Sheffield Live and Hit Music Radio missing

This evening, I was surprised to find both Sheffield Live 93.2 and Hit Music Radio 100.8 were missing from the FM dial.

Especially surprised to see Sheffield Live gone, as I know for a fact they have been awarded a community radio licence by Ofcom.

Still not sure about Hit Music Radio 100.8 though, nowhere (even on the internet) have I found any information about this web radio station's FM frequency.

Farewell to Blackpool

All good things must come to an end, and this evening, I (rather reluctantly) started the journey back home to Clowne.

After nearing Manchester, I turned East and took the Snake Pass across the Pennines. As I was reaching the heights, the traffic got rather sluggish so I started playing with my car radio. On 92.2, I heard RTE FM quite clearly (though no RDS). Also in this area, Tameside Radio was heard testing on 103.6 FM.

As I got closer to Chesterfield, the RSLs I heard before I set off - Radio Ramadan (Sheffield) 87.7 and Amber Sound (Ripley) 87.9 were heard once more.

Blackpool Rock

Well, today the weather's certainly improved following yesterday's gale. (I'd have hated to have been on an offshore pirate last night, those waves were awesome or awful, depending how you see it ...)

All the usual attractions have re-opened, including the rides at Blackpool Pleasure Beach - where I spent most of this afternoon and evening. As well as the rides (I love the Infusion!) and arcades, shows etc, Blackpool Pleasure Beach also has its own "closed circuit" radio station played over the speakers throughout the park.

Holiday Rock FM is obviously connected to Rock FM, the Blackpool and Preston ILR on 97.4 - even has the same logo. First, a little bit about Holiday Rock FM - when I last visited Blackpool in 2001, it was called Kit Kat Radio (sponsored by ... guess who!).

Now a little bit about Rock FM - the hit music ILR for Blackpool and Preston, Rock FM started life in 1982 as Red Rose Radio. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, most ILRs started broadcasting different stations on their FM and MW frequencies; in 1990, Red Rose's FM frequencies became Red Rose Rock FM, which eventually morphed into simply Rock FM.

Ah well, enough of the history lesson ... now I'm off to see the famous Blackpool Illuminations!

Blackpool FM log

Arrived in Blackpool this afternoon, staying until Wednesday.

A stormy day, most of the rides and even the North Pier were closed (I began to wonder if I'd arrived off-season, the town seemed almost 'dead'!)

Ah well, still a good number of stations heard on my car radio ...

88.6 BBC Radio 2 (Winter Hill)
88.9 BBC Radio 2 (Llangollen)
89.3 BBC Radio 2 (Holme Moss)
89.8 BBC Radio 2 (Llanddona)
90.0 BBC Radio 2 (Morecambe Bay)
90.3 BBC Radio 3 (Sandale)
90.8 BBC Radio 3 (Winter Hill)
91.1 BBC Radio 3 (Llangollen)
91.2 Energy FM (Snaefell, Isle of Man)
91.5 BBC Radio 3 (Holme Moss)
92.0 BBC Radio 3 (Llanddona)
92.2 BBC Radio 3 (Morecambe Bay)
93.0 BBC Radio 4 (Winter Hill)
93.3 BBC Radio 4 (Llangollen)
93.7 BBC Radio 4 (Holme Moss)
94.2 BBC Radio Cymru (Llanddona)
94.4 BBC Radio 4 (Morecambe Bay)
94.8 BBC Radio Wales (Llanddona)
95.1 BBC Radio Manchester BBC_MANC
95.5 BBC Radio Lancashire (Hameldon Hill) BBC_LANC
95.8 BBC Radio Merseyside
96.1 BBC Radio Cumbria BBC_CMBR
96.3 Coast FM (North Wales)
96.5 Wave FM (Blackpool - from Blackpool Tower!) WAVE_965
96.9 The Bay FM (Morecambe Bay)
97.1 The Buzz 97.1 (Storeton)
97.4 Rock FM (Preston & Blackpool - from Winter Hill) ROCK_FM
97.7 XFM (Manchester)
98.2 BBC Radio 1 (Winter Hill)
98.5 BBC Radio 1 (Llangollen)
98.9 BBC Radio 1 (Holme Moss)
99.4 BBC Radio 1 (Llanddona)
99.6 BBC Radio 1 (Morecambe Bay)
100.4 Smooth FM (Winter Hill) SMOOTH
101.1 Classic FM (Holme Moss)
101.8 Classic FM (Morecambe Bay)
102.0 Galaxy FM (Manchester)
102.4 Wish FM (Wigan)
102.6 Signal One (Stoke on Trent)
102.8 Chorley FM (Chorley)
103.0 Piccadilly Key 103 (Manchester)
103.4 Marcher Sound (Wrexham)
103.9 BBC Radio Lancashire (Winter Hill) BBC_LANC
104.3 BBC Radio Cymru (Llangollen)
104.5 BBC Radio Lancashire (Lancaster)
105.1 Galaxy FM (Yorkshire - from Emley Moor)
105.4 Century FM (North West) CENTURY
106.2 Real Radio (Yorkshire - from Emley Moor)
107.0 The Bee (Blackburn)
107.3 Abbey FM (Barrow in Furness)
107.6 Juice FM (Liverpool)
107.9 Dune FM (Southport)

Sheffield Live testing

Sheffield Live are now testing on 93.2 FM.
RDS = SHEFLIVE

A loop tape of music which sounds like ambient music from the late 80s/early 90s is transmitted, occasionally interspersed with a brief announcement.

Signal was first heard near junction 35 of the A1, and was still audible when I reached Clowne - although for much of the journey (at the extremes of its range) it was competing with BBC Radio 4 on or near 93.2

Ramzan Leeds and Bradford

In Garforth (Leeds), the Muslim Ramadan RSL Ramzan FM 87.7 from Leeds can be heard clearly.
RDS = RAMZANFM
Although a good signal near Leeds, as I drive home on the A1 southbound, Radio Ramadan of Sheffield (also on 87.7) soon starts competing with Ramzan FM Leeds, and soon after the M62 junction (41), Radio Ramadan Sheffield seems to be winning the battle.

Also in Garforth, Ramzan FM 89.9 from Bradford can be heard quite weakly, no RDS receivable.
Intrestingly, Ramzan FM Bradford covers a much wider area, and can still be heard dome way down the A1 and on parts of the M18.

Also on the subject of RSLs, Amber Sound 87.9 can be heard as far as junction 32 of the M1 northbound. Soon afterwards, the signal weakens and starts competing with Ramzan FM Bradford.

Amber Sound 87.9

Amber Sound from the Amber Valley (near Ripley in Derbyshire) has started an RSL on 87.9.

RDS = AMBERSND

Audible weakly in Clowne, Chesterfield and even as far as Shirebrook (although in Shirebrook, it started competing with another station on the frequency - probably Boundary Sound of Newark). Stronger signal, strong enough to read the RDS, in higher areas such as Bolsover.

Amber Sound website

Quite enjoyable listening, in the early afternoon, when the DJ was playing old-school dance/soul music from the 1980s and 1970s.

Boundary Sound of Newark

An RSL on 87.9 thought to be Boundary Sound from Newark was heard tonight.
Signal was quite weak but listenable in Whitwell, but had become very weak by the time I arrived back in Clowne.

Radio Ramadan 87.7 from Sheffield was also audible as far as Whitwell.

Radio Ramadan Sheffield

Radio Ramadan 87.7 from Sheffield started their RSL today.

RDS = RAMADAN

Strong signal, audible in both Leeds and Clowne - in both cases with RDS received.


As regards Hit Music Radio 100.8, the plot thickens.
I visited Sheffield this evening, it couldn't be heard in Central or Northern Sheffield, except briefly near junction 34 of the M1 (near Meadowhall).
As I left Sheffield to the south, however, the signal became receivable quite well on the hill top. By the time I reached Eckington, Hit Music Radio could still be heard (albeit weakly) in the low areas.
Location of their TX - and its legal status - remains a mystery.