mick
Well-Known Member
I sail on the west coast of Scotland and often have trouble getting decent reception on my ordinary little radio. DAB radios are no use because the whole area is outwith the digital coverage. Is there any solution?
Getting Radio 4/Radio Scotland
- Thread starter mick
- Start date
Cloven
Well-Known Member
Mick
Have sailed same area for last 10 years. I have used the Roberts radios with the built in tape recording device for weather forecasts etc. FM can be a bit patchy but no problems with Long Wave for weather forecasts etc.
Hope this helps.
Have sailed same area for last 10 years. I have used the Roberts radios with the built in tape recording device for weather forecasts etc. FM can be a bit patchy but no problems with Long Wave for weather forecasts etc.
Hope this helps.
Goldie
Well-Known Member
Radio 4 LW is also broadcast on some A.M. transmitters. Try 720 for the Glasgow transmitter. the other frequency for Scotland is 1449 broadcast from Aberdeen.
capt_courageous
Well-Known Member
Cable from Ntl/Telewest is good but restricts sailing. As the others say Long Wave ( 1500 m ) is most likely your best solution. I am old enough to remember getting Radio Luxembourg in Granny's Heilan Hame.
Gordonmc
Well-Known Member
Depends on where off the West coast you do your sailing.
In the Eastern Clyde you should be ok with DAB. Radio Scotland is on Glasgow multiplex with a transmitter at Glennifer Braes and Ayr which has Tx at West Kilbride. R4 on the BBC National multiplex is off Blackhill which I have picked up at Dunoon, sandbank etc. I use a small external aerial, not very high. DAB is vertically polarised and a directional aerial should be avoided. omni dipole or colinear are preferred.
FM off Toward is OK at least until you go into the Kyles. Then its over to LW for R4 and AM for RScot.
In the Eastern Clyde you should be ok with DAB. Radio Scotland is on Glasgow multiplex with a transmitter at Glennifer Braes and Ayr which has Tx at West Kilbride. R4 on the BBC National multiplex is off Blackhill which I have picked up at Dunoon, sandbank etc. I use a small external aerial, not very high. DAB is vertically polarised and a directional aerial should be avoided. omni dipole or colinear are preferred.
FM off Toward is OK at least until you go into the Kyles. Then its over to LW for R4 and AM for RScot.
mick
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Depends on where off the West coast you do your sailing.
In the Eastern Clyde you should be ok with DAB. Radio Scotland is on Glasgow multiplex with a transmitter at Glennifer Braes and Ayr which has Tx at West Kilbride. R4 on the BBC National multiplex is off Blackhill which I have picked up at Dunoon, sandbank etc. I use a small external aerial, not very high. DAB is vertically polarised and a directional aerial should be avoided. omni dipole or colinear are preferred.
FM off Toward is OK at least until you go into the Kyles. Then its over to LW for R4 and AM for RScot.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm talking Islay to Skye and the Western Isles.
Depends on where off the West coast you do your sailing.
In the Eastern Clyde you should be ok with DAB. Radio Scotland is on Glasgow multiplex with a transmitter at Glennifer Braes and Ayr which has Tx at West Kilbride. R4 on the BBC National multiplex is off Blackhill which I have picked up at Dunoon, sandbank etc. I use a small external aerial, not very high. DAB is vertically polarised and a directional aerial should be avoided. omni dipole or colinear are preferred.
FM off Toward is OK at least until you go into the Kyles. Then its over to LW for R4 and AM for RScot.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm talking Islay to Skye and the Western Isles.
William_H
Well-Known Member
Your best bet is to go to a car wrecking yard (auto dismantler) and pick up an old car radio of the manually tuned type. They are very sensitive and being manually (or mechanical push button) tuned they don't need a memory voltage to keep them tuned when turned off.
Connect it to a long wire hauled up the mast. if you have a fibreglass or wood boat then you can try a wire draped around inside the hull but outside is best. You don't need a shielded coax cable just push the wire into the centre hole of the aerial socket of the radio.
I am assuming you have 12 volts available on the boat. If not then solder together 8 D cells for fairly long life. You can get a battery holder from Maplin RS etc. Rechargeablke is even better or get a tiny 12v SLA lead acid battery. good luck olewill
Connect it to a long wire hauled up the mast. if you have a fibreglass or wood boat then you can try a wire draped around inside the hull but outside is best. You don't need a shielded coax cable just push the wire into the centre hole of the aerial socket of the radio.
I am assuming you have 12 volts available on the boat. If not then solder together 8 D cells for fairly long life. You can get a battery holder from Maplin RS etc. Rechargeablke is even better or get a tiny 12v SLA lead acid battery. good luck olewill
VicMallows
Well-Known Member
olewill, Have you ever pondered WHY every car radio (that I've come across) requires a maintaining voltage for the memory? ... the current is not insignificant either. Every other sort of digitally tuned radio maintains memory, often even with batteries removed. Modern car radios even maintain the 'security code' when disconnected from 12v (a real pain) .... but not the stations.
I did think of being frivolous and suggesting listening to Radio4/Scotland via the internet, but it could prove somewhat expensive on the boat!
Vic
I did think of being frivolous and suggesting listening to Radio4/Scotland via the internet, but it could prove somewhat expensive on the boat!
Vic
William_H
Well-Known Member
Hi Vic yes I have wondered why they can't use EEROM ie memory without need of a backup supply. My little ETREX GPS holds huge amounts of data without need of battery and that is quite old.
Yes I agree the electrical system on my boat won't go to supporting a car radio memory. (3watts of solar as the only power source)
hence my suggestion look for an old car radio. Maybe they can't be found now except in old codgers junk (like mine) olewill
Yes I agree the electrical system on my boat won't go to supporting a car radio memory. (3watts of solar as the only power source)
hence my suggestion look for an old car radio. Maybe they can't be found now except in old codgers junk (like mine) olewill