep their old power stations going! Do they have
>any peat or coal powered ones left?

Maybe they have a strategic gas reserve like the one the UK had until
the government closed it in 2017.
>
>I was reading a few days ago of some countries bringing forward Long
>Wave close down.

I believe Denmark has stopped ordinary radio broadcasts on long wave
but fires up the transmitter two or three or four times a day for the
shipping forecast. I am simply asking if the same logic could apply
to Droitwich in an emergency.

On 19/10/2022 in message <jrab75Frh5dU1@mid.individual.net> Spike wrote:

>Jeff Gaines <jgaines_newsid@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
>>emergency broadcasts:
>>
>>"EBC service would provide intermittent news bulletins on Radio 4's FM and
>>long-wave frequencies and a 'music service', with news updates on the FM
>>spectrum used by Radio 2."
>>
>>It looks like DAB is out so a battery or wind up radio covering FM and
>>long wave would fit the bill.
>>
>>Does that make sense?
>
>Get a battery-powered radio that covers MW, SW, and FM. MW will get you
>foreign broadcasts after dark, and SW pretty much 24/7. A receiver that
>does SSB will at least on SW also enable you to listen to Radio Amateurs as
>well.
>
>This should enable the listener to form a wider view of events than those
>the BBC are willing to tell you about.
>
>I don’t have one of these, but a Retekess V115 receiver will do most of
>the
>above, but not SSB, for £23 on Amazon and is USB rechargeable. Bung in a
>card and record what you’re listening to.
>
>There are no end of web sites giving MW and SW broadcast schedules.

That is an interesting idea :-)

I used to have an R1155, a CR100, a Yupiteru MVT-7100 and an AOR 5000 +3,
all long gone.

What about a decent hand held scanner that covers Medium Wave?

--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
The facts, although interesting, are irrelevant

On 19/10/2022 14:24, MB wrote:
>
> Very few people listen to Long Wave, start putting out emergency
> announcements and the few crickets nuts (who do listen) will start moaning.

I think the idea of using long wave for emergency broadcasts is not new.
E.g see this government document from 2013
<https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/136351/Emergency_Communications_1_.pdf>
(although it is discussing when to abandon long wave for this purpose).

I suspect the reason for it is that one transmitter can cover the whole
country, so you are not relying on having a lot of infrastructure
working. TV and DAB may well uplink to satellites before they get
transmitted terrestrially.

In article <tip2cg$29rj$1@dont-email.me>,
David Woolley <david@ex.djwhome.demon.invalid> wrote:
> On 19/10/2022 14:24, MB wrote:
> >
> > Very few people listen to Long Wave, start putting out emergency
> > announcements and the few crickets nuts (who do listen) will start moaning.

> I think the idea of using long wave for emergency broadcasts is not new.
> E.g see this government document from 2013
> <https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/136351/Emergency_Communications_1_.pdf>
> (although it is discussing when to abandon long wave for this purpose).

> I suspect the reason for it is that one transmitter can cover the whole
> country,

England, possibly, but not Scotland or Northern Ireland

> so you are not relying on having a lot of infrastructure
> working. TV and DAB may well uplink to satellites before they get
> transmitted terrestrially.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4té
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On 19/10/2022 14:36, Scott wrote:
> I believe Denmark has stopped ordinary radio broadcasts on long wave
> but fires up the transmitter two or three or four times a day for the
> shipping forecast. I am simply asking if the same logic could apply
> to Droitwich in an emergency.

Very expensive way of providing a transmission of the Shipping Forecast
for a fewyachtiess to listen to in bed. I can't imagine any commercial
shipping vessels using it and with cost of yachts, they can easily
afford decent equipment to get the forecast.

On 19/10/2022 15:42, David Woolley wrote:
> I suspect the reason for it is that one transmitter can cover the whole
> country, so you are not relying on having a lot of infrastructure
> working. TV and DAB may well uplink to satellites before they get
> transmitted terrestrially.

One transmitter cannot serve the UK on Long wave especially to cheap
portable radios. There are three transmitters and many areas with poor
coverage.

Jeff Gaines <jgaines_newsid@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> On 19/10/2022 in message <jrab75Frh5dU1@mid.individual.net> Spike wrote:
>
>> Jeff Gaines <jgaines_newsid@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>> Not sure if I will succumb to the panic but the BBC is preparing for
>>> emergency broadcasts:
>>>
>>> "EBC service would provide intermittent news bulletins on Radio 4's FM and
>>> long-wave frequencies and a 'music service', with news updates on the FM
>>> spectrum used by Radio 2."
>>>
>>> It looks like DAB is out so a battery or wind up radio covering FM and
>>> long wave would fit the bill.
>>>
>>> Does that make sense?
>>
>> Get a battery-powered radio that covers MW, SW, and FM. MW will get you
>> foreign broadcasts after dark, and SW pretty much 24/7. A receiver that
>> does SSB will at least on SW also enable you to listen to Radio Amateurs as
>> well.
>>
>> This should enable the listener to form a wider view of events than those
>> the BBC are willing to tell you about.
>>
>> I don’t have one of these, but a Retekess V115 receiver will do most of
>> the
>> above, but not SSB, for £23 on Amazon and is USB rechargeable. Bung in a
>> card and record what you’re listening to.
>>
>> There are no end of web sites giving MW and SW broadcast schedules.
>
> That is an interesting idea :-)
>
> I used to have an R1155, a CR100, a Yupiteru MVT-7100 and an AOR 5000 +3,
> all long gone.

> What about a decent hand held scanner that covers Medium Wave?

Unless the scanner has Really Good Filtering, such as you might get in a
quality DSP radio AND you don’t suffer from VDSL, I suggest you stay with
manual tuning using 9kHz steps. It doesn’t take long to scan the MW band
that way. Some scanners pause for several seconds on what it thinks is a
signal (but might be just noise) and I find that irritating. You should be
able to cover from N Africa to Western Russia after dark.

--
Spike

On 19/10/2022 15:52, charles wrote:
> England, possibly, but not Scotland or Northern Ireland

I suppose that with all the power off, there will be less interference
from all the electrical interference generators so it might be possible
to hear it in cities at least for those who can find a working Long Wave
radio receiver.

On Wed, 19 Oct 2022 16:35:18 +0100, MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:

>One transmitter cannot serve the UK on Long wave especially to cheap
>portable radios. There are three transmitters and many areas with poor
>coverage.

Even if long wave covered the whole of the solar system it would be
pointless if nobody had radios capable of receiving it.

Rod.

On 19/10/2022 10:56, MB wrote:
> On 19/10/2022 09:53, Mark Carver wrote:
>> Here's the source of the rumours
>>
>> https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/oct/18/bbc-prepares-secret-scripts-for-possible-use-in-winter-blackouts

> It seems to be in all the media, (mostly before the Grauniad).
>
> Makes sense, I have more faith in the broadcast networks than Internet.
>
> I can imagine that in the event of severe power cuts quite a few are
> going to find the Internet is not as resilient as they think.

Especially as most people rely on mains powered routers. Maybe I should
check whether mine will work on 8 AA cells

..--
Max Demian

On Wed, 19 Oct 2022 16:32:44 +0100, MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:

>On 19/10/2022 14:36, Scott wrote:
>> I believe Denmark has stopped ordinary radio broadcasts on long wave
>> but fires up the transmitter two or three or four times a day for the
>> shipping forecast. I am simply asking if the same logic could apply
>> to Droitwich in an emergency.
>
>Very expensive way of providing a transmission of the Shipping Forecast
>for a fewyachtiess to listen to in bed. I can't imagine any commercial
>shipping vessels using it and with cost of yachts, they can easily
>afford decent equipment to get the forecast.
>
I was merely pointing out that it must be feasible. This seems to me
to be relevant to the context here, which is that (according to the
first post) a decision has been made that long wave is beneficial.

I think you are applying the test for day to day activities to an
emergency situation. The circumstances are rather different. Anyone
listening to a test match would probably appreciate being told about a
genuine emergency.

On Wed, 19 Oct 2022 16:37:34 +0100, MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:

>On 19/10/2022 15:52, charles wrote:
>> England, possibly, but not Scotland or Northern Ireland
>
>
>I suppose that with all the power off, there will be less interference
>from all the electrical interference generators so it might be possible
>to hear it in cities at least for those who can find a working Long Wave
>radio receiver.
>
I think that's right. Before Westerglen started 198 kHz it was still
possible to receive Radio 2 long wave in the Glasgow area.