[SW] 9410 kHz - BBC World Service, Ascension - can't do better in the morning..., Jun 28 2024

As a result of drastic cuts they made to their shortwave service at the end of March of this year, the BBC World Service became a ridiculously difficult catch for me, only some 1600km from its studios.
Due to my work commitments, I cannot listen to live radio in the early morning (until 06:00 UTC or so) and in the afternoon - just when the BBC is still broadcasting on SW to Africa. And in the 06:00 UTC hour, they only broadcast on 2 frequencies, down from 6 or even 7 before the cuts - only from faraway Ascension Island relay, and only on 41m & 31m, restricting the coverage area to immediate vicinity of Atlantic Ocean.
This video demonstrates just that - reception of BBC WS in the 06:00 UTC - 8am hour here in Poland, on a 31mb frequency from Ascension Island, in the middle of summer. As you can expect, the reception is poor. Without checking the schedules, I didn't even find them on 41m, which is telling.
Meanwhile in the evening - what is supposed to be a prime time for me, as well as for other SWLs in Europe (not sure about Africa), the BBC is NOT broadcasting. They do earlier though, right when I am at work. Except it's weekend - then the BBC is not broadcasting on shortwave in afternoons at all. Except - again - if Premier League is playing. No, not Euro 2024. Premier League.
And no, I didn't use a telescoping whip on a portable radio. I used a sensitive software-defined radio with a large outdoor antenna (39m of wire hung as a rectangular loop), in a reasonably quiet, semi-rural environment. And it's still not enough...
And before you respond with "but you have internet, no problem listening to BBC WS and other channels there" - tell it to our neighbours in Ukraine. You'll be slapped in your face.

[@lambdaprog]

Best effort.