Longwave 198 KHz BBC Radio 4 switches off playing 'God Save the Queen', The British National Anthem

Wednesday the 31st of August 2011. BBC's Radio 4 finishes it's programming for the night and ends by playing the British National Anthem, before switching over to the world service. The clock above the tuner gives the time in GMT with an accuracy of 5 seconds.
The Tuner is a JVC-T5VL which does the job nicely. It is connected to a 15 meter tuned longwire antenna that is suspended 5 meters off the ground. It was connected to the sound card of my PC via a ground loop isolator, an electrical connection between the two is as noisy as hell, it was later syncd to the video.

[@derekhorne8076]

It is a source of pride and joy to me that Radio 4 continue to play the National Anthem and close down before handing over to the World Service. It is a source of sorrow, shame and dismay that BBC One cannot do the same before handing over the the BBC News channel. Shame on BBC1

[@grahamemmett]

The BBC stopped playing the National anthem in 1997 and now just on Radio 4 after the shipping news at 0058. Worth listening to if still awake.

[@thedecmyster1]

Exceptionally clear Long Wave signal you have there, sounds excellent very little interference

[@anthonyperkins7556]

It hands over to BBC World Service when the transmission closed.

[@mikeredenius425]

I've listened to the Shipping Forecast and 2400 News for years, first with my great grandfather (full-blooded German nonetheless) on long-wave (I believe) here in the American Midwest; far removed from any potential gales in areas surrounding the British Isles. He never told me why listened, but I suspect it was carried over from his and his father's import/export of horses from our farm in Germany and traversing British waters. It believe eventually it became a way for him to remember the world as it used to be. In his late nineties I introduced him to listening via the internet and he loved the clarity. He's long gone now, but I continue our tradition to honor him. And yes, even though I'm an American, I stand when God Save the Queen is played just as he insisted until the pips start. Funny how traditions begin, evolve, and eventually end.

[@samuelholmes3696]

Lovely story mate! I'm sure you have fond memories of those days.

[@aidanlunn7441]

The same version of the national anthem that was used when BBC1 used to close down (complete with spinning globe)

[@julianaylor4351]

I was at college in South Wales in the 1980s, and instead they used a film clip of the Queen sailing by on a royal barge.

[@chriswaring5565]

IT WILL BE GOD SAVE KING NOW BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THAT WAS SUNG

[@G6JPG]

There is a fascinating clip of a little girl of 13 singing it to the _last_ king. Her name is Julie Andrews …

[@robertszelepcsenyi3695]

Very clear reception. I am very disappointed at the forthcoming total demise of long-wave broadcasting. When I was a kid I got a Soviet building kit - a long-wave radio, which I used for almost forty years until my favorite long-wave station closed down. I could listen to the station throughout the whole Europe. It was my link with my homeland. Yes, nowadays we have the Internet, but it will never be the same.

[@WedgePee]

I heard RTE 1 in the UK as an 00s kid.

[@katakisLives]

Its a great way to end the day! sailing by, then the shipping forecast all topped off with the national anthem long may this noble tradition continue

[@RenaissanceEarCandy]

Still going over a decade later. May there always be a Radio 4! 📻 🇬🇧

[@chrisdelano353]

Here, I can see clocks, national anthems, and this radio!

[@johnhintz4760]

God save the Empire,And bless Sir Lew!..

[@ronaldgarrison8478]

Eastern US here. I had a really good comm receiver for about thre years, 1993-1996. It had long wave coverage. Never heard the slightest thing on it.

[@G6JPG]

Did you connect any aerial to it? Even the best receiver needs input!

[@ronaldgarrison8478]

@@G6JPG Had a great antenna. But I sure can't pick you up FFFS.

[@CaptainX2012]

The clock above is a minute off. The six pips should end at exactly on the hour.

[@user-te5hf5eq1q]

British Borneo Anthem (1946-1963)

[@anthonyperkins7556]

I remember the old days before BBC R4 broadcast the BBC WS overnight, after the UK National Anthem, they would flick on the 440Hz off air test tone then after a few minutes of test tone beeps, the transmitter engineers would pot out the national BBC R4 LW station, regional BBC R4 MW transmitters, and BBC R4 VHF transmitters onto reduced power then totally switch them off.

[@rasoirwolf]

Even the "SUPER ULTRA-PATROIT" AM Stations in the US don't play our Anthem, we should be ashamed of ourselves if the BBC still does it with their Anthem, by comparison. At least NPR should play our Anthem. That woman sounds like she's Scottish but trying really hard to stick to a Queens English accent, I wonder if they let them speak in their native accents on Radio Scotland?

[@SnabbKassa]

They do the same thing in Liechtenstein, and it's the same tune!

[@G6JPG]

It's quite widely used: of course in America it's "my country, tis of thee" - and there's even a version protecting the Kaiser!

[@eesti_lv]

Switzerland also formerly used it as their anthem

[@ianevans67]

I hope you stood up and took your hat off young man

[@sillygoose635]

They don't have too, old man.

[@whatonearth9809]

Should always stand for the anthem was taught that as a child

[@tobeytransport2802]

Stevie no you don’t but it is rude. If your in any sort of crowd and don’t stand you might as well spit in someone’s face while your at it. I’m young and try to stand whenever possible

[@stinkus7711]

0:48 The British National Anthem

[@queenofdramatech]

This is nice. Love hearing radio from around the world. But I am going to be the yank in the room! Sorry!

[@chrisdelano353]

Request: 1. BBC Radio sign-off 13 December 2004

[@joshuagarnham9703]

This country needs more patriotism

[@grahamlive]

It already has too much.

[@MichaelFearnleyBass]

@ianevans67 Oh yes, definitely...

[@avisiktachakraborty3438]

BBC radio volume

[@antenadx6175]

Why every good longwave / AM /SW stations powered off

[@markoprskalo6127]

It's because new shity generation want all digital

[@cookric555]

clock is 1min slow though so not accurite by 5 secs lol

[@CrowTRobot-ni7zu]

Where were you receiving from?

[@MichaelFearnleyBass]

+Crow T. Robot London, SE9.

[@lifeisnotreal6092]

Magic Monty woah you still answer to comments?

[@thegreypenguin5097]

@@lifeisnotreal6092 unlikely but we will see! xD he hasn't yet!

[@joshuagarnham9703]

Why can’t they do this now

[@Vulenkus]

They do still do this, they still play the national anthem after the final shipping forecast of the day

[@MartinDeHill]

that's a weird cover

[@TheRedandWhitehandItsbruttiyu]

Yy

[@traviss6564]

To these American ears, that sounds like a Welsh accent. Am I correct?

[@MichaelFearnleyBass]

Hello Travis, there's a very slight departure from standard RP (received pronunciation) towards an Edinburgh accent to my ears. So more of a posh accent with a slight hint of cultured Scottish.

[@traviss6564]

@@MichaelFearnleyBass Thank you, Monty, for the kind reply...I find accents fascinating. Even in the western United States (I live in Phoenix. Arizona), there are many different regional accents. Someone from Utah sounds completely different than a Phoenician, as a small example. I appreciate you taking the time to answer. ,-)

[@davidrodgers6621]

Boycott radio 1 and listen to 4 instead.Radio 1 play horrendous music anyway so everyone listen to radio 4 and support your country