Satellite radio – has anyone tried them

[Erico]

I am thinking of getting a little portable satellite radio receiver so that I can listen to BBC radio beyond the range of longwave Med and Southern Biscay mostly. Its nothing to do with missing the Archers of course! Has anyone tried them. Do they work inside a plastic boat? Any issues I might need to think about. Which model do you recommend?

Thanks - Eric

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[johnsomerhausen]

After dark, long wave trransmissions from the BBC should easuily reach South Biscay; I'm not so sure about the Med
john

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[mldpt]

Yep I bought one for the same reason, shame but it doesnt work its great for the weather forecast a mechanical voice gives out the forecast for all areas within the satalite area. you can get CNN news some music programs, but as yet no BBC oh you can get the world news. The quality is good providing you can keep the dish on the sat. Incidently you only get the forecast by paying £50 odd a year. I thought that I had read that you could get BBC but it turns out that the one of the sets you can buy also has a FM tuner build in to it. Have a look at www.worldspace.com
Good luck Mike.

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[Talbot]

Worldspace has good coverage in that area http://www.worldspace.com/technology/coveragemaps/afristar.html

Supposed to be very good.

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[Gunfleet]

Erico, I have one and have used it throughout France and Spain. It receives beautifully, but the BBC world service you get on it is a bit of a struggle... it's entirely African. If you really need to be abreast of events in Wogadoodoo, Chad or where ever, it's for you. If you don't mind how much you pay to listen to WS sport on saturday arvo when Chelsea are beating up (insert name of non multi-million pound team here) it's for you. Otherwise, I'm not sure how exciting it is. And since I speak Fench and dodgy Spanish I really don't know how much of an improvement it is over listening to local FM stations. YMMV

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[pandroid]

If you are desperate, you could try Sky. They do Radio as well as TV and a lot of people use them in Spain, but the dishes get a bit large for a boat (unless you screw them to a marina...). See <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/bbcitv.htm>here</A>

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[roni]

Eric-the BBC-WS is very strong in the MED since there is relay station in the east
MED am/fm.I hear them good. roni

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[simon]

I've got a Hitachi. Reception is excellent in Costa Blanca area.

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[Sybarite]

I get R4 198 LW easily in S Brittany but 648 World Service fades out after Le Mans on the way down to Britanny.

Heading south, R4 198 LW also fades out between Auxerre and Lyon (depending on propagation conditions) .

John

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[philmarks]

Excellent quality.

What BCD are you receiving the weather on? Are you paying a subscription for it?

Phil

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds
Phil

 

[circumnavigation]

Likewise, between Bordeaux and Hendaye.

Also use a worldspace Hitachi, and it travels with me globally. The 3 foot prints are very well placed and I listen to a wide range of stations etc.

Recently, I mentioned <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html>http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html

 

[mldpt]

Hi unfortunatly you have to register and it cost £58 I must admit I dnt think its worth it but I thought when I bought the set that I was going to get perfect BBC radio reception anyware but that is not the case, apart from world news I get the forecast on BC 573 and I guess its another system to use when planning a long passage the more weather information available the better. There are othe pay to receive programs available.
Regards Mike.

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[circumnavigation]

Don't blame the set, as there is no problem with reception. Normally it is how you set it up. Instructions are in many languages, so if your first language is not English or any of the other European languages, go to the website for more information. It is incredible how users have great difficulty in following simple instructions, but need to have their hand held.

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[mldpt]

I agree the set is great and reception good also. but unfortunatly there are not many programs broadcast, as I said I was expecting to be able to receive all the BBC broardcasts from anywhere, but Ididnt read the details correctly, some sets advertise that you can get BBC programs, what I had failed to see was that those sets have a FM receiver in them but they have the same limitations as any other FM set poor reception when off shore.
Mike

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[circumnavigation]

Exactly. My Hitachi receives crystal clear Worldspace, under the Africa Footprint and BBC African services. CNN is the TV version, without the viewing and Bloomburg for the Markets. As for FM at sea, the reception is, by far, clearer than over the land mass. Using SSB for standard radio programmes allows one to receive Radio 4, for example, at greater distances. Gave up on the Archers a long time a go, but for the AM, World at One and the PM Programmes is a must where it is necessary to keep up to date on world affairs.

Martin

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html>http://www.mpcee.co.uk/katoema.html</A>