AM Radio fading into history

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by Media Boy UK

Global to turn off FOUR AM transmitters from June 30th broadcasting Gold:

*Gold’s AM frequencies covering:
*Peterborough/Cambridge (1332 kHz),
*Derby (945 kHz),
*Nottingham (999 kHz) &
*Northampton (1557 kHz)

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/06/glo...nd-manchester/

Global has confirmed that GOLD's London AM transmitter will be turn off on August 31st.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/08/gol...h-anniversary/

[nodrogd]

Originally Posted by Media Boy UK

Global has confirmed that GOLD's London AM transmitter will be turn off on August 31st.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/08/gol...h-anniversary/

The original Global announcement page was updated today (15th Aug) & states a closure date of "end of September". Somebody's got it wrong.

https://www.goldradiouk.com/radio/gold-am-listen-how/

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by nodrogd

The original Global announcement page was updated today (15th Aug) & states a closure date of "end of September". Somebody's got it wrong.

https://www.goldradiouk.com/radio/gold-am-listen-how/

Your list is for GOLD stations outside London that was close on June 30th.

[nodrogd]

Originally Posted by Media Boy UK

Your list is for GOLD stations outside London that was close on June 30th.

The linked page was UPDATED on 15th August as highlighted below. I have been told their current maintenance contract at the Saffron Green site runs out end of September, so that is most likely the correct closure date.

[nodrogd]

Both the former Atlantic 252 mast at Clarkestown & the ex RTE Radio 1 AM mast at Tullamore were demolished within 2 days of eachother at the end of July.

This leaves only one remaining AM mast in the Irish Republic (Spirit Radio 549 from Carrikroe)

Clarkestown demolition 27/07/23:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8vEQltlaJQ

Tullamore demolition 25/07/23:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6OCCPlkSaQ

[nodrogd]

At 23.52 last night, Gold played out “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel. This was the first track ever played on Capital Radio when it launched in London back in 1973. When it finished 1548 kHz from Saffron Green went silent for 20 seconds, followed by a continuous retune ad loop being played.

Smooth Sussex AM services from Bexhill (945 kHz) & Brighton (1323 kHz) will also close this weekend.

[Media Boy UK]

Bauer to turn off AM services in Scotland, Ireland and northern England

The Greatest Hits Radio AM frequencies being turned off in the next six weeks are:

990 Doncaster, South Yorkshire (was Hallam)
1035 Ayr, Prestwick, Irvine & Kilmarnock, Ayrshire (was West Sound AM)
1107 Inverness, Highland (was MFR)
1152 Newcastle, Sunderland & County Durham (was Metro / GNR)
1152 Glasgow (was Raio Clyde)
1161 Dundee & North Fife (was Tay)
1305 Barnsley, South Yorkshire (was Hallam)
1548 Edinburgh, Lothians & South Fife (was Forth)
1548 Sheffield, South Yorkshire (was Hallam)
1584 Perth, Perth & Kinross (was Tay)

(data from jack-bromby.com)

Global is also in the process of turning off its AM services, whilst the BBC has been doing it for many years, including BBC Radio Scotland in 2020, and has plans to turn off 5 Live on AM and BBC Radio 4 on LW in the near future.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/11/bau...thern-england/

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by Media Boy UK

Bauer to turn off AM services in Scotland, Ireland and northern England

The Greatest Hits Radio AM frequencies being turned off in the next six weeks are:

990 Doncaster, South Yorkshire (was Hallam)
1035 Ayr, Prestwick, Irvine & Kilmarnock, Ayrshire (was West Sound AM)
1107 Inverness, Highland (was MFR)
1152 Newcastle, Sunderland & County Durham (was Metro / GNR)
1152 Glasgow (was Raio Clyde)
1161 Dundee & North Fife (was Tay)
1305 Barnsley, South Yorkshire (was Hallam)
1548 Edinburgh, Lothians & South Fife (was Forth)
1548 Sheffield, South Yorkshire (was Hallam)
1584 Perth, Perth & Kinross (was Tay)

(data from jack-bromby.com)

Global is also in the process of turning off its AM services, whilst the BBC has been doing it for many years, including BBC Radio Scotland in 2020, and has plans to turn off 5 Live on AM and BBC Radio 4 on LW in the near future.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/11/bau...thern-england/

So the last remnants Tay AM/Tay 2 analogue are disappearing. Shame, but the local elements had already been minimised as I understand it, so it was a shadow of its former self.

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by nodrogd

At 23.52 last night, Gold played out “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel. This was the first track ever played on Capital Radio when it launched in London back in 1973. When it finished 1548 kHz from Saffron Green went silent for 20 seconds, followed by a continuous retune ad loop being played.

Thats incredibly sad...... 1.548Mhz has been on for years!


I think AM sounds much better for music than FM where you mostly hear heavy bassed digital garbage that to me doesnt sound good!!!!

I love listening to the AM stations I can get in my area.....

[Peter729]

I had a listen to the AM SW bands last night there certainly isn’t as much activity as there was even 10+ years ago.

[Dude111]

No the AM mode seems to be disliked for some reason........

I think 10K for music sounds excellent when all I can get is worse sound on FM WIDE stations! (About 100k)

[Rillington]

Iirc Global now only retains one MW service - Gold in Manchester, and they are bound to switch this off by the end of the year.

Next year will likely see the cessation of Radio 4 on long wave and the remaining BBC Local MW outlets are likely to go very soon, leaving only TalkSPORT and Radio 5 Live on AM.

I do find it surprising that Ofcom chooses not to re-advertise any of these frequencies. AM radio is continuing in America so why let it die in the UK?

Originally Posted by Rillington

Iirc Global now only retains one MW service - Gold in Manchester, and they are bound to switch this off by the end of the year.

Next year will likely see the cessation of Radio 4 on long wave and the remaining BBC Local MW outlets are likely to go very soon, leaving only TalkSPORT and Radio 5 Live on AM.

I do find it surprising that Ofcom chooses not to re-advertise any of these frequencies. AM radio is continuing in America so why let it die in the UK?

Because the USA is a huge country, with lots of open spaces which can be better served by AM, whilst (most of) the U.K. can be covered by FM/DAB.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Rillington

Iirc Global now only retains one MW service - Gold in Manchester, and they are bound to switch this off by the end of the year.

Next year will likely see the cessation of Radio 4 on long wave and the remaining BBC Local MW outlets are likely to go very soon, leaving only TalkSPORT and Radio 5 Live on AM.

I do find it surprising that Ofcom chooses not to re-advertise any of these frequencies. AM radio is continuing in America so why let it die in the UK?

I wonder whether these frequencies are now longer available or if someone could apply to use them despite them not being advertised?

[Peter729]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I wonder whether these frequencies are now longer available or if someone could apply to use them despite them not being advertised?

I'm afraid its difficult to see an application for the longer wavelength frequencies, most radio can now be served via VHF and although this is limited to line of sight a radio station can simply put its content on the internet for a wider audience.