Absolute Radio Shutdown - Medium Wave - Station Marker

Absolute Radio Station Marker On A Roberts R300 Transistor Radio.
Is this the beginning of the end?

[@Christophers-Assorted-Stuff]

There is something special about MW. As a kid I was fascinated with a bakelite crystal set my dad gave me. I used to clip the aerial wire to my bed frame and listen to R. Luxembourg till I fell asleep. Then - what I regard as the best time ever for radio - the offshore pirate stations, I started listening to Caroline in 1964. Most mornings I listened to my favourite station - R London as I was getting ready for my paper round and having breakfast. I often enjoyed tuning around to find new stations too. I can only describe MW music as sort of warm and cosy. I still listen to Caroline now on MW, though it's not as exciting as it used to be. I think it was the pop music that made it so good, the artists, were just a couple of years older than me and they were turning out hundreds of great songs which us teenagers could identify with. If only it was like that now!

[@antigoseraros]

Lindos rádios! Parabéns

[@keithbrandaw7229]

Should be plenty of Am Transmitters knocking about, and a large boat 🚤 😊

[@Codeeze]

I have a talking house transmitter, and a beach dinghy... Radio Codeezealine might be offshore pirating soon!

[@chrisreynolds6331]

AM used to work in our cars and vans too. Sometimes on a remote hill 100 miles from a transmitter. Try that on DAB or 4G!!

[@Codeeze]

I'm lucky to have a modern car that has the MW band on the infotainment system - and it works!

[@gartmorn]

It’s definitely well on the road out here! Seems to be clinging on elsewhere in the world, for now!😢

[@Codeeze]

True. I've always enjoyed listening to the MW broadcasting, and fixing sets up so they work their best. There's still some on the band, but their it's an ever decreasing circle, and their days are numbered too sadly.

[@gartmorn]

@@Codeeze you’ll soon need an am transmitter of your own to listen in on am if you don’t already do that for testing purposes!

[@Codeeze]

@@gartmorn I do have a 'Talking House Transmitter - TH5' from the States. So I can indeed still 'listen' to whatever I run through it.

[@SweeneyTTodd]

Such a shame Paul , still plenty of other stations broadcasting Great channel Best regards Shaun

[@Codeeze]

Thanks Shaun. I wouldn't say plenty, not that I can receive without a longwire anyway! All the good ones are going. At least I'll still be able to listen to the cricket and football - for now...

[@ScottfromNP]

I prefer the sound of MW and LW. How radio should be.

[@Fluteboy]

App? Smart speaker? It weren't like that in my day!

[@Codeeze]

Nor mine! - Apps and smart speakers are great for some - modern devices work until the warranty expires... or until the network goes down, or there's no internet access...

[@terryblackman6217]

It is sad that we are losing MW stations as I also enjoy repairing and restoring these wonderful old radios. I wonder if the government would allow us to use a small MW transmitter, similar to the FM one's you can buy?

[@Codeeze]

I do have a 'Talking House Transmitter - TH5' from the States. So I can indeed still 'listen' to whatever I run through it.

[@terryblackman6217]

@@Codeeze I also have a MW transmitter, fingers crossed they make them legal.

[@ry491]

I also repair and restore old radios and enjoy listening to them . I mainly resort to playing MP3 through the pick up sockets . You can buy a medium wave transmitter on eBay. I think its called a spitfire . I hate digital and wouldn't have one in the house ...

[@Codeeze]

@@ry491 Thanks, I do have a Talking House Transmitter - came from the States, and it's very good. Quite a range too. Shhh!

[@ry491]

@@Codeeze your secret is safe with me !!!

[@MichaelBeeny]

Here in NZ we are about to lose all the live BBC output. Both my internet radios cannot receive this app, so it looks, like I have to purchase a telephone and a crappy loudspeaker to still hear it. A sad look at the future, I guess.

[@Codeeze]

When the MW stations here, that I have enjoyed for so many a year, broadcast their final death messages, they always suggest listening on DAB. Where I live, I can't receive DAB! - even if I could, the quality isn't great, and the power consumption compared to a transistor set is truly shocking. Progress? I'm not so sure.

[@MichaelBeeny]

@@Codeeze I understand DAB is not that good (not that NZ has any and probably never will!) but must be better than MW with its low bandwidth, crackles and mono sound.

[@Codeeze]

Here's a comparison my friend Simon did on DAB vs analogue - 30mA consumption on the analogue transistor radio, and 400mA on the DAB. Of course, analogue also never needs a user intervention for software or firmware upgrade... kzbin.info/www/bejne/laisnaOterubZrc @SoddingaboutSi

[@batterymakermarkii2654]

time for a mini transmitter

[@Codeeze]

I already have a talking house transmitter that came over from Stateside. I'm good, until the RF sniffers catch me...

[@darrensmith6999]

Will be a sad day when AM goes😪

[@Codeeze]

I'll stick with it until the bitter end 😢

[@Steveuk405]

Closing AM is a very silly move. If anything happens - and I hope it does nor! - then AM is a simple and long range method of communication and a crystal set does not need batteries. But money men don't think of that as all they are interested in is the bottom line. it should be kept!

[@Codeeze]

Agreed! Thanks Steve 👍

[@SoddingaboutSi]

Was that absolute radio Paul? Not sure the announcer said?

[@Codeeze]

Listen to it again Simon, but pay attention this time...

[@keithbrandaw7229]

Well that’s the way it’s going good or not , Hello Paul !

[@Codeeze]

Hello Keith!

[@gingercat6128]

Absolutely not, DAB sounds like a wasp in a tin can. At least my RM40 has VHF.

[@ianallen2]

No loss to me. I listen to Gold on DAB. If I listen to any of my pocket radio's, listen to Radio 2. :)

[@Codeeze]

I've always enjoyed MW & LW though. I was a BBC radio Lancashire listener - but that went, so I moved to listen to Absolute - and that's now gone too. Where I live, DAB is a no-no, barely possible, and so power-hungry - even some FM stations are tricky to receive here in the Valley. MW always came through super, as can be heard in this video.

[@ianallen2]

@@Codeeze Back in the mid 70's, I used to listen to Radio Luxemborg at night. Great pop songs, but it was a weak channel to get and it kept waving in and out. Fingers were never off the tuner as always retuning to Luxemborg. By the 90's, most MW channels went over to FM and there is very little on MW around here now. Its a pity as my pocket radio's are becoming non useable now.

[@YT_Gopnik_Mario]

I always listened to radio station FM radio is still used and my dads old car has AM function but it cant get signal prb all AM stations are down where i live